Hadiths on the Virtue of Patience
In linguistic terms, patience (حِلْم) refers to composure and wisdom. In a technical sense, it is defined as “the ability to control oneself and restrain one’s temper during moments of anger.” It embodies tranquility and deliberation in the face of provocation. Several hadiths highlight the virtue of patience, kindness, and forbearance, including the following:
- The Prophet Muhammad -peace be upon him- said to the companion Ashj` Abd Qays: “Indeed, within you are two qualities that Allah loves: patience and deliberation.”
- The Prophet Muhammad -peace be upon him- stated: “Shall I not inform you of who is forbidden from the Fire? It is every gentle, easy-going person.”
- The Prophet Muhammad -peace be upon him- remarked: “May Allah have mercy on a man who is lenient when selling, lenient when buying, and lenient when collecting a debt.”
- The Prophet Muhammad -peace be upon him- explained: “The strong person is not the one who overcomes others in physical strength, but rather the one who controls himself in anger.”
- The Prophet Muhammad -peace be upon him- declared: “Charity does not decrease wealth, and Allah increases the honor of a servant through forgiveness. No one humbles themselves for the sake of Allah, except that Allah elevates them.”
Hadiths Illustrating the Patience of the Prophet Muhammad
The Prophet Muhammad -peace be upon him- was known for his exceptional patience. The following hadiths exemplify his forbearance:
- Aisha, Mother of the Believers -may Allah be pleased with her- reported: “The Messenger of Allah -peace be upon him- was never faced with a choice between two matters except that he chose the easier of the two, unless it involved sin; if it was a sin, he was the furthest from it. The Messenger of Allah -peace be upon him- never sought revenge for himself, but he would seek revenge for Allah’s rights if they were violated.”
- Anas ibn Malik -may Allah be pleased with him- narrated: “The Messenger of Allah -peace be upon him- possessed the best character. One day, he sent me on an errand, and I said: By Allah, I will not go. But in my heart, I wanted to fulfill the command of the Messenger of Allah -peace be upon him-. As I walked, I passed by some children playing in the marketplace, and suddenly, the Messenger of Allah -peace be upon him- grabbed me from behind. I turned to face him, and he was smiling. He said: ‘Oh Unays, did you not go where I commanded you?’ I replied: Yes, I will go, O Messenger of Allah.”
- Anas ibn Malik -may Allah be pleased with him- shared: “Once, the Prophet -peace be upon him- was with one of his wives, and one of the Mothers of the Believers sent a dish containing food. The wife in whose house the Prophet was staying struck the servant’s hand, and the dish fell and broke. The Prophet -peace be upon him- gathered the pieces of the dish and began to collect the food that had spilled, saying: ‘Your mother has become jealous.’ Then, he kept the broken dish until a new dish was brought from the house of the wife who had sent the food, and he handed the intact dish to the one whose dish had been broken, keeping the broken one for the one who had caused the accident.”
- Abdullah ibn Umar -may Allah be pleased with him- recounted: “A man came to the Prophet -peace be upon him- and asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah, how often should we pardon our servant?’ The Prophet remained silent. The man repeated his question, and the Prophet remained silent again. On the third time, he said: ‘Pardon him seventy times each day.’
Words of the Salaf on Patience
Several sayings of the Salaf address the virtue of patience, including:
- Ali ibn Abi Talib -may Allah be pleased with him- stated: “Goodness is not in the abundance of wealth or children, but goodness is in the increase of your knowledge and the greatness of your patience, and that you do not boast to others about your worship of Allah. If you do good, praise Allah, and if you commit an error, seek forgiveness from Allah.”
- Umar ibn al-Khattab -may Allah be pleased with him- said: “O people, O subjects, we have a right over you: to provide sincere advice in private and to assist each other in goodness. O rulers, know that nothing is more beloved to Allah and more honorable than the patience and gentleness of a leader, and nothing is more abominable to Allah or more distressing than a leader’s ignorance and harshness.”
- Ibn Mas’ud -may Allah be pleased with him- remarked: “A bearer of the Quran should be someone who is sorrowful, wise, patient, and calm. A bearer of the Quran should not be harsh, heedless, noisy, or aggressive.”