The Good and the Bad Patience

The Good and the Bad Patience

Bad patience is to be patient in abstaining from Allah, His Love and His Will because this prevents man from being perfect and doing what he was created for. This is the worst and most difficult type of patience. There is no religious devotion greater than holding asceticism concerning what Allah has prepared for His followers which no eye has ever seen or ear has ever heard. (1)

(1) Holding asceticism in this regard means that man does not seek what Allah has prepared for His pious servants in its own right. Rather , He seeks Allah’s satisfaction and wishes for His reward. (Translator)

Once a man said to an ascetic: “I have never seen an ascetic like you!” He said; “Your asceticism is stronger than mine because my asceticism is connected to this life, which is short and yours is connected to the hereafter. So, which of us is better?”

A man asked Shibli: “Which type of patience is most difficult for the patient?” He said. “Patience for the sake of Allah.” The man said; “No” Then Shibli said: “Patience for Allah.” The man said: “No.” Shibli said, “Patience with Allah.” He said: “No.” Then Shibli said: “Then, what is it?” The man said: “Patience in abstaining from Allah.” Then Shibli screamed as if he nearly died.

It was said that patience with Allah is fulfilment and patience in abstaining from Allah is harshness. All people agreed that patience in avoiding Allah is not praiseworthy.

Good patience is of two types: patience for Allah and patience with the help from Allah. Allah, the Most high, says:

{And do thou be patient, for thy patience is but with the help from Allah..}
(Surah 16: 127)

He also says:

{Now await in patience the command of thy Lord: for verily thou art in our eyes.}
(Surah 52: 48)

There was a dispute between people about which of the two types is more perfect. A group of them said: Patience for Allah is more perfect because what is done for Allah is perfect more than what is done by Allah. What is done for Allah is an objective and what is done by Him is a means. So, what is related to Allah is related to His Divinity. For this reason, to believe in His Divinity saves any person from polytheism. People of idolatry believed that Allah is the Creator and The Owner of this world but they did not believe in His Divinity, so their belief was useless for them.

Another opinion was that patience with the help from Allah is more perfect. To be patient for the sake of Allah depends on being patient with the Help from Allah. Allah, the Most High says, {And do thou be patient.} This, He orders His servant to be patient. Then He says: {for thy patience is but with the help from Allah.} This refers to the fact that he could not be patient without the help from Allah. Moreover, we read in a Qudsi Hadith:

“By Me he hears, by Me he sees, by Me he strikes and by Me he walks” (1)

This Hadith refers to the believer who performs the supererogatory Prayer until Allah loves him. As a result of that, Allah will be with him in whatever he does. Whoever is not patient with the help from Allah is like the one who does not wish to be near to Allah. This is what is meant by: “ I am his hearing with which he hears and his sight with which he sees and his hand with which he strikes and his legs with which he walks.” This does not mean the physical organs, as was said by the enemies of Allah, but this saying is interpreted by the Hadith: “By Me he hears, by Me he sees, by Me he strikes and by Me he walks”

In another Qudsi Hadith, Allah said;

“I am an associate to whoever mentions Me.”

1. Transmitted by Al-Bukhari (6502)