PATIENCE AND SUCCESS

بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم

Except those who show patience and do righteous good deeds, those: theirs will be forgiveness and a great reward (Paradise). [Hud:11]

Seek help in ALLAH and be patient. Verily, the earth is ALLAH’s. He gives it as a heritage to whom He will of His slaves, and the (blessed) end is for the Muttaqoon (pious, God fearing) [Al-Araaf:128]

Patience means, Endurance, self-restraint, submission, the ability to accept delay, trouble or suffering without becoming angry, and patience and relationship with ALLAH are the key components of success.

Patience and affiliation with ALLAH demand some sacrifice and to put down some of our desires, if we are not ready for it and want to live our life the way we like then, to be patient will be a big chore and remain unachieved. Patience requires the ability to accept delay, trouble or suffering without becoming angry and accepting the unwanted outcome with grace, but at many times in such situations our first reaction is to blame others for the unfavorable condition. 

Patience need strong character and cannot be acquired by ordinary people. To remain calm and composed in painful situations, or when someone hurts you badly with abusive language, and not showing a negative reaction or uttering a bad word can only be done by those who have inner strength to control themselves, which becomes easy to achieve when we know our Creator and maintain a good relationship with Him and follow His Commands.

The greatest capability that we can utilize is to control and mold our own selves, rather than to shape others, and this is the area where we need to work the most, instead of finding faults and blaming others we should restrain our own self and exhibit patience to accept the untoward situation. To criticize others is the easiest job and to reform and control our own self is the biggest task, in order to be able to demonstrate patience it demands a change in our own self, not only from the exterior but a deeper change from within to enable us to admit our shortcomings and problems in a sensible manner. No wonder Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) rated the effort to fight against one’s own self as the greater Jihad;

A group of Muslim soldiers came to the Holy Prophet [from a battle]. He said: Welcome, you have come from the lesser jihad to the greater jihad. It was said: What is the greater jihad? He said: The striving of a servant against his low desires.'' (Al-Tasharraf, Part I, p. 70)

Abu Tharr (R.A) said that the Messenger (PBUH) said: "The best Jihad is for one to perform Jihad against his own self and against his desires" [Abu Nu'aim]

Ibn Umar(R.A) (reported that the Prophet (PBUH) said: "Jihad against one's own self in the Cause of ALAH is the best Jihad" [at-Tabaraani]

The first step towards being able to master self control and patience is by turning to ALLAH, recognizing our Creator and submitting to His Authority and Commands, only then it will be possible for us to constrain ourselves within our limits and pull our reins in an extreme situation. It can be understood by a comparison between a trained and wild horse, while both have great power but when the reins of a trained horse are pulled by his master it halts himself whereas the wild horse is seen to react more violently and become out of control, oblivious of all the destruction it may cause. 
We need to control ourselves like a trained horse in order to master patience and be successful.

The Qur'an says: " O believers! Be patient, excel in patience, hold yourself ready and have fear of ALLAH so that you may be successful." [A'l-e-'Imran 3: 200]






By: Ayesha Ahsam