Patience and Success

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Success doesn't happen overnight. Not only you must have a desire to succeed, you must have righteous people working alongside you. Maybe you don't have these kind of people around you and you are totally alone, but you've got to keep picking yourself up off the floor and keep going. Despite all the people around you, recognize that many people lack the stamina to do what it takes to be successful. It is actually a relatively small number of people that are living Islam, and a relatively small number of people that end up really leave a legacy in Islam, and it doesn't take a lot of people to lead you astray. And ultimately success depend on how much you trust and rely on Allah.

If we want success in this life and the hereafter, we have to be patient and persevere. Allah clearly sets out the ingredients for success in the Qur'an: patience, perseverance, prayer, steadfastness, and taqwa (the fear/consciousness of Allah).

Allah Almighty says,

وَاسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ‌ وَالصَّلَاةِ ۚ وَإِنَّهَا لَكَبِيرَ‌ةٌ إِلَّا عَلَى الْخَاشِعِينَ ﴿٤٥

And seek help through patience and prayer, and indeed, it is difficult except for the humbly submissive [to Allah] (45) [Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:45]

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ‌ وَالصَّلَاةِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِ‌ينَ ﴿١٥٣

O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient. (153) [Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:153]

If you do these things you are going to act according to the laws of Allah. You will also accept and say that whatever happens is by the will of Allah. And success will follow.

Allah teaches us patience with all kinds of tests (fitnah). If you receive them with patience, your are on the road of success.

The word fitnah as used in the Qur'an and hadith means test or trial. It does not necessarily mean a negative thing, although, being a test, It can have either a positive or negative effect on the person, depending on the way he or she faces it.

The fitnah may concern wealth, children, women, spouses, health, life, family, job, poverty, or education, and all the blessings you are enjoying- including knowledge. Hardships and ease are a trial for you. Everything Allah chooses for you; from good or evil, is for your benefit.

وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَأَوْلَادُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ وَأَنَّ اللَّـهَ عِندَهُ أَجْرٌ‌ عَظِيمٌ ﴿٢٨

And know that your properties and your children are but a trial and that Allah has with Him a great reward. (28) [Qur'an, Al-Anfal 8:28]

إِنَّمَا أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَأَوْلَادُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ ۚ وَاللَّـهُ عِندَهُ أَجْرٌ‌ عَظِيمٌ ﴿١٥

Your wealth and your children are but a trial, and Allah has with Him a great reward. (15) [Qur'an, At-Taghabun 64:15]

وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَ‌اتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ‌ الصَّابِرِ‌ينَ ﴿١٥٥

And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient, (155) [Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:155]

We will find the most difficult tests to pass concern our wealth and children, so, it is no wonder there are many verses in the Qur'an reminding us of these tests. People love having things.

زُيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ حُبُّ الشَّهَوَاتِ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ وَالْبَنِينَ وَالْقَنَاطِيرِ‌ الْمُقَنطَرَ‌ةِ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ وَالْفِضَّةِ وَالْخَيْلِ الْمُسَوَّمَةِ وَالْأَنْعَامِ وَالْحَرْ‌ثِ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۖ وَاللَّـهُ عِندَهُ حُسْنُ الْمَآبِ ﴿١٤

Beautified for people is the love of that which they desire - of women and sons, heaped-up sums of gold and silver, fine branded horses, and cattle and tilled land. That is the enjoyment of worldly life, but Allah has with Him the best return. (14) [Qur'an, AleImran 3:14]

وَتُحِبُّونَ الْمَالَ حُبًّا جَمًّا ﴿٢٠

And you love wealth with immense love. (20) [Qur'an, Al-Fajr 89:20]

Don't be blinded by something you hate or something you love. Allah says:

كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِتَالُ وَهُوَ كُرْ‌هٌ لَّكُمْ ۖ وَعَسَىٰ أَن تَكْرَ‌هُوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ‌ لَّكُمْ ۖ وَعَسَىٰ أَن تُحِبُّوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ‌ لَّكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
٢١٦

...It may be that you hate something when it is good for you and it may be that you love something when it is bad for you. Allah (swt) knows and you know not. [Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:216]

Recognize that each one of us is a fitnah for the other:

