Part 13

Patience is of three kinds: (i) Patience upon obedience to Allaah (ii) Patience upon avoiding that which Allaah has forbidden Patience with regard to the decrees of Allaah which He puts into effect; both those which the servants have no control over at all, and also those pertaining to the harm and attacks which Allaah brings about by the hands of some of the people. The proof is the saying of Allaah, the Most High “By time, mankind is in loss, except for those who truly believe and worship Allaah alone, and do righteous deeds, performing that which is obligatory upon them and avoiding that which they are forbidden, and enjoin one another with patient perseverance upon obedience to Allaah and in facing harm and trials.” [15] [Soorat al ‘Asr] ________________________________________________________ His saying, “The proof…” means the proof for these four stages. As for the Saying of Allaah, then Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic swears in this Soorat by time; time in which the events, both good and evil, occur. Allaah swears by it that all of mankind are in loss, except for those having these four characteristics: (i) True Belief (Eemaan) (ii) Righteous actions (iii) Enjoining one another with the truth commanded by Allaah (iv) Enjoining one another with patient perseverance. Ibn al Qayyim said “Striving against ones own self is four levels: (i) That he strives upon learning the guidance and the true Deen, which is such that there can be no success or bliss for the soul in this life of in the Hereafter except through it. (ii) That he strives to act upon what he has learned (iii) That he strives to call to it, and to teach it to those who do not know it. (iv) That he accustoms his soul to having patience and perseverance upon the hardships involved in calling to Allaah and the harm caused by the people, and he patiently bears this for Allaah’s sake. So if a person completes these four stages then he becomes one of the rightly guided and wise scholars and teachers (ar Rabbaaniyyoon).” Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, swears in this Soorat by time that everyone from mankind is in loss, no matter how great his wealth is and how numerous his offspring are, despite his position and status, except for those who gather these four characteristics: (i) True Belief which comprises everything which draws a person closer to Allaah both correct creed and belief (‘aqeedah) and beneficial knowledge. (ii) Righteous action: which is every saying or action which draws a person closer to Allaah, i.e. that which is done purely and sincerely for Allaah and is done accordance with the way of Muhammad. (iii) Enjoining one another upon good, which is to motivate, encourage and urge one another to do that which is good. (iv) Enjoining one another with patient perseverance and to have patience and to persevere upon carrying out whatever Allaah, the Most High, has ordered, and in avoiding whatever Allaah has forbidden, and to have patience with whatever Allaah decrees. Mutual enjoinment of good and of patience comprises commanding the right and the forbidding the evil, which is the support of this Ummah and upon which depends its well being, victory and attainment of honor and excellence “You are the best of the people raised up for mankind, commanding true Belief in Allaah and His Messenger and action according to what Allaah ordained; and forbidding association of others in worship along with Allaah, denial of His Messenger and doing that which He has forbidden; and you believe truly in Allaah and single Him out, making all worship purely and sincerely for Him.” [surah Aal Imraan: 110] Ash Shaafi’ee (16), may Allaah have mercy upon him, said “If Allaah had sent down to His creation no other proof besides this Soorat, it would have been sufficient for them.” (17) Al Bukharee (18), may Allaah have mercy upon him, said ________________________________________________________ Ash Shaafi’ee – He is Aboo Abdullaah Muhammad ibn Idrees ibn Al Abbas ibn uthmaan ivbn Shaafi’ al Hashimee al Qurashee. He was born in Ghaza in the year 150 AH, and died in Egypt in the year 204 AH, and he was one of the ‘four Imaams’, may Allaah have mercy upon all of them. What he means is that this Soorat is sufficient for the creation as an encouragement to adhere to the Deen of Allaah by true belief (eemaan), righteous action, calling to Allaah and patiently persevering upon that. He does not mean that thos Soorat is sufficient for the creation with regard to all matters of the Deen and its prescriptions. He said this because an intelligent and discerning person who hears this Soorat or recites it must necessarily hasten to free himself from the state of loss by attainment of these four characteristics: True belief (eemaan), righteous action, mutual encouragement upon the truth, and mutual enjoinment of patient perseverance. Al Bukharee – He is Aboo Abdullaah Muhammad ibn Ismaa’eel ibn Ibraaheem ibn al Mugheerah al Bukharee. He was born in Bukharaa in the month of Shawwal of the year 194AH. He grew up an orphan in the care of his mother. He died, may Allaah have mercy upon him, in the town of Khartank which is about two leagues distance away from Samarqand, on the night preceding Eidul Fitr in the year 256 AH.