—those who, when disaster strikes them, say, "We belong to Allah and to Him we shall return." Such people will have blessings from their Lord and mercy, and it is they who are rightly guided (al-Baqarah 2:156–157).

This is the essence of patience. Included in that is patience with the harm suffered while calling others to Allah, for such harm is itself a trial. Therefore, bear whatever injury you meet on the path of goodness and do not shrink from doing good. Some people aspire to good works, but as soon as they meet something distasteful they say, "I am under no obligation to involve myself in these matters," and they walk away—if he is a teacher, he abandons teaching; if engaged in daʿwah (calling others to Allah), he quits; if he is a mosque preacher, he leaves the pulpit; he stops leading the prayers; he ceases enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong. Such a person has not shown patience with the harm that has come his way.

If you are the one at fault, then you must return to what is true and correct. But if you are in the right and have not erred, you must persevere, seek your reward from Allah, and be conscious that this is done for His sake and that you will be rewarded for it. Remember the harm the prophets—peace be upon them—endured, how they remained patient and strove in the path of Allah until He granted them victory.