32 – Chapter: The Excellence of the Weak among the Muslims, the Poor, and the Uncelebrated

Allah the Exalted says: “And keep yourself patient with those who call upon their Lord morning and evening, seeking His Face, and let not your eyes look beyond them” (al-Kahf, 18:28).

[Explanation]
The author—may Allah have mercy on him—entitles this section: “The virtue of the weak Muslims, their poor, and those who live in obscurity.”

The purpose of this chapter is to console anyone whom Allah has decreed to be weak in body, or intellect, or wealth, or social standing, or in any other aspect that people commonly regard as a deficiency. Allah, exalted is He, may cause a person to appear weak in one respect yet make him strong in His sight, beloved and honored by Him, and raise him to lofty ranks—and that is what truly counts.

What matters is to be strong with Allah, esteemed in His presence, and granted the nobility with which He honors His servants.

He then cites Allah’s words addressed to His Prophet ﷺ: “And keep yourself patient with those who call upon their Lord morning and evening” (al-Kahf, 18:28). “Keep yourself patient” means: restrain and hold yourself with that group who invoke Allah at the start of the day (morning) and at its end (evening). The term “supplication” here encompasses both the supplication of petition and the supplication embodied in acts of worship.