Sabr Part 1
Section 2 of 10 · Faraid in Islam · Ustadh Mahmud Kurkcu
The Virtue of Sabr
Ṣabr is such a virtue: a tireless horse, a relentless cutting sword, an invincible, victorious army, an indestructible, formidable fortress. Ṣabr and victory are inseparable companions — no ṣabr, no victory. As Rasūlullāh (peace be upon him) says: there is no ḥayāʾ, there is no īmān; there is no ṣabr, there is no ẓafar* — no victory of any kind.
Allah (swt) praises, in His book, those who show ṣabr: there are more than seventy different āyāt dealing with ṣabr. Allah (swt) gives those who practise it, who show it, endless reward, and supports them with His hidāyah, guidance, might, and clear victory, as Allah (swt) says in the Qurʾān:
وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ وَلَا تَنَـٰزَعُوا۟ فَتَفْشَلُوا۟ وَتَذْهَبَ رِيحُكُمْ ۖ وَٱصْبِرُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ
“Obey Allah and His Messenger, and do not quarrel with each other, lest you should lose courage, and your prowess should evaporate; and be patient. Surely, Allah is with the patient.” (8:46)
By virtue of this companionship with ṣabr, those who show it gain in this life and in the next, as they deserve — they win both. Allah (swt) has hidden favours, niʿam, gifts, prepared for them on the Day of Judgement. Allah (swt) has made leadership in the dīn dependent on ṣabr and on yaqīn, certainty, where Allah (swt) says:
وَجَعَلْنَا مِنْهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَهْدُونَ بِأَمْرِنَا لَمَّا صَبَرُوا۟ ۖ وَكَانُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا يُوقِنُونَ
“And We appointed leaders from among them who guided (people) under Our command, when they observed patience, and kept firm belief in Our verses.” (32:24)
Allah (swt) loves those who show ṣabr. Allah (swt) says outright:
وَكَأَيِّن مِّن نَّبِىٍّ قَـٰتَلَ مَعَهُۥ رِبِّيُّونَ كَثِيرٌ فَمَا وَهَنُوا۟ لِمَآ أَصَابَهُمْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا ضَعُفُوا۟ وَمَا ٱسْتَكَانُوا۟ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يُحِبُّ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ
“There have been many prophets with whom many men of Allah have fought; they did not lose heart for what they suffered in the way of Allah, nor did they become weak, nor did they yield. Allah loves the steadfast.” (3:146)
Ṣabr is a virtue without which life cannot be lived; as already said, there is no dīn for a person without it. But it is mighty hard, sometimes very, very difficult. Everyone loses it when the fuses go — and then all the good work already done goes down the drain, control is lost, and the nafs al-ammārah takes over; ṣabr goes down the drain along with it.