Chapter 14: Patience and loving Allâh
Patience is one of the most important qualities demanded of those who claim to love
Allâh, as the degree of patience determines those who are sincere in their claim and those
who are not. The degree of patience needed to endure hardship and difficulties in order to
please the Beloved proves the sincerity of one’s love. Many claim to love Allâh, but
when Allâh tests them with hardship, they forget the true essence of love. No-one can
adhere to the love of Allâh except those who are patient and persevering (as-sâbirûn). If
it were not for the test of hardship and sincerity, there would be no proof of the sincerity
of a person’s love of Allâh. The one whose love of Allâh is greater, has a greater degree
of patience.
Therefore, Allâh has attributed the quality of patience to His close friends (awliyâ) and
most beloved. He said about His beloved slave Ayyûb (AS): “…Truly We found him
full of patience and constancy. How excellent in Our service! Ever did he turn (to
Us)!” (Sâd 38:44) Allâh instructed the most beloved to Him of everything He created to
have patience in accepting His decree and told him that patience comes only by the help
of Allâh. He praised those who have patience and promised them the best of rewards: the
rewards of others are defined and limited, but the reward of as-sâbirûn is without
measure. Patience is vital at all levels of Islâm, îmân and ihsân, as well as being a major
element in îmân (faith) and tawakkul (putting one’s trust in Allâh).
Patience for the sake of Allâh, by the help of Allâh and in accepting the decree of Allâh
1. Patience for the sake of Allâh, hoping for His rewards and fearing His punishment.
2. Patience by the help of Allâh, as man realizes that he has no patience himself, and has
no power to acquire patience. Rather, he knows: “there is no power and no strength
except by (the help of) Allâh.”
3. Patience in accepting the decree of Allâh, as man realizes that Allâh is the only one
Who is controlling the affairs of the universe, so he will patiently accept the ruling and
decree of Allâh, regardless of what it may mean for him in the way of ease or hardship.
Patience for the sake of Allâh is of a higher degree than patience by the help of Allâh, as
patience for the sake of Allâh is related to His being ilâh (god, object of worship), whilst
patience by His help is related to His being rabb (lord, cherisher and sustainer). Whatever
is connected to His being ilâh, such as patience for His sake, is worship, and as such is
greater than whatever is connected to His being rabb, such as seeking His help in having
patience. Worship is the ultimate goal, whereas seeking help is a means to an end. The
goal is sought for its own sake, but means are sought for the sake of other things.
Patience by His help is common to believers and unbelievers, good and bad, alike, while
patience for His sake is the way of Messengers, Prophets and true believers. Patience for
His sake is patience in matters that please Allâh, while patience by His help may apply to
matters that please Him or displease Him.
Different degrees of patience
1. Patience both for the sake of Allâh and by the help of Allâh. A person will have
patience by help of Allâh for the sake of Allâh, realizing that he has no power of his own
whatsoever. This is the highest degree of patience.
2. Patience for the sake of Allâh but not by the help of Allâh. Such people may want to
have patience for the sake of Allâh, but they are not actively seeking His help, and their
trust and reliance (tawakkul) is weak. Such people will have a good ending, but they are
weak and cannot achieve most of what they want to achieve. This is the situation of a
sincere but weak believer.
3. Patience by the help of Allâh. Such a person seeks Allâh’s help and puts his trust in
Him, admitting that he has no power or strength whatsoever, but his patience is not for
the sake of Allâh, as his patience is not for reasons of faith. This will achieve his aims,
but his ending may be worst. An example of such people are the leaders of the kuffâr and
the followers of the Shaytân, as their patience is by the help of Allâh, but is not for the
sake of Allâh.
4. No kind of patience whatsoever. This is the lowest degree, and a person of this type
deserves all sorts of failures.
Those who have patience for the sake of Allâh and by the help of Allâh are those who are
strong and achieve much. Those who have patience for the sake of Allâh, but not for the
sake of Allâh, are capable, but evil. Those who have neither patience for the sake of
Allâh not by the help of Allâh, are good people, but weak and helpless. Those who have
patience by the help of Allâh, but not for the sake of Allâh, are capable, but evil. Those
who have neither patience for the sake of Allâh nor by the help of Allâh are doomed to
failure.
Chapter 15: Gratitude in the Qur’ân
Allâh tells us: “Then remember Me; I will remember you. Be grateful to Me, and do
not reject Me” (al-Baqarah 2:152).
And He has told us that only those who are grateful to Him truly worship Him:
“... and be grateful to Allâh, if it is Him you worship” (al-Baqarah 2:172)
Allâh has mentioned gratitude alongside îmân, and has made it clear that He gains
nothing from punishing His people if they give thanks to Him and believe in Him:
“What can Allâh gain by your punishment, if you are grateful and you believe?…”
(an-Nisâ’ 4:147)
In other words: if you carry out the duties for which you were created, namely gratitude
and îmân, why should Allâh punish you?
