Most of us understand what
patience is in theory. We can tell a young child to be patient while another
child plays with his toy. We can tell ourselves to be patient when stuck in
traffic or in a long line at the grocery store. Indeed, when most of us think
about patience, we associate it with being patient in the face of something we
dislike.
The Prophet tells us that:
True
patience is at the first stroke of calamity. (Al-Bukhari, 1302)
And Allah tells us:
And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient, Who, when a museebah (calamity) strikes them, say, “Indeed we belong to Allah , and indeed to Him we will return.” Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided.
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْخَوْفِ وَٱلْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ ١٥٥ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَـٰبَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌۭ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لِلَّهِأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَٰتٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌۭ ۖ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُهْتَدُونَ ١٥٧ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ ١٥٦
We will certainly test you with a touch of fear and famine and loss of property, life, and crops. Give good news to those who patiently endure,who say, when struck by a disaster, “Surely to Allah we belong and to Him we will ˹all˺ return.They are the ones who will receive Allah’s blessings and mercy. And it is they who are ˹rightly˺ guided.
(Surah Al Baqarah/2:155-157)
This verse, and the hadith before it, emphasizes the importance of patience in the face of hardship. What does it mean to be patient at “the first stroke of calamity,” or in the face of such difficult hardship? Where does patience come from?
True patience emanates from the heart and is very much related to the degree of our connection to Allah. When our hearts are connected to Allah, we fully realize that He is in complete control of our affairs. Showing patience in the face of hardships thus becomes easier.
Numerous other verses in the Quran mention the importance of patience, affirming that patience is a key to success and that Allah is with those who are patient.
Sometimes Allah tests us with hardship to help build in us this
beautiful attribute of patience. We find ourselves doing everything we can to
help our situation, but to no avail. He closes all the doors around us and we
can do nothing else save be patient and rely on Him. But sometimes we need more
than patience alone to really cope with the challenges we face in life.
