Patience in Islam

A famous English proverb says “God helps those who help themselves” but being a Muslim I would mould the proverb into “Allah helps those who are patient”.

Islam attaches great importance to patience. There are many verses in the Holy Quran and ahadith that emphasize the importance and virtues of patience. Islam and patience go hand in hand; every attribute of Islam has an element of patience associated with it. Humans are faced with difficulties and challenges now and then. Struggle is important to overcome them but patient is the key to success.  If people start wrangling on such occasions then advancement in human progress would become intricate. Therefore Islam has placed great emphasis on patience, so that by avoiding all unpleasantness, man may continue his onward journey towards the higher goal.

The holy Quran stresses the need for patience in the following ayahs:

“Indeed Allah is with those who are patient.”

 “Endure with fortitude whatever befalls you.”

“.. have patience. God is with those that are patient.”

Allah chooses whether good or evil befalls a person. What we fail to realize in the whole situation is that whatever occurred could have been in our support or in opposition. But what lies in the end is the reward and it is only for those who are patient with the Decree of Allah. The Quran has to about this is:

“...and it may be that you dislike a thing that is good for you and that you like a thing that is bad for you.  God knows but you do not know.” (Quran 2:216)

Human nature is spontaneous and abrupt. We panic and become impatient. A small affliction occurs and we start complaining i.e. shakwah appears on our tongues within seconds. Shakwa is contrary to sabr (patience). If Allah can send miseries in our lives, He can also protect us from them. Patience is mandatory exercise in trying situations. . It is a virtue, which enables the individual to proceed towards worthy goals, undeflected by adverse circumstances or repeated provocations. If he allows himself to become upset by opposition, taunts or other kinds of unpleasantness, he will never reach his goals. He will simply become enmeshed in irrelevancies. Stick with patience and the reward is yours.

Inspirational Islamic Quotes

~"Don’t be sad by what you see
It’s true life has it’s miseries
But one thing’s always worked for me
Worry ends when faith begins." 

~“Every time you feel hunger, thirst or a headache while fasting remind yourself and verbally say ‘Oh Allah, this is for you’.”

~Don’t think for a moment that your heart is “strong”. The heart is a vulnerable fool; it turns more than you turn your head that is it is called “qalb” (that which it turns). Protect it with layers upon layers of guards and the only guard is constant remembrance of Allah.

~When we go through grief, just remember that Prophets went through sadness; the righteous people go through sadness. Sadness is a part of life and reality. The Quran is not there to eliminate sadness. It’s there to navigate it in a healthy way.

~"I looked at all friends, and did not find a better friend than safeguarding the tongue. I thought about all dresses, but did not find a better dress than piety. I thought about all types of wealth, but did not find a better wealth than contentment in little. I thought of all types of good deeds, but did not find a better deed than offering good advice. I looked at all types of sustenance, but did not find a better sustenance than patience." Umer (R.A)

~Prayer For Life: My dear ALLAH when I lose hope, Help me to remember that, your love is greater than my disappointments & your plans For my life are better than my dreams.