Patience Is Not Suffering in Silence

Patience is Not Suffering in Silence
(Part 1)
Posted by iloveAllaah.com Editor May 15, 2012 Printer-friendly
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By Yasmin Mogahed
To have patience does not mean we should be passive about whats
going on in our lives.
I want to begin by speaking about a concept that

is oftentimes misunderstood; Sabr (patience). In the context of abuse or oppression it is extremely
important to understand the meaning of the word Sabr, when it applies and when it does not apply.
Sabr is a concept that we are taught, it is one of the greatest virtues believers were told to have, and
when Allah, exalted is He, speaks about Sabr He encourages the believers to have it.
Stand Firm
In defining Sabr, like the case in many other Arabic words, we need a number, maybe ten English
words to describe it. Sabr is a good example of that; it is translated as patience, perseverance,
constancy, persistence. Its also being able to withstand hardships, being able to be patient, and also
being able to respond when needed and not respond when needed. So patience, and Sabr, does not
Sabr does not mean that you dont take any action to end the oppression.
actually mean the same thing as being passive.
When we are told by Allah (SWT) to have Sabr, to have patience, it does not mean that we are
passive about whats going on in our lives, but rather there are times when we need to stand firm. So
we need to think about Sabr in this way.
One of the meanings of Sabr is standing firm. For example, in the very last ayah of Surah Al-Imran,
where Allah (SWT) tells the believers to have Sabr:
O you who believe! Endure, outdo all others in endurance, be ready, and observe your
duty to Allah, in order that ye may succeed. [Al-Imran 3; 200]
So this ayah goes and explains many different derivations of the same concept of Sabr. Even when
Allah uses it in this context, one of the meanings for example is standing firm when the enemy is
about to approach. So here we see how Sabr fits in the context of oppression. For one, Sabr does not
mean that you dont take any action to end the oppression.
Take Action
In fact in order to take action and to be successful, in order to be firm in that action that you are
taking, you need Sabr. You need to be able to stand firm and persevere if you are going to stand up
against oppression. So in fact the concept of Sabr in the context of oppression or abuse is quite the
opposite to that we usually think of the Sabr.
A lot of times women are told, or a woman believes that if they are being mistreated or being abused
they just have to be patient. And this concept of being patient against oppression is something that is
not in Islam in fact. In fact the Prophet, peace be upon him, taught us when we see something wrong
that we should try to change it. He doesnt say that when you see something wrong be patient and
stay quiet about it, but rather
If you see something wrong, try to change it with your hand. If you cannot, speak out
against it. And if you cannot, then at the very least feel that in your heart and this is the
weakest level of Iman (faith).
In this Hadith we are taught how we should respond when we see something wrong, when we see
oppression, when we see abuse or when its happening to us. We should try to change it. It should
not be something that we just accept and that means we are being good Muslims. In fact the Prophet,
peace be upon him, has advised the opposite with regards to something wrong, with injustice or
oppression.
In another Hadith the Prophet, peace be upon him, told his companions:
Help your brother whether he is an oppressor or whether he is being oppressed.

So in this Hadith the companions, like us, basically understood this Hadith and said we can
understand how we help our brother when he is being oppressed- thats very clear; we try to save his
from that oppression. But, they asked, how do we help our brother when he is the oppressor? The
Prophet, peace be upon him, said: by stopping him from oppressing.
So you see we learn from that Hadith that you are actually helping your brother, whether they are
your husband, your wife, your father or your mother or anyone in your life who is being oppressive,
who is being abusive by stopping that person. In this way you are actually helping them, and this is
what the Prophet, peace be upon him, explains: by stopping your brother-stopping him or her, from
oppressing. This should be seen as something that one does for the sake of Allah. Not that one allows
oppression to continue, not that one allows another person to be oppressive upon them or upon their
children or upon any one, and say that this is patience (Sabr).
if someone is mistreating us or our body they are mistreating something that belongs to God;
mistreating a trust that Allah has given us
Against Oppression
If you were to see for example while crossing the street someone beating up another person, and you
walk right by and say my religion teaches me to be patient, and Im just going to allow this to happen
and do nothing about that. This is absolutely not the concept of patience or the meaning of patience
as the Prophet told us concerning seeing something wrong. You are supposed to change it using
different means. You are not supposed to justify the action; rather you are supposed to be aware that
theres something wrong with that action. Its not an acceptable action. And you at least should hide it
in your heart and that is the weakest of faith. But the stronger level of faith is the action where you
are in fact trying to stop it, trying to change it.
Thus Sabr never means being passive against oppression, being passive against abuse. Allah has also
said that He does not approve of injustice. In a Hadith Qudsi we are told that Allah is telling
the believers to not oppress one another. Allah does not approve of oppression. This is so
important because when we think that it is more holy or that Allah would be more pleased if we
approve of oppression, thats not true because Allah does not love or approve of oppression, and this
is also something we should not love or approve of, and we should not allow it to happen by any
means we can take to take action against it. So, again it does not make you sinful if you take action
against somebody doing something wrong. And for sure the abuse of a family member is something
that is despised and is very wrong.
In fact it is a sin upon that person abusing another human being and you should do everything in
your power to actually not only not to allow yourself to be oppressed but also, beyond that, actually
helping the oppressor by stopping their oppression.
One other thing to keep in mind is this every single thing Allah gives us an amanah (a trust). That
includesour bodies, our health, our eyes, our ears and everything that He gives us. So if
someone is coming and basically harming any of that trust that Allah, exalted is He, gave us it is upon
us to take care of that trust. It is upon us to take care of what Allah has blessed us with as
an amanah.
Our body belongs to Allah. It does not belong to ourselves and most definitely does not belong to
another person. So if someone is mistreating us or our body they are mistreating something that
belongs to God. They are mistreating a trust that Allah has given us. And so it is upon us to take care
of it...
( ... to be continued In-Shaa-Allah ...)
Source: OnIslam

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Don't forget to share this article after reading

I want to begin by speaking about a concept that

actually mean the same thing as being passive.

Help your brother whether he is an oppressor or whether he is being oppressed.

( ... to be continued In-Shaa-Allah ...)

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