By Anum Zamir

The path to paradise is outlined most brilliantly in the following verse of Surah Ahzaab (The Confederates):

إِنَّ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمَاتِ وَالْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَالْقَانِتِينَ وَالْقَانِتَاتِ وَالصَّادِقِينَ وَالصَّادِقَاتِ وَالصَّابِرِ‌ينَ وَالصَّابِرَ‌اتِ وَالْخَاشِعِينَ وَالْخَاشِعَاتِ وَالْمُتَصَدِّقِينَ وَالْمُتَصَدِّقَاتِ وَالصَّائِمِينَ وَالصَّائِمَاتِ وَالْحَافِظِينَ فُرُ‌وجَهُمْ وَالْحَافِظَاتِ وَالذَّاكِرِ‌ينَ اللَّـهَ كَثِيرً‌ا وَالذَّاكِرَ‌اتِ أَعَدَّ اللَّـهُ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَ‌ةً وَأَجْرً‌ا عَظِيمًا

Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women, the obedient men and obedient women, the truthful men and truthful women, the patient men and patient women, the humble men and humble women, the charitable men and charitable women, the fasting men and fasting women, the men who guard their private parts and the women who do so, and the men who remember Allah often and the women who do so – for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward.

(Qur’an, 33:35)

This verse works like a blueprint. By so powerfully mentioning both men and women together yet separately, Allah, subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He), highlights the equality and justice with which He views His servants. It is this justice that also affords women a distinct status in general society.

Surah Ahzaab empowers the Muslim woman in ways previously not seen in Arabia, specifically with regard to inheritance and marriage. Interestingly, it is reported that this verse was revealed after Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet ﷺ (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), had requested greater mention of women in the Qur’an¹.

The Framework

1. Belief. The believing Muslim submits entirely to Islam. Surrendering one’s own will and desires to that of Allah (swt), the Muslim prefers the Divine Commands and Decree over all else.
2. Faith. A greater degree than belief, faith requires accepting the six pillars (Allah, the Angels, the Books, the Prophets, the Last Day and the Divine Decree). It is to worship Allah (swt) with ihsaan (excellence)—knowing that Allah can see us—and implementing knowledge into action.
3. Obedience. True obedience is omnipresent—on one’s heart and tongue and limbs, in every place and at every point in time. Whether at the grocery store or at a relative’s house, at the workplace or at the mosque, the obedient Muslim is compliant to Allah (swt) with every action and every statement. No deed is too small. “And to Him belongs whoever is in the heavens and earth. All are to Him devoutly obedient,” (Qur’an, 30:26).
4. Truthfulness. The siddeeqeen (truthful ones) have a rank alongside the prophets of Allah (swt). A believer might be many things across the vicissitudes of life, but can never be liar². Avoiding the hypocrisy in lying³, the Muslim always speaks the truth, solely to please Allah (swt).
5. Patience. Prophet Ya’qub `alayhi as salaam (peace upon him) said it best: “Patience is most fitting,” (Qur’an, 12:18). And Allah (swt) says, “O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, God is with the patient,” (Qur’an, 2:153). The patient Muslim trusts that Allah (swt)’s decisions are the best possible, and knows that with it, ease and reward are most certainly ahead.
6. Humility. Across the spectrum of life, humility refines and beautifies a person. The Muslim is aware that all blessings are from Allah (swt), and humility is in return an essential form of gratitude. Equally necessary is humility before people. Good character is the essence of Islam, and without it, a person’s faith is incomplete.
7. Generosity. Spending on one’s parents, relatives and the poor and needy purifies wealth and intentions. Financial assistance is encouraged, but spending one’s time and efforts in these causes is just as laudable.
8. Fasting. A deed that in turn increases one’s obedience, patience and humility is also a pillar of Islam. The Muslim prioritizes fasting days both involuntary (during Ramadan) and voluntary (three days of each lunar month, for example).
9. Modesty. Physically adorning one’s self with the dress code mandated by Allah (swt) coupled with the appropriate characteristics in thought and speech illustrates modesty. Spiritually, the Muslim is modest in character. Modesty is a “branch of faith”⁴, and a hallmark of Islam.
10. Remembrance of Allah (swt). On the tongue, in the heart and in actions, the remembrance of Allah (swt) is habitual for the Muslim. Never forgetting Allah (swt) is a responsibility, whether by uttering “subhan Allah” (glory to God) upon seeing a beautiful sunset, or guarding one’s prayers with due diligence on a daily basis.

For those who solidify these ten qualities in their daily routines, Allah (swt) promises forgiveness and a great reward. Principally, it means entry into Paradise, along with a clean slate in the Hereafter, freedom from worries and concerns, limitless enjoyment and eternal peace. More simply, an abode better than any human being could ever imagine.

May we learn to embody these qualities and become worthy of the Almighty’s forgiveness and reward. Ameen.

Author’s biography:

Anum obtained a Bachelor of Science in Global Business and later a Master of Public Affairs (MPA). After graduating, Anum turned her focus and attention toward the study of the Qur’an, and has recently  completed a comprehensive Qur’anic tafseer certificate course. She plans on teaching, insha’Allah after completing her teacher certification. Her interests include teaching, blogging, reading and cooking, as well as Islamic studies and history.

References

1 Musnad Ahmad 6: 305; An-Nasai in Al-Kubra 6:431; At-Tabari 20:270

2 Imam Malik, Mishkaat Book 56, Hadith 19

3 Sahih al Bukhari 2749, Book 55, Hadith 12

4 Sunan an-Nasa’i 5005, Book 47, Hadith 21

Complete References

1. Umm Salamah radi Allahu `anha (may Allah be pleased with her) the wife of the Prophet said, “I said to the Prophet, ‘Why is it that we we are not mentioned in the Qur’an as men are?’ Then one day without my realizing it, he was calling from the Minbar and I was combing my hair, so I tied my hair back then I went out to my chamber in my house, and I started listening out, and he was saying from the Minbar: O you who believe, indeed Allah says in His Book: (Verily, the Muslims: men and women, the believers: men and women…) to the end of the Ayah.”

[Musnad Ahmad 6:305; al-Sunan al-Kubra al-Nasa’i 6:431; At-Tabari 20: 270]

2. Malik related to me that Safwan ibn Sulaym said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked, ‘Can the Believer be a coward?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ He was asked, ‘Can the Believer be a miser?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ He was asked, ‘Can the Believer be a liar?’ He said, ‘No.’ “

[Imam Malik, Mishkaat Book 56, Hadith 19]

3. Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet ﷺ said, “The signs of a hypocrite are three: 1. Whenever he speaks, he tells a lie. 2. Whenever he promises, he always breaks it (his promise). 3. If you trust him, he proves to be dishonest. (If you keep something as a trust with him, he will not return it).”

[Sahih al Bukhari 2749, Book 55, Hadith 12]

4. It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Faith has seventy-odd branches, the most virtuous of which is La ilaha illallah (there is none worthy of worship except Allah) and the least of which is removing something harmful from the road. And modesty (Al-Haya’) is a branch of faith.'”

[Sunan an-Nasa’i 5005, Book 47, Hadith 21]

“So establish prayer and give zakah and hold fast to Allah. He is your protector; and excellent is the protector, and excellent is the helper (an-Naṣīr).” (Qur’an, 22:78)

We mentioned at the start of the series that Allah (swt) knows us and knows our needs, and thus He reveals from His Names those which fulfill our needs. We need provision; He is al-Razzaq. We need to feel safe; He is al-Hafiẓ. We need love; He is al-Wadud. Allah shows us that whatever our needs, they are sufficed when we know Him and turn to Him. Indeed, He is Sufficient for us.

