Principle 87 — Patience and Avoidance

Patience is one of the teachings of Islam. The Quran repeatedly emphasizes patience, and it further says, “And for the sake of your Lord, be patient.” (74:7) It also says, “Endure with patience; truly, your patience is possible only with the help of God.” (16:127) When a man is patient his patience is concerning other human beings, but in reality, it is synonymous with conforming to God’s creation plan.

God has created the system of the world in such a way that everyone has been granted freedom. Everyone has an open environment of competition. Consequently, complaints are made against each other; one person experiences loss from the other. To endure an unpleasant experience in such a situation is to be content with God’s creation plan. Because of the importance of patience, God has described it thus: “And for the sake of your Lord, be patient.” (74:7) The Quran declares that the patient one will be rewarded beyond measure. (39:10)