What is Patience?
According to the Oxford dictionary the English definition of patience refers to accepting and tolerating problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious. However, the term patience translated to Arabic is ‘Sabr’ meaning to control or constrain oneself.
During the month of Ramadan, we control our desires whether it be food, drinking, sexual relations, etc. We also constrain ourselves from committing things that have already been made haram to us and that at time can be more of a struggle.
He cried, “No! Your souls must have tempted you to do something ˹evil˺. So ˹I am left with nothing but˺ beautiful patience! I trust Allah will return them all to me. Surely He ˹alone˺ is the All-Knowing, All-Wise.”
Furthermore, Ramadan allows us to work on our patience especially when Allah tests us with calamities. It is important to always be patient as Allah is with those who are patient, there are time when it may be hard and we think why is Allah doing this to me. But that is the wrong mentality to have, Allah loves those He tests, Allah is testing your faith in Him and wants you make du’a and rely on him.
“Surely, Allah is with those who are As‑Saabiroon (the patient)”
There is so much virtue in patience, that it is both rewarded in this life and the Hereafter,
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ says,
“No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that.”
Allah ﷻ also says,
Verily! I have rewarded them this Day for their patience, they are indeed the ones that are successful.
Patience is the foundation of the believer’s faith which has no other foundation. The one who has no patience has no faith, and if he has any, then it is only a little faith and it is very weak, and such a person worships Allah not to the full capacity.
May Allah make us from the patient ones and those that rely on Him.