1. The servant having certainty in All ah and a firm trust that

whatever He decrees for a believer will be good for him . As such he will be like a patient who has submitted to the ministrations of a skilled doctor: such a patient will be content with his minis­ trations be they painful or not because he has a complete trust that the doctor is doing only that which will be of benefit to him. 21 Tabarini, al-Kabir # 1 00 1 2-1 0052 on the authority of ibn Mas'ud and it is qa'If. 22 �ad # 1 445, Tinnidhi #21 51 Tinnidhi said that i t was ghan'b and that its isnad contained l:fammad ibn l:fumayd who was not strong. Arna'iit said that the isnad was qa'If. It was ruled qa'if by Albaru, ai-J)a'ifah # 1 906 118 This is what ibn < Awn alluded to in his aforementioned words. 2. Looking to the reward that Allah has promised for content­ ment.

The servant could well be so engrossed in pondering this that he forgets all about the pain he is facing. It is reported that a righteous woman from the Salaf tripped and broke a nail where­ upon she laughed saying, 'The delight of His reward has made me forget the bitterness of His pain.' 3. Immersing oneself in love of the One who sends tribulation, constantly being aware of His magnificence, beauty, greatness and perfection which is without limit. The potency of such aware­ ness will cause the servant to drown in it such that he no longer senses pain much in the same way that the women who saw Yusuf forgot about the pain of cutting their hands.23 This is a higher station than those previously mentioned. Junaid said that he asked Sirri if the lover senses the pain of tribulation to which he replied, 'No.' In these words, he is allud­ ing to this station.

It is in this light that a group of those facing tribulation said, 'Let Him do what He wills with us. Even if He were to cut us up, limb by limb, we would only increase in our love.' One of them said, If ardent love tore me apart, limb from limb, The pain would only increase me in love. 21 Mentioned in, "When they saw him, they were amazed by him and cut their hands. They said, 'Allih preserve us! This is no man. What can this be but a noble angel here!'" [Yusef (1 2): 31] 1 19 I will remain a prisoner to love, Until, in the pursuit of your pleasure, I pass away.

Ibrahim ibn Adham left his wealth, property, children and serv­ ants. While performing fawaf, he saw his son but did not speak to him. He said, I migrated from all people for love of You. I bereaved my dependants that I may see You. If You tore my limbs apart, in my love The heart would still long for You.

A group of the lovers such as Fu4ayl and Fat:J:.i al-Maw!jili, if they went to sleep without an evening meal and without a lamp being lit, they would cry in joy. During the winter nights, Fat:J:.i would gather his family and cover them with his cloak and say, 'Ypu made me go hungry so I have made my family go hungry. You have made me a stranger so I have made my family strangers. This You do with Your beloved and Your friends, am I one of them? Should I exult in joy?'24 They entered upon one of the Salaf who was ill and asked him, 'Is there anything you want?' He replied, 'That whatever He finds most pleasing, I find most pleasing.'25 In this light, one of them said, 24 Abii Nu'aym, vol. 8, pg. 1 92 25 DhahabI, Sjyar, vol. 9, pg. 1 82 quoting it from YaQya ibn Sa'Id al-Qattan. 1 20 For Your sake, his punishment is sweet.

For Your sake, his distance is closeness. You are like my very soul, Rather, You are more beloved! Sufficient is it in my love That I love only what You love. Abii'l-Turab composed the following lines: Be not deceived, the lover has signs. He has routes to the gifts of the Beloved: Taking delight at the bitterness of His trial, Being joyous at all that He does, His withholding is a gift accepted, Poverty is honour and generosity, transient.

They entered upon a man whose son had been martyred in Jihad and he wept saying, 'I do not cry at his loss, I only cry when thinking what his state of contentment with Allah was when the swords struck!' If Ghaga's people wish me dead, so be it By Allah, I have never begrudged the beloved's wish! I am like a slave to them: I cannot object. The point here is that the Prophet (;I) enjoined ibn < Abbas to work deeds while in state of contentment if he was able to. If not, he said, "If you are unable, know that great good lies in bearing with patience what you dislike," this then proves that being content with decrees that are hard to bear is not an obliga­ tion but rather a recommendation, a state of excellence. Who­ ever is unable to be content must instead be patient.

Patience is obligatory, it must be present, and it contains great good. Allah, 121 Most High, has commanded patience and promised a great re­ ward for it: "The patient will be paid their wages in full with­ out any reckoning."26 "Give good news to the patient: those who, when disaster strikes them, say, 'We belong to Allah and to Him we will return.' Those are the people who will have blessings and mercy from their Lord; they are the ones who are guided. " 27 •>", .... 1, .... .... ... .... . _ , -::: , ...... . ..- ,. >> . .... >''f'(? ,,. .... -:;,. .... "Give good news to the humble hearted, whose hearts quake at the mention of Allah, and who are patient in the face of all that happens to them."28 26 al-Zumar (39): 1 0 27 al-Baqarah (2): 1 55-1 57 28 al-lfajj (22): 34-35 1 22 al-I:Iasan said, 'The state of contentment is rare, but patience is the recourse of the believer.'29 Sulayman al-Khawa� said, 'The station of patience is below that of contentment. Contentment is that a person, before the onset of tribulation, is content whether it is present or not.

