Post by maruf on Jul 25, 2004 3:10:56 GMT -5
Patience In Islam
"O you who believe! Seek help with patient Perseverance and Prayer: for Allah is with those who patiently persevere. And say not of those who are slain in the way of Allah: "They are dead." Nay, they are living, though you perceive (it) not. Be sure We shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere. Who say, when afflicted with calamity: "To Allah we belong, and to Him is our return". They are those on whom (descend) blessings from their Lord, and Mercy, and it is they who are the guided ones" [Al-Baqarah: 153-157]
Allah (swt), in these verses, makes clear the following:
1. After Allah (swt) informs us that he has sent to us a Messenger from ourselves, reading upon us His verses, purifying us from polytheism and teaching us all what we require regarding the Aqeeda (creed) and Ahkam (laws), and ordered us to follow them, then ordered us to always remember His name and to carry the call to Islam, he ordered us seek help with patient perseverance and prayer.
The expression in this verse suggests that the da'wa (call) to Islam and abiding by the Shari'a (laws) of Allah (swt) is a heavy responsibility and holds great difficulties, and it is upon the believer to stand firm throughout all this; firm, solid and seeking support from two matters clarified by Allah (swt): patience and prayer.
2. Then He (swt) mentioned several types of trials that befall man during his carrying of Islam and the da'wa to it. He (swt) also described what he has prepared for those who are patient, who stand firm upon the truth and, upon falling into a disaster, they say: "To Allah we belong, and to Him is our return". Of the trials, which Allah (swt) mentioned and what he has prepared as a reward for the people who are tested:
a. Dying for the sake of Allah means for a person to be killed while fighting the enemies of Allah (swt) to raise His (swt) Word, facing the enemy, not with ones back to them (running away), standing firm in the area where the fighting is occurring. He is alive with Allah (swt), but the people cannot sense this, since it is a matter that is beyond the senses of man, but it is a beautiful, sweet life. "Whoever fought to raise the word of Allah, facing the enemy, not running away, is (fighting) for the sake of Allah" [Al-Nisaa'i, Ahmed and Al-Darmi]. "The souls of the Martyrs, with Allah, are inside green birds, gliding around the rivers of paradise as they please" [Muslim, Al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Maja, Al-Darmi and Ahmed].
b. The trials with something of fear, hunger, some loss in goods or lives or fruits (of toil) are trials in all its forms, for any of these befalling a believer is a tribulation: Fear and lack of security, poverty and hunger, loss of wealth, loss of lives due to illnesses and death, or loss of fruits due to a famine. Allah (swt) also mentioned "with something", meaning whether the trial is great or small, it is a trial, and patience through it earns great Ajir (rewards). "The Prophet (saw) withdrew after putting a lamp out, and when he was asked regarding this he said: Whatever hurts a believer is a trial, and there is Ajir for him in it." [Al-Dir Al Manthoor, Tafseer Al-Baydhawi]
c. Allah (swt) described that when a believer is put through a trial, and he is patient throughout, reacting to it by saying "To Allah we belong, and to Him is our return" he is rewarded with great Ajir; "on whom (descend) blessings from their Lord, and Mercy, and it is they who are the guided ones". Yes, this is a great reward: The pleasure of Allah (swt), his blessings and mercy, and not only this, but also for them is much pleasure in this world too.
It was brought by Muslim regarding Umm Salamah "She said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say: There is not one slave (of Allah) who is put through a trial and says: "Inna lillah wa inna ilayhi raaji'un (to Allah we belong, and to Him is our return) Oh, Allah, help me through my ordeal and grant me better than it after." except Allah helped him through his ordeal and gave him better than it after. She said: So when Abu Salamah (her husband) died, I said what I was told to say by the Messenger of Allah (saw) and Allah (swt) granted me better than him…the Prophet of Allah (saw)." [Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Al-Tirmidhi and Abu Da'ud].
3. Allah (swt) orders us to seek help with patience and prayer in the carrying of Islam and the call to it, and to remain steadfast to the truth in it. It is Sahih (authentic) regarding the Messenger of Allah (saw) that if he was worried about something, he would rush to prayer, for prayer is the believer's solace where, through it, he meets his Lord (the Most High) and is filled with tranquillity upon carrying it out. The Messenger of Allah (saw) said "There are three things, which Allah has made beloved to me: fragrance, women and my solace has been made in prayer" [Al-Nisaa'i and Ahmed].
For prayer gives the believer strength and energy to be capable of resisting oppression as well as the oppressors, and a sincere will to remain steadfast upon the truth. It produces an unrelenting and unweakening, sincere believer. Allah had even mentioned patience before prayer, emphasizing the importance of patience, for prayer is the relationship between the slave and his Creator, and patience is the relationship between the slave and his Creator, himself and others around him, as it is the measure of steadfastness during calamities, trials and difficulties.
Here, we must take a moment to look into patience, to remove any misconceptions, which may be held by some Muslims regarding its reality and its meaning.
Some people believe that if a person was to turn inwards, isolating himself from others, leaving sin and sinners, while he witnesses sacred matters being desecrated, and the limits of Allah (swt) disregarded and Jihad abolished, not taking up a stance towards it, rather he is distanced from it, having abandoned Al-Nahi 'an Al-Munkar (forbidding all that which is evil); that this would be considered to be patience.
Or some understand patience to mean avoiding being exposed to pain and avoiding situations where one might come across the possibility of coming into contact with the enemies of Allah (swt), thus not daring to say a word of truth, or undertaking the work to please Allah (swt). Instead he remains silent, sitting in a corner, calling himself patient.
