May 3rd: Patience

Assalamu alaikum warahmatullah,

for those of you who couldn't make it last night, here's a quick summary of what we spoke about:

-The optimal patience is the one descirbed in the Quran in surah Yusuf as a "beautiful patience". That is patience that is not coupled with complaints, annoyance, worry, or frustration.

-There are three kinds of patience:

1- Patience with afflications: this is the patience we have with illness, death, disaster, loss of money, etc. This kind of patience has no reward, yet it will erase your sins. (So while your good deeds aren't increasing, your bad deeds are being erased)

2-Patience with abstaining from sin: This is the patience needed to stay away from the haram and not fall into it. It's the patience you have when your friends are trying to convince you to go to that party, yet you stay firm and resist.

3-Patience with obedience: This is the best of all three kinds as it is the hardest and most rewarded. This is the patience you have while staying up at late hours of the night to pray to Allah, it's the patience you have when you fast on a long, hot summer day, etc.

Why is this the best kind of patience?
Because patience with affliction is nothing we have control over. The disaster/event happens without our control and all we have to do is be patience. When it comes to falling into sin, you'll find it easier to stay away from sin than to pray for example. Alot of Muslims never pray, but they don't drink for example.
Also, it's the best kind of patience because you are rewarded for your obedience. One sin is equal to one bad deed, yet one act of obedience is equal to 10 good deeds.

And lastly we talked about the conditions of patience, these are the conditions that make your patience rewarded:
1- To be patient at the first shock. So you're patient as soon as you hear the bad news...not after you react and show your anger/frustration, that's when the patience counts.
2-You have a "beautiful patience" that is not accompanied by any complaint.

I hope to see you all next week inshaAllah. Please let me know if you have any questions on Patience! :)

wassalamu alaikum,
Dana