Page 29 - The Importance of Patience in the Qur’an

The Patience Of The Faithful 27

approval and a place in Paradise. One of these matters is patience, as
we read: "O you who believe, be steadfast; be supreme in
steadfastness" (Surah Al 'Imran, 200). In such cases, the faithful
know that they will earn Allah's love and closeness to Him, and so
compete with one another to display their best behavior. The
believers are patient regardless of their circumstances and, trusting
in our Lord, show their determination through their consistent
behavior. Even when confronted with totally unexpected
developments, such as being forced to live in the streets or a shelter
because their houses have burned down, they do not complain or
think "if only it had not happened." They understand that Allah has
sent a hidden blessing to them, and so live in the tranquility that this
understanding brings. They continue this behavior even if faced
with another event that makes their situation even worse. In short,
no matter what terrible difficulties they may face, they race each
other to patience, as Allah has ordered.

They encourage one another to be patient

In the verse: "Let there be a community among you who call to
the good, and enjoin the right, and forbid the wrong. They are the
ones who have success" (Surah Al 'Imran: 104), Allah instructs the
faithful to divert one another from evil by advising what is good
and guiding one another toward positive behavior. In line with this,
the faithful spend their lives calling upon one another to follow the
Qur'an in full and to avoid all that Allah has forbidden. In particular,
they encourage patience, because they know that those who adhere
to the morality that Allah loves will reach Paradise, while others will
be condemned to the torment of Hell. Therefore, they want all who
are faithful to earn the right to enter Paradise as much as they desire