Patience

الصَّبْرُ رَأْسُ الْإِيمَانِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Patience is the head of belief.”

الصَّبْرُ مِنَ الْإِيمَانِ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الرَّأْسِ مِنَ الْجَسَدِ فَإِذَا ذَهَبَ الرَّأْسُ ذَهَبَ الْجَسَدُ كَذَلِكَ إِذَا ذَهَبَ الصَّبْرُ ذَهَبَ الْإِيمَانُ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Patience is to belief as the head is to the body. If the head is gone the body is also destroyed. So also, if patience is vanished belief also goes away and is no more.’”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ يَا حَفْصُ إِنَّ مَنْ صَبَرَ صَبَرَ قَلِيلًا وَ إِنَّ مَنْ جَزِعَ جَزِعَ قَلِيلًا ثُمَّ قَالَ عَلَيْكَ بِالصَّبْرِ فِي جَمِيعِ أُمُورِكَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بَعَثَ مُحَمَّداً ص فَأَمَرَهُ بِالصَّبْرِ وَ الرِّفْقِ فَقَالَ‌ وَ اصْبِرْ عَلى‌ ما يَقُولُونَ‌ وَ اهْجُرْهُمْ هَجْراً جَمِيلًا وَ ذَرْنِي وَ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ‌ أُولِي النَّعْمَةِ[1] وَ قَالَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى‌ ادْفَعْ‌

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ali ibn Muhammad al-Qasani all from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad al-Asbahani from Sulayman ibn Dawud al- Minqari from Hafs ibn Ghiyath who has said the following: “Once abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) said, ‘O Hafs, whoever exercises patience does so only for a short time, and whoeve

الصَّبْرُ مِنَ الْإِيمَانِ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الرَّأْسِ مِنَ الْجَسَدِ وَ لَا إِيمَانَ لِمَنْ لَا صَبْرَ لَهُ.

“Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) has said, ‘Patience is to belief as the head is to the body. One who does not have patience has no belief.’”

الصَّبْرُ مِنَ الْإِيمَانِ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الرَّأْسِ مِنَ الْجَسَدِ فَإِذَا ذَهَبَ الرَّأْسُ ذَهَبَ الْجَسَدُ كَذَلِكَ إِذَا ذَهَبَ الصَّبْرُ ذَهَبَ الْإِيمَانُ.

“Patience holds the same position in faith as the head does in the body. When the head is lost, the body perishes. Similarly, when patience is lost, faith perishes.”

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ إِنَّ الْحُرَّ حُرٌّ عَلَى جَمِيعِ أَحْوَالِهِ إِنْ نَابَتْهُ نَائِبَةٌ[3] صَبَرَ لَهَا وَ إِنْ تَدَاكَّتْ عَلَيْهِ الْمَصَائِبُ‌[4] لَمْ تَكْسِرْهُ وَ إِنْ أُسِرَ وَ قُهِرَ وَ اسْتُبْدِلَ بِالْيُسْرِ عُسْراً[5] كَمَا كَانَ يُوسُفُ الصِّدِّيقُ الْأَمِينُ ص لَمْ يَضْرُرْ حُرِّيَّتَهُ أَنِ اسْتُعْبِدَ وَ قُهِرَ وَ أُسِرَ وَ لَمْ تَضْرُرْهُ ظُلْمَةُ الْجُبِّ وَ وَحْشَتُهُ‌[6] وَ

“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘A free person is free in all conditions. Even if hardships strike him he exercises patience, if afflictions batter him he does not break down even if he is taken as a captive and is overpowered and his comfort and prosperity are changed into poverty and hardships, just as in the c

الْجَنَّةُ مَحْفُوفَةٌ[7] بِالْمَكَارِهِ وَ الصَّبْرِ فَمَنْ صَبَرَ عَلَى الْمَكَارِهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ وَ جَهَنَّمُ مَحْفُوفَةٌ بِاللَّذَّاتِ وَ الشَّهَوَاتِ- فَمَنْ أَعْطَى نَفْسَهُ لَذَّتَهَا وَ شَهْوَتَهَا دَخَلَ النَّارَ.

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said, ‘Paradise is kept behind layers of hardship and patience. Whoever exercises patience in hardship in the worldly life will go to paradise. Hell is placed behind enjoyments and desires. Whoever allows his soul to indulge in enjoyment and desires will go to hell.’”