Patience is that a person, after the onset of tribulation, bears it steadfastly.' The difference between patience and contentment is that pa­ tience is to restrain the soul and to prevent it from displeasure while sensing discomfort or pain. 30 Contentment necessitates that the heart readily accept what it is facing and, even if it was to feel some pain at what it is facing, the sense of contentment will lessen it, perhaps even remove it altogether. This is because the 29 Abii Nu'aym, vol. 5, pg. 342 from 'Umar ibn 'Abdu'l-'Aziz 30 $abr: to refrain and withhold. Raghib said, 'It is to withhold the soul as determined by the Legal Law and the intellect.' JiiJ:ii? said that it is a quality made up of sobriety and courage and Muniiwi said that it was the ability to face disturb­ ing and painful circumstances, both physical and mental. It is to withhold the soul from misery and displeasure, the tongue from complaining and the limbs from derangement; it is to remain firm upon the laws of Allah in all circum­ stances and to face adversity with the best of conduct. Ibn J:libbiin, Rawr/alll 'i-'Uqaiti', pp. 1 26-1 28, said, 'It is obligatory upon the intelligent, in the beginning, to adhere firmly to fabr at the onset of difficulty and when he becomes firm in this he should then move on to the level of content­ ment (rir/a) .

If one has not been nourished with fabr he should adhere firmly to inculcating fabr in himself (tafabbuf; for that is the first stages of ritjd. If a man was to have fabr, truly would he be noble; for fabris the fount of all good and the foundation of all obedience ... The stages leading to it are concern (ihtimrim), awakening (t�akkltJ , examination and circumspection (tathabbul), and tafabbur, after it comes ritjd and that is the peak of the spiritual stations fabr is displayed ... in three matters: 1abr from sin; 1abr upon obedience; and 1abr in the face of adversity and calamity.' cf. Ibn al-Qayyim, Maddrij al-Srilikin, vol. 1 , pp. 162-1 65 1 23 heart has felt the soothing breath of certainty and cognisance.31 This is why a large group of the Salaf such as <umar ibn < Abdu'l­ < Aziz, Fuqayl, Abii Sulayman and ibn al-Mubarak would say, 'The person who is content does not desire a state other than the one he is in whereas the patient does.' This state of being is reported from a group of the Companions, amongst whom were <umar and ibn Mas<iid. < Abdu'l-< Aziz ibn Abu Ruwwad said, 'Amongst the Children of Israel there was a devout worshipper who saw a dream in which he was told that so-and-so would be his wife in Paradise. So he went to her as a guest for three nights to see what she did.

She would sleep while he prayed by night and she would eat while he fasted. When he left her, he asked her about the greatest deed she felt she did. She replied, "I do no more than what you have seen except that I have one quality: If I am in trying times, I do not want to be in times of ease. I f I am ill , I do not wish to be healthy. If I am hungry, I do not wish to be full .

And if I am in the sun, I do not wish to be in the shade." He said, "By Allah, this is a quality that is beyond the reach of the servants!"' 31 Rit/ti: the opposite of displeasure and malcontent. J urjani said that it referred to the joy of the heart at the occurrence of the decree. lbn al-Qayyim, Maddrij, vol. 2, pg. 1 85 mentioned that it is the tranquillity of the heart in the face of the vicissitudes of the decree and the firm knowledge that it has that Allah would only that which is good for it. Bayhaqi, Shu'ab #209 records that ibn Mas'iid (ratfiyAl/dhu 'anhu) said, 'Ritfd is that you not please the people at the expense of the displeasure of Allah ; that you not praise anyone for the provision Allah has granted you; and that you not blame anyone for that which Allah has not given you. The grant of provision is not dictated by the avarice of a person and neither is it withheld because of the aversion of another. By Allah's justice and knowledge did He place relief and joy in certainty and contentment, and worry and distress in doubt and displeasure.' 124 Patience is to be shown at the onset of calamity as is authenti­ cally reported from the Prophet (li) .32 Contentment is shown after the onset of calamity as the Prophet (M) said in his suppli­ cation, "I ask You for contentment after the decree."33 This is because a servant could well resolve to be content at the decree before it occurs, but the resolve dissipate when he actually faces it.

Whoever is content after the decree has befallen is one who is truly content. 34 Therefore, in summary, patience is obligatory and must be present. Beyond patience there is displeasure and malcontent and whoever is displeased at the decree of Allah, his lot will be dis­ pleasure. Moreover, the pain he will face and the malice of his enemies will be far greater than his despair, just as one of them said, Despair not at any mishap that befall s Allow not the malice of the enemy free hold People, through patience will you see your hopes When you meet the opposing army, stand firm! The Prophet (;i) said, "Whoever inculcates patience in him­ self, Allah will grant him patience. Allah has not granted anyone a gift better and more expansive than patience."35 32 B ukh ari #1 2831 302-71 54, Muslim #626 on the authority of Anas 33Al)mad # 1 8325, Nasa'i # 1 3061 307 on the authority of 'Ammar ibn Yasir It was ruled �aJ::u""I) by ibn I;:libban # 1 97 1 , I::Iakim # 1 923 with DhahabI agree­ ing, Albaru, Takhrfj al-Nasri'i and Arna'iit. 34 cf.