This is a Name for anyone who feels embattled, physically or emotionally. Allah’s Name an-Naṣīr comes from the root n-ṣ-r (ن-ص-ر) and means helping the oppressed (إعانة المظلوم). Thus the word for victory is also naṣr. Allah says:

“… And victory (naṣr) is not except from Allah , the Exalted in Might, the Wise.” (Qur’an, 3:126)

Naṣīr is an aggrandizement of the root word and thus means help that spans both quality and quantity – Allah (swt) helps us repeatedly and with both big and small things. He reminds us that true help and victory are only from Him. God tells us:

“If Allah should aid you, no one can overcome you…” (Qur’an, 3:160)

Upon hearing this Name, many of us might be comforted. Some of us might have questions: What help? When does this help come? Will victory actually be given to the oppressed?

Types of Victory: the External

There are different types of victory and aid. Allah (swt) gives us examples in the Qur’an that can very clearly be classed as victories and help from Allah (swt). For example, God tells us:

“And already had Allah given you victory [naṣarakum] at [the battle of] Badr while you were few in number. Then fear Allah; perhaps you will be grateful. [Remember] when you said to the believers, “Is it not sufficient for you that your Lord should reinforce you with three thousand angels sent down?” Yes, if you remain patient and conscious of Allah and the enemy come upon you [attacking] in rage, your Lord will reinforce you with five thousand angels having marks [of distinction]. And Allah made it not except as [a sign of] good tidings for you and to reassure your hearts thereby. And victory (an-naṣr) is not except from Allah, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.” (Qur’an, 3:123-126)

During the Battle of Badr, the Muslims were few in number. They prepared as best they could and put their faith in God as a much larger army was ready to attack them. Allah (swt) tells them He is helping them by sending down Angels – though He reminds the Muslims that the Angels are just there for reassurance because victory and help are only from Allah (swt).

The beautiful thing about the Qur’an is that it talks about reality. It tells us about when a manifest victory occurred and then shows us instances of what would appear to be a loss.

For example, Allah (swt) tells us in Surat al-Buruj of a people who were thrown into a fire for no reason except that they believed in One God (Qur’an, 85:8). So some might ask, where was the help? Where was the victory? Allah (swt) tells us:

“Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds will have gardens beneath which rivers flow. That is the great attainment.” (Qur’an, 85:11)

It may sometimes appear that injustice has won. But Allah (swt) gives victory in this life to whom He wills and gives victory in the Hereafter for those who live in accordance with their faith with dignity. Allah (swt) tells us:

“Indeed, We will support Our messengers and those who believe during the life of this world and on the Day when the witnesses will stand – The Day their excuse will not benefit the wrongdoers, and they will have the curse, and they will have the worst home.” (Qur’an, 40:51-52)

Injustice and oppression will never have the ultimate victory, and as Muslims we are commanded to defend the oppressed against any and all forms of oppression. There are many lessons in the story in Surat al-Buruj, but one is for us never to allow oppression to flourish. Oppression that has deep roots is much harder to uproot. While the general rule is that Allah will help the oppressed – even in this world – examples like this remind us of our responsibility and of the hope in ultimate justice. The Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) said, “Help your brother whether he is an oppressor or is being oppressed.” It was said, “O Messenger of Allah, we help the one being oppressed but how do we help an oppressor?” The Prophet ﷺ said, “By seizing his hand.” (Bukhari, Muslim)

Help over the internal

Just like Allah (swt) helps us to overcome the external enemies, He helps us to overcome the internal ones too, such as our lower selves and Satan. In Surat Al-Nās, this is what we ask Allah (swt) for:

“Say, ‘I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind, The Sovereign of mankind. The God of mankind, From the evil of the retreating whisperer – Who whispers [evil] into the breasts of mankind – From among the jinn and mankind.’” (Qur’an, 114)

The Prophet ﷺ would say the following supplication in the mornings and evenings:

“O Allah, Knower of the unseen and the evident, Maker of the heavens and the earth, Lord of everything and its Possessor, I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but You. I seek refuge in you from the evil of my soul and from the evil of Satan and his helpers. (I seek refuge in You) from bringing evil upon my soul and from harming any Muslims.” (Abu Dawud)

Remember that when you are having trouble with even yourself, Allah can help you. If you are battling sadness, Allah can help you overcome. If you are having difficulty battling your own demons, Allah is there. When you are not able, seek help from the One who is able. Part of seeking Allah’s help is using the external means available to you.

When does Allah’s help come?

Victory requires three things:

1- Faith

2- Action

3- Patience and perseverance

As people of faith, we almost expect miracles to happen without hard work. We look at the story of Musa (Moses)`alayhi as-salaam (peace be upon him) and wish that the sea would part for us. We read the trials of Maryam `alayha as-salaam (peace be upon her) and see that she was given a child as a virgin, and we know that miracles are easy for Allah (swt). We focus on the miracle but forget that they came after much effort. So when things do not go our way and we feel that we have not been helped, we give up. But in the stories of the Qur’an, Allah shows us something amazing. It is when the righteous exhaust all the means does the help of Allah come. When Musa (as) does everything he can with Pharoah, and is being literally chased by an army, that is when Allah splits the sea (Qur’an, 26:63). When Maryam is at the point of wishing she were dead (Qur’an, 19:23), she is given help. When Hajar (as) runs seven times back and forth looking for help, Allah gives her the well of Zamzam. The Prophet ﷺ reminds us: “Know that victory comes with patience, relief with affliction, and hardship with ease.” (Tirmidhi)

Moreover, the seerah (life) of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is full of examples of working within the means. Miracles came to support, but never changed events, and in that is a lesson from us. The Prophet ﷺ  planned his escape from Makkah. The Prophet ﷺ prepared for battles. He spent years in Makkah calling people to Islam and to justice in society. He did not expect that things would just happen.

Finally, Allah giving His help does not mean that there will not be hardships, as the examples above clearly show. Allah asks this question in the Qur’an:

“Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while such [trial] has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on before you? They were touched by poverty and hardship and were shaken until [even their] messenger and those who believed with him said, ‘When is the help [naṣr] of Allah ?’”

Allah then answers at the end of that verse: “Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near.” (Qur’an, 2:214)

Remember that tests and hardships are coming to you from the Most-Wise, the Equitable and the Most-Merciful.

Connecting to an-Naṣīr

1. Have faith

Always have faith in an-Naṣīr, and be mindful of Him wherever you are. The Prophet ﷺ  teaches us:

Be mindful of God, and He will take care of you. Be mindful of Him, and you shall find Him at your side. If you ask, ask of God. If you need help, seek it from God. Know that if the whole world were to gather together in order to help you, they would not be able to help you except if God had written so. And if the whole world were to gather together in order to harm you, they would not harm you except if God had written so. The pens have been lifted, and the pages are dry. (Tirmidhi)

2. Do not be lazy and work until the very end

The Prophet ﷺ sought refuge from laziness every day (Bukhari). ((‘O Allah, I seek refuge in You from weakness and laziness, miserliness and cowardice, anxiety and sorrow, and I seek refuge in You from the torments of the grave, and I seek refuge in You from the trials and tribulations of life and death.’ [Bukhari])) Remember that help came to the righteous when they exhausted any and all means.

3. Remember that your efforts will never go to waste

Whatever good you do, Allah (swt) records it for you. Your effort could be the seed that helps future generations. Even if you feel that you were not victorious in the life, remember that your effort counts for the ultimate victory in the Hereafter.

4. Allah (swt) aids the oppressed, whomever they may be, so do not be an oppressor

Never ever oppress people. The Prophet ﷺ tells us to “Beware of the supplication of the oppressed, even if he is an unbeliever, for there is no screen between it and Allah,” (Ahmad). Allah does not discriminate between oppressed people, and your professed faith – if you are an oppressor –  will not help you.

5. Help others

The Prophet ﷺ said, “Allah helps the servant as long as he helps his brother.” (Muslim) If you want Allah’s help to come, then help others. Be there on the front lines in the battle against injustice for everyone. Justice is not ‘just us’.

By Inayah Zaheen

A few months ago we were invited to someone’s house for dinner, where I was asked a question by one of the guests:

“Why don’t you make your mother wear the hijab?”

