CHAPTER SIXTEEN Patience in the Sunnah

Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated that Anas Ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) passed by a woman who was crying for her deceased boy.
He said to her: "Fear Allah and be patient."
She said: "Why do you care for my calamity?"
Then, when he went away, someone said to her that he was the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). She was shocked and went to him. When she arrived, she did not find any guards at his door. She said: "0 Messenger of Allah, I did not know you." He said: "Patience is at the first
shock.·' (2)

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(1) The following Hadiths are not all the Hadiths reported about
patience in the Sunnah. We have only selected a number of
them, especially there are a number of the Hadiths of this
chapter mentioned elsewhere in the book.(Translator).

(2) Transmitted by Al-Bukhari (1283) and Muslim (626).

His saying
“Patience is at the first shock.”
Is like his saying,
“The strong one is not the one who wins in wrestling but he is the one who controls himself when being enraged.” (1)
The surprise of calamity has a fright that shakes the heart. So, if the one is patient at the first shock, it will become weak. The first shock is the unexpected calamity that comes to the heart and annoys it. But if it comes after the heart is getting used to it and knows that it must happen, then, patience will be like a pressing necessity. So, when the woman knew that her crying was useless went to apologize to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) as if she was saying that she was patient but the Messenger (pbuh) told her that patience is at the first shock.
What he meant by that was reiterated by Sa’id Ibn Zarby about Muhammad Ibn Serin that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: (The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) passed by a woman who was crouching and crying at a grave. He said to her:
“O Bondmaid of Allah! Fear Allah and be patient.” She said: “O Servant of Allah! I bereaved.” He said: “O Bondmaid of Allah! Fear Allah and be patient.” She said: “O Servant of Allah! If you had a calamity, you would excuse me.” He said: “O Bondmaid of Allah! Fear Allah and be patient.” She said:
“O Servant of Allah! I have heard you, so go away.” Then, the Messenger of Allah went away. A man from his Companions said to the woman: “What did that man say to you?” She said: “He said to me so and so and I answered him with so and so.” He asked her: “Do you know him?” She said : “No.” He said: “He is the Messenger of Allah (pbuh).” Then she ran after the Messenger and when she reached him, she said: “O Messenger of Allah! I am patient! I am patient! He said:
“Patience is at the first shock. Patience is at the first shock.” (1)
There are different aspects of knowledge in this Hadith. The first one is that patience is necessary  in the face of calamities. Allah commands it to His servants. The second one is enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong. The third one is to continue forbidding the wrong until the man returns to Allah.
The fourth aspect is that some scholars took this Hadith as proof for allowing women to visit graves. They said that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) did not prohibit the woman from visiting the grave but he ordered her to be patient. Therefore if her visit were forbidden, he would surely tell her. This opinion was refuted by saying that
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(1) Narrated by Abu Ya’ala and Al-Bazar, Majma’ Az-Zwa’id (3/2).
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when the Prophet ordered the woman to fear Allah and to be patient, it was an indication that he denied her action.  
This is also indicated by the fact that when the woman knew that the man who had talked to her was the one whom she should obey, she left quickly. Additionally, the Prophet's curse to women who visit graves and people who build mosques on them took place later during his death illness.
In extension, when the Messenger did not let her know who he was, while she was in that state, he meant to consider for her grief. This is because if she knew, she would not listen to him. Moreover, her disobedience to him, while she did not know him, was better than if she knew him.
In Sahih Muslim, Umm Salamah said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) saying:
"Whenever a Muslim who has a calamity and says what Allah ordered him to say, (namely)
"To Allah we my in my calamity and give me what is better than it."

Allah certainly gives him what is better than it"
Then Allah will give him what is better than it." She said: "When Abu Salamah died, I said: "Who is among Muslims better than
Abu Salamah whose house was the first to immigrate to the Prophet (pbuh)." Then I said to them (i.e. the words mentioned above) and
Allah gave me His Messenger. The Messenger of Allah sent to me Hatib Ibn Abi Balta' ah to ask me to marry him. I said that I
had a daughter and I am a jealous woman.The Messenger of Allah said: ''"As for her daughter, I ask Allah (for her) not to be in
need of her (mother) and I ask Allah to take (her) jealousy away." Then, I married the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)" (1)
Abu Dawud' s narration of the same Hadith cited that
Umm Salamah said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
"If anyone of you has a calamity, he should
say: ''To Allah we belong and to Him is our
return. 0 Allah! 0 Allah! I wish for that You
reward me for my calamity. So, reward me
for it and give me what is better than it." (2)
When Abu Salamah was dying he said:
"0 Allah! Give my family who is better than me." When he
died, Umm Salamh said: "To Allah we belong and to Him
is our return. 0 Allah! I wish that You reward me for my
calamity." Contemplate! how the reward of her patience,
following the Messenger and being satisfied with Allah was
her marriage to the best of creatures!
Abu Musa Al-Ash 'ari reported that the Messenger of
Allah (pbuh) said:
"When a son of a servant of Allah dies, Allah says to the Angels: Have you taken the son
of My servant?" They say: "Yes."' Then Allah
says: "Have you taken the fruit of his heart?"

