different strenghts of patience

[Changed]

Different Strengths of Patience

 

Some people cannot have patience without struggling and facing many difficulties. Others are able to have patience easily. The first type is like a man who wrestles with a strong man and cannot beat him without the utmost effort. The second type is like a man who wrestles with a weak man and beats him easily. Such is the war between the soldiers of ar-Rahman and the soldiers of Shaytan. Whoever defeats the soldiers of Shaytan can defeat Shaytan himself. ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud narrated, ‘A man wrestled with one of the jinn, and beat him, then (the man) asked, ‘Why are you so weak and small?’ The jinn answered ‘I am very big and strong compared to the rest of the jinn.’” Someone asked ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud. “Was the man ‘Umar?” and he replied, “Who else could it have been?”

 

Some of the Sahabah said: “A believer whips the Shaytan the way a person whips his camel when he is traveling.”

 

Ibn Abi’d-Dunya narrated from some of the salaf that one shaytan met with another, and asked him why he was so thin. The other shaytan replied, “Because I am with a man who mentions the name of Allah when he eats, so I cannot eat with him, and he mentions the name of Allah when he drinks, so I cannot drink with him. When he enters his home he mentions the name of Allah, so I stay outside. The first shaytan said, “But I am with a man who does not mention the name of Allah when he eats, so I eat with him. He does not mention the name of Allah when he drinks, so I drink with him. When he enters his home he does not mention the name of Allah, so I enter with him.”

 

So whoever develops the habit of patience is feared by his enemies, and whoever finds patience difficult is in danger, as his enemy will readily dare to attack him and do him harm.

 

Taken from the book, Patience and Gratitude – An abridged translation of ‘Uddat as-sabirin wa dhakhirat ash-shakirin- by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (1292-1350 CE) Translated by Nasiruddin al-Khattab. Chapter 2, pp 16-17.

 

"Indeed, those who have said, "Our Lord is Allah" and then remained on a right course--the angels will descend upon them, (saying), "Do not fear and do not grieve but receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised." [Al Quran 41:30]

 

"The best among people is one who is a source of benefit to the people."- Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhe wasallam)