2.20. STEADFASTNESS (continued)

God says

[But,] behold, as for those who say: “Our Sustainer is God” and then steadfastly persue the right way – upon them do angels often descend, (saying:) “Fear not and grieve not but receive the glad tiding of that paradise which has been promised to you! We are close unto you in the life of this world and (will be so) in the life to come; and in that [life] you shall have all that your soul may desire, and in it you shall have all that you ever prayed for, as a ready welcome from Him who is much forgiving, and most gracious! ”-- Q.41:30-32

Await, then, [O believer,] in all patience thy Sustainer’s judgment*, … Q.76:24

*This connects with the preceding mention of the life to come, in which the righteous will meet with bliss, and the evildoers with suffering.

Prophet said

1. “So be steadfast and seek nearness (to God).” -- H: Bukhari. N: Abu Hurairah.

2. Sufyan-b-Abdullah-al-Saqafi reported: I asked the Messenger of God to advise me a word about Islam, such that there will be no need ever to ask anyone else. He replied, “Say: ‘I believe in God’ (and) then be steadfast (in your belief) ” – H: Muslim.

2.20. STEADFASTNESS

God says

…. “O our Sustainer! Shower us with steadfastness, and make our steps firm: help us against those who deny the truth!” -- Q.2:250

…. (And God sees all that is in [the hearts of] His servants --) those who are steadfast, and truthful, and truly devout, those who spend [in God’s way and hoard not], those who pray for forgiveness from their innermost heart -- Q.3:17

… And God loves those who are firm and steadfast. -- Q.3:146

And bid thy people to pray, and persevere therein. …. Q.20:132

…. establish regular prayers, enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong: and bear with patient constancy whatever (ill) may befall you; for this is firmness (of purpose) in (the conduct of) affairs! -- Q.31:17

Prophet said

1. “Good deed that pleases God most is that which is done regularly though it may be small”-- H: Bukhari and Muslim. N: Bibi Ayesha.

2.19. Elements of Patience

God says

STEADFASTNESS:

- And God loves those who are firm and steadfast -- Q.3:146

SELF-RESTRAINT:

Haqqani defines self-restraint in his tafsir as ‘following (one’s God given) reason and restraining fear, desire, anger’ : Q.4:120 - Satan makes promises and creates vain desires; but Satan’s promises are nothing but deception. / Q.12:53 …man’s inner self invite [him] to evil… Q.18:28 - as he had always followed [only] his own desires, abandoning all that is good and true. / Q.42:37 …and who, whenever they are moved by anger, readily forgive”

ENDURANCE:

And [know that true servants of God are only] those who never bear witness to what is false, and [who], whenever they pass by [people engaged in] frivolity, pass on with dignity; and who, whenever they are reminded of their Sustainer’s messages, do not throw themselves upon them [as if] deaf and blind [without making attempt to understand it]; and who pray: “O our Sustainer! Grant that our spouses and our offspring be a joy to our eyes [by living righteous life], and cause us to be foremost among those who are conscious of Thee!” [Such as] these will be rewarded for all their patient endurance [in life] with a high station [in paradise], therein to abide: [and] how goodly an abode and [how high] a station! -- Q.25:72-75

Endure with patience, [O Prophet] what they say [against you], and leave them with noble dignity. -- Q.73:10

Prophet said

1. “If the oppressed remains patient, God thereby increases his honour” – Fragment of an authentic Tradition quoted by Tirmizi on the authority of Abu Kabshah al-Anmari.

2.19. PATIENCE (continued)

God says

“…. do not lose hope of God’s life-giving mercy: indeed, none but people who deny the truth can ever lose hope of God’s life-giving mercy.” – Q. 12:87

Hence, do not barter away your bond with God for a trifling gain! Verily, that which is with God is by far the best for you, if you but knew it: all that is with you is bound to come to an end,whereas that which is with God is everlasting. And most certainly shall We grant unto those who are patient in adversity their reward in accordance with the best that they ever did. --Q.16: 95,96

They who are patient in adversity will indeed receive reward beyond any reckoning! ….Q.39:10

But [since] good and evil cannot be equal, repel thou [evil] with something that is better -- and lo! he between whom and thyself was enmity [may then become] as though he had [always] been close, a true friend! Yet [to achieve] this is not given to any but those who are patient in adversity: it is not given to any but those endowed with the greatest good fortune! -- Q.41:34,35

Bear, then, with patience thy Sustainer’s will, ….Q.68:48

And show not favour, seeking worldly gain! But unto thy Lord turn in patience. -- Q.74:6,7

Persist with truth, persist with patience.- Q103: 3

Prophet said

1. “God will enroll as grateful and patient whoever looks someone superior to him in religious acts and then follows (the same); and looks someone inferior to him in worldly affairs and then thanks to God for His bounties.” – H: Tirmizi. N: Amr-b-Shuaib.