I love wearing the headscarf—to externally be dressed in a way that enables me to maximize on worship (stop, drop, sujood—prostration—almost anywhere!), but also to be able to walk down the street and very visibly be noted to be a Muslim woman. I chose to wear it not only to follow the wisdom and instruction of my Creator, but also because I believe it represents something else: that I am not defined nor measured by social standards of beauty. I will not lie and pretend it was not difficult, but I love to reflect on the story of Ibrahim, `alayhi as salaam (peace be upon him), and how he was willing to sacrifice his own son in his love for, and faith in Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He). While I can by no means equate covering my hair in public to a sacrifice so great, for me this difficulty was made easier when reminding myself that although I love my hair (not that I’m now bald), my love for Allah has always been, and should always be, far greater. AlhamdulilLah (praise be to God).

I am 22 years old, and I started to wear the headscarf when I was 19, after many months and years of contemplation, consideration and prayer. It is not wholly unusual in my extended family to choose to wear a headscarf, but it is also not the norm. When faced with this question however, my answer was prompt: My mother is a million times a better Muslim than I am masha’Allah (what God wills). When I reach her level, maybe I’ll find myself in a position to give her advice.

My mother, masha’Allah, wears hijab in every single aspect of the concept and word—without physically wearing a headscarf. As well as the fact that my mother lives and breathes Islam, that she has the most beautiful sabr (patience) that I have ever seen, that after her first child died, she grew in iman (faith) in Allah’s plan and in love for Allah (swt), she is also humble, modest, loving and of course – Jannah (heaven) is beneath her feet! She works as a mother with all her passion, and as a doctor with all her dedication. Her determination, strength and beauty are wonderful, and I love her dearly. She is not the only one I know like this—there are many friends of mine who are so humble, modest, kind, wise and genuinely representative of Islam in their every action and word without physically wearing the headscarf, that I find great role models in them, and aspire to have that degree of wonderful character and piety. I am by no means undermining the headscarf and outer hijab, but at the same time I ask you all: please do not undermine the equal importance of inner hijab.

It only takes a few seconds to scroll on Instagram and see the array of hateful and judgmental comments against sisters—headscarf-wearing and non-headscarf-wearing. Sometimes it truly makes me want to cry. At which point did we decide we could demean and belittle others, based on our perceptions of their practise of Islam? Headscarf, no headscarf, half-headscarf, or even bikini—nothing legitimises being rude and disrespectful to any human being, let alone a Muslim sister. Of course, giving advice is important, but when we are so obsessed with Islam’s teaching on dress, why do we not extend this to observing Islam’s teachings on etiquettes in giving advice? On top of this, while Allah (swt) is the best judge of intentions, ask yourselves this: is my intention by writing this comment to make a point, boost my ego, or truly inspire hearts and minds with the words of Allah (swt) and the Prophet ﷺ (peace be unto him)?

Instead, let us always learn from one another. Such an approach can only seek to increase our humility. Instead of: what can I point out about this sister that is bad/worse than me, let us ask: what is this sister doing that is better than what I do? How is she practising Islam in a way I can learn to practise Islam? Perhaps she gives more charity than I do, perhaps she listens with more sincerity to others, perhaps she never backbites. Masha’Allah. When I look at my mother, there is an infinite list of things I can learn from her, and I love that about her.

Ultimately, Allah (swt) is the judge of everyone, and He is the most JUST of judges, subhan’Allah (glory to God). Let us increase in love for one another, seek out the good in one another, and always remember that Allah (swt) knows us all infinity times better than we know ourselves, AlhamdulilLah.

To those who have been faced with similar questions, perhaps your answer will be different to mine—and that is fine! But to those who have ever felt demeaned because of comments about hijab, know that no one can claim to speak on behalf of Allah (swt), and He knows best what is in the heart. To those of you who genuinely give advice, keep it up. I am sure you already do, but also take some time to listen to, learn from, and appreciate the struggles of the sister you are speaking to.

So why don’t I ask my mother to wear the hijab? Because she already does. If Allah (swt) wills it for her, the beaming example of her inner hijab may one day manifest into an outer headscarf, but for the moment, she is my mother, and Jannah is beneath her feet <3 AlhamdulilLah.

I end with one of my favourite hadiths (narrations):

“Taqwa is not in the length of your beard, or in the layers of cloth you wear. The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘Taqwa is here,’ and he pointed to his chest.” (Reported by Muslim)

And one of my favourite ayahs (verses):

“Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has gone astray from His way, and He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided.” (Qur’an, 68:7)

Becoming the Servants of the Most Merciful Series
Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX | Part X | Part XI | Part XII | Part XIII | Part XIV | Part XV

The distinguishing characteristics of the true Servants of the Merciful have been laid out for us by our Most Merciful Creator. They are humility, forbearance, praying the vigil, seeking the guidance and support of God from sins, fearing the possibility of going to Hell for one moment, balance in spending wealth, avoiding the major sins, protecting the major objectives of Islam, repentance, not witnessing the glorification of falsehood, avoiding useless speech, submitting to scripture, building one’s family on piety and seeking the help of God while doing so.

After guiding us to these most noble characteristics, our Beloved Creator than told us the reward of working to attain them:

“These Servants of the Merciful will be rewarded with a high position in Heaven as a result of their perseverance.  They will be greeted therein with the glad tidings of eternal life free of enmity, discontent or any other defects.” (Qur’an 25:75)

Surely life is a test and it is not easy. The guidance has been facilitated and the path to the eternal bliss in the pleasure of our creator is clear. Now it is upon us to work for it as God said,

“How excellent is the reward of those who work for it.” (Qur’an 3:136)

In the verse about the reward of the Servants of the Merciful, the qualifying clause was “as a result of their perseverance”. This is the translation of “bi maa sabaroo”. God is telling us that the whole of life and the test therein is about perseverance in showing Him our devotion, loyalty, and gratitude.  Our scholars have defined for us the three types of “sabr” that we all face in life. Basically our test is in disciplining ourselves to rise above our carnal egotistical instincts to become spiritual servants of our Creator. There are basically three aspects of perseverance that we are facing.

The first of these is persevering by fulfilling all of our religious obligations. The fact is we value our time and we incline towards instant gratification of our desire to enjoy our time. We must regulate our time so that we do everything we possibly can to fulfill whatever God has commanded us to do (i.e. practicing the 5 pillars of Islam).  In doing this we make the divine obligations the most important thing in life. If they weren’t important then God wouldn’t have obligated us to do them. If we don’t feel the importance of them then we need to strengthen our faith by reading about the miracles of the Qur’an, the biography of the Prophet ﷺ and his companions and the previous prophecies about the coming of our Prophet. After building a strong faith, we must increase our knowledge so we can understand why we have been obligated to perform these acts of worship. After completing these steps we are on our way to a fruitful life of service to the Almighty. In today’s secular world we are brainwashed from a young age that worship is a matter of choice and not a requirement whereas our scripture treats intentionally leaving obligatory worship as even more sinful than committing acts prohibited by God.

