PATIENCE AND GRATEFT?LNESS

MERITS OF PATIENCE

Quran: God praised those who adopt patience and mentioned about patience more than several times in the Quran. He kept most good deeds and merits linked with patience. God says: When they kept patience, I created leaders from amongst them who showed guidance according to My instruction -32 : 24. God says:

Owing to the patience of Banu Israil, the words of your Lord were perfected well over them. God says: I will reward those for their good works who are patient. God say: They will be given double rewards for their patience. God says: The patient will_ be given rewards fully without accounts. God says: Fasting is only for Me and I will give its rewards. He kept connection with those having patience with Himself and promised that He is with the patient. God says: Take to patience, God is with the patient - 2 :

249. God says: If you keep patience and fear God your Lord will help you with five thousand well armed angels. God says: There are blessings and mercy upon them from their Lord and they are those who are guided-2:58.

Hadis: - The Prophet said: Patience is half of faith. He said: The lowest measure of what you have been given is sure faith and firm determination of patience. He who has been given a portion of these two qualities has got no fear even if he prays little at night and fasts little during day time. If you can stand with firm foot with patience just as you are now and do not turn away from this way, it is dear to me. If anybody does divine service equal to all of you after turning away from patience, it will not be dear to me. I fear the world will be opened to you after me. You will then cherish hatreu'"'for one another and the dwellers of heaven will then be dissatisfied with you. He who keeps patience and expects reward, will get. full reward. Then he recited this verse: What is near you will come to an end and what is near God will only remain. I will give full rewards to those who being patient do good works -16 : 96.

It is reported from Hazrat Jaber that a man asked the Prophet about faith and he said: That is patience and forbearance. The Prophet said: Patience is a jewel among the jewels of Paradise.

4:61The Prophet was once asked: What is faith? He said: Patience.

This is just like his saying: Pilgrimage is Arafat. This means that the great pillar of pilgrimage is to wait at Arafat. Similarly the general pillar of faith is patience. The Prophet said: To say against what passion dictates is the best act. God sent revelation to David: Follow My conduct. One of my conduct is that I have great patience. The Prophet once went to the Ansars and asked:

Are you believers? They remained silent. Hazrat Omar submitted: 0 Messenger of God, we are believers.

He asked: What is the sign of your faith? They said: We are grateful both in joys and sorrows, keep patience in dangers and difficulties and remain satisfied at what was pre-measured. The Prophet said:

By the Lord of Ka'ba, you are then really believers. Prophet Jesus Christ said: You cannot earn what you love till you keep patience at what you do not love. The Prophet said: Had patience been given the form of man, it would have been kind. God loves the patient.

Sayings of the wise: Hazrat Omar wrote to Abu Musa Ash'ari: Take to patience. Know that patience is of two kinds, one is better than the other. It is good to have patience at disaster but better than this is to protect oneself from unlawful things. Know that patience is the gist of faith. The reason is that God fear is the greatest religious act and that is gained by patience. Hazrat Ali said: Faith is built upon four things-sure faith, patience, Jihad and good judgment. He said also: Patience is to faith just as head is to body. He who has got no head has got no body. Similarly he who has got no patience has got no faith. Hazrat Omar said: Iman has got two burdens - blessings and mercy. This appears from the following verse - 2: 157. On them is blessing from their Lord and mercy and they are those who are guided. We found him patient. How good is the servant as he is most repentant. Hazrat Abu Darda'a said:

To remain patient at commands and to remain satisfied with fate is the best rank of faith.

