The Difference Between the Degrees of Patience

The Difference Between the Degrees of Patience

As it has been mentioned before, patience is of two kinds: Voluntary and compulsory. Voluntary patience is more perfect than the compulsory one. All people perform acts which include compulsory patience, and it is handled by those who do not deal with voluntary patience. This was why the patience of the Truthful Yusuf (Joseph) in abstaining from being seduced by the wife of Al-‘Aziz as well as his patience in prison and the harm he faced, was greater than his patience in what had happened to him when his brothers threw him into the well and thereby separated him from his father. As for his compulsory patience, it was in handling the power which Allah, the Most High, gave him in the kingdom of Al-‘Aziz.
There was also the patience of Allah’s Intimate Friend (Ibraheem), Kalimullah (1) (Moses), Nuh (Noah), ‘Isa (Jesus) and the patience of the last Prophet, Muhammad (pbuh) in making the call of Islam and fighting against the enemies of Allah. For their patience, Allah called them the “Messengers of firm resolution” and He ordered His Messenger, Muhammad (pbuh) to be patient like them. He said:

{Therefore patiently persevere, as did (all) messengers of firm resolution.}

(Surah 46: 35)

The people of patience are those who are mentioned in His saying:

{The same religion has he established for you as that which He enjoined on Noah _ and that which We have sent by inspiration to thee – and that which Were enjoined on Abraham, Moses and Jesus.}
(Surah 42: 13)

Moreover, Allah, the Most High, says:

{And remember We took from the Prophets their covenant and from thee: from Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus.}
(Surah 33:7)

Ibn ‘Abbas and other Early Muslims held this. In addition, Allah, the Most High, ordered him not to be like the Companion of the Fish (Jonah) who was not patient like the Messengers of firm resolution in his saying:
{So wait with patience for the Command of thy Lord, and be not like the companion of the Fish, -- when he cried out in agony.}
(Surah 68:48)

Then Allah praised him and told him that He had saved him because of his calling. He said:
{And remember Dhu Nun, when he departed in Wrath: he imagined that We had no power over him! But he cried through the depths of darkness, “There is no God but Thou: Glory be to Thee: I was indeed wrong!.}
(Surah 21:87-88)
At-Tirmidhi narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) said:

“The invocation of my brother Dhu Nun (Jonah) which he said while he was in the stomach of the whale, whoever is afflicted and says it, Allah will relieve his affliction: “There is no god but You. Glory be to You! I was indeed one of the oppressors.”

Therefore, no one is forbidden to say the same invocation, as it was the invocation with which Jonah invoked his Lord. Nevertheless, Muslims are forbidden to do the same thing, which led to his ordeal, and made him call Allah to get him out of the stomach of the whale.
Some people of knowledge said that Allah forbids His Prophet in this verse to do the thing that caused Jonah’s trouble, which was weakness of determination and patience regards Allah’s judgement. Furthermore, Allah does not say here that the Prophet (pbuh) should not be like the companion of the whale who made a mistake, was then swallowed by the whale and finally called out to Allah. Yet He summarised the story and concentrated on its end and objective.

Allah, the Most High, Praises Yunus (Jonah) and other prophets by allowing them to ask Him to relieve their afflictions. Allah praises Yunus by saying:
{And remember Dhu Nun, when he departed in Wrath: he imagined that We had no power over him! But he cried through the depths of darkness, “There is no god but Thou: Glory be to Thee: I was indeed wrong!}
(Surah 21:87-88)