Page 322 - Quranic Wisdom - New.indd

Patience for the Sake of Personality Development

patience receive instantly, if they have exercised patience in the
real sense.
Patience and reward are inseparable part of each other.
In the above verse of the Quran, reward refers to personality
development. A developed personality is the biggest quality of
a man. In reality, personality development is what separates
man from an animal. And the biggest source of personality
development is through patience.

All qualities—wisdom, positive thinking, love,
generosity, forbearance, and so on are innate in man.
Given a chance to grow, just as a seed grows to
become a complete tree, a man would also grow into
a complete man.

In truth, man is born with unlimited potential. As soon as he
is born, this potential starts to unfold on its own. This potential
does not require any additional endeavour for its unfolding.
An allegorical reference in the Quran clarifies this further:

Have you not considered how God sets forth a parable
of a good word (being) like a good tree? Its root is firm
and its branches are in the sky, it yields its fruit each
season with its Lord’s permission—God makes such
comparisons for people in order that they may reflect.
(14:24-25)
Tree is a unique phenomenon of nature. It is a self-growing
phenomenon of creation. The entire tree is potentially hidden in
a seed and when the seed unfolds, it turns into a tree. So is the
case of man. Man is born as a child, which is like a seed. The child
has unlimited potential to grow and if given an opportunity to
unfold, it will go on growing and become a mature and complete
person.

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