Khanabi, Sha n al-Du'ri, pg. 1 32 ' 35 Bukhari # 1 469-6470, Muslim #1 053 on the authority of Abu Sa'Id al-KhudrI 1 25 'Umar said, 'The best times of our lives have been those ac­ companied by patience.'36 'Ali said, 'Patience with respect to faith is like the head with respect to the body: a person who has no patience has no faith.'37 al-I:Iasan said, 'Patience is one of the treasures of Paradise. Allah only confers it to those He ennobles.' Maymiin ibn Mihran said, 'No Prophet or anyone else has ever attained good except through patience.' Ibrahim al-Taymi said, 'Allah does not gift a servant with patience at harm, patience at tribulation and patience at ca­ lamity except that He has conferred on him the best (gift] after faith in Allah, Mighty and Magnificent.' He derived this from the saying of Allah, Most High, 36 Bukhii.ri as a ta'liq report. Ibn l:lajr, Fatp, vol. 1 1 , pg. 309, said, 'Al).mad, Kittib al­ Zuhd (#1 1 7), provided a complete chain to Mujahid who said that "Umar said .. .' and it is �al,uQ. .' It is also recorded by ibn al-Mubarak, al-Zuhd #630, Wald', al-Zuhd# 1 98 37 Ibn Abi Shaybah, al-lman #1 30, Wald' # 1 99, Bayhaqi, Shu'ab #40, Abu Nu'aym, vol. 1 , pp. 75-76 Suyiiµ, a!Jtimi'#51 36 ruled it qa'if. 1 26 " rather, those with true devoutness are those ..• who have faith in Allah and the Last Day, the Angels, the Book and the Prophets, and who, despite their love for it, give away their wealth to their relatives and to orphans and the very poor, and to travellers and beggars and to set slaves free, and who establish prayer and pay zakah; those who honour their contracts when they make them, and are patient in poverty and illne ss and in battle. Those are the people who are true. They are the people who have taqwii."38 'Umar ibn 'Abdu'l-'Aziz said, 'Allah does not grant a blessing to a person only to take it away, leaving patience in its place, except that the replacement was better than what was removed.' Then he recited, � � > ...... 1 >. \ �_ ( <i ... � --�('..r. ��lcJ��l .,,,,. .... .. .... .... �,, "The patient will be paid their wages in full with­ out any reckoning." 39 One of the righteous would have a piece of paper which he kept in his pocket.

Every hour he would look at it and read it. Written therein were the words, "So wait patiently for the judgement of your Lord 38 al-Baqarah (2): 1 77 39 al-Zumar (39): 1 0 1 27 - you are certainly before Our eyes "40 . Beautiful patience is a servant's keeping his tribulation to him ­ self and not telling anyone about it. Allah, Most High says, ,_ � -;,,_» .. "' "= �� "But beauty lies in patience."41 In exegesis to this, a group of the Salaf said that it referred to patience that was not accompanied by any form of complaint. 42 Al).naf ibn Qays had lost his sight for forty years, yet he told no one. < Abdu'l- < Aziz ibn Abii Ruwwad became blind in one eye for twenty years, then, one day, his son looked at him carefully and said, 'Father, one of your eyes is blind!' He replied, ''Yes my son, for the past twenty years have I been content with Allah." Imam Al).mad would never complain of any illn ess that afflicted him to anyone.

It was mentioned to him that Mujahid would dislike moaning while ill, so he stopped doing it and never did so till the day he died. He would exhort his self saying, 'Be patient or you will regret!' One of the Gnostics visited a sick person who was saying, 'Ah! Ah!' He asked, 'Who from?' One of them said, 40 alTur (52): 48 41 Ylisuf (1 2): 83 42 cf. 'fabari. Refer to Appendix 2 for a further discussion on patience by ibn al-Qayyim. 1 28 The soul is beset with illne ss Yet it hides its malady from those who visit The inner self has not been j ust if it complains Of its desires to other than its beloved Yal).ya 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 com­ plaints to it for something it has not done to you?' In my view, deeds from any besides You are hateful. You do acts and they, coming from You, are beautiful. The Messenger of Allah (al) and his Companions would tie rocks to their bellies against the hunger they faced.43 Uwais would collect broken pieces of bone from the rubbish heap with dogs crowding around him trying 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 ac­ quiring them, he thought, 'I have abandoned property at Balkh to compete with the poor in collecting grain?' After that he would 43 Bukhari #6452 on the authority of Abu Hurayrah 1 29 only ever gather grain amongst the animals who would pasture in that land. Imam AJ:imad would collect grain with the poor. Sufyan al­ Thawri 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. Fatl;i al-Maw!?ili 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. Another said, Much subjugation and toil have I seen pursuing Your grace. Mud� patience have I born for You in the face of illn ess 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. 1 30 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 Judaeo­ Christian 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!"'44 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 of Paradise and then asked, 'Have you ever seen calamity? Have you ever encountered calamity?' He will reply, 'My Lord, no!'45 44 This was said by Shuray}:i al-QaQI as per Dhahabi, Sfyar, vol. 4, pg. 1 05 45 As mentioned in a }:iadith recorded by Muslim #2807 on the authority of Anas. 131 0 soul, patience only for a few days!

Their length? A few flitting dreams! 0 soul, pass through this world quickly; Turn away from it, true life lies ahead! Another said, It is only an hour, then it will depart All of this will go, it will disappear. 1 32 Patience and Victory The Messenger of Allah (;I) said, "and that victory comes with patience." 1bis statement is in full accord with the sayings of Allah, Most High, �J .-11�,r�--, � -<' �,, ..� -.::. ..... --�k .:J.:,.. � • > ,,. " & /. >.._ ,�·e-i-:1 � ...;_;_,)� r-- �-Zii i� !-Lf\"i . .... �� �> �t ''You who have faith! When you meet a troop, stand firm and remember Allah repeatedly so that hopefully you will be successful." 1 "If there are twenty of you who are patient, they will overcome two hundred; and if there are a hundred of you, they will overcome a thousand 1 al-Anja/ (8): 45 1 33 ofthose who disbelieve." 2 He said, concerning the story of 'faliit, "Then when he and those who had faith with him had crossed it, they said, 'We do not have the strength to face Goliath and his troops today.' But those who were sure that they were going to meet Alla h said, 'How many a small force has triumphed over a much greater one by Allah's permission!

