Three Types
of patience
By Zubair Ahmad
When our set goals are not realized and our expectations
are not fulfilled, we naturally get upset and sometimes,
angry. Restraining ourselves from reacting in an inappropriate
way is called patience in Islam. Patience is a person’s
capacity to endure and tolerate any delay or hardship that
befalls him/her. Patience teaches us to remain steadfast and
be consistent with our actions to achieve the goal of faith
(iman). It prevents us from despairing or panicking, to save
our words from complaining, to prevent our hands from
striking especially when we are in an emotionally volatile
state. Patience also results in a person being grateful no
matter how rough the times are for him/her.
Patience is a comprehensive virtue that encompasses
perseverance, endurance, forbearance, diligence, and restraint.
It is a characteristic of enlightenment that develops
in the heart of a believer. In a hadith, the Prophet a said,
“Whoever intends to be patient, Allah will bless him with
patience; there is no gift that is better and more comprehensive
than patience” (Bukhari).
Ibn Qayyim said, “Patience is divided into three parts:
1. Patience in worshipping Allah and adhering to His
commands.
2. Patience in avoiding sins and acts of disobedience.
3. Patience with the decree of Allah and calamities”
The first part here deals with having perseverance in
fulfilling the obligations of Islam such as prayer, fasting,
giving charity etc. Allah says, “O you who believe, seek
help through patience and prayer, verily Allah is with the
patient” (2:153).
Patience applies to the rights of people just as it applies to
the rights of Allah, which includes serving our parents, our
elders, our neighbors, our families, helping strangers in
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