Part 10

day he died. He would exhort his self saying, ‘Be patient or you will regret!’

cf. Tabari. Refer to Appendix 2 for a further discussion on patience by ibn al-Qayyim.

HEARTFELT ADVICE TO A FRIEND

One of the Gnostics visited a sick person who was saying, ‘Ah! Ah!’ He asked, ‘Who from?’ One of them said,

The soul is beset with illness Yet it hides its malady from those who visit The inner self has not been just if it complains

Of its desires to other than its beloved

Yahya ibn Mu‘adh said, ‘If you love your Lord and He decreed hunger and nakedness for you, it would be obligatory for you to bear it and withhold it from creation. The lover patiently bears harm from his beloved, so why would you present your complaints to it for something it has not done to you?”

In my view, deeds from any besides You are hateful. You cts and they, coming from You, are beautiful.

The Messenger of Allah (38) and his Companions would tie rocks to their bellies against the hunger they faced.”

Uwais would collect broken pieces of bone from thé rubbish heap with dogs crowding around him tryixg to do the same. One day a dog barked at him and he said, “Dog, do not harm one who does not harm you, eat what is close to you and I will eat what is close to me. If I enter Paradise, I would be better than you, and if I enter the Fire, you would be better than me.’

Ibrahim ibn Adham would collect ears of grain along with the poor. Seeing that they disliked his competing with them in acquiring them, he thought, ‘I have abandoned property at Balkh to compete with the poor in collecting grain?’ After that he would only ever

* Bukhari #6452 on the authority of Abi Hurayrah

The Virtues of Patience

gather grain amongst the animals who would pasture in that land.

Imam Ahmad would collect grain with the poor. Sufyan alThawri was once employed to look after two camels while on the road to Mecca. He cooked food for some people and it tasted so

bad that they beat him for it. Fath al-Mawsili would build fires for people for a wage.

For Your sake did I leave the land To the malicious, to the envious. Master, for how long will I remain in Your good grace

My life rushes by, my need is not fulfilled.

Much subjugation and toil h.... I seen pursuing Your grace. Much patience have I born for You in che face of illness and frailty. Abandon me not, I cannot do without You.

If you wish a wage, take my soul.

For Your good pleasure I have born ardent love.

My heart is deeply in love, my tears choke me.

The love of You makes all that I face easy to bear.

A person does not sense blessing if he has not faced hardship.

In their view, the tribulations of this world would be blessings. One of them said, ‘The true jurist 'is one who sees tribulation as a blessing and ease a misfortune.’ It is mentioned in a JudaeoChristian narration, ‘If you see someone affluent approaching, say, “A sin whose punishment has been hastened on!” If you see someone poor approaching, say, “A sign of the righteous, welcome!”

“ This was said by Shurayh al-Qadi as per Dhahabi, Siyar, vol. 4, pg. 105

HEARTFELT ADVICE TO A FRIEND

One of the Salaf said, ‘When I am afflicted with calamity, I praise Allah four times: I praise Allah for it not being worse than it is, I praise Allah for nourishing me with the ability to bear it patiently, I praise Him for granting me the accord to say, “To Allah we belong and to Him we return,” and I praise Him for not making the tribulation in my religion.’

Looking to relief through patience is an act of worship since tribulation never remains forever.

Patiently bear every calamity, take heart, Know that harm never endures forever. Be patient, just as the nobles were patient:

It is a fleeting event; here today, gone tomorrow.

If the most severely afflicted person were to be dipped but once in the bliss U:: Paradise and then asked, ‘Have you ever seen calamity? Have you ever encountered calamity?’ He will reply, “My Lord, no!’**

O soul, patience only for a few days! Their length? A few flitting dreams! O soul, pass through this world quickly;

Turn away from it, true life lies ahead!

It is only an hour, then it will depart All of this will go, it will disappear.

“5 As mentioned in a hadith recorded by Muslim #2807 on the authority of Anas.