Allâh has divided people into two categories, the people of gratitude (shukr) and the
people of ingratitude (kufr). The thing most disliked by Him is kufr and the people of
kufr, the thing most liked by Him is gratitude and the people of gratitude:
“We showed him (i.e. man) the way: whether he be grateful or ungrateful (rests on
his will).”(al-Insân 76:3)
According to the Qur’ân, the Prophet Sulaymân (AS) said:
“… This is by the grace of my Lord! – to test me whether I am grateful or
ungrateful! And if any is grateful, truly his gratitude is (a gain) for his own soul; but
if any is ungrateful, truly my Lord is free of all needs, Supreme in honour!” (anNaml 27: 40)
And Allâh said:
“And remember! your Lord caused to be declared (publicly): ‘If you are grateful, I
will add more (favours) unto you; but if you show ingratitude, truly My punishment
is terrible indeed’” (Ibrâhîm 14:7).
“If you reject (Allâh), truly Allâh has no need of you; but He likes not ingratitude from
His slaves: if you are grateful, He is pleased with you…” (az-Zumar 39:7).
There are many âyât in the Qur’ân where Allâh makes a contrast between gratitude
(shukr) and ingratitude (kufr). For example:
“Muhammad is no more than a Messenger: many were the Messengers that passed
away before him. If he died or were slain, will you then turn back on your heels? If
any did turn back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to Allâh, but Allâh (on
the other hand) will swiftly reward those who (serve Him) with gratitude” (Āl
‘Imrân 3:144).
The rewards of gratitude
The reward of gratitude is unlimited:
“ …If you are grateful, I will add more (favours) unto you…” (Ibrâhîm 14:7)
In contrast, other rewards and divine favours are conditional upon His will, for example,
relief from poverty:
“… but if you fear poverty, soon will Allâh enrich you, if He wills…” (at-Tawbah 9:28)
answering prayers:
“Nay – on Him would you call, and if it be His Will, He would remove (the distress)
which occasioned your call upon Him…” (al-An‘âm 6:41).
rizq (sustenance, provision):
“… He gives Sustenance to whom He pleases” (ash-Shura 42:19).
forgiveness:
“… He forgives whom He wills, and He punishes whom He wills…” (al-Fath 48:14).
Divine mercy:
“Again will Allâh, after this, turn (in mercy) to whom He will…” (at-Tawbah 9:27).
But Allâh has made the reward for gratitude free from any conditions, as in:
“… And swiftly shall We reward those that (serve Us with) gratitude” (Āl ‘Imrân
3:145).
“But Allâh will swiftly reward those who (serve Him) with gratitude” (Āl ‘Imrân
3:144).
Iblîs and gratitude
When the enemy of Allâh realized the virtue of gratitude, he made his main aim to keep
people away from it:
“‘Then will I assault them from before them and behind them, from their right and
their left: nor will You find, in most of them, gratitude (for Your mercies).’” (al-
Ā‘râf 7:17)
Allâh has described the people of gratitude as being very few:
“… But few of My slaves are grateful!” (Sabâ’ 43:13).
Gratitude and ‘ibâdah
Allâh explained in the Qur’ân that the only people who truly worship Him are those who
give thanks (gratitude) to Him, so those who are not among the people of gratitude are
not among the people of ‘ibâdah:
“… and be grateful to Allâh, if it is Him you worship” (al-Baqarah 2:172)
He instructed His slave Mûsâ (AS) to accept what He had bestowed upon him with
gratitude:
“…O Mûsâ! I have chosen you above (other) men, by the mission I (have given you)
and the words I (have spoken to you): take then the (revelation) which I give you,
and be of those who give thanks.” (al-Ā‘râf 7:144)
Allâh has told us that His pleasure may be attained through gratitude:
“… If you are grateful, He is pleased with you…” (az-Zumar 39:7).
Allâh praised Ibrâhîm (AS) for being grateful for His favours:
“Ibrâhîm was indeed a model. Devoutly obedient to Allâh, (and) true in faith, and
he joined not gods with Allah. He showed his gratitude for the favours of Allâh,
Who chose him, and guided him to a straight way.” (an-Nahl 16:120-121)
Allâh mentioned that gratitude is the purpose of creation:
“It is He Who brought you forth from the wombs of your mothers when you knew
nothing; and He gave you hearing and sight and intelligence and affection: that you may give thanks (to Allâh).” (an-Nahl, 16:78)
“Allâh had helped you at Badr, when you were a contemptible little force; then fear
Allâh; thus may you show your gratitude.” (Āl ‘Imrân 3:123).
As well as being the purpose of creation, gratitude was also the purpose of sending the
Prophet (SAAS):
“Then remember Me; I will remember you. Be grateful to Me, and do not reject
Me.” (al-Baqarah 2:152).