The second aspect of perseverance in life is in avoiding all of the things prohibited by scripture. We have certain carnal desires as animals that we are inclined to. A big test in life is in breaking down our ego and our desires so that we may protect our souls. Again weak faith is a reason for committing sins so we must seek to feed and nurture our faith as mentioned previously. Similarly, we should seek the knowledge of the wisdom behind prohibitions so that we may see the big picture and how God is protecting us from great harm by prohibiting us from things we incline to egotistically and materialistically. One of the biggest means in avoiding sins is the environment we choose. If we choose friends and surroundings which facilitate piety then we will be much more likely to stay free of major sins. God almighty commanded us,

“Train yourself to persevere with the company of those who live in sincere servitude to their Lord throughout the day… “ (Quran 18:28)

Our beloved Prophet ﷺ said, “A person is influenced by the ways of his close friends. So pay close attention to those who you take as close friends.” (Abu Dawood 4833)

Finally, we have the last aspect of the perseverance required to pass the test of life. This is the way we deal with hardship and difficulty that we face. One of the main arguments of atheism is that if God is good and in control of everything then why does He decree so much violence, evil, and corruption.  The fact is that this argument doesn’t hold up to a day in court with Islamic theology. It is crystal clear in Islam that this life is a test. We have been blessed with life, intelligence, creativity and all our sustenance at our finger tips. We are asked to persevere through life by disciplining ourselves through knowledge and human struggle to be spiritual entities who are not content as a result of material gain or worldly attachments, but through submitting to our Creator’s divine plan for us. If we fulfill this trust then we will attain eternal bliss. On the other hand, if we allow our ego and desires to get the best of us we will live and die as animals until the hereafter where we will be responsible for our rebellion against our Creator. The hardships and calamities we face in this life are one of two things for a believer. It is either a means of purifying ourselves from sins in this life or a means of pleasing God through showing our pure submission to His will even when it doesn’t serve our desires. The Prophet ﷺ said,

“If God has goodwill towards his servant, He hastens his punishment in this life. If He has bad will for His servant who is deserving of it, He leaves him to pay for his sins on the Day of Judgment.”(Tirmidhi)

“Verily the greatness of reward is according to the greatness of the trial. Surely if God loves a people then he tests them with hardship. So whoever is content with God’s decree then God is content with him and whoever is displeased with it then God will be displeased with them. (Tirmidhi)

We pray the Almighty Merciful One facilitate our struggle with perseverance that we may indeed be counted as His servants! Ameen

Watching ourselves or people we love in hardship, or losing their faith, is such a test in and of itself. If we are connected, even if ‘only’ by the string of humanity between our hearts, then their suffering must pain our own hearts.

I remember in college, I had a role model. He was a few years older. He was the ideal. Not too strict, not too lenient upon himself, but upon others he just had so much love. If you wanted to find him during breaks, you would just have to listen for a beautiful recitation of Qur’an and follow the sound waves to find where he was sitting. He did not do this out of a strong zeal that made him rush around doing things that were above his ability, rather his heart truly found its home in the words of God and in working towards His way.

One year after graduation, everything changed. There are many deep reasons why they changed, but I will just say that something took hold of his heart and shook him. He woke up one morning looking at who he had been before, and how his life had been, and then looked at the current state of his life, and there seemed to him to be such a contradiction–such a stark difference. He found no other way but to drop the spiritual cloaks he had been wrapped in and step backwards into an abyss.

It is shaking to hear the story, but it was even more shocking to witness it. To feel it. To feel broken just as his heart was broken before all of his friends. There is no other way to explain it. It is like when a baby cries because he is feeling pain, and a baby nearby begins to sob as well–just as hard, but having no idea why she is crying. She just saw the tears of someone like her, the pain in the eyes of her kin, and decided that if it was that bad, that if he was crying, she had no choice but to cry.

And sometimes, it is easier to soothe the baby that knows why he is crying, because perhaps he just needs to be fed. Maybe some medicine for his tummy. But his cousin who cried, simply because she heard him crying, well it’s very hard to comfort her. It takes calming and soothing. It takes time and patience, until she is convinced that whatever harm was present, whatever shaking force was present – the one she neither saw nor felt – is actually gone.

Like was said in the last article on istiqama, it all goes back to patience and prayer. Be it when dealing with our own hardships, or the effect of the hardships of others on our own soul. Not just to have patience, not just to pray—but to seek assistance in patience and prayer. To run to sujud (prostration) when we begin to cave in, be it from our own experience or from an experience through someone else’s eyes and heart. It is about praying with our hearts in our hands. Handing over our hearts to the One who created the hearts–the One who controls the hearts, the One who heals the hearts.

A few months ago, I was sitting outside the masjid (mosque). It had been a while since I had been out of the house, as I had been really sick for a while, unable to get out of bed except for trips to the doctor. Finally, on a day when I felt strong enough to go out, I had my brother take me to the masjid. I wanted to be there at maghrib, to hear the Imam (leader of prayer) at that specific masjid recite the Qur’an, as people stood and bowed and placed their heads on the floor before Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He), things that for the most part I had not been able to do for quite some time.

I took a moment to sit on the benches outside, just to take it all in. The recitation, the beauty of the masjid, and the birds that sing and dance as they perform their own prayer right before and after sunset. The reciter began to read an aya (verse) that I have memorized and have recited time and time and time again—yet never really heard. At least not in that manner.

He said:

واستعينوا بالصبر والصلاة وإنها لكبيرة إلا على الخاشعين

الذين يظنون أنهم ملاقو ربهم وأنهم إليه راجعون

“And seek help through patience and prayer, and indeed, it is difficult except for the humbly submissive [to Allah ]. Who are certain that they will meet their Lord and that they will return to Him.” (Qur’an, 2:45-46)

My initial reaction to this was literally, “Allahu Akbar! (God is Great!)” I want to try and take you all through the thoughts that I had at that time, but, I must warn, the thoughts in my mind are not always easy to navigate.

Throughout my sickness and even before then, I had constantly been reciting the verses that come later in surat Al Baqarah, the ones that began with a calling to those who believe. “Oh you who believe, seek assistance in patience and prayer. Indeed Allah is with the patient [sabireen].” (Qur’an, 2:153) A further description of who the “patient” are comes after a description of types of hardship that can and will befall us: “And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient [sabireen],” (Qur’an, 2:155)

Who are the sabirun in these verses? “Who, when disaster strikes them, say, “Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.”” (Qur’an, 2:156)

So at that moment, I was mentally toggling between two groups of verses. They are so interrelated, and yet so different. One thing to note here is that I am a big believer that there are no such things as coincidences. Literally none. And even more so, there is a hikmah (wisdom) in everything. So, in the Qur’an, the first group of verses precede the second. When reading the Qur’an, you must pass through the first group of verses in order to get to the second.

There has got to be a great wisdom in that.

So I began to think about the nature of these verses themselves. I am not diving into tafsir (interpretation of the Qur’an) here, I am diving into a world of beauties that occurred within me when reading the verses.

The first group of verses mention that we should seek assistance in patience and prayer. It then makes a major statement: this is definitely difficult on all except for the khashi`een. We do not then hear of rewards or of the fruits of patience. We do not even hear of the sabireen. We first hear of the khashi`een.

The immediate thought that comes to mind when reading this verse is, “What is someone who is humbled before God (khashi`)?”

Perhaps some people can be given the gift of being humbled before God instantly. A flower that blossoms in their heart that is easily reached and not striven for. Perhaps it is through a major blessing that is given to a person and opens their eyes. But for many of us, that is not how being humbled is reached. Being humbled is reached by being broken. Being torn apart in ways that we did not know we could be. Being shattered in parts we did not know could be shattered. And then finally, coming to the realization that God is Greater than everything. I am weak, He is the Source of all Strength. I am poor, He is the Source of all Rizq. He is, and I am not. I am only even in existence because of one word: kun (be)—and so I was. 

Getting to that point is rather painful and stressful, and just plain hard. But when we get to that point, we realize with our hearts that we will meet our Lord and will return to Him, even before our lips utter the words in hardship—because here we had to go through the stormy seas of tests and trials to reach that conclusion.

Only then are we ready to read the next group of verses. The one that does not talk about the process, the person having to be humbled. The verses speak about those who are already sabireen. It is as if this sabr is something that runs through their veins. A cup within their heart that has already been filled because of all they have seen before. And it does not talk about how hard this is going to be, because at that point sabr is not hard because the sabir knows that Allah (swt) is with them. (Does that mean that Allah was not with them through the previous test? No, not at all. But the sabir knows it with their heart and not just their mind now).

And then after all that, after the descriptions of the trials that will come and the words that will be spoken from the lips, coming from a spring in the heart, we find this beautiful verse:

أولئك عليهم صلوات من ربهم ورحمة وأولئك هم المهتدون

“Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided.”

