As servants we have many faults, and we are not perfect. It is easy to slip and commit errors. However it is not difficult to cover them with good actions.
It is important that as servants of Allah we acknowledge that He has decreed for us our life span, and this is a reality from which we cannot turn away.
Therefore we need to understand that although this world has been created for us, we have been in reality created for the hereafter.
Patience is a blessing from Allah and one could well imagine if we were not given this bounty from Allah, what would have happen.
We are either showing our gratitude to Allah for the things that he has bestowed upon us; otherwise we are being patient and waiting for Him to give us something better from his treasures.
It is the wisdom of Allah that He enjoins upon his servants something that they will reap from immediately. Or He, the all Mighty, delays the bounty given to His servants. It is then given to the servant at the right time, only Allah knows, and at a time the servant will most appreciate it.
There is a Hadith of the prophet, Muhammad (S) which states: (to the nearest meaning) “There isn’t a man who supplicates to Allah by not asking a sinful thing but he either A. Grants the thing immediately, or B. Stores up for him the same amount of good, or C. Turns away an evil of equal measure. (Musnad Imam Ahmed).
In General we lack the need to exercise patience, this is because our surrounding makes us behave in a certain way that we do. This constantly keeps us in certain moods, which results in us being far from exercising patience when there is a great degree and a dire need for it.
In a person’s mundane life he/she encounters and interacts with all sorts of people, from the household individuals to people at work, and people of different background and culture.
Not everyone is the same, they do not eat, drink, think the same, otherwise it would have been a peaceful world, and we would not have any problems like in our social and domestic life. Therefore a person needs to be cautious at times and exercise this tool of patience.
Exercising patience can be divided into three parts which, if acted upon with sincerity, will help a person tremendously to overcome problems etc. That they may be facing.
The First one is that a person exercises patience in the obedience of Allah. Sometimes a person finds difficulty in fulfilling religious duties, however fulfilling a religious duty results in rewards, and Allah does not waste a good action of his servant.
The second is that person exercises patience in controlling one’s desires of not committing a sin, be it major or minor. And in contrast doing a good action (continuously) a person will get reward; so much so, that it is mentioned in a Hadith related by Imam Bukhari (R) that a person will get the same reward even when he/she is sick.
The third is that a person exercises patience when afflicted with some difficulty be it a sickness, or some sort of affliction that a person is going through. A difficulty remains when one makes it harder on oneself whereas Allah is preparing something great to give to the servant either in this world or in the hereafter.
No doubt a person will face problems in this short life, a person may go through loop holes and hardships and this is when one should not lose hope and turn to Allah. Just like when a child is beginning to walk and takes the first few steps, the mother immediately picks the child up and embraces it and says “That’s my baby well done; I will never let you fall”.
Like this when we turn to Allah and take the initial steps then Allah will not turn away for it is mentioned in the Qur’an “And when my servants ask you, (O Muhammad), concerning me indeed I am near, I respond to the invocation of the supplication when he calls upon me. So let them respond to me (by obedience) and believe in me that they may be (rightly) guided.” Surah Baqarah verse 186
We should not neglect the bounties that Allah has given us; we can ask ourselves when was the last time we showed gratitude to Allah for something which he has given us? He is the one who takes our souls away in the darkness of the night and returns it safe and sound.
It is related from Abu Hurrairah (R) that the prophet of Allah (S) said “Look towards those who are lower than you, do not look at those who are above you, because it could be that you may not recognise the bounties that Allah has blessed you with.” (Muslim)
You should always be strong as it will help you and others around you. Just like the four walls to a room need each other for support, which will give support to the ceiling. So as long as everyone stays firm and know their responsibilities it will make life easier.
Finally our concentration and worry should be focussed in the hereafter, how much of our actions will displease Allah and how much of our actions will please Allah is truly for us to decide.
Fozrul Islam khan,
Wednesday 10th Safar 1433, (4th January 2012)
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