Sabr - Most Precious Gift to a Mu'min

Abd-Al Jabbaar · Subject: Sabr - Most Precious Gift to a Mu'min Thu Oct 29, 2009 1:33 am

Assalamu'Alaykum,

One of the great results and precious fruits of our freedom and
emancipation from servitude to our carnal self is patience in
calamities and misfortunes. In other words, Sabr means restraining
ourselves from complaining about hidden anguish. Sabr produces many
excellent results, among which is the soul's training and discipline.
Sabr in regard to obedience [ta'at] is the source of intimacy with
Almighty Allah Jallah Wa'ala. And Sabr in misfortunes is the source of
rida or contentment with Divine destiny and decrees. These are the
stations of the faithful [ahl-al-Imaan] or rather those of the Gnostics
[ahl-al-Irfan]. It is said that Sabr is to faith what the head is to
the body. The body perishes without the head, and so when Sabr goes
faith also disappears.

The accounts of the lives of the Ambiya
Alayhim Salaam from Nabee Adam Alayhis Salaam to our Beloved Nabee
Muhammad Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam reveal that although their
stations were over and above the stations of Sabr, rida and taslim
[surrender], they never stopped supplicating, lamenting and confessing
their needs to Almighty Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala and this is not
contrary to their spiritual stations. Remembering Almighty Allah Azza
Wajjal, cherishing the intimacy of solitude with the Exalted Beloved,
and expression of servitude and humility in front of His absolute
perfection and greatness is the ultimate end of the hopes of the
mystics [arifun] and the final destination of the journey of the
wayfarers [salikun].

Sabr is the key to the gates of felicity
and the main means of deliverance from the mortal perils. Sabr makes a
human being bear calamities with ease and face difficulties with
composure. Sabr strengthens the will and the power of resolution. Sabr
brings independence to the dominion of the soul. Anguish and anxiety on
the other hand, aside from their shameful character, are symptoms of
the soul's weakness. They deprive one's being of its stability, weaken
the determination, and enfeeble the intellect. "Sabr restrains the
inner being from anguish, the tongue from complaint and the bodily
members from untoward movements." There are various degrees and levels
of Sabr, and its reward and merit vary in accordance with its degree
and level. This is revealed by the following tradition as narrated by
Hazrat Ali Radhiallahu Ta'ala Anhu:

Hazrat Ali (Radhiallaahu Anhu) said:

"The
Messenger of Almighty Allah Azza Wajjal said, Sabr is of three kinds:
Sabr in regard to disobedience. One who bears patiently with
affliction, resisting it with a fair consolation, Allah writes for him
or her three hundred degrees [of sublimity], the elevation of one
degree over another being like the distance between the earth and
heavens. And one who is patient in regard to obedience, Allah writes
for him or her six hundred degrees [of sublimity], the elevation of one
degree over another being like the distance between the earth's depths
and the Throne [al-Arsh]. And one who is patient in regard to
disobedience, Allah writes for him or her nine hundred degrees [of
sublimity], the elevation of one degree over another being like the
distance between the earth's depths and the furthest frontiers of the
Arsh [Throne]."

This noble tradition reveals that Sabr in regard
to disobedience is superior to the other levels of Sabr, for it not
only possesses greater number of degrees but also the range between its
degrees is greater than those of the other kinds. It also shows that
the extent of Paradise is much greater than what can come into our
imagination, for our vision is limited and confined. That which has
been said as a description of Paradise that: [part of verse 21 of Surah
Al-Hadid]

"And a Garden the breadth whereof is as the breadth of heaven and earth."

perhaps
refers to the Paradise of deeds. That which has been referred to here
in this most beautiful verse is the Paradise of character and the
criterion in the Paradise of character is the strength and perfection
of will. Hence its extent should not be confined within any limits.
Almighty Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala informs us with words of wisdom and
with the expression of truth in verse 45 of Surah Al-Baqara:

"Nay, seek Allah's help with patient perseverance and prayer; It is indeed hard, except to those who bring a lowly spirit."

The
Arabic word Sabr implies many shades of meaning, which is impossible to
comprehend in one English word. It implies (1) patience in the sense of
being thorough, not hasty; (2) patient perseverance, constancy,
steadfastness, firmness of purpose; (3) systematic as opposed to
spasmodic or chance action; (4) a cheerful attitude of resignation and
understanding in sorrow, defeat, or suffering, as opposed to murmuring
or rebellion, but saved from mere passivity or listlessness, by the
element of constancy or steadfastness. Almighty Allah Subhanahu
Wata'ala then informs us in Verse 153 of Surah Al-Baqara of the reward
awaiting those who display Sabr:

"O you who believe! Seek help with patient perseverance and Prayer: for Allah is with those who patiently persevere."