Notice the word I have emphasized—I imagine that if someone were to open the heart of a person who had the words of Allah (swt) inscribed in his heart, not just memorized, that this word would shine forth with a great light. These people, the sabirun, have upon them salawat (blessings) and rahma (mercy). It is not that blessings and mercy are given to them. They are poured upon them.

It is the difference between giving someone a glass of water, and sending them outside to stand in the rain. If blessings and mercy were given to the sabir, the sabir may or may not choose to accept it. They may choose to hold it in their hand. And then they may choose to drink from it. But here the sabir has no choice; they are pushed out into a pouring rain of mercy and blessings, not given the chance to think or refuse, and drops of mercy and blessings pour down upon this sabir, soaking their clothes, soaking their skin. It is inescapably beautiful.

We think that it is going to be easy—to just hold on and that sabr will come naturally, or that it is the immediate reaction that we are going to have. But it is not going to be easy. We must seek assistance from Him to give us the gift of being khashi`, to give us the gift of knowing we are going to return to Him. And only then will we be able to seek assistance in patience and prayer with ease, because it has become a part of us. And once we are able to do that, by the assistance of Allah (swt), we are rewarded by a downpour of so much more than we ever expected.

But even after submitting to Allah (swt), we have to be sure to have patience, not just with what is going on in our and the lives of others around us, but with that which is occurring within us. This is a lesson that has been written about in many ways before, but can also be seen in the sunnah of Allah (swt), for example how the fetus is created in the mother’s womb.

Allah (swt) describes to us the steps that one goes through in creation: Each one of us begins as a nutfah (a drop of fluid), then proceeds to become a `alaqah (a clinging clot), and finally a mudghah (a lump that looks as if it has been chewed). And all of these stages occur even before the spirit has been blown into the creation. Al-Qaari says that there are many wisdoms we can take from even this description. He says that Allah (swt), beyond any doubt, has the ability to create anything in one moment, but this was not the path that He chose. Instead, as a mercy upon the mother and a sign for those who ponder, He caused us to be created step-by-step, and made us aware of this.

And beyond a doubt, at the time that we were being formed and created, we had no idea what was going on. We had no control over what was happening, nor did our mother who was carrying within her the gift of a child. Yet she watched, and was patient for nine months. She went through struggles and difficulties, the most intense being the last push before the child she awaited with so much excitement was pushed out of her womb. Sure, there were difficult times, times when she thought she could not take the changes going on inside her. Perhaps there were times when she felt that she would not make it through, but in the end, it was all worth it.

And in creation is a sign for those who reflect. Whether the struggles in your life are external, like watching a friend or family member struggle, or internal, where you feel like your internal core, your internal structure is crumbling beyond any possible expectation, know this: it is not over. It is not futile. Gold is only purified by being placed in intense heat. Diamonds are only formed when coal is placed under extreme pressure. All that is asked of you is this: Seek assistance in patience and prayer, and remember: Allah (swt) is with those who are patient.

Photo: Tom Gill

I have been living in the Arab world now for almost 3 years. There are some really taxing things here, tiring and frustrating to say the least. But there are also some exciting and uplifting things that keep me going throughout the days. And then, there are the hidden gems. The things that can be overlooked without a second thought, yet if they are given a second thought, they require a third and a fourth thought for one to even begin to benefit from their beauty. It is those things that get me time and time again. It is those things that take my breath away and leave me thankful for being placed in the position that I am in, living in a place where I do not always fit in or feel at home. One of those hidden gems can be found in the phrases that are oft repeated, with little thought, on a daily basis. There are many that could be spoken about, like the wishing of “na’eeman” [lit. blessings] when a person takes a shower or cuts their hair. Like the prayer of “kulli sana wanti tayyiba” [“may every year find you well”] on any happy occasion that occurs yearly. But my favorite has to be one that carries behind it a great story of a great man whom I recently read about, and after reading his story in the tafseer [exegesis] of Ibn Ajeeba, the oft repeated phrase “Ya sabr Ayub” [“O patience of Job”] has never been the same again.

It would be best, before diving into the gem-filled story, to give some information on when this phrase, in the Arab culture, is used. It is used mainly in two situations: 1) When a person is going through something very taxing and is wishing for an intense amount of patience to be poured into them, as a prayer and 2) when a person witnesses someone being ever so patient and is impressed by their firmness upon this patience. Naturally, after hearing that, one would assume that this story is about to be really great and I assure you: it is. The key here, however, is that something very important is done while reading this story: don’t just read it as a work of fiction or non-fiction. Read it as if this story is about you. Read this story as if you have temporarily stepped out of your own shoes, and into those of this amazing man, Ayub, and try to actually feel what he must have been feeling. And with that, all that is left is for me to begin:

Ayub, `alayhi as-salaam (peace be upon him), was a great man and Prophet of the Lord many years ago. He was blessed with many great gifts that surpassed what others around him had been given. He had money in amounts (and some say types!) that surpassed those that were around him. He was given great amounts of land as well as many animals to graze on this land, and these animals varied in types and were of very high quality. He was kind and giving to the poor, he used to care for the widows and the orphans, he would be generous with his guests and accept any traveler into his home. He did all of this as an act of gratitude to God for giving him so much. This is something very unique to note, as for when a person is given such great wealth and great gifts, Satan then tries very hard to get him to be greedy and ungrateful. Satan tries very hard to get the person with such wealth to belittle that which has been given to him, or to become arrogant and not spread the wealth to those who may be in need of it. Satan however, was unsuccessful at whispering into the heart of Ayub (as) with regards to all that he had been given.

It is said that Satan heard the angels in the heaven praising Ayub (as) for all that he had done and was doing. Upon hearing this, Satan felt a twinge of envy (hasad) towards the state of Ayub. Satan, being one who acts upon these twinges of envy immediately, went and pleaded to the Lord of the heavens about his state. He complained to God: “O my Lord, you have blessed your servant Ayub, so he had thanked you. You have removed from him any affliction so he has glorified you. You haven’t allowed any hardship to befall him, but if you did then surely he would be an ungrateful servant.” This was a plea from Satan, and at the same time he was taking a shot at the honor and actual piety of Ayub. He asked God to just give him the ability to afflict Ayub with some hardship, and he told God that He would see the gratefulness of Ayub dwindle away. God then allowed Satan to have control over the wealth of Ayub, and nothing else—allowing him to afflict Ayub. At this Satan was joyous. He called together his troops of jinn and told them the “great” news. One of his troops said that he had been given the power to send storms of fire upon anything, and if Satan gave him permission, he could burn all of the wealth of Ayub by burning his lands. Satan agreed, and sat back and watched his troops burn down the wealth of Ayub. Once this was all over, Satan came in the form of one of the service hands of Ayub, dramatically recalling all that happened to the wealth of this Prophet. Telling him that God had allowed for his wealth to be destroyed. Ayub (as), with complete grace and gratefulness, informed Satan in the form of man, that God was the original giver of this wealth, so God could do as he pleased with this wealth.

Satan now was hit, not only with pangs of envy but also, pangs of despair. He had been sure that had this man who was so blessed, had some of his blessings taken away, he would break. He would not be such a great servant. But Satan, unlike many of us humans, does not give up that easily. When he has a goal, he does everything he possibly can to get to that goal. He went back to his troops for a brainstorming session. One of his troops had another idea. He informed Satan that he had been given the ability to blow harsh winds that would kill any animal that heard this wind. Satan jumped on that idea and sent him to kill all of the living animals that were left on the burnt grounds of Ayub. After all of his glorious animals had been killed, Satan appeared to Ayub as a different man, again telling him of what happened. He informed Ayub that the Lord that he had been worshipping for so long had killed all of his animals. Again, Ayub (as) with pure patience and love for God, replied that God was the one who had given him the animals in the first place, so He could do as He pleased with them.