Allah is with the patient."'3 Allah, Most High, says, "Yes indeed! But if you are patient and have taqwa and they come upon you suddenly, your Lord will reinforce you with five thousand angels clearly identified. "4 2 al-Anja/ (8): 65 3 al-Baqarah (2): 249 4 Ali 'lmrrin (3): 1 25 1 34 there are many more verses and �adith concerning being pa­ tient when meeting the enemy. 'Umar asked the elders of Banii 'Abasa, 'What tool do you fight people with?' They replied, 'With patience. We have never fought a people except that we were patient and steadfast like they were patient and steadfast.' One of the Salaf said, 'All of us dislike death and the pain of injury, however we attain varying degrees through patience.' Batµ! was asked about courage to which he replied, 'Patience for an hour.' All this pertains to fighting the external enemy: fighting the disbelievers, but the same applies to fighting the internal enemy: fighting the lower self and base desires.

Indeed, fighting these is one of the greatest forms of Jihad. The Prophet (�) said, "The Mujahid is one who strives against his soul for the sake of Alla h."5 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr replied to a person who asked about Jihad by saying, 'Start with your self and strive against it. Start with your self and start a campaign against it!' It is reported on the authority of Jabir, with a qa'if isnad, that 5 Af:imad #23951 , Tirmidhl # 1 26 1 on the authority of FaQalah. AQ.mad #23957 with the words, " ... upon the obedience of Allah," with a �al:ill:i isnad. AQ.mad #23965 with the words, ...in the Way of Allah," with a " �a}:UQ. isnad.

Tirmidhi # 1 621 with the words, "The Mujahid is one who strives against his soul," and he said it was Q.asan �a}:UQ.. Tirmidhl said it was Q.asan �a}:Ul}. and it was ruled �al:u1:i by ibn l::libban #6424, l:lakim #24, Albaru, al-$al;il;ah #549 and Ama'iit. 1 35 the Prophet (ji) said to a people who had returned from battle, ''You have returned from the lesser Jihad to the greater Jihad." It was asked, 'What is the greater Jihad?' He replied, "The servant's striving against his base desires. "6 When Abu Bakr al-Siddiq appointed (Umar (rat/fyA.lkihu 'anhu) as Khalifah, he advised him, 'The first thing you have to beware of is your self inside of you.' It is reported in the J:.iadith of Sa(d ibn Sinan on the authority of Anas (ratfiyA.llahu 'anhu), and in the mursal J:.iadith of Malik al­ Ashja'I, that the Prophet (ii) said, ''Your enemy is not that per­ son who, if he kills you, guarantees your entry in Paradise, or if you kill him , he will be a light for you. Your worst enemy is your self inside you."7 The poet, (Abbas ibn al-AJ:.inaf encapsulated this meaning in a poem, My heart call s me to what will harm me, 6 Bayhaqi, al-Zuhd al-Kabir #373 and he said that the isnad contains weakness : It was ruled <;Ja'if by ibn Rajab as above and in Jami' al-'Ulilm, vol. 1 , pg. 489. Ibn Taymiyyah, Mt9mu ' al-Fattiwti, vol. 1 1 , pg. 1 97 said that it had no basis and in al-Mustadrak 'a/a al-Mt9mu', vol. 1, pg. 221 that it is not authentic.

Zayla'i, Takhrij al-Kashshtif, vol. 2, pg. 395 said that it was gharlb jiddan. Ib n l:laj r, al-Ktiji, pg. 1 94 said, 'It contains 'Isa ibn Ibrahim from Ya}:iya ibn Ya'la fro m Layth ibn Abii Sulaym all of whom are <;la'if.' Albani, al-l)a'ifah #2460 ruled it munkar. 'Ali al-Qliri, al-Asrtiral-MaifU'ah #21 1 quoted ibn Hajr stating that it is a saying of Ibrahim ibn Abii 'Ablah and the author, Jtimi' al- 'Ulum, vol. 1 , pg. 489 also quotes it as his saying. 7 Tabarani, al-Kabir #3445 from Abii Malik al-Ash'arl and it was ruled <;la'if by Albani, l)a'ifal-Targhib # 1 890 1 36 Increasing my sorrow and my pain. How can I guard against my enemy, When the enemy resides inside me? This Jihad also requires patience, whoever steadfastly strives against his self, his desires and his shaytan will achieve victory.

Whoever, on the other hand, despairs and gives up patience will be overcome, defeated and imprisoned. He will become subju­ gated and mean, imprisoned by his shaytan and his desires. It is said, If a person does not defeat his desires They will render the noble, ignoble Another said, Perhaps a stranger is imprisoned by passion, Yet in the face of patience it dissipates. A person beset with lusts is a slave, But if he subdues them, he is a king! lbn al-Mubarak said, 'Whoever is patient will end up finding little requiring patience. Whoever despairs will find little to take pleasure in.' Bukhari and Muslim record that the Prophet (li) said, "The strong person is not a person who wrestles, but the strong per­ son is that person who can control his self when angry."8 A person described Af.inaf ibn Qays with the words, 'He had a 8 Bukhari #61 1 4, Muslim #2608 on the authority of Abu Hurayrah. 1 37 complete mastery over his self when angry.' A person remarked to one of them, 'So-and-so can walk on water.' He replied, 'If Allah grants a person the ability to oppose his desires, such a one is stronger than the person who can walk on water.' Know that your self is like an animal, if it knows that you are firm and resolute, it will not waver, but if it knows that you are lazy and irresolute, it will take advantage and hanker after its wants and pursue its lusts.

