Class06-Patience-Forbearance-LoveofReconciliation-Cooperating
Class 6
‘Patience | Forbearance | Love of Reconciliation | Cooperating’
PATIENCE
Allaah has made patience like a horse that never gets tired, an army that can never be defeated and a strong fortress that can never be breached. Patience and victory are twin brothers, for victory comes with patience, relief comes with distress and ease comes with hardship. Patience is of more help to the one who has it than men, as it helps without any need for equipment or numbers and its relationship to victory is like that of the head to the body.
In the Qur’aan, Allaah has guaranteed those who are patient that He will give them reward without measure.
He tells them that He is with them by guiding and supporting them and granting them a clear victory. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Surely, Allaah is with those who are As‑Saabiroon (the patient)” [al-Anfaal 6:46]
Allaah tells us that He loves those who are patient, and that is the greatest encouragement. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And Allaah loves As-Saabiroon (the patient)” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:146]
Allaah has given glad tidings of three things to those who are patient, each of which is better than that for which the people of this world envy one another. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
- 155. “but give glad tidings to As‑ Saabiroon (the patient).
- 156.Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: ‘Truly, to Allaah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.’
- 157.They are those on whom are the Salawaat (i.e. who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their Lord, and (they are those who) receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided ones”
[al-Baqarah 2:155-157]
Patience is the foundation of the believer’s faith which has no other foundation. The one who has no patience has no faith, and if he has any, then it is only a little faith and it is very weak, and such a person worships Allaah as it were upon the edge (i.e. in doubt): if good befalls him, he is content therewith; but if a trial befalls him he turns back on his face (i.e. reverts to disbelief after embracing Islam). He loses both this world and the Hereafter (cf. al-Hajj 22:11). All he gets from them is a losing deal.
The best life is attained by the blessed through patience, and they rise to the highest degrees through their gratitude. So they fly on the wings of patience and gratitude to gardens of delight (i.e., Paradise). That is the bounty of Allaah that He bestows upon whomsoever He will, and Allaah is the Owner of Great Bounty. End quote from ‘Uddat al-Saabireen by Ibn al-Qayyim, p. 3-5.
Umm Salamah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ say: “There is no Muslim who is stricken with a calamity and says what Allaah has enjoined – (the below Dua) – but Allaah will compensate him with something better.” (Muslim 918)
إنَّا للـهِ وإنَّا إلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ، اللَّهُمَّ أجُرْنِي فِي مُصِيْبَتي، وأخْلِفْ لِي خَيْراً مِنْهَا
‘Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un. Allahumma ujurni fi musibati, wakhluf li khairan minha
‘Verily to Allaah we belong and unto Him is our return. O Allaah, reward me for my affliction and compensate me with something better’
And Suhayb (may Allaah be pleased with him)said: The Messenger of Allaah ﷺ said: “How wonderful is the affair of the believer, for his affairs are all good, and this applies to no one but the believer. If something good happens to him, he is thankful for it and that is good for him. If something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience and that is good for him.” (Muslim 2999)
There are great rewards for being patient in one’s own matters and also being forbearing with others which comes only with patience.
Forbearance
Properly known as hilm in Islam, forbearance, in a sense, governs the other requisite virtues such as temperance, compassion, and modesty. Forbearance manifests itself throughout a Muslim’s life in every ethical circumstance or dilemma. The character of Muhammad, the messenger of Islam, provides the perfect example of this integral virtue for Muslims.
According to scholars Hilm is not restricted to forbearance but the concepts of forbearance, wisdom, patience, composure, self-mastery, imperturbability as well as kindness, mildness and gentleness.
Allah is Forbearing. One of Allah’s names is al-Halīm (The Forbearing One). It follows, therefore, that Allah loves the quality of forbearance. He calls upon us to exhibit this trait and blesses us when we do so. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said to Ashajj b. Qays: “You possess two qualities that Allah loves: forbearance and patience.” [Sahīh Muslim(17-18)]
Today we will not give a second thought when given a chance to have a go at someone who had troubled or oppressed us but the Prophet showed time and again this great trait of forbearance by forgiving the people of Taif, Quraysh and many more.