وَمَا أَرْ‌سَلْنَا قَبْلَكَ مِنَ الْمُرْ‌سَلِينَ إِلَّا إِنَّهُمْ لَيَأْكُلُونَ الطَّعَامَ وَيَمْشُونَ فِي الْأَسْوَاقِ ۗ وَجَعَلْنَا بَعْضَكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ فِتْنَةً أَتَصْبِرُ‌ونَ ۗ وَكَانَ رَ‌بُّكَ بَصِيرً‌ا ﴿٢٠

And We did not send before you, [O Muhammad], any of the messengers except that they ate food and walked in the markets. And We have made some of you [people] as trial for others - will you have patience? And ever is your Lord, Seeing. (20) [Qur'anm Al-Furqan 25:20]

Have complete faith that whatever occurred to you could not have missed you and what missed you could never have reached you.

The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:

If you ask, then ask of Allah, and if you seek help, then seek it from Allah. And know that if the whole of the nation were to rally together in order to bring benefit to you in anything, they would not benefit you except with that which Allah has written for you. And if they were to gather together in order to inflict harm upon you with something, they would not harm you except with that which Allah has written upon you. The pens have been raised and the pages have dried.

He (Allah bless him and grant him peace) also said:

And know that what has befallen you was not going to miss you, and that which missed you was not meant to befall you.

Panic and impatience cannot prevent Allah’s Decree. Shakwah (complaining) is contradictory to Sabr (patience). 
Allah alone can protect you from harm and ease your difficulties. And you must seek help from Allah with patience and prayer. No doubt, patience will bring you closer to Allah. Isn't this what a you want?

وَاللَّـهُ يُحِبُّ الصَّابِرِ‌ينَ ﴿١٤٦ ....

Allah surely loves those who are the Sabireen (patient).” [Qur'an, AleImran 3:146]


For those who exercise patience, Allah will help and show a way out of every difficulty.

And for those who fear Allah, He (ever) prepares a way out,

وَيَرْ‌زُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّـهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ بَالِغُ أَمْرِ‌هِ ۚ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللَّـهُ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدْرً‌ا ﴿٣

And He provides for him from (sources) he never could imagine. And if any one puts his trust in Allah, sufficient is (Allah) for him. For Allah will surely accomplish his purpose: verily, for all things has Allah appointed a due proportion. [Qur'an, At-Talaq 65:2-3]

Great rewards are only for those who are patient with the Decree of Allah.

With Every Trial, there is a solution.

Whatever trials we are facing, we should know that we have already been told about this by Allah in the Qur'an. But we are not left alone with all the trials and difficulties. Allah gives us the way out.

فَاصْبِرْ‌ إِنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّـهِ حَقٌّ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ‌ لِذَنبِكَ وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَ‌بِّكَ بِالْعَشِيِّ وَالْإِبْكَارِ‌ ﴿٥٥

So be patient, [O Muhammad]. Indeed, the promise of Allah is truth. And ask forgiveness for your sin and exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord in the evening and the morning. (55)[Qur'an, Ghafir 40:55]

وَمَا يُلَقَّاهَا إِلَّا الَّذِينَ صَبَرُ‌وا وَمَا يُلَقَّاهَا إِلَّا ذُو حَظٍّ عَظِيمٍ ﴿٣٥

But none is granted it except those who are patient, and none is granted it except one having a great portion [of good]. (35) [Qur'an, Fussilat 41:35]

When things get tough, try to remember what Allah says,

فَإِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ‌ يُسْرً‌ا ﴿٥﴾ إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ‌ يُسْرً‌ا ﴿٦

For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease. (5) Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease. (6) [Qur'an, Al-Sharh 94:5-6]

There's light at the end of the tunnel.

The Promise

And for Allah to say this once is enough. But Allah says it twice, one after the other. This is how much Allah is kind towards us. He says ‘O my slaves be patient. Be patient, because with any trial that you are facing there is ease. He tells us that for sure we all will be tested. We all will go through trials and tribulations but nevertheless we will be relieved.

Our burden, our trouble, our difficulty will be removed. How? Through prayers, through patience, through complete faith in Allah.

وَاصْبِرْ‌ فَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ‌ الْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿١١٥

And be patient, for indeed, Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good. (115) [Qur'an, Hud 11:115]

May Allah make us of those who are patient and grant us success in this life and the next. Ameen.

And Allah knows best and He alone grant success.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam

Wassalaam