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(1) Sahih Muslim (918).
(2) Sunnan Abu Dawud (3119)
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They say: '"Yes." Allah say: "What has My servant said?" They say: "He has praised You and said, "To Allah we belong and to Him is
our return." Then, Allah says: "Build a house for My servant in Paradise and call it the house of praise." (I )
Anas reported that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)
said: "Allah says (in a Qudsi Hadith):

" If I test My servant with his two beloved (organs) and then he holds patience, I will compensate him for them with Paradise - He
meant his eyes." (2)

( l ) Sunnan At-Tirmidhi , Musnad Ahmad (41415) and Ibn
Hibban (726)
(2) Transmitted by Al-Bukhari (5653)
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Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:

"Allah (Glorified and Exalted be he) says:
" There is no reward but Paradise for My believing servant, when I take the soul of hischosen fellow from the people of the world and then he holds patience (wishing for its reward)." (1)

'Ata' Ibn Abi Rabah said: "Ibn 'Abbas said to me:
"Do you want to see a woman from the people of Paradise?" I said: "Yes." He said: "This black woman came to the Messenger of Allah
(pbuh) and said: "0 Messenger of Allah! I am epileptic and when it happens, I become uncovered. So, invoke Allah for me." The Prophet said: "If you wish you can be patient and you will enter Paradise and if you wish I will invoke Allah to cure you.' She said: ''I
will be patient." Then she said:
"But I become uncovered, so, invoke Allah for me not to become uncovered." Then, he invoked Allah for her." (2)

'Ata' Ibn Yasar reported the Messenger of Allah
(pbuh) to have said:
"When a servant of Allah becomes ill, two Angels descend to him. Allah says: "Look what will he say to his visitors?" If he, when
they come to him, praises Allah they raise this to Allah and He knows better. Then, Allah says: "If My servant dies, he deserves that I
enter him into Paradise and if I cure him, he deserves that I exchange his flesh with a better flesh and his blood with a better blood,
and that I expiate his sins." (3)
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(l) Transmitted By Al-Bukhari (6424).
(2) Transmitted by Al-Bukhari (5652) and Muslim (2576).
(3) Al-Muwatta' (2/940).

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) is reported to have divided money and some people said:
"This division is not as what is ordered by Allah." When the Messenger was told about that he said: "0 Allah! Bless Moses. He was afflicted with more than this and he was patient.(I)

Al-Zuhary said that 'Urwa narrated that 'A 'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
"Whenever a catastrophe happens to a Muslim, Allah will expiate his sins by it, even if a thorn pricks him." (2)
'A 'ishah said: "The Prophet (pbuh) said:
"Whenever a thorn pricks a believer, Allah will raise him a grade and decrease one of his sins by it." (3)

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(1) Transmitted by Al-Bukhari (6059) Muslim (1 062) on the
authority of Ibn Mas'ud.
(2) Transmitted by Al-Bukhari (5640) arrl Muslim (2572).
(3) Transmitted by Muslim (2572).
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'Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
''I entered to the Prophet (pbuh) and he was very sick. I said: "0 Messenger of Allah! You are very sick." He said: "Yes, my sickness is like the sickness of two men of you." I said:
"So, you have two rewards." He said:
"Yes. By Him in Whose hands is my soul, whenever a Muslim on the earth is afflicted with harm because of sickness or anything lower, Allah drops his sins by it, just as the tree drops its leaves." (1)
'A 'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "I have never seen pain severer than that of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)" (2)

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(l) Transmitted by AI-Bukhari (5648) and Muslim (2571).
(2) AI-Bukhari (5646) ad Muslim (2570).
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Khubab Ibn al-Arat said:
"I went to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) while
he was lying in the shade of the Ka 'bah, and
we had just been oppressed by disbelievers.
We said to him: "May you invoke Allah?"
Then~ he sat and his face was red and said:
"Men (in the past) were combed by combs of
iron in between his flesh and bones, but this
did not cause him to leave his religion." (1)

