Sabr Part 1
Section 3 of 10 · Faraid in Islam · Ustadh Mahmud Kurkcu
Sabr in Worship and Obedience
According to the ʿulamāʾ, there are at least three types of ṣabr — three areas, among others, in which ṣabr must at least be shown.
First is the ṣabr, the perseverance and patience, that must be shown in completing acts of ʿibādah and in being obedient — in other words, in following the commandments of Allah (swt). It is a known fact that for some people ʿibādah is very easy: they love performing ṣalāh, love rising for tahajjud, love rising for Fajr, love performing ʿIshāʾ, want so much to pray, and want to fast on Mondays and Thursdays — and would fast every second day if they could. For others, this ʿibādah is very difficult: the nafs does not want to rise for Fajr, does not want to fast, does not want to follow the dīn of Allah (swt). To make ṣabr toward the commandments of Allah (swt) is the first area in which ṣabr must be shown, continuing to fulfil one's obligations toward Allah (swt). Losing this ṣabr is losing the first plot entirely — completely losing one's way.
One cannot be inconsistent in one's ʿibādah: saying, I only pray on Fridays because Friday is a holy day, or I only pray during the week, or I only pray at home. Regardless, ṣalāh, ʿibādah, worship of Allah (swt), must be performed at all times and in every situation. Many occasions require a specific fard act that must be obeyed, must be done — those farāʾiḍ must be known, and fulfilled at their given times: situation-dependent ʿibādah that must be recognised. Ramadan is approaching, a month and a half away, inshāʾAllāh — and then one cannot say, "I am thinking of fasting." One cannot merely think of fasting; ṣabr must be made, and the fast begun. "But I can't handle hunger, I get headaches in the afternoon, I'm so tired because my job is so pressured" — this is rubbish; ṣabr must be made:
لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا ٱكْتَسَبَتْ ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَآ إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦ ۖ وَٱعْفُ عَنَّا وَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَآ ۚ أَنتَ مَوْلَىٰنَا فَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
“Allah does not obligate anyone beyond his capacity. For him is what he has earned, and on him what he has incurred.“Our Lord, do not hold us accountable, if we forget or make a mistake, and, Our Lord, do not place on us such a burden as You have placed on those before us, and, Our Lord, do not make us bear a burden for which we have no strength. And pardon us, and grant us forgiveness, and have mercy on us. You are our Lord. So then help us against the disbelieving people.”” (2:286)
Allah (swt) will not give any difficulty beyond what a person is able to bear. Every Muslim, every human being, can bear — patiently — fasting; it is not a problem. Every day of life, the ʿibādah owed, the obedience to Allah (swt), belongs to this category.