What we would consider extremely difficult to do outside of Ramadan becomes easy in it – Fasting, praying longer prayers (taraweeh), increasing in giving charity, and getting more connected with the Quran. The relationship between patience and Ramadan is strongly related.
The best way to build patience is to fast. This is why Ramadan is your patience training program.
But What is Sabr?
Patience (sabr) is a core characteristic to the ethos of Islam. A concept that is consistently repeated in the Quran. Ramadan is a month where we are put to the test. Ramadan is a month where we are able to practice patience at a much higher level.
Patience is to endure any hardship, difficulty and trial in a way that pleases Allah ﷻ alone. It is to bear any circumstance knowing that it is the divine decree of Allah for things to be as they are and only Allah ﷻ can elevate us from those difficulties. It is to expect reward from no one other than Allah for having beared the difficulties with patience.
Allah ﷻ tells us in the Quran in several verses about practicing patience:
“O believers! Seek comfort in patience and prayer. Allah ﷻ is truly with those who are patient.”
“So endure ˹this denial, O Prophet,˺ with beautiful patience.”
“O my dear son! Establish prayer, encourage what is good and forbid what is evil, and endure patiently whatever befalls you. Surely this is a resolve to aspire to.”
The rewards of enduring patience in trying times is also great:
Abu Sa’id and Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him)
reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Never a believer is stricken with a discomfort, an illness, an anxiety, a grief or mental worry or even the pricking of a thorn but Allah will expiate his sins on account of his patience”.
Explore with us how one can increase his patience this Ramadan with Sheikh Shady Alsuleiman as we look into the life of The Holy Prophet who was the best embodiment of patience.