Ibn Abbas said: "A daughter of the Messenger of
Allah (pbuh) was dying while she was young. The
Messenger of Allah (pbuh) took her and embraced her, and
then, he put his hand over her. Thereupon, Umm Ayman
started weeping. I said to her.
''Are you crying and the Messenger of Allah
(pbuh) in your house?" She said: "How can I
not weep while the Messenger of Allah
(pbuh) is weeping." The Messenger said: "I

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(1) AI-Bukhari (3852) ..
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am not weeping, but it is mercy.,, Then he
said: "It is good for the believer whenever his
soul is pulled out from between his sides
while he is praising Allah, Glorified and Exalted
be he.,,( 1)

Yahia Ibn Waththab said that one of the Companions
of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said that the Messenger
of Allah (pbuh) said: "The believer who associates with
people and is patient when they harm him has greater
reward than the one who does not associate with people
and is not patient when they harm him." (2)

Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with
him) said that the Prophet (pbuh) said:
"There is no gift better and wider than patience."(3)
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(I) Sunan An-Nasa'i ( 4112).
(2) At-Tirmidhi (2507), Ibn Majah (4032) and Ahmad (2/43).
(3) .-\1-Bukhari (1469) and Muslim (I 053).

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
"When Allah loves a folk, He tests them.
Whoever (among them) is satisfied will have
satisfaction and whoever is dissatisfied will
have dissatisfaction" (4)

(4) At-Tirmidhi (2396) and Ibn Majah (4031)


Jabir Ibn 'Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him)
said that the Messenger of Allah entered to a woman and said:

"Why are you trembling?" She said: "It is
fever, may Allah not bless it." He said: "Do
not abuse fever. It takes away the sins of the
sons of Adam, just as furnace takes the
badness away from iron." (1)

(1) Muslim (2575).

Abu Sa 'id AI Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

"I entered upon the Prophet (pbuh) when he
had a fever. I put my hand over the velvet and
I felt the heat of fever. I said: "What a strong
fever you have 0 Messenger of Allah!" He
said: "We, the Prophets, our pain is doubled
and this doubles our reward." I said:
"0 Messenger of Allah! Who receives the
severest tests among people?'" He said:
"Prophets." I said: ''Who is next?', He said:
"Righteous people. (In the past, righteous)
men were tested with poverty, that they
found nothing but cleft and sleeveless
garments to wear. And they were tested with
lice, that lice killed them. (Though,) they
liked this more than you like gifts." (2)

(2)  Musnad Ahmad (3/94) and Ibn Majah ( 4024 ).


Abu Sa'id reported that a man said:

"0 Messenger of Allah! What do you think
causing these diseases from which we
suffer?" He said: (They are) expiations." (3)

(3) Narrated by Ahmad (3\23) and others.


'Ubay Ibn Ka 'b said: "0 Messenger of Allah!
Even if they are few?"
Abi Umamah AI Bahely said that the Messenger of
Allah (pbuh) said:

"Allah tests you, although He knows best
about your affair, by affliction just as you test
your gold by fire. Some of you come out like
pure gold and these are whom Allah saves
from their sins. Others come out like gold but
lower than these and these are those who
doubt for somewhat, and others will come
out like the black gold and these are those
who subject to Fitnah (seduction, persecution
and the like)." (1)

(1) Transmitted by Tabrani in "Al Kabir."

Abu Hurayrah said that when he went to visit a sick
man, the latter said to him that the Messenger of Allah
(pbuh) said:

"Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, says:
~'This is my fire, which I empower over My
believing servant in the world to be (instead
of) his share of the Fire in the Hereafter." (2)

(2) Transmitted by At-Tirmidhi (2088) and Ibn Majah (3470).

It was related that Anas Ibn Malik (may Allah be
pleased with him) said:

"The Messenger of Allah stopped at a tree and
shook it until what Allah wished of its leaves
to fall, fell down. He said: "Catastrophes and
pains in causing the sins of my nation to fall
are faster than me in the leaves of this tree to
fall." (3)
(3) Al Mundhiri in Al Targhib (4/149) and others).


The Prophet (pbuh) said:
"The invocation of the patient is accepted until
he becomes well." (4)
(4) AI Mundhiri in  Al Targhib" ( 4/164).

It was mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)
said:
"Whenever a vein causes pain to a believer,
Allah writes for him because of it a good
deed and removes a bad one and raise him
one grade." (5)
(5) Transmitted by al Hakim in Al Mustadrak. ( 1/347) and
others.)

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
"By Him in Whose hands is my soul,
everything Allah ordains in the fate of a
believer always brings him good. If he has
something good, he shows gratitude; and this
is good for him. If he has something bad, he
holds patience; and this is good for him. This
is never to be but for believers." (6)

(6) Ahmad (6/15) and others.


Next Chapter, Chapter Seventeen: Patience as observed by the companions and their successors.