REAL KNOWLEDGE AND MEANING OF PATIENCE

Know, 0 reader, that patience is an important stage of religion and a station for the so journers in the path of religion. The stages of religion are controlled by three matters - knowledge, condition and action. Knowledge is the root and condition arises out of knowledge and action is the fruit of condition. So knowledge is like a tree, conditions are its branches 4:62and actions are its fruits. These three matters are engrained in all the stages of one who walks in the path of religion. Patience is an attribute of man only and angels, birds and beasts have no such attribute. An angel has got no necessity of patience as he has got no no nature of evil. Lower animals are guided by instincts and greed. They have got no need for patience. The angels are always immerged in love of God and they have got no evil propensities. Man has got animal propensities in his infancy. Then he feels greed for food, then desire for plays and sports, then desire for marriage comes. At first he has got no power for patience, then after dawn of intellect clashes begin and at that time patience is necessary. At the time of maturity he is placed under two angels. One shows him the path of guidance and another gives his strength. By these two angels, he is raised from a lower animal to the rank of a man. At that time, he is given two qualities - one quality is that of the knowledge of God and His Prophet and another is knowledge the knowledge of good on consideration of the ultimate good. These two things are gained from the two angels of guidance and knowledge. A lower animal has got no knowledge or consideration for the ultimate good. It is guided by present happiness.

Man knows by the light of guidance that he will suffer in the end if guided by low desires but that is not even sufficient to remove evils. There are many injurious things which he cannot remove for want of strength. So to remove the disease of low desires, strength is necessary with which he fights with low desires and greed. For that, God places another angel who helps him and gives him strength to control greed like an unseen soldier. Then fight ensues between the angel of greed and the angel of suppression of greed. This struggle ensues between these two forces. Mind is the battle field. Inspiration for good comes from the angel and propensities of passion come from the devil. To establish the instinct of good, patience is necessary which control the propensities of evil. If patience is acquired, there comes Marfat or knowledge of God which is the cause of fortune in the next world and in this world. The knowledge of God which is deep rooted is called faith or Iman. The above two angels are within the control of two angels called Keraman Katebin or honourable writers. They are entrusted to every man.

They write sins and virtues in the pages of mind called Records of deeds or Amalnama.

This record of deeds will be opened twice-once at the time of death and then on the Judgement Day. The Prophet said: When a PATIENCE AND GRATEFULNESS Vol-IV 4:63person dies, his resurrection occurs. He remains alone at that time and he is said: You will come to me alone as I have created you first. He is then said: Your soul is enough in rendering accounts. On the great day of Resurrection, he will be presented. among the people.

PATIENCE IS HALF OF FAITH: There are two reasons and two necessities to show that patience is half of faith. The first reason is to confirm the basic principle of religion and to act according to it. There in there are two pillars of faith sure faith and patience. The meaning of sure faith is immutableknowledge which God shows to a man about the fundamental principles of Islam. The meaning of patience is action to the requirements of the immutable faith. This grows knowledge that sin is injurious and virtue is beneficial and to give up sin and to gain virtue are not possible without patience. Patience is to put in to action &.h,, inclination of virtue after suppression ression of evil propensities. In this angle of vision, patience is half of faith. For this reason, the Prophet mentioned patience and faith together. He said: You have been given but little of sure faith and patience.

(2) Second Reason. Faith arises out of knowledge which again arises out of the good deeds of a man.

Man's actions are divided into two what is beneficial both is this world and in the next and what is injurious in both the worlds. Patience is necessary about what is injurious to men in both the worlds and gratefulness is necessary about what is beneficial in both the worlds. In this view, gratefulness is half of faith. Ibn Masud said: Iman is divided into two - patience and gratefulness.

DIFFERENT KINDS OF PATIENCE: The first kind is to have patience over physical pains, such as patience in the difficult tasks of divine services and in the sudden accidents and dangers such as severe beating and serious disease. If patience is observed according to the dictates of religion, it is praise-worthy. The second kind is to have patience at the inclination of evil and greed of passion. To have patience at the greed of belly and sexual passion is named Afat or self-control. Bravery is patience is battles. Forbearance is patience by appeasement of anger: Expansion of breast is patience at turns of fortunes. Renunciation is patience from happiness and pleasures. Satisfaction is patience at present possessions. Most conducts of faith lie in patiences. For this reason, when the Prophet was asked about faith, he 4:64replied that patience is faith as there is no act of faith more difficult than patience. The Prophet said: Pilgrimage is Arafat. in other words the acts of Arafat are more difficult out of the actions of pilgrimage. To forbear all these hardships is called patience. God says: Those who keep patience in dangers, wants and struggles are the truthful ones and they are also the God fearing ones.