"O you who believe! Seek help with patient Perseverance and Prayer: for Allah is with those who patiently persevere. And say not of those who are slain in the way of Allah: "They are dead." Nay, they are living, though you perceive (it) not. Be sure We shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere. Who say, when afflicted with calamity: "To Allah we belong, and to Him is our return". They are those on whom (descend) blessings from their Lord, and Mercy, and it is they who are the guided ones" [Al-Baqarah: 153-157]
Allah (swt), in these verses, makes clear the following:
1. After Allah (swt) informs us that he has sent to us a Messenger from ourselves, reading upon us His verses, purifying us from polytheism and teaching us all what we require regarding the Aqeeda (creed) and Ahkam (laws), and ordered us to follow them, then ordered us to always remember His name and to carry the call to Islam, he ordered us seek help with patient perseverance and prayer.
The expression in this verse suggests that the da'wa (call) to Islam and abiding by the Shari'a (laws) of Allah (swt) is a heavy responsibility and holds great difficulties, and it is upon the believer to stand firm throughout all this; firm, solid and seeking support from two matters clarified by Allah (swt): patience and prayer.
2. Then He (swt) mentioned several types of trials that befall man during his carrying of Islam and the da'wa to it. He (swt) also described what he has prepared for those who are patient, who stand firm upon the truth and, upon falling into a disaster, they say: "To Allah we belong, and to Him is our return". Of the trials, which Allah (swt) mentioned and what he has prepared as a reward for the people who are tested:
a. Dying for the sake of Allah means for a person to be killed while fighting the enemies of Allah (swt) to raise His (swt) Word, facing the enemy, not with ones back to them (running away), standing firm in the area where the fighting is occurring. He is alive with Allah (swt), but the people cannot sense this, since it is a matter that is beyond the senses of man, but it is a beautiful, sweet life. "Whoever fought to raise the word of Allah, facing the enemy, not running away, is (fighting) for the sake of Allah" [Al-Nisaa'i, Ahmed and Al-Darmi]. "The souls of the Martyrs, with Allah, are inside green birds, gliding around the rivers of paradise as they please" [Muslim, Al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Maja, Al-Darmi and Ahmed].
b. The trials with something of fear, hunger, some loss in goods or lives or fruits (of toil) are trials in all its forms, for any of these befalling a believer is a tribulation: Fear and lack of security, poverty and hunger, loss of wealth, loss of lives due to illnesses and death, or loss of fruits due to a famine. Allah (swt) also mentioned "with something", meaning whether the trial is great or small, it is a trial, and patience through it earns great Ajir (rewards). "The Prophet (saw) withdrew after putting a lamp out, and when he was asked regarding this he said: Whatever hurts a believer is a trial, and there is Ajir for him in it." [Al-Dir Al Manthoor, Tafseer Al-Baydhawi]
c. Allah (swt) described that when a believer is put through a trial, and he is patient throughout, reacting to it by saying "To Allah we belong, and to Him is our return" he is rewarded with great Ajir; "on whom (descend) blessings from their Lord, and Mercy, and it is they who are the guided ones". Yes, this is a great reward: The pleasure of Allah (swt), his blessings and mercy, and not only this, but also for them is much pleasure in this world too.
It was brought by Muslim regarding Umm Salamah "She said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say: There is not one slave (of Allah) who is put through a trial and says: "Inna lillah wa inna ilayhi raaji'un (to Allah we belong, and to Him is our return) Oh, Allah, help me through my ordeal and grant me better than it after." except Allah helped him through his ordeal and gave him better than it after. She said: So when Abu Salamah (her husband) died, I said what I was told to say by the Messenger of Allah (saw) and Allah (swt) granted me better than him…the Prophet of Allah (saw)." [Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Al-Tirmidhi and Abu Da'ud].
3. Allah (swt) orders us to seek help with patience and prayer in the carrying of Islam and the call to it, and to remain steadfast to the truth in it. It is Sahih (authentic) regarding the Messenger of Allah (saw) that if he was worried about something, he would rush to prayer, for prayer is the believer's solace where, through it, he meets his Lord (the Most High) and is filled with tranquillity upon carrying it out. The Messenger of Allah (saw) said "There are three things, which Allah has made beloved to me: fragrance, women and my solace has been made in prayer" [Al-Nisaa'i and Ahmed].
For prayer gives the believer strength and energy to be capable of resisting oppression as well as the oppressors, and a sincere will to remain steadfast upon the truth. It produces an unrelenting and unweakening, sincere believer. Allah had even mentioned patience before prayer, emphasizing the importance of patience, for prayer is the relationship between the slave and his Creator, and patience is the relationship between the slave and his Creator, himself and others around him, as it is the measure of steadfastness during calamities, trials and difficulties.
Here, we must take a moment to look into patience, to remove any misconceptions, which may be held by some Muslims regarding its reality and its meaning.
Some people believe that if a person was to turn inwards, isolating himself from others, leaving sin and sinners, while he witnesses sacred matters being desecrated, and the limits of Allah (swt) disregarded and Jihad abolished, not taking up a stance towards it, rather he is distanced from it, having abandoned Al-Nahi 'an Al-Munkar (forbidding all that which is evil); that this would be considered to be patience.
Or some understand patience to mean avoiding being exposed to pain and avoiding situations where one might come across the possibility of coming into contact with the enemies of Allah (swt), thus not daring to say a word of truth, or undertaking the work to please Allah (swt). Instead he remains silent, sitting in a corner, calling himself patient.