Satan was hit again with deeper despair, feeling that he was certainly losing his grip on the battle that he had been fighting. Satan returned to God, again with another plea. He argued that God had blessed Ayub with his own health and the health of his children (some say he had 10 children), and this is why Ayub was still holding on, gratefully. Satan assured that if this was removed then Ayub would not remain a grateful servant and that his gratefulness was not based on Love but of contentment with that which had been given. Satan then requested to be given the ability to take away the children of Ayub to prove his point. God granted him this permission. Satan returned to the home of Ayub, and destroyed the home of Ayub, killing all of his children. He then appeared to Ayub as the teacher of his children, limping, as if he too had been hurt in the destruction. He then recalled for Ayub the detailed deaths that his children had faced, making certain to put emphasis on the pain that they may have felt. Ayub was instantly struck with sadness for his children. He fell to the floor and began to pour dirt over his head. Satan rejoiced, finally he had made Ayub be ungrateful. But after an instant, Ayub (as) realized what he was doing and looked up to his Lord, asking for forgiveness and returning to his state of patience. God instantly forgave Him, as He is The All-Forgiving.

Satan was furious. He felt that he had finally won, that finally this man that seemed to be over flowing with patience and gratitude had finally cracked. And before he could even rejoice, Ayub (as) returned to His Lord and His repentance was accepted. His sin was erased. (Take note at the Mercy of God. Take note at the persistence of Satan). Satan went back to God, again despairing and willing to try anything. He told God that the only reason that Ayub was so thankful and so obedient was that he had the most important thing, his health. Satan pleaded with God to allow him to take that away, to prove once and for all that Ayub was not, in his essence, an obedient servant. God allowed him this, but this time with some very important conditions. God allowed him to have rule over his body and health, but he was unable to touch two things: His tongue and his heart.

Satan descended down to Ayub and found him in prostration. He blew through his nose a wind that touched his entire body. It caused him to itch, with no relief. He itched his entire body with his hands, then with tools. The tools were so rough they tore at his skin, but the itch was so strong that he could not stop. His wounds began to fester, to be infected, and to even attract bugs. All of the people in his community who loved him so much began to look down upon him, unable to stand to see his appearance nor smell the stench of infected wounds. They kicked him out, ignoring all the good that he had done for him before. Everyone left him. Everyone. Except for one person, his wife. She cared for him in the trash dump that he had been cast to. She took care of him, and was his companion as much as she could. After much time she began to plead with him to ask God for help. I mean why not, he was a prophet. He in turn asked her how long they had lived in wealth. Her reply was 8 years. He then followed up with asking how long he had lived in sickness; she informed him that it was seven. His reply was that he was too embarrassed to ask God to heal him, if the time of ease overcame the time of hardship.

Satan, in his final attempt, appeared to Ayub’s wife. He told her that he (Satan) was the Lord of the world and that the reason why her husband, Ayub, had been afflicted for so long, was that he turned away from the lord of the earth and looked only towards the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth. He told her that if Ayub were to “simply” make one prostration to Satan, then he could be restored to health and wealth. Ayub’s wife returned to her husband and told him what had happened. Ayub was furious. He knew exactly who she had spoken to, and was angry that his wife had spoken to Satan and that she had tried to act upon his words. She couldn’t take his anger, and she left him as well. Now Ayub was completely alone, with reference to human companions. He turned to God and made the famous du’a that we hear time and time again “Lord hardship has afflicted me, and you are the most Merciful of the merciful.” Ibn Ajeeba here says something interesting. He says that the hardship that Ayub was speaking about was that Satan had conspired against him to get him to prostrate to him (Satan). (Why is this the hardship? Because it is said that if we understood the true essence of sickness, we would know that it is an immense gift from God.) God immediately responded to the plea of Ayub and instructed him to go to the nearest water source and bathe in it. He did so, and was returned to his complete health and beauty. His wife, shortly after, returned looking for her husband. She found a handsome healthy man in his place. She asked him if he has seen a man that was rotting and in pain. He laughed and said, “It is me, I am Ayub.” She wouldn’t have believed him except that she recognized his laugh.

Ayub—not an angel, a man. He (as) went through an immense trial, and looked only at God. A man that God used to lay down a map for us to follow when we too are in pain, in sickness and in distress. Of course we don’t always react this way. Of course it may be harder at times to let go and let God. But what we can do is look to him as an ultimate goal. We can use his name when asking God for patience. We can strive to be as close to Him as God will allow. And whenever we are in hardship, we can know that we have someone to relate to. We have someone who went through pain and anguish, and we can see that even in the worst of situations, God can instantly redeem us and make everything more than perfect. May God grant us the Sabr of Ayub in the smallest of matters and the largest of matters.

“Lord, hardship has afflicted me, and you are the most Merciful of the merciful.”

Photo: jacki-dee

By Izza Atiqa

One of the things I love most about my job is the people that I get to meet. I just started work a few months ago, and in the course of my day-to-day routine, I have met some people to whom my heart gravitates, just for the beauty of the person that they are. During my first few weeks of work, I met a Muslim brother who was suffering from multiple sclerosis. Despite it being a difficult condition to live with, he was independent, positive, and especially cheerful during the short 30-minute consult my colleague and I had with him. That day, he had intermittent muscle spasms that interrupted the treatment we were giving him, yet it did not disturb his calm and collected demeanor. I remember he was the first patient to say, “Jazak Allahu Khayran (may God reward you),” and I was so delighted at hearing someone make that simple du`a’ (supplication) for me.

A few days ago, I had the pleasure of meeting him again. This time, however, he seemed like his condition had worsened and now needed a care-person to assist him. I thought about him the entire day. I thought about all the other people I have met during the short time that I have been working. The one who was blind but who laughed and smiled as if she could see the world. The one who had Alzheimer’s, and kept repeating “thank you” because she didn’t know what else to say. And the ones with every debilitating condition possible, but still walking through every day of their lives with every bit of strength imaginable. I remember these people being so physically sick, but so content, so joyful, glowing with light from within. And I, unlike them, am physically able and blessed with perfect health, and yet spiritually weakened by the illnesses of my heart and my desires for the fleeting pursuits of this dunya, which is by definition the “lowest of all worlds”.

It was a beautiful Friday. I made a du`a’ for that man at every prayer, and all the times in between. Earlier that day, at Fajr, I had asked Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) to grant me a beneficial and meaningful day that would bring me the remembrance of Him. My request had been granted, because that short encounter led me into deep thought and reflection. I then understood why such people are so content. It was because their sickness is a constant reminder of the day that they will return to God. Because their physical handicap is a testament to how Allah (swt) is Ar-Razzaq, the only Provider for the things we often take for granted, such as our five senses. Because they have the hearts of true believers, remaining patient throughout their afflictions and knowing that their pain and suffering will only pave their way into jannah (paradise). As Prophet Muhammad ﷺ(peace be upon him) beautifully said, “No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that,” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 5641 – 5642). May Allah (swt) admit them to the shade of His mercy, return them to Him in the most beautiful way, and grant us all the spiritual purification that we are greatly in need of at this time.

Photo: Chris Cooper

By Zahra Belal

Sometimes life takes such a turn that the very earth beneath our feet is shaken. We scramble around blindly to make sense of what is happening to us. In doing so, we pass from stages of shock, denial, incontrollable grief to acceptance or numbness.

Despite all our courage, we are at times helpless in taking charge of our feelings; involuntarily, we seem to sink deeper and deeper in to a dark abyss of self-pity, pessimism and worthlessness.

In times like these, we feel akin to a tree in winter that has shed all its leaves, leaving it branches stark and barren in the cold wind. We are able to relate to this image of an entity that has nothing to give any more; frozen in stagnation and purposelessness—in, so to speak, death.

Our suffering distorts all our senses, seeping little joys in life, colouring everything in dark. We find it hard to fathom how everything around us can be so normal when there is a storm inside us.

In those moments of despair, there are certain things that we need to remind ourselves again and yet again—ad infinitum.

