Patience and Its Status in Creed:
We have already spoken about the prohibition of saying “if only” when a person is afflicted by a calamity, and that what is incumbent upon him is to be patient and to seek his reward from Allah.
Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, said, “Allah the Exalted mentions patience in ninety places in His Book.”
In the sound hadith it is stated, “Patience is a light,” narrated by Ahmad and Muslim.
ʿUmar, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “We found the best of our living through patience,” narrated by al-Bukhari. ʿAli, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Patience, in relation to faith, is like the head to the body,” and then he raised his voice and proclaimed, “Beware! There is no faith for the one who has no patience.”
Al-Bukhari and Muslim also relate, in a hadith traced back to the Prophet, “No one has been given a gift better and more expansive than patience.”
The term sabr is derived from ṣabara, which means to restrain and to withhold. Thus, it is restraining the soul from panic, restraining the tongue from complaining and discontent, and restraining the limbs from slapping the cheeks or tearing the garments.
Patience is of three kinds:
- Patience in performing what Allah has commanded.
- Patience in abstaining from what Allah has forbidden.
- Patience in regard to the calamities Allah has decreed.
Allah the Exalted says, “No calamity befalls except by Allah’s permission, and whoever believes in Allah, He guides his heart.” ⦗1⦘