Patience
Islam
takes pride in having always encouraged mankind to attain noble
characteristics. One of these virtues is patience. God has ordered us to
seek patience for our own benefit. God sent down Prophets to encourage
this noble quality in man.
God
has promised the patient person reward in the after-life by stating in
the Holy Koran:
"Say:
O my servants who believe! Be careful of (your duty to) your Lord; for
those who do good in this world is good, and God's earth is spacious;
only the patient will be paid back (in the hereafter) their reward in
full without measure." (39:10)
Also,
God has promised victory for the patient and demise for the impatient:
"I (God) swear by time, Most surely man is in loss, Except those who
believe and do good, and enjoin on each other truth, and enjoin on each
other patience."(103) Faith, according to Islam, has two halves, one
being gratitude (being thankful) and the other being patience. This
paper will deal with the following: true patience and its meaning, the
three pillars of patience and man's essential need for patience.
Islam
sees patience as a noble human characteristic. He who posses it will
reach joy and inner peace. Islam also views patience as a strength and
the key to fixing all matters of one's self, and as the path to
happiness and righteousness. The patient person is he who trains
him/herself to fight back against all evil thoughts and actions. Man is
the one who steers his/her soul into either eternal Paradise or eternal
Hell-Fire. This harness which man uses for steering his soul is
patience. Islam encourages people to seek dependence, help, and
salvation from God. God alone is the Creator, the Sustainer and
therefore is alone the Savour.
The
first pillar is patience with the duties and obligations towards people
and God. Some examples of this are praying the five daily prayers,
charity, pilgrimage to Mecca, respecting one's parents, marriage, and
respect towards one's spouse. The second pillar is patience in
abstaining from all that God has made forbidden. Some examples here are:
stealing, cheating, lying, backbiting, etc. The third pillar is patience
with what may befall man from natural disasters, illness, and death. God
says in the Koran:
"O
my dear son! Establish worship and enjoin kindness and forbid iniquity,
and persevere whatever may befall thee." (31:17)
Islam
also teaches man to be patient when he has health, money, happiness, and
all the good in his life. In order to refrain from pride and arrogance
and from becoming ungrateful to the Bestower of these blessings and
bounties, one needs patience. Fulfilling one's duties towards God and
not to become arrogant also require patience. Trying not to use
blessings in evil ways, and abstaining from what God has labelled as
forbidden also require patience.
Patience is also needed with illness and death. In illness one must be
patient in seeking a cure and must be thankful that they are not in a
worse position. In Death one must remember that death is simply a
doorway to eternity, and that the true winners are the ones that earned
a places in Paradise through their deeds.
"And
We most certainly try you with somewhat of fear and hunger and loss of
property and lives and fruit; and give good news to the patient, who,
when a misfortune befalls them, say: Surely we are God's and to Him we
shall surely return. Those are they on whom are blessings and mercy from
their Lord, and those are the followers of the right course."
(2:155-157) |