until they made his heels bleed, and he did not come to his senses until he was at Qarn al-Thaʿālib. Then the Angel of the Mountains came to him, asking permission to crush them between the two rugged peaks of Mecca (al-Akhshabayn). He replied, “No. I would rather give them respite, for perhaps Allah will bring forth from their loins people who worship Allah alone and associate nothing with Him.”

This is patience with Allah’s command. He ﷺ was likewise patient in refraining from disobedience—indeed, he was the most God-fearing and devout of all people. He was also patient with the divine decrees: how often was he harmed while striving in Allah’s cause and in other circumstances! How many illnesses afflicted him, yet he remained patient and sought reward, aspiring thereby to attain the rank of the steadfast. In him we have a model to follow.

A person, therefore, must endure the painful decrees of Allah just as the Messenger ﷺ did: he patiently perseveres, seeks his reward, and knows that nothing befalls him without Allah expiating by it a sin of his—even a thorn that pricks him. If he then seeks reward from Allah and intends through that patience to rise in rank, he will indeed obtain it.

Through calamities he attains two great stations:
1 - the station of those who are patient with Allah’s decree and predestination.