Abu Sulayman al-Darani would say, 'While in Iraq, I was in charge of [up keeping] the palaces, the vessels, clothes and food of the princes and my soul did not want any of them. Then I was put in charge of dates and my soul almost fell upon them.' This was mentioned to one of the Gnostics who said, 'He had no hope of attaining the first so his lusts did not hanker after them, but he did want I . the second, so they did hanker after them.' S�eadfastly I avoided delights till they vanished. I forced my soul to forego them, They remained absent. The soul goes where A person directs. If it sees an opportunity, It hankers after it, otherwise not, For many a day my self Gained ascendancy.

Yet when it saw my resolve At humility, it submitted. Therefore, his saying, "and that victory comes with patience, " sub­ sumes patience and steadfastness in striving against both the ex1 38 ternal and internal enemy. The Salaf would view this latter pa­ tience: patiently striving against the self and desires to be better than patience in the face of tribulation. Maymiin ibn Mihran said, 'Patience is of two categories: pa­ tience when encountering calamity which is good, and patience in avoiding sins which is better.' Sa<id ibn Jubayr said, 'Patience is of two types: the best form is patience in avoiding what Allah has proscribed and doing those acts of worship that He has made obligatory, and patience when facing calamity.' A Q.adith having this meaning is reported from the Prophet � on the authority of < Ali but it is not authentic.9 9 Ibn AbI al-Dunyii, al-$abr #24 with the words, "Patience is of three types: patience when encountering calamity, patience in obedience, and patience in avoiding sin... " 1 39 Relief Accomp anies Distress The Messenger of Allah (� said, "and that relief comes with distress." This is proven by the sayings of Allah, Most High, "It is He who sends down abundant rain, after they have lost all hope, and unfolds His mercy.

He is the Protector, the Praiseworthy." 1 "It is Allah who sends the winds which stir up clouds which He spreads about the sky however He wills. He forms them into dark clumps and 1 al-Shurd (42): 28 1 40 you see the rain come pouring out from the mid­ dle of them. When He makes it fall on those of His servants He wills , they rejoice, even though before He sent it down on them they were in despair." 2 In a Q.adith reported by Abii Razin al-<uqayli, the Prophet (�, "Our Lord laughs at the despair of His servant when His altering of his circumstances is imminent."3 This was recorded by Imam AQ.mad. His son, 'Abdullah, also records a lengthy Q.adith on the authority of Abii Razin that the Prophet (ii) said, "On the day that (He will) send rain, Allah knows that He will see you in a state of despair and He will laugh knowing that the change He will bring about is imminent."4 The meaning is that Allah, Glorious is He, is amazed at the despondency of His servants, their fear, their misgivings and their giving up hope of His mercy when He has decreed that their circumstances are soon to change, while they remain unaware, and rain is to fall. While the Prophet (ii) was standing, delivering the Friday ser2 al-R.Jim (30) : 48-49 3 Alµnad #1 61 87-1 6201 , ibn Majah # 1 8 1 , 'Abdullah ibn AJ:unad, al-S11nnah #452453 Ibn Taymiyyah, alWds�tfyyah, said that the J::iadith was J::ia san.

SuyiiJi, al-jtimi' #5207 said it was �al. UJ::i . Arna'ut said that the isnad was 9a'If as did Albani, al­ $apzpah #28 1 0 but he ruled the :J::iadith J::i asan due to supporting witnesses. 4 Alµnad # 1 6206, 'Abdullah ibn AJ:unad, al-S11nnah #452-453, 'fabararu, al-Kabir, vol. 1 9, pg. 21 1 #477 The isnad is 9a'If. cf. Albani, al-$a#Pah # 2 8 1 0 and Arna'ut. 1 41 mon, a man came to him complaining of drought and the strait­ ened circumstances everyone was in. The Prophet (ii) raised his hands and supplicated for rain whereupon rain clouds gathered and it rained continuously till the following Friday when they asked him (ii) to supplicate for the rain to stop.

He did so and the skies cleared. 5 In His Book, Allah has narrated numerous stories that deal with relief coming after distress and hardship. He told us of His res­ cuing N� and those with him on the ark from the "terribleplight'16 wherein the earth's population were all drowned. He informeq us of His saving Ibrahim ('alt!Jhis-saldm) from the fire kindled by the polytheists and how He made it "coolness and peacem for him . He also narrated to us how He ordered Ibrahim to slaughter his son and, at the last moment, how He ransomed him with a "mighty sacrifice. "8 He told us of the story of Musa and how his mother placed him in the river and his subsequently being found by Pharaoh's family.

