Day 5

Sahih International

And seek help through patience and prayer, and indeed, it is difficult except for the humbly submissive [to Allah ]

Yusuf Ali translation:

Nay, seek (God's) help with patient perseverance and prayer: It is indeed hard, except to those who bring a lowly spirit,


Sahih International

O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.

Yusuf Ali translation:

O ye who believe! seek help with patient perseverance and prayer; for God is with those who patiently persevere.


We pick up again with the same two ayahs from Surah al-Baqarah, focusing today on the meaning of the Arabic word sabr.

Sabr is translated above either as patience or as "patient perseverance." Although patience is surely the most appropriate single word to understand the meaning of sabr, I really like the way that Yusuf Ali (may God have mercy on him) chose to translate it because it helps to make sure one does not misunderstand the nature of the "patience" that is being commanded and recommended by God here in these verses. Sabr, properly understood, does not simply mean putting up with hardships and difficulties, with the trials and tribulations that are part of the nature of this world. Rather, the patience that is being recommended is to be willing to undergo the hardships necessary to carry out all the other good things which God has commanded and of which both you and other human beings are in need. So it is essentially tied to perseverance, to the ability and willingness to keep engaging in actions which carry costs, not to give up at the sign of difficulty or when the reward does not immediately appear. There is a perseverance or steadfastness in continuing to do good, and there is a steadfastness that comes from continuing to resist any desire or temptation to do evil or to act in ways that harm others or is not pleasing to God.

There is also a meaning of understanding that when the type of calamities strike over which one has no control, such as sickness or injury or the death of loved ones, one is able to keep going, knowing that all is part of God's plan, a plan which can not be completely comprehensible at all times to human beings. In such times, the attitude of the faithful person is not to try to deny the sadness and loss and pain one feels, but at the same time not to make one's grief into a show or say anything inappropriate about our Lord. As the Prophet peace be upon him said when his infant son Ibrahim passed away, "the eyes send their tears and the heart is saddened, but we do not say anything except that which pleases our Lord. Indeed, O Ibrahim, we are bereaved by your departure from us."

Once we understood the true meaning of sabr it is not difficult to see why it is so important. Indeed one cannot accomplish anything worthwhile without sabr, without the willingness to patiently persevere. No one could graduate from college or succeed in any profession without patiently persevering. No serious relationship can be successful if one is not willing to be there for other people even on those days when we don't "feel like it" or when we don't get any immediate selfish reward. So sabr is an essential characteristic of the person of faith, and especially of the successful person of faith. One can see this clearly if one thinks about the meaning of Surah al-'Asr, which is one of the most comprehensive surahs in meaning despite its extremely short length.

Questions for Reflection:

The first verse says that to truly patiently persevere requires humility, or at the least that it will be extremely difficult for an arrogant person to be patient. Why do you think that is so? What are the circumstances which you find it difficult to be patient with? What helps you in those circumstances? Some commentators on the Qur'an have suggested that sabr or patience in these verses refers to fasting. Does that make sense to you? Why? Reflect upon the meaning of Surah al-'Asr and how it relates to these reflections. Also, make sure not to pass quickly over the last few words of the second ayah above, they are incredibly powerful and should be enough incentive to seek to be among the truly patient (As-Sabireen).