The fifth quality is patience. It means to restrain oneself from restlessness and anxiety. In the verse, وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ صَبَرُوْا حَتَّى تَخْرُجَ إِلِيْهِمْ (49: 5) (and if they had been patient until you came out, (49:5)), it is used in this initial meaning. Then the meaning of showing perseverance and resolve while encountering hardships and hindrances was incorporated into it. Thus the patience which is mentioned in the verse is not something akin to weakness and frailty that a person is forced to adopt when he is helpless and weak; on the contrary, it is the fountainhead of determination and resolve and the pinnacle of human character. It is because of patience that a person becomes internally strong and instead of complaining about the dreadful experiences of life, welcomes them accepting them whole-heartedly and considers them to be from God. Viewed thus, a patient person is one who diligently adheres to his stance while fighting greed and fear and is fully content and happy with the decisions of His Lord.

The Quran has mentioned three instances when it is required: poverty, disease and war. A little deliberation shows that the fountainhead for all calamities and hardships are these three things. The Quran says:

وَالصَّابِرِينَ فِي الْبَأْسَاء والضَّرَّاءوَحِينَ الْبَأْسِ (2: 177)

And those who are patient in adversity, illness and in times of war. (2:177)

A special linguistic style in Arabic is employed here in this verse to praise the trait of patience showing how extra-ordinarily significant it is in the character of a person. A further explanation of this word can be seen from the way it is used in the Quran:

When the Prophet Muhammad (sws) began his preaching endeavour, he was directed to adhere to his task with full diligence, disregarding the animosity and hostility of the enemy until the judgement of God arrived. He had to wait for this judgement and not take any action before it. The Quran has used the word “patience” to convey this whole meaning:

وَاتَّبِعْ مَا يُوحَى إِلَيْكَ وَاصْبِرْ حَتَّى يَحْكُمَ اللّهُ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الْحَاكِمِينَ (109:10)

And follow what is revealed to you, and wait patiently till God delivers His Judgement, and He is the best of judges. (10:109)

The Prophet Job (sws) faced tremendous hardships and suffering; however, he never complained and was fully content with what was ordained for him. When the Almighty praised him for this behaviour, this very trait of “patience” was used for him:

إِنَّا وَجَدْنَاهُ صَابِرًا نِعْمَ الْعَبْدُ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ (44:38)

We found him patient; the best of men, someone who always turned to God. (38:44)

The Quran has mentioned the words of wisdom Luqman communicated to his son. He told him to face the hardships encountered in the cause of God like a man:

وَأْمُرْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَانْهَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَاصْبِرْ عَلَى مَا أَصَابَكَ إِنَّ ذَلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ (17:31)

And enjoin virtue and forbid evil. Endure with patience any difficulty you encounter. No doubt, doing this is an act of forbearance. (31:17)

One of the important directives given to people who take up the task of preaching is that if their addressees resort to oppression and harming them, then, while ignoring these excesses, they should respond in a virtuous manner. This of course is no ordinary thing. The toleration, forbearance and forgiveness required for this is also denoted by the word “patience” in the Quran:

اُدْعُ إِلِى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ وَجَادِلْهُم بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ وَإِنْ عَاقَبْتُمْ فَعَاقِبُواْ بِمِثْلِ مَا عُوقِبْتُم بِهِ وَلَئِن صَبَرْتُمْ لَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لِّلصَّابِرينَ (16: 125-126)

Call men to the path of your Lord with wisdom and kindly exhortation and debate with them in the most befitting manner. Indeed, your Lord best knows those who stray from His path and those who are rightly guided. And if you avenge, let this be commensurate with the wrong that has been inflicted upon you. And if you exercise patience, then this is the best way for the patient. (16:125-126)

وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ قَوْلًا مِّمَّن دَعَا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا وَقَالَ إِنَّنِي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَلَا تَسْتَوِي الْحَسَنَةُ وَلَا السَّيِّئَةُ ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ فَإِذَا الَّذِي بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ عَدَاوَةٌ كَأَنَّهُ وَلِيٌّ حَمِيمٌ وَمَا يُلَقَّاهَا إِلَّا الَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا وَمَا يُلَقَّاهَا إِلَّا ذُو حَظٍّ عَظِيمٍ (41: 33-35)