He informed us of the story of Musa and Phar­ aoh: how He saved Musa and drowned his enemy. He narrated the story of Ayyiib, Yiinus, Ya<qub, Yusuf and the story of Yiinus's people when they believed. He also told us about numerous in­ cidents in the life of Mul).ammad (ii) where He came to his aid and saved him such as when he was in the cave, at the Battle of Badr, the Battle of Ul).ud and the Battle of l:lunayn. 5 Bukhari #932-933-1013-1019-1021-1 029-1033-3582-6093-6342, Muslim #897 on the authority of Anas. 6 al-Anb!Jti' (21): 76 7 al-Anbfya' (21 ) : 69 8 al-$dffet (37): 1 07 1 42 He told us the story of (A 'ishah when she was falsely accused and how He absolved her of that accusation.9 He narrated to us the story of the three "who were left behind, so that when the earth became narrow for them, for all its great breadth, and their own selves became constricted for them and they realised that there was no refuge from Allah except in Him, He turned to them so that they might turn to Him." 10 The Sunnah mentions many such incidents such as the story of the three who were trapped in the cave by a falling boulder and they supplicated to All ah, making mention of their righteous deeds, and He relieved them.1 1 And such as the story of lbrahim and Sarah with the tyrant who coveted her for his own ends and 9 The full story is recorded by Bu khari #2661 -4141 -4690-4750-4757-6679-73697370-7500-7545 and Muslim #2770 on the authority of 'A 'ishah. 10 al-Tawbah (9) : 1 1 8 The full story is recorded by Bukhari #2757-2947-2950-3088-3556-3889-395 1 - 441 7-4673-4676-4677-4678-6255-6690-7225 and Muslim #2769 o n the author­ ity of Ka'b ibn Malik. 11 Bukhari #22 1 5-2272-2333-3465-5974 and Muslim #2743 on the authority of ibn 'Umar 1 43 how Allah defeated the evil plot. 12 Such events occurring to Muslims and those before Islam are too many to mention, many of them are collated in books such as ibn Abi al-Dunya's al-Faraj ba'd al-Shiddah and Mujabi al-Du'ti and in the book al-Mustaghithin bi'lltih wa'l-Musuwikh na bihi, and the books dealing with the miracles of the Awl!Ja', the biographies of the righteous and the works of history. One of the scholars - I think he was from Morocco - men­ tioned in a book of his that he heard Abu Dharr al-Harawi, the J:lafi�, narrate that, while he was in Baghdad reading to Abu J:laf� ibn Shahin in a perfume sellers shop, he saw a man coming to the perfume seller and giving him ten dirhams in return for whatever he needed, he placed the items in a bowl and put the bowl on his head. He slipped and his bowl fell, breaking all the items and he began to cry profusely saying, 'In a caravan I lost a camel carrying four hundred - or he said four thousand - dinars and with them stones for rings which were worth even more.

However, I do not despair at their loss but I have just had a son born to me and we need the items that a woman needs after having given birth and all I had were these ten dirhamsl Then, when what was de­ creed j ust happened, I fell into despair. I have nothing to give them tonight and no work tomorrow that I may bring something home, the only thing I can think of is to run away and let them die in peace.' Abu Dharr said, 'An elder from al-Jund, sitting at the threshold of his house, heard the story and he sought Abu J:laf�'s permission to enter his house along with his colleagues while the afflicted person was yet with him. He granted them 12 Bukhiirl #221 7-2635-3357-3358-5084-6950 and Muslim #2371 on the author­ ity of Abu. Hurayrah. 1 44 permission and the elder asked the man to repeat his story aµd asked him who was in the caravan he spoke of and where he lost the camel. He told him and was asked, "If you saw it, would you recognise it?" He replied, ''Yes." The man brought out the camel and when he saw it he said, "That's it," and he described the stones it carried.

When its baggage was opened, they saw those stones in it, so the elder returned it to him and he became wealthy once again. When the man had left, the J undi man wept and when asked why, he said, "The only wish I had left in this world was that Allah bring the owner of this wealth to me to retrieve it. Now that Allah has fulfilled that wish by His grace, I have no further wish left to meet and so I know that the time of death is near."' Abii Dharr said, 'He passed away less than a month later and we prayed over him , may Allah have mercy on him.' The same author narrated from someone in Mawsul that there was a trader there who would travel to different lands to ply his trade. One time he travelled to Kiifah with all of his trade goods and everything he owned. During this journey he met a person who served him well, they became fast friends and he came to trust him completely.

Then, while they had stopped at a rest sta­ tion, he took advantage of him and stole all his property and provisions, leaving him with nothing. He searched and searched but was unable to find out where the servant had gone so, on foot and starving, he returned to his land. He entered his city by night and knocked on his door. When his family learned it was him, they rejoiced and praised Allah for his return saying, 'Your wife has just given birth to a son and we have no money to buy the things a woman needs post-delivery. Tonight, we are very hungry so buy some flour and oil for the lamps.' When he heard this, his misery and distress increased.

Unwilling to tell them what had happened, he left to a nearby shop and extended the 1 45 salam to the shopkeeper and gathered the oil and everything else he needed. Then, while talking to him, he saw his saddlebag ly­ ing unguarded on the ground in the shop and asked how it got there. The shopkeeper said, 'A man bought food from me and asked me to host him I put his saddle-bag in my shop and tied . his beast in my neighbour's house. The man is sleeping in the Masjid.' Taking the saddle-bag with him, he went to the Masjid to find the man sleeping. He kicked him and he awoke alarmed.

'Thief! Betrayer! Where is my wealth?' he cried. He replied, 'It is in the bag around your neck,' and when he looked he found that nothing was missing at all . He then retrieved his beast, spent lavishly on his family and then told them all that had happened.

A similar story is related by Tinnawkhi, al-Fartef ba'd al-Shiddah. It is lengthy, but in summary: At the time of al-Rashid there lived a money-exchanger who bought a slave-girl for five hun­ dred dinars. He fell deeply in love her, and in wanting to be with her all the time, his business suffered immensely. He spent all his capital and was left with nothing. The slave-girl became pregnant and he began to take his house apart and sell the effects therein until nothing remained, then, while in this state, she went into labour and asked him to buy what she needed for birth and post­ birth complaining that she would die if he did not hurry.

Weep­ ing, he immediately left the house having resolved to drown him­ self in the Tigris. He was about to jump in, when the fear of Allah struck him and stopped him; instead he travelled on foot from city to city until he reached Khurasan where he stopped and commenced employment. He wrote sixty six letters to his home town asking after the slave-girl but got no response and determined that she had indeed passed away. Many years later he decided to return to Baghdad and took with him his property to the value of twenty thousand qmars. The caravan was attacked 1 46 by highway robbers and they stole everything leaving him, once again, poor and needy.

