Patience is an essential cause of success. It has been recommended in religion.
Allah the Most High said:
﴾O you who believe, seek assistance through patience and prayer;
surely Allah is with the patient.﴿
He also said: “And give good news to the patient. Who, when a misfortune
befalls them, say: ‘Surely we are Allah’s and to Him we shall surely return.’
Those are they on whom are blessings and mercy from their Lord, and those are
the followers of the right course.”
He also said: “And give good news to the humble. To those whose hearts
tremble when Allah is mentioned, and those who are patient under that which
afflicts them, and those who keep up prayer, and spend (benevolently) out of
what We have given them.”
He also said: “And as for those who believe and do good, We will certainly
give them abode in the high places in gardens beneath which rivers flow, abiding
therein; how good the reward of the workers! Those who are patient and on their
Lord do they rely.”
He also said: “Indeed, the patient will he paid back their reward in full
without measure.”
He also said: “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. I swear by
the afternoon. Most surely man is in loss. Except those who believe and do good,
and enjoin on each other truth, and enjoin on each other patience.”
He also said: “And how many a prophet has fought alongside whom were many
worshippers of the Lord; so they did not become weak-hearted on account of what
befell them in Allah’s way, nor did they weaken, nor did they abase themselves;
and Allah loves the patient.”
The Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh&hh) said: “There are three kinds of
forbearance: Forbearance in misfortune, forbearance in obedience and forbearance
against disobedience.”
He (pbuh&hh) also said: “If you can have both patience and certainty, then
have them; and if you cannot have them both, then have patience; because
patience in difficulties brings about much goodness. Know that victory is with
patience, and salvation is after hardship; ‘Surely with difficulty is ease.
Surely with difficulty is ease.’1”
Imam Ali (a.s.) the Commander of the Faithful said: “The role of patience in
actions is like the role of the head among the organs of the body. If the head
is gone the organs become useless and if patience is gone actions are useless.”
He (a.s.) also said: “There are two kinds of forbearance: One of them is
forbearance in misfortune; it is admirable and good. Another one, which is
better than that, is forbearance in what Allah has forbidden.”
Imam Ali Zayn al-Abidin (a.s.) said: “The relation between patience and
belief is like the relation between the head and the body. There is no belief
for him who has no patience.”
Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s.) said: “I have patience with this boy of mine
and with my household with a complete tolerance. Indeed he who is patient will
have the reward of him who prays all the night and observes fasting on days, and
the position of a martyr who has (ought along with the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh&hh)”
Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (a.s.) said: “The relation between patience and belief
is like the relation between head and the body. There cannot be any belief
without patience, in the same way that there cannot be a living body without
head.”
He (a.s.) also said: “Keep on having patience in all of your affairs. For
when Allah sent Mohammad He commanded him to have patience and tolerance: And
bear patiently what they say and avoid them with a becoming avoidance. And leave
Me and the rejecters, the possessors of ease and plenty.’2 Repel
(evil) with what is best, then he between whom and you was enmity would be as if
he were a warm friend. And none are made to receive it but those who are patient
and none are made to receive it but those who have a mighty good fortune.”3
* Book: Living the Right Way. By: Ayatullah Jawad Tehraani
1. The Qur’an
94:5-6.
2. The Qur’an 73:10-11.
3. The Qur’an 41:34-35.