PATIENCE IN CONSIDERATION OF STRENGTH AND WEAKNESS

(a) To control the evil inclinations of nature requires the constant exercise of patience. Their numbers are few and they say: God is our Lord and they are firm in this. They are the truthful ones.

They are addressed by God as thus: 0 satisfied soul, return to thy Lord well-pleased with Him and well-pleasing Him-89:28.

(b) To surrender to the forces of devil and all inclinations towards religion are routed. They are the heedless ones and their numbers are many. The enemies of God rule over their souls. God says about them: I would have guided everyone had I wished, but My promise will come out true: I will fill up Hell with man and jinn - 9:112. God says regarding them: Turn away from those who turn away from My remembrance and who do not wish except the pleasure of this world's life. The signs of this life are despair and hopelessness. For that reason, the Prophet said: Wise is he who humbles himself and acts for what will come after death and fool is he who follows his low desires and hopes against God.

(c) To continue struggles between two forces-forces of good and forces of evil. Sometimes the forces of good prevail and sometimes forces of evil. Such a man has mixed up good with evil.

PATIENCE IN CONSIDERATION OF SEVERITY AND EASE: The first kind of patience is not acquired without great efforts and the second kind of patience does not require such efforts. God says: He who gives charity and fears God and takes to patience and considers good as good, I shall make his path easy - 92 : 7. The practice of patience leads to contentment which is therefore higher than patience. The Prophet said: Do divine service with contentment. If you are unable to do it, there is 4:65abundant good in keeping patience in fighting with your baser self. A friend of God said: A patient man stands on three stages. In the first stage, he gives up following his baser self. In the second stage, he remains satisfied with his fate and this is the rank of one who renounces the world. In the third stage, he likes what his Master does about him and this is the rank of the truthful and this is the stage of love. The stage of love is higher than that of contenment and the stage of contentment is higher than that of patience.

PATIENCE IN CONSIDERATION OF LAWS: Patience is divided into compulsory optional, unlawful and abominable things in consideration of laws. To keep patience from unlawful things is compulsory and to keep patience from the abominable things is optional. To keep patience at a difficulty which is prohibiteA is alcn prohibited 1.1P is HIP a man whn keens patience seeing that his hand is being cut off, or the hand of his son is being cut off, or he is like a man who keeps patience even seeing that a stranger is cohabiting with his wife. Such kind of patience is unlawful. So patience is sometimes good and sometimes bad.

CASES IN WHICH PATIENCE IS GOOD: There are two kinds of things which a man has to face in this world, things which are conformable to his nature and things which are against his nature. In both these things, patience is necessary. Things which are conformable to nature are physical health, safety, properties and wealth, name and fame, great number of followers and helpers. To keep patience a t these worldly things is necessary as he who throws himself to enjoy these things without control keeps himself busy in sins. A wise man said: A believer can keep patience in untoward circumstances but nobody other than a truthful man can keep patience in pleasures and happiness. The saint Sahal_.

Tastari said: To keep patience in pleasures and happiness is more difficult than to keep patience in disasters. When the treasures of the world fell into the hands of the companioi , they said: We have been tried with various kinds of dangers and difficulties and we kept patience over them. But now we are being tried with wealth and riches and we can't keep patience about them. For this reason the Almighty warned us from the following things. God says: 0 believers, let not your property or your children keep you forgetful from the 4:66remembrance of God -63 : 9. God says: There are enemies for you amongst your wives and children. So be careful of them - 64: 14. The Prophet said: Children are the causes of miserliness, cowardice and sorrows. When the Prophet saw his grandson Hasan coming towards him drawing up his clothes, he descended from his pulpit, lifted him up and said: God has truly said: Your properties and your children are trials for you. When I saw my grandson faltering, I could not help but lift him up. There are lessons from this for the wise men. He who can keep patience at pleasures and happiness is called a real man. The meaning of patience from pleasures and happiness is not to be addicted to these things.

Such a man thinks that everything has been kept as trust to him and soon he shall have to return it. He does not let himself swayed by the strain of happiness and does not keep himself engaged in sports and plays, enjoyments and happiness.