2.19. PATIENCE (continued)

God says

Be not, then, faint of heart, and grieve not: because you are bound to rise high if you are [truly] believers. -- Q.3:139

….God loves those who are patient in adversity: -- Q.3:146

You shall certainly be tried and tested in your possessions and in your personal selves and you shall certainly hear much that will grieve you, from those who received the Book before you and from those who worship many gods. But if you persevere patiently, and guard against evil – then that will be the determining factor in all affairs. -- Q.3:186

O you who have attained to faith! Be patient in adversity, and vie in patience with one another, and be ever ready [to do what is right], and remain conscious of God, so that you might attain to a happy state! -- Q.3:200

Be, then, [like Noah] patient in adversity – for, behold, the future belongs to the God-conscious! * -- Q.11:49

* This is though addressed to the Prophet, at the end of the story of Noah, but the statement by God is meant for all times.

Prophet said

1. “Verily, patience is (that which is) observed in the very beginning of (any) grief” – H: Bukhari and Muslim. N: Anas.

2.19. PATIENCE

God says

And seek aid in steadfast patience and prayer: and this, indeed, is a hard thing for all but the humble, who know with certainty that they shall meet their Sustainer and that unto Him they shall return. -- Q.2:45,46

O you who believe! Seek help in patient perseverance and prayer: for God is with those who are patient in adversity. * -- Q.2:153

* This promise opens the door to every kind of spiritual well-being.

When calamity befalls them they say: “To God we belong and to Him we return.” On them God’s mercy and blessings are bestowed and they are the ones who receive guidance. -- Q.2:156,157
THE ARABIC WORD SABR implies many shades of meanings which it is impossible to comprehend in one English word: (1) patience in the sense of being thorough, rather than hasty; (2) patient perseverance, constancy, steadfastness, firmness of purpose; (3) systematic as opposed to spasmodic or chance action; (4) a cheerful attitude of resignation and understanding of sorrow, defeat, or suffering as opposed to murmuring, or rebellion, but saved from mere passivity or listlessness, by the element of constancy or steadfastness. … An additional meaning implied in Sabr is self-restraint. – Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Prophet said

1. “God the Almighty says: if I take away to me from my faithful servant his best friend in this world and he then bears it patiently for My sake, his reward from Me will be nothing less than paradise” – Hades Qudsi: Bukhari. N: Abu Hurairah.

2.18. NEGLECT OF KNOWLEDGE

God says

You are indeed the best community that has ever been brought forth for (the good of) mankind: you enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid the doing of what is wrong, and you believe in God*.…. Q3:110

History has shown – this promise is bound to lapse whenever Muslims fail to live up to their faith.

We have neglected the condition to act for the good of mankind, hence, lost the status promised in the verse. This can best be understood in the light of 2 : 143 and notes as under:And thus We have willed you to be a community of the middle way,* so that [with your lives] you might bear witness to the truth before all mankind, and that the Apostle might bear witness to it before you.** -- Q.2: 143

* I.e., a community that keeps an equitable balance between extremes and is realistic in its appreciation of man’s nature and possibilities, rejecting both licentiousness and exaggerated asceticism or so called fundamentalism.

** I.e., “that your way of life be an example (and attraction) to all mankind , just as the Apostle is an example to you.

Now If the followers of earlier revelation had attained to [this kind of] faith, it would have been for their own good; …. Q3:110

Do you think that most of them (who deny Our messages) listen and use their reason? No, they are but the cattle – no, they are even less conscious of the right way! -- Q.25:44

Prophet said

1. “Whoever has the knowledge to answer a question (but) he conceals it, shall earn the girdle of fire on Resurrection Day” – H: Ahmed, Ibn Daud and Tirmizi. Ibn Majah from Anas.

2. “The learning from which no benefit is derived is like the hoarded wealth of which nothing is spent in the way of God.” – Ahmed and Darimi. N: Abu Hurairah.

3. “To impart knowledge to one who does not deserve it is like putting on a necklace of emeralds, pearls and gold to the neck of a swine”-- H: Ibn Majah. N: Anas.

4. “By Him in whose hand is my life, you must enjoin (the doing of) what is right and forbid (the doing of) what is wrong, otherwise it is near that God will send chastisement upon you from Himself. You will then call Him but you will not be responded to!” *-- H: Tirmizi. N: Huzaifa.