And who speaks better than he who calls men towards God, does good deeds and says: “I am a Muslim?” And [in reality] good and evil are not equal. Requite evil with good, and you will see that he who is your enemy will become your dearest friend. And [remember that] none will attain this wisdom except those who are patient and only those who are truly fortunate. (41:33-35)

It is this very word which is used for people who gallantly and resolutely fight the enemy in the battlefield when death stares them in the eyes and fear and dread tries to overwhelm them:

فَإِنْ يَكُنْ مِنْكُمْ مِائَةٌ صَابِرَةٌ يَغْلِبُوا مِائَتَيْنِ وَإِنْ يَكُنْ مِنْكُمْ أَلْفٌ يَغْلِبُوا أَلْفَيْنِ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ (8: 66)

But if there are a hundred patient men among you, they will subdue two hundred, and if a thousand, they will subdue two thousand, with the permission of God and [in reality], God is with those who are patient. (8:66)

This word is also used for a person who keeps resolutely discharging throughout his life all the responsibilities and obligations which the Almighty has imposed upon him. In the words of Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi, the way a farmer tills the soil, sows seeds in his fields, waters and constantly looks after them, a person endowed with this trait tills the soil of his personality and protects it, then such an attitude is also called “patience”:

رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا فَاعْبُدْهُ وَاصْطَبِرْ لِعِبَادَتِهِ (65:19)

He is the Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them. Worship Him, then, and with patience remain in His service. (19:65)

If on occasions of sorrow and happiness which every person encounters in his life, a person exercises self-control, happiness and joy do not make him proud and arrogant and sorrow does not frustrate and upset him, then such an attitude is also called “patience” by the Quran:

وَلَئِنْ أَذَقْنَا الإِنْسَانَ مِنَّا رَحْمَةً ثُمَّ نَزَعْنَاهَا مِنْهُ إِنَّهُ لَيَئُوسٌ كَفُورٌ وَلَئِنْ أَذَقْنَاهُ نَعْمَاء بَعْدَ ضَرَّاء مَسَّتْهُ لَيَقُولَنَّ ذَهَبَ السَّيِّئَاتُ عَنِّي إِنَّهُ لَفَرِحٌ فَخُورٌ إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ صَبَرُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّالِحَاتِ أُوْلَـئِكَ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ كَبِيرٌ (11: 9-11)

If We show Our mercy to man and then deprive him of it, he becomes frustrated and becomes ungrateful. And if after adversity We grant him favours, he says: “Gone are my hardships,” and grows jubilant and boastful. Not so the patient who do good deeds. Forgiveness is for them and a great reward also. (11:9-11)

It is evident from the foregoing references that patience in the Quran is not the name of forgiving someone out of compulsion or being silent because of helplessness; it is the name of a trait on account of which a person is always content on the decisions of his God, never worried if his efforts are not bearing fruit, is not restless and uneasy, is not revengeful even against those who harm him, is steadfast in defending the truth even if death stares at him, exercises restraint both in times of joy and sorrow and all his life diligently discharges what he thinks to be his obligation.

It is this aspect of human character because of which the relationship of tawakkul (trust) is established between him and his creator and, in all circumstances, he trusts Him. The Quranic words إِنَّا للَّهِ وَ إِنَّا إلِيْهِ رَاجِعُوْن (2: 156) (we are for God and to Him shall we return, (2:156)) express this very trust and submission. The Quran says that those who abide by these words all their life will be rewarded with special favours from their Lord:

وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُواْ إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ أُولَـئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَاتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ وَأُولَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُهْتَدُونَ (2: 155-157)

And [O Prophet!] Give glad tidings [of success in this world and in that to come] to those who persevere [in this cause]. [Those] who when afflicted with some calamity say: “We belong to God, and to Him [one day] we shall return.” On such men will be God’s blessings and mercy and it is they who will be rightly guided [by Him]. (2:155-157)

(Javed Ahmed Ghamidi)

(Translated by Dr. Shehzad Saleem)