The worst effect of the lack of forbearance is seen in families, where they tend to fight at every little mistake and end up severing ties of kinship. We have to make things easy for people, let go, overlook some of the things. You will be happier in life, people will love you and all this will be part of the Reward for having the Trait of Forbearance that Allah Loves. But the real size of the reward is with Allah.
If we wish for Allah to show us His forbearance, we should be forbearing to others, including our spouses, our children, those who are under our authority at work, and those who are in our employ. We should not be quick to act on anger. We should hold our tongues.
Abū al-Dardā’, the eminent Companion, advised: “Knowledge comes through learning and forbearance comes through practicing forbearance.” This means that we can become more forbearing, regardless of what kind of temper we presently have. Forbearance and self-restraint can be learned and cultivated through practice.
May Allah make us amongst those who are patient and forbearing.
LOVE OF REFORMATION & RECONCILATION
With forbearance comes the love of reformation & reconciliation. It is a highly virtues act. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“So fear Allaah and adjust all matters of difference among you, and obey Allaah and His Messenger (Muhammad), if you are believers” [al-Anfaal 8:1]
And the Prophet ﷺ told us that reconciling between people is better than observing voluntary fasts, offering voluntary prayers and giving voluntary charity.
Abu’l-Darda’ (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah ﷺ said: “Shall I not tell you something that is better than the status of (voluntary) fasting, prayer and charity?” They said: “Yes.” He said: “Reconciling in a case of discord….” (Narrated by Abu Dawood, 4273; al-Tirmidhi, 2433).
Islam has permitted telling lies in order to achieve this great purpose. So it is permissible for you to tell each party that the other has said good things about them and praised them so as to encourage reconciliation. This does not come under the heading of lies that are haraam.
What should be understood is that Islam is a religion of unity. It teaches the Oneness of Allah (Tawheed), which is the fundamental principle of this religion, and it enjoined all people to unite on that and cast away anything that may lead to conflict and division, and it emphatically forbade splitting and differing from one another. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah (i.e. this Qur’an), and be not divided among yourselves, and remember Allah’s Favour on you, for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His Grace, you became brethren (in Islamic Faith)” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:103].
COOPERATION
Allah has created man weak, and he needs to cooperate continuously with others throughout his life. This is clear in worldly affairs. Man needs someone to sow for him and harvest for him, and he needs someone to make tools, and market goods, and buy things. To sum up, people cannot live unless they cooperate with one another.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Tis’eeniyyah(1/125):
The sons of Adam cannot live in this world unless they help one another in word and deed. End quote.
With regard to matters of religion and sharee’ah, this is also the case. No Prophet could call people without needing others to help him to convey the message of Tawheed and defeat shirk. The effects of that are particularly clear in the case of jihad, and the same may be said with regard to teaching, looking after the poor and taking care of widows and orphans.
The Muslims need one another with regard to both worldly and religious affairs, hence cooperation among Muslims is something important that Allaah has enjoined and He has made cooperation the basis for religious and worldly well-being. The Muslims – if they achieve this cooperation – are described as a strong, integrated structure, and as a single body. All of that confirms that cooperation and mutual support among them is something essential. That includes many aspects in the lives of Muslims, which are summed up in the words birr (righteousness) andtaqwa (piety) , as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Help you one another in Al‑Birr and At‑Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allaah. Verily, Allaah is Severe in punishment” [al-Maa’idah 5:2].
This may all be summed up by noting that it is essential for the Muslims to cooperate in righteousness and piety, and the Muslims must do all that they can in order to achieve this cooperation, such as founding charitable organizations, da’wah centres, Qur’aan study circles, and so on, which will help to unite and organize their efforts. The Muslims must help them and devote their energy and wealth to establish true cooperation in righteousness and piety. The Muslim should not fail to offer something to his brothers and help them with what they need in worldly or religious terms.
May Allah make us all Unite under His word and be able to do good for His Sake!