Taken from the book :Tools for the Patient & Provisions for the Thankful
By
Shaykh ul –Islaam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah
Translated by Abbas Abu Yahya
Imam Ahmad - may Allaah have mercy upon him – said: ‘Allaah - Subhanahu -mentions Sabr (patience) in the Qur’aan in 90 places.’
And we will mention the different types of Ayaat where Sabr (patience) ismentioned, and Sabr is of many types:
1)The command of having patience. As in His saying:
((And endure patiently, for your patience is not but from Allah))
((So wait patiently for the command of your Lord))
2) The prohibition of what opposes patience. Like in His saying:((And be in no haste about them (Unbelievers).))And His saying: ((So do not become weak, nor be sad))
And His saying: ((And be not like the Companion of the Fish)) and inbrief, having patience with everything He has prohibited, since it opposespatience, which He has commanded us to have.
3) Attaching success to patience. As in His saying: ((O you who believe!Endure and be more patient, and guard your territory by stationing armyunits permanently at the places from where the enemy can attack you, andfear Allah so that you may be successful.)) So He attached success to allof these matters together.
4) Notification that the reward is multiplied for the patient ones, morethan the other people.
Like His saying: ((These will be given their reward twice over, because ofwhat they were patient with))
And His saying: ((Only those who are patient shall receive their rewards infull, without reckoning))
Sulayman bin al-Qasim said: ‘The reward for every action is known, exceptthe reward for patience. Allaah Ta’ala said: ((Only those who are patientshall receive their rewards in full without reckoning)). Then Sulaymansaid: ‘like a heavy rain fall.’
5) Linking patience with leadership in the Deen and with having Yaqeen(certainty), Allaah Ta’ala said: ((And We made from among them (children ofIsrael) leaders, giving guidance under Our command, when they were patientand used to believe in Our Ayaat.)) So with patience and certainty,leadership is achieved in the religion.
6) Allaah makes them victorious, by Allaah - Subhanahu - being with them.He Ta’ala said: ((Surely, Allah is with those who are patient)).
Abu ‘Alee ad-Daqaaq said: ‘The Sabiroon (patient ones) are victorious andhave honour in both worlds, since they have been told that Allaah is withthem.’
7) That Allaah Ta’ala has combined three matters for the Sabiroon which Hedid not gather for anyone other than them. They are that Allaah gives theSalaat upon them(i.e. those who are blessed & will be forgiven) fromHimself, and gives them mercy from Himself, and He gives them guidance fromHimself.
Allaah Ta’ala said: ((But give glad tidings to those who are patient. Whowhen afflicted with calamity say: "Truly! To Allah we belong and to Him weshall return. "They are those on whom are the Salaawat (who are blessed andwill be forgiven) from their Lord, and they are those who receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided ones.))
Some of the Salaf said – the patient person is honoured according to theaffliction that he has been given – ‘What is wrong with me that I am notpatient, and indeed Allaah has promised me three characteristics for beingpatient, and every one of these characteristics is better than the world and everything in it.’
8) Allaah Subhanahu made Sabr as an aid and a tool, and He commanded us totake assistance with Sabr, and He said ((And seek help in patience andprayer)) so whoever has no Sabr, has nothing to help him.
9) Allaah Subhanahu attached victory to patience and piety, Allaah Ta’alasaid: ((Yes, if you hold on to patience and piety, and the enemy comesrushing at you; your Lord will help you with five thousand angels havingdistinctive marks)) this is why the Prophet - sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– said: ‘and know that victory comes with patience.’
10) Allaah Subhanahu made patience and piety a great form of protection from the deception of the enemy and his evil planning. So the slave does not request a form of protection greater than patience and piety. AllaahTa’ala said ((But if you remain patient and become pious, not the least harm will their cunning do to you))
11) Allaah Subhanahu said that His Angels send their salaams upon those whohave patience, in Paradise. Like He said: ((And the angels shall enter untothem from every gate saying: Salamun Alikum for what you were patient with!Excellent indeed is the final home.))
