Patience: The Path to Paradise - III

Fifteenth: Allaah The Almighty promised the believers victory and it is part of the glad tidings that will surely fulfilled for them. Allaah The Almighty Says that they got that only through patience; He Says (what means): {And the good word of your Lord was fulfilled for the Children of Israel because of what they had patiently endured.} [Quran 7:137]

Sixteenth: Allaah The Almighty loves those who are patient. He Says (what means): {And Allaah loves the steadfast.} [Quran 3:146]
Seventeenth: Allaah The Almighty Says that the great reward is only for the patient; this is mentioned in two Soorahs (Chapters) of the Quran. In the course of the story of Qaaroon (Korah), Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {But those who had been given knowledge said, "Woe to you! The reward of Allaah is better for he who believes and does righteousness. And none are granted it except the patient."} [Quran 28:80]
In the other verse in Chapter Fussilat, Allaah The Almighty ordered His slaves to repel evil by that deed which is better; and thereupon the one whom between you and him is enmity will become as though he was a devoted friend. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {But none is granted it except those who are patient, and none is granted it except one having a great portion [of good].} [Quran 41:35]
Eighteenth: Allaah The Almighty informed us that only the patient and grateful people benefit and are deterred by His signs. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means):
• {And We certainly sent Moosa (Moses) with Our signs, [saying], "Bring out your people from darknesses into the light and remind them of the days of Allaah." Indeed in that are signs for everyone patient and grateful.} [Quran 14:5]
• {And of His signs are the ships in the sea, like mountains. If He willed, He could still the wind, and they would remain motionless on its surface. Indeed in that are signs for everyone patient and grateful.} [Quran 42:32-33]
The verse indicates that only the patient and grateful people draw benefit from the signs of Allaah The Almighty.
Nineteenth: Allaah The Almighty praised His Prophet Ayyoob (Job) in the best way due to his patience. Allaah Says (what means): {Indeed, We found him patient, an excellent servant. Indeed, he was one repeatedly turning back [to Allaah].} [Quran 38:44]
Allaah The Almighty described him as an excellent slave of Allaah because He found him patient. This means that when a slave of Allaah is put to trial and he is impatient, he is not a good slave of Allaah.
Twentieth: Allaah The Almighty generally judged all those who do not believe and are not from the people of truth and patience that they are losers. This means that none of them is successful. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {By time, Indeed, mankind is in loss, Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.} [Quran 103:1-3]
Commenting on the verses, Ash-Shaafi‘i  said, “If people contemplate only this verse, it shall be sufficient for them. That is because the Slave of Allaah attains perfection when he perfects his two powers: knowledge and practice, which are belief and doing righteous deeds. As one needs to attain perfection, he also needs to help others to attain perfection through exchanging advice with truth and patience.”
Twenty-first: Allaah The Almighty singles out the companions of the right that they are the people of patience and compassion. They acted according to these two characteristics and advised others to do so. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And then being among those who believed and advised one another to patience and advised one another to compassion. Those are the companions of the right.} [Quran 90:17-18]
This means that the companions of the right are only those who are patient and compassionate. Regarding these two characteristics, people are of four types: those who are patient and compassionate –and they are the best –, those who are neither patient nor compassionate – and they are the worst –, and between them are those who have only one of the two characteristics.
Twenty-second: Allaah The Almighty made patience firmly connected to all the pillars of Islam and to faith in general.
- Prayer: Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And seek help through patience and prayer.} [Quran 2:45]
- The righteous deeds in general: Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {Except for those who are patient and do righteous deeds...}[Quran 11:11]
- Fear of Allaah The Almighty: Allaah The Almighty Says (what means):{Indeed, he who fears Allaah and is patient.} [Quran 12:90]
- Gratefulness: Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {Indeed in that are signs for everyone patient and grateful.} [Quran 14:5]
- Mercy and compassion: Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And then being among those who believed and advised one another to patience and advised one another to compassion* Those are the companions of the right.} [Quran 90:17-18]
- Certainty: Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And We made from among them leaders guiding by Our command when they were patient and [when] they were certain of Our signs.} [Quran 32:24]
- Truthfulness: Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {The truthful men and truthful women, the patient men and patient women} [Quran 33:35]