“The period of waiting patiently for release from suffering is an
act of worship” ~ Imam Ghazali (RA)
I wish I had internalised this message
a long time ago. Who knows how much
pain, humiliation and self-chastisement I could have saved myself. When I am
unhappy or uncomfortable, it is my habit to do anything I can to find my way
back to my default of happiness. This
can take the form of taking any action I can to rectify a situation,
apologising when I don’t mean it to end an argument, crying myself into a mess
or brutal self-talk that’s veers between blaming the other and self-pity or
blame. Clearly patience is not a virtue
that comes naturally to me.
But as I get older, more and more, I
find myself able to sit with sadness and discomfort and not rush to react to
it. There is an understanding that this
is part of life and to be expected and journeyed through in due course, rather
than ran away from as quickly as possible.
I have come to understand that there is no growth without pain and
challenge and that every hardship leaves us scarred, but wiser, stronger and more
resilient. I have learnt to stop filling
silences with chatter and there is so much power in that silence – especially
when it makes others uncomfortable rather than you. I have learned to accept that some people
might not like me, or agree with my choices, that I don’t have to please everyone,
and that I can live with that disapproval.
How much easier would all of that be,
if you treated that holding back, that waiting patiently, as an act of worship
and an act of trusting in Allah SWT. Trusting that he will find a way out for
you from every hardship.
“Allah surely loves those who are the Sabireen (patient).” ~ Quran
3:146
“And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger,
loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to as-Saabireen (the
patient ones). Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: “Inna lillaahi wa Inna
Ilaihi Raaji’un (Verily to Allah we belong and verily, to Him we shall
return).”They are those on whom are the Salawaat (i.e. who are blessed and will
be forgiven) from their Lord, and (they are those who) receive His
Mercy, and it is they who are the guided-ones. ~ Quran 2:155-157).
“Whoever persists in being patient, God will make him patient.
Nobody can be given a blessing better and greater than patience.” (Al-Bukhari)
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