He continued on his journey until he reached Baghdad, entering it in the same state that he had left it some thirty years ago. He went to his house to find it well looked after with a beautiful entrance, there were doorkeepers, servants and mules. He asked who lived in the house and he was told that it belonged to such-a-such money-changer, the name they gave was his name and they said that the mother was foster mother to the Leader of the Believer's son and that the owner of the house himself was in charge of the Bayt al-Mal. The person he had asked told him that his father had told him that the father of this money-changer also used to be a successful money-changer who, being beset with poverty, left seeking items for the mother when she was in labour and had lost his way and died. His mother had begged help from some neighbours who came to her assistance.

Then, the Leader of the Believers had a son born to him , Ma'miin, and he would accept the milk of no foster mother save hers; so, while in his service, she came to hold a position of respect and honour in his household. 'Then, when Ma'miin became Khalifah, he kept the woman and her son with him and her son built this house you see,' he finished. The man asked if the mother was still alive and he replied, 'Yes, she spends some days with the Khalifah and some days with her son.' The money-changer, the son, arrived with a group of people and entered his house; the man went in as well. The son fulfilled their needs and they left, leaving the man alone. The youth asked, 'Old man, what is it you need?' He replied, 'I am your father.' His face went white and he quickly jumped up and led the rrian into his house, sitting him on a chair.

There was a screened area in the room and the old man remarked. 'Perhaps you should ask so-and-so if I am telling the truth,' mentioning his mothers name. The mother, the slave-girl, heard his voice and raised the screens and rushed to her master, 1 47 kissing him and weeping. He informed them of his story and they took him to al-Ma'miin who had him take his son's position and promoted the son. lbn Abi al-Dunya, al-Faraj ba'd al-Shiddah, records with his isnad to Waqq� ibn .Khaythama who said, "Umar ibn 1Abdu'l-1Aziz, may Allah have mercy on him, ordered me to release all the pris­ oners in a prison, so I released them all save Yazid ibn Abi Mus­ lim who vowed to have my blood in revenge. I was in Africa when I was told that Yazid ibn Abi Muslim, recently appointed Amir of the African provinces, had arrived.

I fled. He sent peo­ ple after me who caught me and took me to him. He said, "By Allah, I have been asking Him repeatedly to allow me to find a way to you!" He said, "By Allah, I have been asking Him repeat­ edly to save me from your evil!" He said, "By Allah, He has not granted you safety and I will kill you! Were the Angel of Death itself to race me in taking away your soul, I would beat it! Bring a sword and the executioners mat!" I was made to kneel on it and shackled, the executioner stood over me, sword ready.

Then the call to prayer was given and he went to pray, when he went into prostration, an army attacked him, killing him. A man came and cut me free and told me to go on my way.' He also records, with his isnad to 'Umar al-Saraya who was, one time, fighting in the Roman provinces by himself. Once, while sleeping, one of them came to him and prodded him with his foot, awaking him. 'O Arab,' he said, 'you have a choice: I can kill you with a spear, a sword or we can wrestle!' He said, 'Then, let us wrestle.' He beat me and, sitting on my chest, asked, 'How should I kill you?' I cried out, 'I bear witness that everything that is worshipped beneath your Throne is false save Your noble face. You see my circumstances so save me!' I then fell in a swoon and 1 48 when I came to, I found the Roman lying dead besides me.

Abii'l-I:Iasan ibn al-Jahqam records with his isnad to I:Iatim al­ A�amm who said, 'We encountered the Turks and had a jousting match. A Turk threw me off my horse and then dismounted and sat on my chest. Grabbing my beard, he took a knife out of his sock and moved to slaughter me. My heart, however, was not with him or his knife, it was with my Master. I thought, "My Master, if You have decreed my slaughter here, I fully submit to Your ordinance.

I belong to You." While in that situation, one of the Muslims shot him with an arrow and he fell off me. I stood up and, taking his knife from his hand, slaughtered him with it.' Let your hearts reside with your Master and you will see such wonders of His providence unfurl that were never seen by your predecessors! There are many more incidents such as these but what we have mentioned thus far is enough. 1 49 Ease Accomp anies Hardship The Messenger of Allah (;I) said, "and that with hardship comes ease." This statement is taken from His, Glorious is He, sayings, �{·.t: .,._w � '*'h'; ·�w--� '� w�� � "'!>�.'r-lri �'"'r ... "For truly with hardship comes ease; truly with hardship comes ease." 2 I:Iumayd ibn I:I ammad ibn Abu al-Khuwar narrated that < A 'idh ibn Shurai}:i narrated to him that he heard Anas ibn Malik saying, 'The Prophet (� was sitting in front of a hole in the ground and remarked, "If hardship were to enter this burrow, ease would follow it in and remove it." Then Allah revealed, 1 ai-Takiq (65) : 7 2 al-Shari; (94): 5-6 1 50 "For truly with har4ship comes ease; truly with hardship comes ease."3 This was recorded by ibn AbI I:Iatim, al-Tafsir and it was re­ corded by Bazzar with the wording, ''Were hardship to come and enter this burrow, ease would follow it in and remove it. Then He recited, ''For trufy with hardship comes ease.