إِذَا دَخَلَ الْمُؤْمِنُ فِي قَبْرِهِ كَانَتِ الصَّلَاةُ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَ الزَّكَاةُ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ وَ الْبِرُّ مُطِلٌّ عَلَيْهِ‌[1] وَ يَتَنَحَّى الصَّبْرُ نَاحِيَةً فَإِذَا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ الْمَلَكَانِ اللَّذَانِ يَلِيَانِ مُسَاءَلَتَهُ قَالَ الصَّبْرُ لِلصَّلَاةِ وَ الزَّكَاةِ وَ الْبِرِّ دُونَكُمْ صَاحِبَكُمْ فَإِنْ عَجَزْتُمْ عَنْهُ فَأَنَا دُونَهُ.

“When a believer is placed in his grave, prayer will be on his right al-Zakat (charity) on his left, and virtuous deeds will provide cover from above and patience will stay aside. When the two angels come to interrogate him, patience will say to the prayer, al-Zakat (charity) and virtuous deeds, ‘Help your friend. Were

دَخَلَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ص الْمَسْجِدَ فَإِذَا هُوَ بِرَجُلٍ عَلَى بَابِ الْمَسْجِدِ كَئِيبٍ حَزِينٍ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع مَا لَكَ قَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أُصِبْتُ بِأَبِي [وَ أُمِّي‌] وَ أَخِي وَ أَخْشَى أَنْ أَكُونَ قَدْ وَجِلْتُ‌[2] فَقَالَ لَهُ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع عَلَيْكَ بِتَقْوَى اللَّهِ وَ الصَّبْرِ تَقْدَمْ عَلَيْهِ غَداً وَ الصَّبْرُ فِي الْأُمُورِ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الرَّأْسِ

“Once Amir al-Mu’minin (Ali ibn abu Talib) (a.s.) entered the Mosque and at the door of the Mosque he met a man who was depressed and sad. Amir al- Mu’minin (Ali ibn abu Talib) (a.s.) asked him ‘What has happened to you?’ He said, ‘It is due to the death of my father, mother and brother. O Amir al- Mu’minin, I am afrai

قَالَ لِي مَا حَبَسَكَ عَنِ الْحَجِّ قَالَ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ وَقَعَ عَلَيَّ دَيْنٌ كَثِيرٌ وَ ذَهَبَ مَالِي وَ دَيْنِيَ الَّذِي قَدْ لَزِمَنِي هُوَ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ ذَهَابِ مَالِي فَلَوْ لَا أَنَّ رَجُلًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا أَخْرَجَنِي مَا قَدَرْتُ أَنْ أَخْرُجَ فَقَالَ لِي إِنْ تَصْبِرْ تُغْتَبَطْ وَ إِلَّا تَصْبِرْ يُنْفِذِ اللَّهُ مَقَادِيرَهُ رَاضِياً كُنْتَ أَمْ كَارِهاً.

“Once abu al-Hassan (a.s.) said to me, ‘What is holding you back from performing Hajj?’ I said, ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, I am indebted a great deal and my properties are gone. It is my debt that is holding me down and is worse than the loss of my properties. If someone from our people does not

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ‌ الصَّبْرُ صَبْرَانِ صَبْرٌ عِنْدَ الْمُصِيبَةِ حَسَنٌ جَمِيلٌ وَ أَحْسَنُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ الصَّبْرُ عِنْدَ مَا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَلَيْكَ وَ الذِّكْرُ ذِكْرَانِ ذِكْرُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عِنْدَ الْمُصِيبَةِ وَ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ ذِكْرُ اللَّهِ عِنْدَ مَا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكَ فَيَكُونُ حَاجِزاً.

that Amir al-Mu’minin (as) said: "There are two kinds of patience. There is patience during a calamity which is good and beautiful, but what is better than that is patience against committing what Allah (swt) has forbidden for you. There are also two types of dhikr. There is dhikr of Allah (swt) during a time of calami

