Patience and loving Allâh

Patience is one of the most important qualities demanded of those who
claim to love Allâh, as the degree of patience determines those who
are sincere in their claim and those who are not. The degree of
patience needed to endure hardship and difficulties in order to
please the Beloved proves the sincerity of one's love. Many claim to
love Allâh, but when Allâh tests them with hardship, they forget the
true essence of love. No-one can adhere to the love of Allâh except
those who are patient and persevering (as-sâbirûn). If it were not
for the test of hardship and sincerity, there would be no proof of
the sincerity of a person's love of Allâh. The one whose love of
Allâh is greater, has a greater degree of patience.

Therefore, Allâh has attributed the quality of patience to His close
friends (awliyâ) and most beloved. He said about His beloved slave
Ayyûb (AS): "…Truly We found him full of patience and constancy. How
excellent in Our service! Ever did he turn (to Us)!" (Sâd 38:44)
Allâh instructed the most beloved to Him of everything He created to
have patience in accepting His decree and told him that patience
comes only by the help of Allâh. He praised those who have patience
and promised them the best of rewards: the rewards of others are
defined and limited, but the reward of as-sâbirûn is without measure.
Patience is vital at all levels of Islâm, îmân and ihsân, as well as
being a major element in îmân (faith) and tawakkul (putting one's
trust in Allâh).

 

Patience for the sake of Allâh, by the help of Allâh and in accepting
the decree of Allâh

1. Patience for the sake of Allâh, hoping for His rewards and fearing
His punishment.

2. Patience by the help of Allâh, as man realizes that he has no
patience himself, and has no power to acquire patience. Rather, he
knows: "there is no power and no strength except by (the help of)
Allâh."

3. Patience in accepting the decree of Allâh, as man realizes that
Allâh is the only one Who is controlling the affairs of the universe,
so he will patiently accept the ruling and decree of Allâh,
regardless of what it may mean for him in the way of ease or
hardship.

Patience for the sake of Allâh is of a higher degree than patience by
the help of Allâh, as patience for the sake of Allâh is related to
His being ilâh (god, object of worship), whilst patience by His help
is related to His being rabb (lord, cherisher and sustainer).
Whatever is connected to His being ilâh, such as patience for His
sake, is worship, and as such is greater than whatever is connected
to His being rabb, such as seeking His help in having patience.
Worship is the ultimate goal, whereas seeking help is a means to an
end. The goal is sought for its own sake, but means are sought for
the sake of other things. Patience by His help is common to believers
and unbelievers, good and bad, alike, while patience for His sake is
the way of Messengers, Prophets and true believers. Patience for His
sake is patience in matters that please Allâh, while patience by His
help may apply to matters that please Him or displease Him.

 

Different degrees of patience

1. Patience both for the sake of Allâh and by the help of Allâh. A
person will have patience by help of Allâh for the sake of Allâh,
realizing that he has no power of his own whatsoever. This is the
highest degree of patience.

2. Patience for the sake of Allâh but not by the help of Allâh. Such
people may want to have patience for the sake of Allâh, but they are
not actively seeking His help, and their trust and reliance
(tawakkul) is weak. Such people will have a good ending, but they are
weak and cannot achieve most of what they want to achieve. This is
the situation of a sincere but weak believer.

3. Patience by the help of Allâh. Such a person seeks Allâh's help
and puts his trust in Him, admitting that he has no power or strength
whatsoever, but his patience is not for the sake of Allâh, as his
patience is not for reasons of faith. This will achieve his aims, but
his ending may be worst. An example of such people are the leaders of
the kuffâr and the followers of the Shaytân, as their patience is by
the help of Allâh, but is not for the sake of Allâh.

4. No kind of patience whatsoever. This is the lowest degree, and a
person of this type deserves all sorts of failures.

Those who have patience for the sake of Allâh and by the help of
Allâh are those who are strong and achieve much. Those who have
patience for the sake of Allâh, but not for the sake of Allâh, are
capable, but evil. Those who have neither patience for the sake of
Allâh not by the help of Allâh, are good people, but weak and
helpless. Those who have patience by the help of Allâh, but not for
the sake of Allâh, are capable, but evil. Those who have neither
patience for the sake of Allâh nor by the help of Allâh are doomed to
failure.