3. There is a war that is raging between the motives of reason and religion, and the

motives of whims and desires. Sometimes one prevails, sometimes the other gains the upper hand. The pattern of victories for either side varies. This is the situation in the case of most believers, who mix good deeds and bad deeds. People's ultimate fate in the Hereafter will correspond to the three situations outlined above. Some people will enter Paradise and never enter Hell, some will enter Hell and never enter Paradise, and some will enter Hell for some time before they are admitted to Paradise. Different strengths of patience Some people cannot have patience without struggling and facing many difficulties. Others are able to have patience easily. The first type is like a man who wrestles with a strong man and cannot beat him with the utmost effort. The second type is like a man who wrestles with a weak man and beats him easily. Such is the war between the soldiers of ar-Rahmân and the soldiers of Shaytân. Whoever defeats the soldiers of Shaytân can defeat Shaytân himself. 'Abdullâh ibn Mas'ûd narrated: "A man wrestled with one of the jinn, and beat him, then asked, 'Why are you so weak and small?' The jinn answered, 'I am very big and strong compared to the rest of the jinn.'" Someone asked 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ûd, "Was that man, 'Umar?" and he replied, "Who else could it have been?" Some of the Sahâbah said, "A believer whips the Shaytân like the way a person whips his camel when he is travelling." Ibn Abi'd-Dunyâ narrated from some of the salaf that one shaytân met with another, and asked him why he was so thin. The other shaytân replied, "Because I am a with a man who mentions the name of Allâh when he eats, so I cannot eat with him, and he mentions the name of Allâh when he drinks, so I cannot drink with him. When he enters his home he mentions the name of Allâh, so I stay outside." The first shaytân said, "But I am with a man who does not mention the name of Allâh when he eats, so I eat with him. He does not mention the name of Allâh when he drinks, so I drink with him. When he enters his home he does not mention the name of Allâh, so I enter with him." So whoever develops the habit of patience is feared by his enemies, and whoever finds patience difficult is in danger, as his enemy will readily dare to attack him and do him harm. When patience is needed

Patience is required in the following areas of life: