فَضلُ الصَّبرِ The Virtue of Patience

The Arabic word sabr denotes ‘patience’ as the ability to tolerate and endure, as well as ‘perseverance’ and ‘endurance’ in the face of adversity and trial. In the text, translation has not been restricted to just one of these terms, in order to best express the purport of each tradition within its context.

 

1ـ عيسى (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): إنّكُم لا تُدرِكُونَ ما تُحِبُّونَ إلّا بِصَبرِكُم على ما تَكرَهُونَ.

1– Prophet Jesus (AS) said, ‘Verily you will never be able to attain that which you love until you are able to endure that which you despise.’[Musakkin al-Fu’?d, no. 48]
 

2ـ لَمّا سُئلَ عن رسول اللّه‏ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ) ماالإيمانُ ـ: الصَّبرُ.

2– The Prophet (SAWA) was once asked what faith was, to which he replied, ‘Patience.’[Ibid. no. 47]
 

3ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): الصَّبرُ يُهَوِّنُ الفَجِيعَةَ .

3– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Patience makes light work of calamities.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 533]
 

4ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): الصَّبرُ على البَلاءِ أفضَلُ مِن العافيَةِ‏ في الرَّخاءِ .

4– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Patience in the face of tribulation is better than well-being in times of comfort.’[Ibid. no. 1821]
 

5ـ الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): المؤمنُ يُطبَعُ عَلَى الصَّبرِ عَلَى النَّوائبِ .

5– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘The [true] believer is inherently patient against adversities.’[Mishkat al-Anwar, no. 23]
 

6ـ الإمامُ الجوادُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): الصَّبرُ عَلَى المُصيبَةِ ، مُصيبَةٌ عَلَى الشامِتِ بها.

6– Imam al-Jawad (AS) said, ‘Patience in the face of a misfortune is itself a misfortune for the one who gloats over your bad luck.’[Kashf al-Ghamma, v. 3, p. 139]