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ سَيَأْتِي عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَانٌ لَا يُنَالُ الْمُلْكُ فِيهِ إِلَّا بِالْقَتْلِ وَ التَّجَبُّرِ وَ لَا الْغِنَى إِلَّا بِالْغَصْبِ وَ الْبُخْلِ وَ لَا الْمَحَبَّةُ إِلَّا بِاسْتِخْرَاجِ الدِّينِ‌[1] وَ اتِّبَاعِ الْهَوَى- فَمَنْ أَدْرَكَ ذَلِكَ الزَّمَانَ فَصَبَرَ عَلَى الْفَقْرِ وَ هُوَ يَقْدِرُ عَلَى الْغِنَى وَ صَبَرَ عَلَى الْبِغْضَةِ[2] وَ هُوَ يَقْدِرُ عَلَى الْمَحَبَّةِ وَ صَبَرَ عَلَى

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘A time will come upon people when kingdom can be achieved only by committing murders and tyranny. Wealth can only be achieved through usurpation and stinginess. Love and harmony can be established only by exclusion of religion and by following desires. Those living at such a time must

قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع‌ لَمَّا حَضَرَتْ أَبِي عَلِيَّ بْنَ الْحُسَيْنِ ع الْوَفَاةُ ضَمَّنِي إِلَى صَدْرِهِ وَ قَالَ يَا بُنَيَّ أُوصِيكَ بِمَا أَوْصَانِي بِهِ أَبِي حِينَ حَضَرَتْهُ الْوَفَاةُ وَ بِمَا ذَكَرَ أَنَّ أَبَاهُ أَوْصَاهُ بِهِ يَا بُنَيَّ اصْبِرْ عَلَى الْحَقِّ وَ إِنْ كَانَ مُرّاً.

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said, ‘When my father Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) was about to leave this world he held me against his chest and said, “My son, I recommend you with the same recommendation with which he (my father) advised me at the time that he was about to leave this world and with the recommendation that his fat

الصَّبْرُ صَبْرَانِ صَبْرٌ عَلَى الْبَلَاءِ حَسَنٌ جَمِيلٌ وَ أَفْضَلُ الصَّبْرَيْنِ الْوَرَعُ عَنِ الْمَحَارِمِ.

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said, ‘Patience is of two kinds: to exercise patience in hardship, which is good and graceful, yet, the best of patience is that which is exercised to stop one from committing what Allah has prohibited.”’

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ الصَّبْرُ ثَلَاثَةٌ صَبْرٌ عِنْدَ الْمُصِيبَةِ وَ صَبْرٌ عَلَى الطَّاعَةِ وَ صَبْرٌ عَنِ الْمَعْصِيَةِ[4] فَمَنْ صَبَرَ عَلَى الْمُصِيبَةِ حَتَّى يَرُدَّهَا بِحُسْنِ عَزَائِهَا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَهُ ثَلَاثَمِائَةِ دَرَجَةٍ مَا بَيْنَ الدَّرَجَةِ إِلَى الدَّرَجَةِ كَمَا بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ وَ مَنْ صَبَرَ عَلَى الطَّاعَةِ كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَهُ سِتَّمِائَةِ دَرَجَةٍ مَا بَيْنَ الدَّرَج

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Patience is of three kinds: patience at the time of suffering hardship, patience in performing acts of obedience (worship) and patience to stop one from committing what Allah has prohibited. For one who exercises patience at the time of suffering hardship until one passes it by with g

أَمَرَنِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع أَنْ آتِيَ الْمُفَضَّلَ وَ أُعَزِّيَهُ بِإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَ قَالَ أَقْرِئِ الْمُفَضَّلَ السَّلَامَ‌[1] وَ قُلْ لَهُ إِنَّا قَدْ أُصِبْنَا بِإِسْمَاعِيلَ فَصَبَرْنَا فَاصْبِرْ كَمَا صَبَرْنَا إِنَّا أَرَدْنَا أَمْراً وَ أَرَادَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَمْراً فَسَلَّمْنَا لِأَمْرِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) ordered me to meet al-Muffadal and offer him condolences for Isma’il (son of the Imam), ‘Convey my greetings of peace to him and tell him that we have suffered the death of Isma’il but have exercised patience. You must also exercise patience as we have done. We wanted one thing but Allah, the Mos

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ مَنِ ابْتُلِيَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِبَلَاءٍ فَصَبَرَ عَلَيْهِ كَانَ لَهُ مِثْلُ أَجْرِ أَلْفِ شَهِيدٍ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Whoever among the believers exercises patience at the time of suffering hardship he will have a reward equal to the reward of a thousand martyrs.’”

إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَنْعَمَ عَلَى قَوْمٍ فَلَمْ يَشْكُرُوا فَصَارَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَبَالًا وَ ابْتَلَى قَوْماً بِالْمَصَائِبِ فَصَبَرُوا فَصَارَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ نِعْمَةً.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, granted a favor to a people but they did not appreciate it and that favor turned against them in the form of a burden. He tried another nation with hardships and sufferings but these people exercised patience and the trouble turned into bounties

اصْبِرُوا عَلَى الْمَصَائِبِ. - وَ فِي رِوَايَةِ ابْنِ أَبِي يَعْفُورٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: صَابِرُوا عَلَى الْمَصَائِبِ‌

“About the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, ‘Believers, have patience, help each other with patience. . . .,’ (3:200) the Imam has said, ‘It means to exercise patience in suffering hardship.’” In the narration of ibn abu Ya’fur from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) it says, “Exercise patience in suffering afflicti

لَوْ لَا أَنَّ الصَّبْرَ خُلِقَ قَبْلَ الْبَلَاءِ لَتَفَطَّرَ الْمُؤْمِنُ كَمَا تَتَفَطَّرُ الْبَيْضَةُ عَلَى الصَّفَا[4].

“The Imam said, ‘Had patience not been created before misfortune, it would have torn the believer into pieces like an egg hit against a rock.’”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِنِّي جَعَلْتُ الدُّنْيَا بَيْنَ عِبَادِي قَرْضاً فَمَنْ أَقْرَضَنِي مِنْهَا قَرْضاً أَعْطَيْتُهُ‌ بِكُلِّ وَاحِدَةٍ عَشْراً إِلَى سَبْعِمِائَةِ ضِعْفٍ وَ مَا شِئْتُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَ مَنْ لَمْ يُقْرِضْنِي مِنْهَا قَرْضاً فَأَخَذْتُ مِنْهُ شَيْئاً قَسْراً فَصَبَرَ أَعْطَيْتُهُ ثَلَاثَ خِصَالٍ لَوْ أَعْطَيْتُ وَاحِدَةً مِنْهُنَّ مَلَائِكَتِي لَرَضُوا بِهَا مِنِّي قَا

“The Messenger of Allah has said that Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has said, ‘I have made the world a borrowing (place) for My servants. Whoever gives Me a loan I will return it ten times over up to seven hundred times over, and more if I so wish. Those who do not lend Me a loan I will take something forcib

مُرُوَّةُ الصَّبْرِ[2] فِي حَالِ الْحَاجَةِ وَ الْفَاقَةِ وَ التَّعَفُّفِ وَ الْغِنَى‌[3] أَكْثَرُ مِنْ مُرُوَّةِ الْإِعْطَاءِ.

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said, ‘The courage to exercise patience in times of need and poverty with chastity and self-sufficiency is more than the courage needed to give charity.’”

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ مَا الصَّبْرُ الْجَمِيلُ قَالَ ذَلِكَ صَبْرٌ لَيْسَ فِيهِ شَكْوَى إِلَى النَّاسِ.

“Once I said to abu Ja’far (a.s.) ‘May Allah grant you favors, what is graceful patience?’ The Imam said, ‘That is the patience in which there is no complaint before the people.’”

مَنْ لَا يُعِدَّ الصَّبْرَ لِنَوَائِبِ الدَّهْرِ يَعْجِزْ.

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said, ‘One who does not prepare himself in patience to face the hardships of life, will remain helpless.’”

إِنَّا صُبُرٌ[4] وَ شِيعَتُنَا أَصْبَرُ مِنَّا قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ كَيْفَ صَارَ شِيعَتُكُمْ أَصْبَرَ مِنْكُمْ قَالَ لِأَنَّا نَصْبِرُ عَلَى مَا نَعْلَمُ وَ شِيعَتُنَا يَصْبِرُونَ عَلَى مَا لَا يَعْلَمُونَ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘We are strong to exercise patience, and our (Shi’a) followers are stronger than we are.’ I then said, ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, how have your followers become stronger than you are?’ The Imam said, ‘It is because we exercise patience in the matters that we alre