" They have ruled I:Iumayd ibn I:Iammad qa< If.4 Ibn Jarlr records on the authority of Ma<mar from al-I:Iasan who said, 'The Prophet (� came out one day, joyous and happy, saying, "One hardship will never overcome two eases."'5 3 al-Shari) (94): 5-6 4lbn AbI l:Iatim # 1 9395, Bazzlir #2288, Tabararu, al-Awsat #3416 It was also recorded by I:Iakim #3010 and DhahabI said, 'It was singularly narrated by I:Iumayd ibn I:Iammad on the authority of 'A 'idh and both are munkar in their narration ofl,iac:IIth.' BayhaqI, Shu'ab # 1 001 2 said that it was ga'If and Albaru, al-J)a'!fah #1 403 said that it was ga'If jiddan. 5 Tabari, BayhaqI, Shu'ab # 1 001 3, }::l a kim #3950 and DhahabI said it was mursal as did Zayla'i, Takhrij al-.Kashshtif, vol. 4, pg. 235. lbn }::l ajr, al-Kaft, pg. 3 1 9 said that it was mursal and that the maWl!iil version was qa'If, in Taghliq alTa'lzq, vol. 4, pg. 372 he adds that the isnad to al-}::l asan is �al,iil.i . Albaru, al-J)a'ifah #4342 said that it was qa'If. lbn AbI l:I atim # 1 9396 records it as a saying of al-}::l asan. Ibn Kathir said, "Ibe meaning of these words is that in both occurrences, the word difficufty is appended to the definite article, al, as such it is singular. The . word ease is left indefinite; as such there is more than one occurrence of it. Therefore the second reference to defficufty denotes the same as in the first refer­ ence, whereas there is more than one instance of ease.

' 1 51 0��12 tl0��r�t� "For truly with hardship comes ease; truly with hardship comes ease. "6 He also records this via the route of 'Awf and Yiinus from al­ I:Iasan as a mursal Q.adith. He also records it as a Q.adith of Qatadah who said, 'It has been mentioned to us that the Messenger of Allah (ji) gave his Companions the glad-tidings of this verse saying, "One hardship will never overcome two eases.'"7 lbn Abi al-Dunya records the Q.adith of Mu'awiyah ibn Qurrah on the authority of someone who narrated to him that ibn Mas'iid said, 'Were hardship to enter a burrow, ease would follow it in.'8 Then he recited, 0��12 �l0��1�5� "For truly with hardship comes ease; truly with hardship · comes ease."9 He also records the Q.adith of 'Abdu'l-RaQ.man ibn Zayd ibn Aslam from his father from his grandfather that when Abu 'Ubaydah was besieged, 'Umar wrote to him saying, 'No matter 6 al-Sharp (94) : 5-6 7 'fabarI and it is mursal. lbn l:lajr, Taghliq al-Ta'liq, vol. 4, pg. 372 said that the isnad was �aQII). up to Qatadah. 8 Bayhaqi, Shu'ab # 1 001 1 . Suyiip, a/-Du"references it ibn Abi al-Dunya, al-Sahr Ibn l:lajr, Taghliq alTa'liq, vol. 4, pg. 372 said that the isnad was jayyid. 9 al-Sharfl (94): 5-6 1 52 what hardship a person faces, Allah will send relief afterwards for one hardship cannot overcome two eases and He says, • > "'f & � I .... .... � !" I.. I I r.

"'1� /. ,j)\ t .�,u; � � � .... '1':: - ''You who have faith! Be patient; be supreme in patience; be firm on the battlefield; and have taqwti of Allah so that hopefully you will be successful." 10 ' 11 'Th.is was also how ibn 'Abbas 1 2 and other exegetes explained this verse saying, 'One hardship will never overcome two eases.' While one of the early people was in the open desert in a state of extreme grief, a line of poetry came to him, When a man awakes aggrieved, I think death is better for him. When night came, he heard a voice call out, Be assured 0 person 10 Ali 'lmrrin (3): 200 11 Ibn Abi al-Dunya, al-Fartef ba'd al-Shiddah, pg. 24, Bayhaqi, Shu'ab # 1 00 1 0, ibn Abi Shaybah, vol. 5, pg. 335, vol. 1 3, pg. 37 J:iakim #31 7 6 said it was �al:Ul:i, meeting the criteria of Muslim, and Dhahabi agreed; however ibn J:iajr, Taghliq al-Ta'liq, vol. 4, pg. 372 said that the isnad was l).asan. 12 Sakhawi, al-Maqtifid #877 said, 'It was mentioned by al-Farra' from al-Kalbi from Abu �aJil:i.' 1 53 Beset with worry! Poetry has he recited, Still uppermost in his mind: When hardship intensifies, Ponder, "Did we not expand .

"13 . A hardship lies between two eases When you recognise that, rejoice! He said, 'I memorised these verses and Allah relieved me of my distress.' Many poems are written this vein; we shall select a few to quote here: Be patient, patience yields wonders. Despair not at calamity, Ease closely follows adversity. At hard times, adversity is removed.

One of them said: Many are those who despair at events The relief from which is imminent. Another said, Perhaps relief is soon to follow, We treat our souls with 'perhaps'. Closest is a person to relief When he surrenders to despair. 13 al-Shar/;J (94): 1 1 54 Another recited, When affairs become hard, expect relief Relief is imminent when adversity intensifies. Another composed the following lines, Despair not if you are aggrieved for a day, You have been living in ease for many a day. Do not think lowly of your Lord, Beauty is most befitting for Him.

Do not relinquish hope; that is disbelief! Allah will make you suffice with little, Know this: ease follows hardship, Allah is the most truthful of all who speak. One of them said, Patience is the key to relief s door. Ease follows every hardship. Time does not stagnate: One event follows another.

We will conclude this treatise by mentioning some of the sub­ tleties, benefits and wisdoms of tribulation: 1 . The expiation of sins and being rewarded for bearing tribulation with patience. The scholars have differed if a person will be rewarded for the actual tribulation itself.