and remember Allah often so that you may succeed. Obey Allah and His Messenger, and do not quarrel, lest you lose heart and your strength depart. Be steadfast; indeed, Allah is with the steadfast.”
Surah al-Anfāl, 45–46

Courage is not physical strength: a man may be strong in body yet weak in heart. Rather, it is strength and firmness of heart. Combat depends on physical strength and skill in fighting, as well as strength of heart and experience in battle. What is praiseworthy in both is that which is guided by knowledge and understanding, not recklessness, in which a person neither reflects nor distinguishes between what is praiseworthy and what is blameworthy. Thus, the truly strong and mighty person is the one who controls himself when angry, so that he does what is right rather than what is wrong. As for someone overcome by his anger, he is neither courageous nor strong.

As stated earlier, steadfast patience encompasses all of this, for it is indispensable. Patience is of two kinds: patience when angry and patience when afflicted, as al-Hasan—may he be granted mercy by