Hadiths on Patience in the Face of Adversity
The rewards for those who exercise patience during trials are immense, and the following narrations highlight this fact:
- From Anas ibn Malik – may Allah be pleased with him – who reported that the Messenger of Allah – peace be upon him – said: “Indeed, Allah said: If I test My servant with two beloved ones and he remains patient, I will compensate him with Paradise for them.” (This refers to his two eyes).
- Um Salamah, the Mother of the Believers – may Allah be pleased with her – narrated: “I heard the Messenger of Allah – peace be upon him – say: When a calamity befalls a servant and he says, ‘Indeed, we belong to Allah and to Him we shall return,’ and he supplicates, ‘O Allah, reward me in my calamity and replace it with something better,’ then Allah rewards him for his calamity and grants him something better in return.” She added: “When Abu Salamah passed away, I recited what the Messenger of Allah – peace be upon him – instructed me, and Allah compensated me with someone better than him, namely the Messenger of Allah – peace be upon him -.”
- Anas ibn Malik – may Allah be pleased with him – reported that the Prophet – peace be upon him – passed by a woman who was crying at a grave. He said to her, “Fear Allah and be patient.” She replied, “Leave me alone, for you have not been afflicted by my calamity and do not know it.” It was said to her, “This is the Prophet – peace be upon him -.” She went to the Prophet – peace be upon him – but found no doorkeepers at his door. She stated, “I did not recognize you.” He then said: “Patience is at the first strike of the calamity.” This narration illustrates the virtue of patience and the importance of responding with fortitude at the moment of adversity.
- Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari – may Allah be pleased with him – reported that the Prophet – peace be upon him – said: “When a servant’s child dies, Allah tells His angels: ‘Did you take the soul of My servant’s child?’ They reply: ‘Yes.’ Allah then asks: ‘What did My servant say?’ They respond: ‘He praised You and expressed his grief.’ Allah proclaims: ‘Build for My servant a house in Paradise and name it the House of Praise.’
Hadiths Encouraging Patience During Trials
The Messenger of Allah – peace be upon him – frequently encouraged patience, as demonstrated in the following narration:
- From Usamah ibn Zayd – may Allah be pleased with both of them: “I was with the Prophet – peace be upon him – when a messenger from one of his daughters came to him, while he was in the company of Sa’d, Ubayy ibn Ka’b, and Mu’adh, that her son was on the verge of death. The Prophet – peace be upon him – sent a message to her: ‘To Allah belongs what He takes, and to Him belongs what He gives; everything has an appointed time, so be patient and seek reward (from Allah).’ In another narration: ‘One of the daughters of the Prophet – peace be upon him – was about to lose her child, and she sent for him to come to her. He replied: ‘To Allah belongs what He takes, and to Him what He gives; everything has a fixed time, so be patient and seek reward.’ He then went to her when she insisted, and he stood with Mu’adh ibn Jabal, Ubayy ibn Ka’b, and ‘Ubadah ibn as-Samit. When we entered, they handed the child to the Prophet – peace be upon him – while his soul was trembling in his chest. I thought he had said, ‘It feels like a bird.’ The Messenger of Allah – peace be upon him – cried, and Sa’d ibn ‘Ubadah asked: ‘Are you crying?’ He replied: ‘Indeed, Allah shows mercy only to the merciful among His servants.’
Hadith on the Virtue of Patience
It has been established in Sahih Muslim from Suhayb ibn Sinan Al-Rumi – may Allah be pleased with him – who said: The Messenger of Allah – peace be upon him – stated: “How wonderful is the affair of the believer; all of his affairs are good, and this is not the case for anyone except the believer. If something good befalls him, he is grateful, which is better for him, and if something harmful befalls him, he is patient, which is also better for him.”