“Rome was not built in a day” is the famous saying used every to emphasise that a great task requires patience in the men engaged therein. It rightly eulogises the qualities of patience and constancy during work. In fact the principle of patience is applicable to the whole life in its various aspects. Enduring patience plays an important role by making a man remain steadfast in his efforts even in face of heart-breaking reverses and severe setbacks which cause many a man to become disheartened and give up the efforts.
Under the influence of western culture of desiring instant success without having to wait for any length of time for it, the highly praised virtues of patience, forbearance and endurance have been given a go-by. Desirous of instant success, one does not appreciate how patience enables a man to face vicissitudes of life with equanimity and dignity. On the other hand, man avoids arrogance to overtake him during his good times when at the peak of worldly success.
SOCIETY AT CROSSROADS
With the role of religion and morality shrinking in our lives, crimes of various types are on the increase as one wishes to get all the goodies in no time. The trend of decreasing patience has also deprived our society of benevolent principles of ‘first deserve, then desire.’ The result is there for all to see. In all walks of life. The undeserving try for being selected for positions requiring extra-ordinary merit or exceptional talent. It is strengthening of this detrimental trend prevalent in society. It is gaining strength by the day. The ill-will towards performers and achievers is manifested in dissatisfaction among the less deserving causing them frustration.
Earlier people used to work hard persistently and ultimately succeeded in their aim. Those were the days of immense patience and wait for their genuine turn at success. Then people used to emulate the trend-setters and performers par excellence. Though our world is seeing enough of bitterness and conflict in all spheres in society, it seems to have forgotten that cooperation and healthy competition are the first two steps leading to healthy living. With no holds barred, conflict is assuming new dimensions leading to a loss to human society and its values. The dangerous diseases of mental illness, psychological disorders and split personalities follow from undeterred, misplaced ambitions as a result of negative western social influences. The general misconception is that the wealthier and mightier you are, the freer you are to throw of all regulatory shackles. Hence unbridled passions and the graph of crime going north.
WHAT IS PATIENCE?
Patience means stopping our tongues from complaining at times of adversity, remaining steadfast, restraining ourselves from despairing and panicking and not striking our faces with our hands or tearing our clothes at times of grief or at times of events in an unexpected manner or loss of some near and dear one or setback to our financial interest due to whatever reason. Refraining oneself from sins is also a kind of patience, apart from facing hostility, unfavourable circumstances and persecution which call for patience of the high order. The wise since dawn the ages have opined that ‘the one who has patience is the one who has trained himself to handle difficulties.’
Islām considers patience as a means to keep close to God and to accept calmly the trials He sends without complaining or feeling sad. The conduct of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) teaches us best lessons in patience and fortitude. Keeping patience when even the most perseverant start losing it means that one’s common sense and religious motives are stronger than one’s whims and desires which are required to be sacrificed at Allāh’s commands and ups and downs of life designed to test a Muslim’s claim of faith in fate.
GOD’S INJUNCTION ABOUT PATIENCE
Surah Asr says: “By (the token of) Time (through the ages), verily man is in loss, except such as have faith, and do good deeds, and (join together) in the mutual teaching of the Truth, and of patience and constancy.” (103: 1-3)
The above verses stress, with great force, that having patience is a must for every Muslim. Without this human virtue, man shall be the worst sufferer. While the importance of imān, aamal swaleh (good deeds) and Truth, are well known to most Muslims, the unavoidability of being patient and constant need to be grasped firmly.
Patience is needed in following areas of life:
- In worshipping God and following his commands;
- In abstaining from wrong actions; and
- In accepting God’s decree and ruling.
JOURNEY TO TAIF
After having been bestowed with Prophethood, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) continued to call the people of Makkah towards the true religion and consequent reform and guidance but only a few, not even one hundred, embraced Islām. Among the rest only a few had some sympathy with the Holy Prophet due to familial ties, but by and large the predominantly large section of Makkan Arabs continued to create as much problems as possible, nay, hatch conspiracies to destroy Islām and its followers. They used to torture his companions beyond endurance in ways un-describable, inflicting worst physical injuries, persistent dragging on burning coals or unbearably hot Arabian sand under the scorching sun, subjecting them to ridicule, humiliation and forcing social boycott, forcibly cutting off intimate blood relationship between father and son, brother and brother, kinsman against kinsman, husband and wife and the like with great vengeance.
Under these circumstances the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) planned a journey to Taif in the fond hope that if the big tribe of Taif adopted Islām, it will make things very easy. But these people of Taif, including tribal chiefs, instead of listening to the Prophet, mocked at him, humiliated him by taunting that God could choose no better person for prophethood. Yet another chieftain said he would not talk as it was dangerous to deny his prophethood if indeed he was a prophet, and in the other case, he did not consider it worthwhile if he was as imposter. Against the Arab tradition of entertaining strangers and guests, they set the lumpen, streets urchins and the vagabonds to chase him away from Taif. In the process they threw stones at him which injured him and the colour of his shoes became red as a result of blood oozing out of his feet.
When the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) got some relief from those criminal elements, he prayed to God wherein he complained of his weakness and helplessness. Even in these circumstances he did not allow bitterness towards the people of Taif to sway his virtue of mercy. This became evident when Gabriel and another angel in charge of the mountains appeared before the Prophet and said to him that he would abide by his decision and crush the disobeying and mischievous people of Taif by the will of God, if he so wanted. But being rahmatullil aalameen, he forgave the people of Taif in the hope that their future generations will embrace Islām even if the present one has shown their worst behaviour against Islām and the Holy Prophet.
The conduct of the Holy Prophet was in accordance with Qur’ānic guidance which said “… and be patient and persevering: for God is with those who patiently preserve. (8:46), and “… seek (God’s) help with patient perseverance and prayer…” (2:45). This brings out complete devotion to God Almighty in the actions of the Holy Prophet.
This is the best example of practising patience in the gravest and most provocative circumstances. Likewise, the great and exemplary patience shown by Sumaiya, Yasir and Bilal (may Allah be pleased with them) adores the world of patience with illumination and stands out as a lighthouse for the righteous when engrossed with calamities.
The example of Prophet Yusuf when he was prompted to the evil path of lust by the wife of then Ruler of Egypt, is of highest order of conduct based on fear of God. Muslims are ordained to restrain themselves from pursuing the path of lewdness howsoever great the provocation or howsoever fearful the threat not to yield to the desire of the powerful. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) has referred to those who will be shaded in the shade of Allāh’s throne on the Day of Judgement for their perfect patience – such as the patience of an absolute ruler in being just in all situations, regardless of his own feelings, and the patience of a young man in worshipping and obeying God and suppressing his own whims and desires, and the patience of the man who gives charity in keeping his charity secret, and the patience of the man who resists the temptation of a woman of beauty and high status, and the patience of the two men keeping their relationship for the sake of God, and the patience of one who weeps out of fear of God, in keeping that secret and not telling others about it. All of these are among the most difficult types of patience.
RESTRAINED CONDUCT
Refraining from committing wrong actions of speech and sexual wrong actions are difficult types of patience. The excesses of misuse of tongue manifest in the form of backbiting and slander, telling lies to create troubles for others and insulting people. The Holy Prophet has therefore ordained us to control our tongue. One must strive not to become habituated of committing these wrong actions as it is so easy to move one’s tongue and speak. Indeed many of the problems one has to face in life is due to intemperate language, verbal or written expression which hurts others and invites retaliation and reaction which assumes, at times, frightening proportions and dangerous consequences.
A wayfarer of path of patience must check use of tongue so as not to become a transgressor.