12) That Allaah Subhanahu allows the patient people to punish the enemy forwhat they, the enemy, afflict upon them, and then Allaah swears, stressingan oath with utmost emphasis, that being patient is better for them.
So He says: ((And if you punish your enemy, then punish them with the likeof that with which you were afflicted. But if you endure patiently, verily,it is better for those who are patient.))
So ponder over this oath which uses [ some of the words, which show greatemphasis in the Arabic language, (Translators note) ] in the answer.
13) That Allaah Subhanahu has prepared forgiveness and a great reward forpatience and good actions.
So He said : ((Except those who show patience and do righteous good deeds,for them is forgiveness and a great reward )) and Allaah has exemptedthese patient ones, from those despised types of humans who arecharacterized with despair and disbelief when they are afflicted, and withdelight and pride when they receive a blessing. There is no escape fromthis despised character except with patience and good actions, just likeforgiveness and a great reward cannot be acquired except with patience andgood actions.
13) That Allaah Subhanahu has prepared forgiveness and a great reward forpatience and good actions.
So He said : ((Except those who show patience and do righteous good deeds,for them is forgiveness and a great reward )) and Allaah has exemptedthese patient ones, from those despised types of humans who arecharacterized with despair and disbelief when they are afflicted, and withdelight and pride when they receive a blessing. There is no escape fromthis despised character except with patience and good actions, just likeforgiveness and a great reward cannot be acquired except with patience andgood actions.
14) That Allaah Subhanahu made Sabr for afflictions from the things He haddetermined, meaning that from those things that are determined are the mostnoble and the most honoured, and Allaah said : ((And verily, whosoever shows patience and forgives, that would truly be from the things recommended by Allaah ))
And Luqman said to his son: ((Enjoin what is good and forbid what is wrong,and bear with patience whatever befalls you. Verily, these are some of theimportant commandments ordered by Allaah with no exception))
15) Allaah promised the believers victory and success. This is His wordwhich He told them previously and it is a beautiful word, and He informsthem that they can only achieve this victory and success with patience.
Allaah Ta’ala said: ((And the fair word of your Lord was fulfilled for thechildren of Israel, because of their endurance))
16) Allaah Subhanahu linked His love with patience and He made it for thepatient.
He Ta’ala said: ((And many a Prophet fought (in Allah's way) and along withhim (fought) large bands of religious learned men. But they never lostheart for that which befell them in Allah's way, nor did they weaken ordegrade themselves. And Allah loves those who are patient.))
17) That Allaah Subhanahu informs us about a good characteristic and it isnot attained except by the patient, and He mentions this in two places inHis Book : in Soorat al-Qassas about the story of Qaroon, and those who were given knowledge said to those who wished they had what they had been given :
(( Woe to you! The reward of Allah (in the Hereafter) is better for thosewho believe and do righteous good deeds, and this none shall attain exceptthose who are patient))
And in Soorat Ha-Mim Sajda, where the slave is commanded to repel evil withthat which is better than it, so if he does this, then he will become closer with the one with whom he had enmity as if he was a close and beloved friend, then Allaah Ta’ala said: ((But none is granted such goodness except those who are patient, and none is granted it except the owner of the great portion (of the happiness in the Hereafter).))
18) Allaah Subhanahu informs us that indeed those who benefit from HisAyaat, and He admonishes them with these Ayaat, are the patient and thankful people.
Allaah Ta’ala said: ((And indeed We sent Moses with Our Ayaat “Bring outyour people from the darkness into light, and remind them of the Days ofAllah." Truly, in this there are signs for every patient, thankful person.))
And Allaah Ta’ala said about Luqman: ((Do you not see the ships sail through the sea by the grace of Allah? That He may show you His signs? Verily inthis are signs for every patient, grateful person.))