What
then can be a greater reward for patience, perseverance, self-restraint
and constancy than that Almighty Rabbul Ala'meen should be with us? For
this promise opens the door to every kind of spiritual well-being. The
"patient perseverance and prayer" mentioned is not mere passivity. It
is active striving in the way of truth, which is the way of Almighty
Allah Jallah Wa'ala. If a Mu’min bears patiently with misfortunes and
calamities and seriously endures the hardships entailed by worship and
rites and the bitterness arising from the renunciation of carnal
pleasures, and if he or she does all this for the Pleasure of Almighty
Allah Jallah Wa'ala, his or her soul gradually becomes accustomed to
these things. The Righteous are patient in Constant Devotion: Almighty
Allah's Way is open to all: whosoever has the Will may attain to the
Perfect Goal as promised by Almighty Rabbul Ala'meen in verse 12 of
Surah Al-Insan:

"And because they were Patient and constant, He will reward them with a Garden and (garments) of silk."

Almighty Allah Azza Wajjal tells us with words of wisdom in verses 155 - 157 of Surah Al-Baqara:

"And
surely We shall try you with something of fear and hunger and loss of
wealth and lives and crops; but give good tidings to the steadfast.
Those who say, when a misfortune striketh them: Lo! We are Allah's and
lo! unto Him we are returning, such are they on whom there are
blessings from their Lord, and mercy, such are the rightly guided."

When
something unpalatable happens or we come across troubles or
deprivations, we are naturally inclined to resist the onslaught of the
happenings, and when resistance be of no avail, we may lose heart. On
such occasions Sabr (patience) comes in as a handy remedy prescribed by
Almighty Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala, to act as an anti-toxin to the
poisons of mishaps. The ordeal is not so afflicting as the sense of it.
But when one is accustomed to bear things with Sabr and surrenders
oneself to the Will of Almighty Allah Jallah Wa'ala, a great deal of
the adverse effect of tribulation vanishes away.

"O ye who believe! Seek help in steadfastness and prayer. Lo! Allah is with the steadfast."

[Surah Al-Baqara Verse 11].

When
one mediates over the significance of the above verses that for such
unhappy occasions, Almighty Rabbul Ala'meen has prescribed Sabr
(patience) as the most handy weapon to ward off evil effects of the
mishaps etc; it acts as a neutralizing agent to the poisonous reactions
of adverse circumstances. The affliction is not so grueling as the
sense of it. But when one cultivates the habit of patience and
steadfastly bears things resigning to the Will of Almighty Allah Azza
Wajjal, his or her whole psychological set up of mind undergoes a great
change. It is a sublime philosophical teaching of Islam that teaches
one to resign and surrender oneself to the Will of Almighty Allah Azza
Wajjal. When a Mu’min is convinced that "Rabbul Ala'meen - Exalted is
with the steadfast", it gives him or her great consolation and comfort.
Such contemplation no doubt mitigates his or her sufferings. Thus Sabr
is the elixir of all ills and an anti-toxin of all mishaps, hardships
and failures etc.

The full meaning of Sabr is to be understood
here viz.: Patience, perseverance, constancy, self-restraint, refusing
to be cowed down. These virtues we are to exercise for ourselves and in
relation to others; we are to set an example, so that others may vie
with us, and we are to vie with them, lest we fall short; in this way
we strengthen each other and bind our mutual relations closer, in our
common service to our Glorious and Exalted Creator as shown to us in
verse 200 of Surah Al-Imran:

"O you who believe! Persevere in patience
and constancy; vie in such perseverance; Strengthen each other; And
fear Allah; That you may prosper."

Prosperity
[Falah} in this verse is to be understood in a wide sense, including
prosperity in our mundane affairs as well as in spiritual progress. In
both cases it implies happiness and the attainment of our wishes,
purified by the love of Almighty Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala. Almighty
Allah Jallah Wa'ala declares to us in verse 115 of Surah Hud:

"And be steadfast in patience; For verily Allah will not suffer the reward of the righteous to perish."

A
Mu’min must be patient with what seems to be evil all around. That does
not mean that we should sit still and do nothing to destroy evil; for
the fight against evil is one of the cardinal points of Islam. What we
are told is that we must not be impatient. We must pray to our Glorious
and Exalted Creator and commune with Him, so that our patience and
faith may be strengthened.

"Almighty Allah's Grace and Help are
ever ready for His servants who patiently persevere. Let not arrogance
blind the souls of men. The Hour of Judgement is bound to come. The
keys of Life and Death are in the Hands of Allah. Dispute not the Signs
of Allah, but learn from history And the world around you. Science and
skill avail you not if the soul is dead."

[Synopsis of Surah Ghafir Verses 51 to 85].

What
then can we do to make Almighty Allah's Light shine forth through the
darkness around us? We must first let it shine in our own true selves
with that Light in the niche of our inmost hearts we can walk with
steps both firm and sure: We can humbly visit the comfortless and guide
their steps. Not we but the Light will guide. But oh! The joy of being
found worthy to bear the Torch, and to say To our brethren:

"I too was in Darkness, Comfortless, and behold,

I have found Comfort and Joy in the Grace Divine."