PATIENCE: A great attribute

By nature, we have in us both good qualities and evil whispers constantly struggling against each other. Patience helps us strike a balance, and maintain an even keel.

The ordinary meaning of the word patience is to maintain calm in the face of tests. But the Arabic word sabr can be seen as having multiple related meanings. For example, 1) patience, in the sense of being careful not hasty, 2) steadfastness, consistency and firmness of purpose, 3) systematic and constant as opposed to sporadic, 4) a cheerful attitude of calmness and perseverance in defeat or affliction as opposed to grumbling, protest, or rebellion.

The word has also been used in the Quran in the sense of self-restraint (16:126-7, 20:130, 38:17). Patience is also the restraining of fear, anger, desire and a curb against our greed for power and wealth. Patience and steadfastness can imply both endurance of bodily discomfort and mental distress. Either actively so, e.g., in performing a difficult task involving devotion; or passively, such as enduring a test or in resisting one’s own weaknesses. The need for patience is for human beings (and not animals who by nature submit to God). We have reason and passion and can use the former when the latter threatens to take us off God’s path.

The devilish whispers are manifest in 12:53: “I do not claim innocence for myself. The self is an advocate of vice, except for those who have attained mercy from my Lord. My Lord is Forgiver, Most Merciful.” Hence, if a person controls himself or herself and does not succumb to temper in the face of provocation, (s)he is said to be patient.

God loves the steadfast (3:146) so it is an important quality for us to embody (in this article, we’ll consider patience and steadfastness together as they are closely related).

The Quran is replete with instructions of patience, and great rewards have been promised for practicing it. God speaks of patience, steadfastness and other connected words more than 70 times in the Quran. He rewards those who are patient. Patience and steadfastness help us be faithful. The Quran says: [2:153] O you who believe, seek help through steadfastness and the Contact Prayers (Salat). GOD is with those who steadfastly persevere.

We are assured that if we are steadfast, we will not be left alone, God is always with us (2:153, 2:249, 8:46). [3:200] O you who believe, you shall be steadfast,

you shall persevere, you shall be united, you shall observe GOD, that you may succeed. So those who believe, exercise patience and fear God will prosper, which includes prosperity in our mundane affairs as well as spiritual progress. In both cases, it implies happiness and the attainment of our wishes, purified by the love of God.

The Quran provides us with a number of examples of patience and steadfastness, such as Job (38:44). The Bible tells us that he was a prosperous man but suffered from a number of calamities. His cattle were destroyed, his servants slain and his family crushed under the roof. His body was covered with sores. But he remained steadfast. He implored his Lord and as a result of his perseverance, his adversity was relieved, and his family and prosperity were restored with twice as much as he had before (21:83-4, 38:41-4).

12:18 recalls the words uttered by Jacob. He was falsely told that Joseph was devoured by a wolf. His brothers produced his shirt with fake blood on it. He said, “Indeed, you have conspired with each other to commit a certain scheme.

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