And He Ta’ala said regarding the story of Saba ((So We made them as tales(in the land), and We dispersed them all, totally. Verily, in this aresigns for every steadfast, grateful person.))
And He Ta’ala said: ((And among His signs are the ships, in the sea, likemountains. If He Wills, He can cause the wind to cease, and then they wouldbecome motionless on the back (of the sea). Verily in this are signs foreveryone who is patient and grateful.))
So these are four places in the Qur’aan which indicate that those whobenefit from the Ayaat of the Lord are the patient and thankful people.
19) That Allaah Ta’ala commended His slave Ayyoob with the best of praisedue to his patience.
He Ta’ala said: ((Truly We found him patient. How excellent a slave! Verily, he was ever oft-turning in repentance (to Us)!)).
So He called Ayyoob an excellent slave, by knowing that he was a patientperson, and this indicates that the person who does not have patience whenhe is afflicted by trials is indeed a wretched slave.
20) Allaah Subhanahu gave a verdict of loss, as a general verdict abouteveryone who does not believe, and they are not from the people of Haqq(truth) and patience. This shows that no one benefits except the peopleupon the truth and with patience.
Allaah Ta’ala said: ((By ‘Al-Asr’ (the Time). Verily! Man is in loss.Except those who believe and do righteous good deeds, and recommend oneanother to the truth and recommend one another with patience.))
This is why Shafiee said: ‘If all the people ponder over this Ayaah it would suffice them.’ This is why the perfection of a slave is in the perfection of his sustenance: the sustenance of knowledge and the sustenance of good actions, and they are Imaan and righteous actions. And just as the slaveneeds to perfect himself, he also needs to perfect others than himself, and that is done with advising with the truth and advising with patience, and the basis for this and its foundation and the trunk upon which it stands is indeed Sabr.
21) Allaah singled out the people of the right hand in that they are thepeople of patience and compassion. They are characterized as such due totheir having these two characteristics, and that they advise others withthese characteristics.
Allaah Ta’ala said ((Then he became one of those who believed, andrecommended one another to perseverance and patience, and also recommendedone another to mercy and compassion. They are those on the Right Hand (thedwellers of Paradise).))
This is restricted to the people of the right hand who have these twocharacteristics. People in comparison to these two characteristics are offour types: those who have these two characteristics are the best of thesefour types; the evilest type is the one who does not have any patience nordoes he have any mercy; the type that follows next is he who has patiencebut no mercy; then after them is the fourth type who has mercy andcompassion, but has no patience.
22) Allaah Subhanahu linked Sabr with the Arkaan (pillars) of Islaam andwith all the aspects of Imaan :
He linked patience with Salah (prayer), like in His saying ((And seek helpin patience and prayer))
And He linked patience with general good deeds, like His saying: ((Exceptthose who show patience and do righteous good deeds, for them is forgiveness and a great reward))
And He linked it to piety. Like His saying: ((Verily, he who fears Allaahwith obedience to Him and is patient. ))
And He linked it to being thankful. Like His saying: ((Truly, in this thereare signs for every patient, thankful person.))
And He attached patience to the truth. Like His saying: ((And recommend oneanother to the truth and recommend one another with patience))
And He linked it with mercy. Like His saying: ((And recommended one anotherto perseverance and patience, and also recommended one another to mercy andcompassion))
And He linked it with Yaqeen (certainty). Like His saying: ((When they werepatient and used to believe in Our Ayaat))
And He linked patience to truthfulness. Like in His saying: ((The men andwomen who are truthful, the men and women who are patient.))
And He made patience as a reason for His love, and His closeness and Hisvictory, and His help and His good reward. Just some of thesecharacteristics are sufficient as a honour and a favour, and Allaah knowsbest.
All Praise belongs to Allaah, may His peace and blessings be upon our finalProphet Muhammad, his family, his companions and all those who follow hisguidance.
originally posted by Abbas Abu Yahya via yahoo groups