He spends his properties and wealth in the wa of God a_d .- - -r-- r..,-t, ...-_ -"- 1-y Y ". VVU, allu towards fulfillment of his duties towards God and His creations. He fulfills the duties of his tongue by delivering sermons and speaking truths and the duties of his body by physically helping others.

2. Patience at things against nature: This patience is divided into three classes,- (a) patience at things within the control of man, such as divine service, giving up sin etc, (b) patience which is out of control of man, such as natural calamities, dangers and difficulties (c) and patience at a thing in which a man has got no freedom but he can remove it, such as removing the difficulty of man by avenging. With regard to the subjects within control of man, they are sub-divided into two. The first sub- division includes such divine services in which patience is necessary. To have patience in divine services is difficult, as nature does not want to be slave but loves to be master. For this reason, a certain sage said : There is no such man who does not say. what Pharaoh said : I am your biggest lord.

There is no such man who does not say this kind of words with his servants, slaves and persons subordinate to him. As the serfdom of body is difficult, so also divine service is difficult. One is not willing to serve God by prayer and other services owing to idleness and to pay zakat and other charities owing to miserliness. It is difficult to do divine service through pilgrimage and jihad and owing to idleness and miserliness. A worshiper feels necessity of this patience under three circumstances. Firstly by having patience in divine 4:67services, such as to make motive sincere, to free himself from the evil of show, to determine firmly to do sincere deeds. The Prophet said : All actions are based on motive and everyone gets what he intends for. God says : They are not ordered but to do divine service being sincere to Him. For this reason, God preceded patience before actions saying : Those who have patience and do good deeds. Secondly, patience in divine services, such as observing rules of Shariat in worship, restraining oneself in evil actions and thoughts in the midst of prayer and to remain attentive to the thoughts of God. The third, circumstance is to have patience after divine service, such as patience from broadcasting it to the people, from restraining oneself from a desire of getting honour. God says :.Don't make your action void. He says : Don't make your charitable actions void by harsh treatment and rebuke- 2:264.

SECOND SUBDIVISION

Patience in sinful actions-To restrain oneself from sinful deeds means patience in sinful deeds. The necessity of such patience is beyond description. God prohibits sinful deeds in this verse : He prohibits you from obscene and abominable actions and rebellion-16 : 90. The Prophet said : The refugee is one who gives up evil deeds and Mujahid is one who fights with his passion. Sin is committed if one acts according to the promptings of his passions. If habit is added to passion, two enemies of devil stand against the party of God. Under this circumstance, only inspiration of religion is not sufficient and not strong enough to control it, such as backbiting, telling falsehood, self- praise, to take pride etc.

The objects of tee second class are things out of control of man. Though these subjects are not under control, yet a man can remove them. If anybody gives trouble to another by his words and deeds, patience is sometimes compulsory in such a case and not to take retaliation and sometimes it is regarded as additional virtuous act. A certain companion said : If anybody cannot have patience at the trouble inflicted by another, he can't regard his faith as real faith. God says : We shall certainly have patience at what they trouble us with those who rely on God. Once the Prophet was distributing alms among the poor and the distressed. A certain desert Arab said to him at that time: By this distribution God, pleasure is not sought. When the Prophet was Vol-IV THE BOOK OF CONSTRUCTIVE VIRTUES 69', informed of this, his two cheeks turned red and then he said May God show mercy on my brother Moses. He suffered more than this and he took patience. God says : Leave the trouble inflicted by them and rely on God-33 : 48 . God says : Have patience at what they say and leave them a good leave-73 : 10. God says : I know that your heart is saddended at what they say. Do glorify your Lord-5 : 98. God says :

You will certainly hear many words troubling you from the People of the Book and polytheists. If you can have patience at that and fear God, it will be an act of bravery-3 : 186. For this reason, God praised those who restrain themselves from taking revenge. God says : If you take revenge (for religion), inflict such trouble as has been inflicted on you, but if you take to patience, there are abundant good for the patient-16: 126. The Prophet said : Join the tie with one who severs it from you.

Give charity to one who deprives you. Forgive one who oppresses you. I saw in the Injil in which Jesus said : You have been said before : Take a tooth for a tooth and a nose for a nose, but I say to you :