Foremost is the fact that we are always in a flux, moving from one state to another. This is perhaps why it is said that we cannot step in to the same river twice, for on our second attempt both the river and we have changed. The phenomenon may not be perceivable to us, it is not necessarily observable or tangible but an irrefutable nature of the world it is—nothing lasts, everything is inexorably and incessantly moving towards one culmination after another.

Our own body is a testament to this with constant reproduction of cells, countless dead cells replaced or repaired by new ones; every moment you are being changed, matured and aged with years that you live.

Look around you. The dynamics of the cosmos beckons us to believe in change; the tireless movement of the planetary objects that shapes our day and night and one season after another.

This is why Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (glorified is He) says again and again, “And [in] the alternation of night and day and [in] what Allah sends down from the sky of provision and gives life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness, and [in His] directing of the winds are signs for a people who reason,” (Qur’an 45:5).

That you will face hardships in this life is a foregone conclusion. Allah (swt) says: “And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to the patient,” (Qur’an 2: 155). During our trials and tribulation, we are being closely monitored, which is true for all times, but how we react can either please or displease Allah.

Our vibrant Islamic history is full of such examples. The Qur’an recounts the lives of so many prophets and glorifies their steadfastness (sabr). Our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace be upon him) faced one trial after another; orphaned before he was born, lost his mother and grandfather in his childhood, lost his loving wife and uncle in a span of a year, endured persecution from his own tribe and others, travelled to Taif with hopes but was rejected with cruelty, forced to immigrate from his place of birth, ridiculed by the Jews of Madina and made to fight one ghazwa (battle) after another in such challenging circumstances. Then one day he stood holding his dead son in his arms with tears falling profusely from his eyes. Despite all this, he remained firm in his iman (faith) and true to his cause.

And Allah rewarded every Prophet with ease after hardships; we only have to show our commitment for Allah to cool a fire, part an ocean, grant a throne, send a flock of ababeel, descend thousands of angels and conquer a city. Allah (swt) says, “O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient,” (Qur’an 2:153).

The same ayah (verse) is followed by allusion to Safa and Marwah, which Allah says is among his signs, “sha’ar Allah.” In your misery, think about Hajar`alayha as-salam (peace be upon her), a beautiful woman who was stranded by her husband on Allah’s command, in a barren, unhabituated valley with her wee son. As time took its toll, her son began crying for water but where can water be found in such a lifeless place? Does that daunt her? Does she make a mad dash in her anxiety? Or does she listlessly sit down, giving up and bemoaning her fate?

No, no, not this woman. She gets up and runs from one hill to another, trying to discern for any clues of a passing caravan from a vantage point. This is sa`i—struggle to achieve an end while harbouring complete trust in Allah (swt); believing that He indeed will pull her through. Sure enough, a spring burst forth from a rock and forever transformed that desolate place into a bustling city. And Allah found her act so endearing that He prescribed it as part of Umrah and Hajj which is why to this day, droves of people—both men and women—emulate this amazing woman by doing sa`i between the two hills to earn Allah’s pleasure.

In quite moments of reflection, relate your disappointments and losses in this life to that of the Day of Judgement, a day when there is no turning back from what we have earned for an eternity. If our fleeting sorrows of this life bow us over to this extent, contemplate on how unimaginably tremendous would be a loss on that day, when every atom of good and bad will be weighed. Indeed, if trials do not remind us of our beginning (inna lilahi—to God we belong) and end (wa inna ilaihi raji`oon—and to Him we shall we return) then we truly have bargained a great loss.

Therefore, feel a kinship with a tree in winter but do not pity it. That tree is far from a symbol of hopelessness, it is indeed a symbol of patience (sabr) as it braves the cold, quietly biding its time till the first glimmer of spring, when sun rays will rejuvenate it with lush, green leaves, when vibrant flowers will break out all over and when its boughs will droop with the weight of the fruits it will bear.

And that is what we need to do; last out the rough patch. Tell yourselves, breathe and believe. It doesn’t get any simpler than that.

Photo: Alphafish DMPaine

Names of Allah Series:  Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX | Part X | Part XI | Part XII | Part XIII | Part XIV | Part XV | Part XVI | Part XVII | Part XVIII | Part XIX | Part XX | Part XXI | Part XXII | Part XXIII | Part XXIV | Part XXV | Part XXVI | Part XXVII | Part XXVIII | Part XXIX | Part XXX |Part XXXI | Part XXXII | Part XXXIII | Part XXXIV | Part XXXV | Part XXXVI |Part XXXVII | Part XXXVIII | Part XXXIX | Part XXXX | Part XXXXI | Part XXXXII | XXXXIII

I’m sure we’ve all felt this at some point: the frustration that comes with not being able to get something right. Or the anxiety that is felt as a result of lost time. Maybe even the despair because it seems too late. Why can’t we ever get it right? If only there was someone to take us by the hand—someone who would be patient with us, understand our difficulties, and pick us up when we fall, yet encourage us to continue. If we’ve felt this, we probably do not have patience with our own selves. We give up or numb ourselves so as not to deal with ‘it’ (whatever ‘it’ may be), hoping things will fix themselves. But we should have patience. Because Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) certainly does—He is al-Sabur (the Patient).

This Name is related to al-Haleem: the Forbearing. We said that al-Haleem is the One who sees the wrong of what people do, but does not hasten to punish. This meaning is present in His Name al-Sabur as well. Al-Haleem then also forgives. Allah (swt) says:

“And if Allah were to impose blame on the people for what they have earned, He would not leave upon the earth any creature. But He defers them for a specified term. And when their time comes, then indeed Allah has ever been, of His servants, Seeing.” [Qur’an, 35:45]

This deferring is a manifestation of Allah’s Name al-Sabur and His attribute of patience. As al-Ghazali says: “Al-Sabur—the Patient—is the one that does not let haste move him to carry out an action before its time, but rather decides matters according to a definite plan, and brings them about in delineated ways.” Sabur comes from sabr (patience)(ص-ب-ر), and the root means to confine or contain (الحبس). So to have sabr is to contain oneself from acting rashly. Al-Ghazali also says that when Allah (swt) brings about an action, He does not delay it out of procrastination like a lazy person would, nor does He speed it up out of haste.

Yet the other dimension of Allah’s patience with us is His appreciation for and patience with our baby steps. A mother carries her child all the time until he starts to walk. When he takes two steps, his parents are excited, cheering him on, even though he falls after those two steps. It might take him months to walk properly. But they are by his side, helping him. Very few parents would give up on their child because he falls after taking every few steps. Most parents are lovingly patient even when their child is slow to walk. Allah (swt) is far above any analogy, but to bring the message home, this is Allah (swt) with us. He is al-Sabur. He is not quick to punish the heedless or even the sinful, and He is not impatient with those of us who are slowly but surely on the path. He is patient when we stray, and makes the path still open to us when we come back. There is a beautiful wisdom in the statement of the Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) ﷺ: “The best actions are those which are small and consistent,” [Bukhari & Muslim]. It is better than what is grand yet inconsistent, and eventually fades away.

To me, this epitomizes Allah’s attribute of patience. He is not asking you to be super Muslim in a day and a night. He does not mind that you take small steps to build yourself. We know the opposite: You take one step and He comes to you at speed. The Prophet ﷺ reminds us to “Do those deeds which you can do easily, as Allah (swt) will not get tired (of giving rewards) till you get bored and tired (of performing religious deeds),” [Bukhari]. He does not get bored with waiting for us to get our acts together. He is patient. The frustration that you feel with yourself that makes you give up is from Shaytan (Satan)—he makes you impatient with yourself, whereas Allah (swt) is patient with you. We should remain steadfast with the obligatory, and then add from the voluntary what we can.

