And Allah Most High says:

“Messengers before you were indeed denied, yet they patiently endured rejection and persecution until Our help came to them.”

And He says:

“So be patient with your Lord’s decree, and do not be like the man of the fish.”

He, glorified be He, has coupled fear of Allah with patience in such statements as:

“You will certainly be tested in your wealth and your lives, and you will certainly hear much abuse from those who were given the Scripture before you and from the polytheists. But if you are patient and fear Allah, that is indeed a matter requiring firm resolve.”

The believers used to call people to faith in Allah and to the good He commanded, and forbid the evil Allah prohibited. The polytheists and the People of the Book would therefore harm them. He had informed them of this before it happened, telling them:

“But if you are patient and fear Allah, that is indeed a matter requiring firm resolve.”

Joseph, peace be upon him, said:

“I am Joseph, and this is my brother. Allah has indeed favoured us. Whoever fears Allah and remains patient—Allah certainly does not let the reward of those who do good go to waste.”

Fear of Allah thus includes obedience to Him, which encompasses enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong. Patience includes patiently enduring afflictions, among them the harm inflicted upon the person who enjoins and forbids by those whom he addresses.

Nevertheless, the person who enjoins and forbids may ward off harm to himself, just as a person may defend himself against an aggressor. If the person whom he enjoins or forbids seeks to strike him, take his property, or do something similar, and he is able to repel him, he may do so—unlike the case where the harm has already occurred