Editorial | Friday Special: Patience & Its Bountiful Rewards

Allah has created patience to be like a never-wearying horse, an impregnable army, and a solid stronghold that is impenetrable. Victory comes with patience, comfort comes with suffering, and ease comes after struggle, thus patience and success go hand in hand. Patience is more beneficial to the possessor than men since it aids without the need for tools or a large workforce, and because it has a similar link to success to that of the head and body. Allah highlights the patience and piety of his Prophet Yusuf in his book, “Verily, he who fears Allah with obedience to Him (by abstaining from sins and evil deeds, and by performing righteous good deeds), and is patient, then surely, Allah makes not the reward of the Muhsinun (good-doers) to be lost.” [Yusuf 12:90]  The reward for those who are patient is enormous and there are a number of verses which throw light on the virtues, benefits, importance, and significance of patience. Regarding the virtues, Allah says, “but give glad tidings to As- Sabirun (the patient). Who, when afflicted with calamity, says: ‘Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.’ They are those on whom are the Salawat (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.” To put it into simple words as Ibn Qayyim said, 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 Allah that He bestows upon whomsoever He will, and Allah is the Owner of Great Bounty.”