Take the example of Suhayl bin Amr. Suhayl bin Amr was one of the aristocrats of Quraysh. And he hated the Prophet ﷺ with a passion—so much so that when his sons and daughter accepted Islam, he tortured them in terrible ways. He was eloquent and would say horrible things about our Beloved ﷺ. During the battle of Badr, Suhayl was captured. Umar radi Allahu `anhu (may God be pleased with him) asked the Prophet ﷺ if he could punch his teeth out so he would never say anything bad about the Prophet ﷺ again! But the Prophet ﷺ shook his head and told Umar (ra): “No, O Umar. Perhaps you will see in him something that you will praise him for.” The Prophet ﷺ was patient. He believed that people could change. Yet after Suhayl was released, he did not change. On the contrary, he joined in all of the battles against the Muslims. And it was Suhayl bin Amr who concluded the treaty with the Muslims in which he refused to accept “Muhammad the Messenger of Allah”, and made Ali (ra) write only “Muhammad, son of Abdullah.”

Could you be patient with such a person? Allah (swt) was patient with him. Suhayl bin Amr (ra) accepted Islam after the conquest of Makkah, when he was over 70 years old. Slowly, he started to change. He started praying and fasting more. He started learning from Muadh bin Jabal, even though he was young and not from Quraysh. People even said to Suhayl, “You are going to him to learn?” Meaning, at least go to someone with more status like Ali bin Abi Talib (ra) or Abu Bakr (ra). And Suhayl was angry with that. He said, “This is what made us fall behind the people [who accepted Islam before us]! I will learn from him.” He finally recognized that our value does not come from status, money or family, but from being servants of the Most Merciful. He was grateful that he did not end up like Abu Jahal and Abu Lahab.

If Allah (swt) is patient with someone like Suhayl, do you think that Allah (swt) is not patient with you? Do you think that when you sincerely intend to become better and you take the steps, no matter how small, that He gets bored or tired of you?

So do not let the fact that the road seems long deter you. There will always be something to improve, and that is a good thing, because it means we are constantly growing. The companions were always evolving. They slipped up, but they never despaired. Moreover, they were not complacent. They knew their own selves. If it was anger they needed to work on, then that’s what they worked on. If it was prayer, then they focused on that. If it was laziness, then that.

And do not be so hard on yourself when you cannot get something right. Do not be frustrated because you feel you have squandered all of your life in play, and now have no time to make up for it. Suhayl was 70 when he accepted Islam. He was so grateful for that gift that he took the steps. The past only matters inasmuch as you can learn from it and from your mistakes. But that is it. What matters is this moment now. What can you do now to improve your relationship with God, to improve yourself, to achieve your goals?

One final note: Just because Allah (swt) is al-Sabur, it does not mean that we should just be wishful thinkers. Wishful thinking is one of the diseases of the heart (طول الأمل). A wishful thinker is one who delays and defers for no reason, simply out of laziness and ostensibly because he hopes in Allah’s Mercy. This is actually punishable. The true fruit of hope is effort.

Being with al-Sabur

1- Make a specific goal.

Been missing out on your prayers? Always wanted to memorize Qur’an? Parts of your character that need improving? Maybe your relationship with your loved ones needs to be fixed?

Make the intention, formulate a specific and achievable goal, and then take the steps towards it. You should be able to visualize it. Start really small if you need to. If you get bored or simply tired and want to give up, remind yourself that Allah (swt) is patient with you. If you are sincerely working, He will not rush you, because you are doing what you can and your goal is consistency. An extra day of life that Allah (swt) gives you is to push through, insha’ Allah (God wiling). So persevere a little more.

2- Know yourself.

It may seem odd to have this as a point in knowing Allah (swt). But in order to set the right goals and in order to see Allah’s manifestation of His attributes, we need to know ourselves. When you know yourself, you will actually be able to see how patient Allah (swt) has been with your throughout your life, and truly appreciate His patience and forbearance with you. You will be able to go to the root of why you do things and make the decision to become better, insha’ Allah.

3- Be patient with other people.

Patience is an internal state that has outward implications. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ tells us: “Whoever curbs his anger, while being able to act, Allah will fill his heart with certainty of faith,” [Bukhari]. If Allah (swt) can be patient with us despite all that we do, who are we not to be patient?

4- Be patient with yourself. Be patient with results.

Remember that the things that are truly of worth can sometimes be the most difficult to achieve, and this why patience is so crucial. Patience is to persevere with God-consciousness despite the odds. As the Prophet ﷺ tells us, “Whoever persists in being patient, God will make him patient. Nobody can be given a blessing better and greater than patience,” [Bukhari]. Patience is the key to that long road to a result that is noble. The Prophet ﷺ also tells us, “And know that victory comes with patience, relief with affliction, and ease with hardship,” (Tirmidhi).

This narrative took place about six years ago. This is a repost from 2008 with some general modifications.

Within five minutes of class I began to feel angry at myself. I had an exam to move on to the next level in Arabic within the hour, and I had not spent enough time studying. I had moved all the way to Cairo, to live my dream of studying Arabic, to finally understand the language of the Qur’an, and yet, here I was, unprepared for my exam.

My teacher caught on. “Are you feeling ok? Do you feel some pain?”

“Yeah…” I answered, hesitant to keep going, trying to get myself together, but needing someone to tell me: be patient, the road to knowledge is long and hard but worth it. I kept trying to tell myself that, but it was not working.

So I told her: I knew it was going to be hard, I was expecting difficulty, but man it’s hard, and man it’s difficult. I just need someone to tell me, I explained to her, that this is the way, and that knowledge is like this, that I can do it with God’s help.

And so she told me, and man, it was worth feeling all the anger and frustration to hear what she said to give me hope.

“Do you know who wrote THE book on Arabic grammar?” She asked me. No, I shook my head, I had no clue.

“Sibaway,” she said. And then she began to tell me about the great master of the Arabic language, Sibaway, may God have mercy on him.

He was a non-Arab. Persian, to be exact. When Sibaway would speak in Arabic, the people around him would make fun of him. Finally, he swore he would write THE book on Arabic grammar, and he even named it AL Kitab—THE Book. He was that confident. And Allah, subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He), gave him sincere success in what he wrote. Until now, all these centuries later, she told me, no one, no Arab or non-Arab, has written like Sibaway, the master of this field.

But when he approached death, and may God have mercy on him, he began to feel great sadness. He lamented at the closeness of his death, and he thought about his companions. All of these people around him had memorized Qur’an, all of these people had memorized hadeeth (sayings of the Prophet ﷺ, peace be upon him). “Where is my Qur’an? Where is my hadeeth?” He cried. Instead, he lamented, that he was stuck between Zaid and Amr, the two famous characters in the Arabic grammar books.

He went to sleep distraught.

That night he had a dream, and he was visited by the GREATEST of the GREATEST men, The Beloved ﷺ, and was given glad tidings about his efforts!

Sibaway woke realizing that his work was indeed important, as it was a means to helping people know and understand the Qur’an. So much so that until now, his book continues to help people in their Qur’anic understanding.

“This is a non-Arab,” she told me. “This is the way of knowing the Qur’an. Do you think that if you stopped and asked a person on the street something in the Qur’anic Arabic, in classical Arabic, they could answer you? No, not just anyone can do this,” she continued, “because it takes work. It’s hard, but it’s worth it, being on the path of wanting to know the Qur’an.”

If Sibaway, a non-Arab, could write THE BOOK on Arabic grammar, what about all of you with all the skills and talents Allah (swt) has created you with? Look at what you were given, and see how you can maximize that for your ummah (community) and your society fisabilliah (in the way of God).

Let us do what the Prophet ﷺ did to help build the best generation which ever walked this earth: find the skills and talents within individuals—within OURSELVES—and take them and use them for God’s sake to make great leaps of progress. We need YOU in this ummah!

It doesn’t have to be Arabic, or Qur’an or Hadeeth—it can be anything beneficial, used to help others in a beneficial way.

And yes, it is going to be a struggle. But, as a dear teacher, may Allah (swt) protect him, once reminded me:

Isbiri, fa inna sabran nooron min Allah

Be patient! For indeed patience is light from God.