Beautiful Patience
فَاصْبِرْ صَبْرًا جَمِيْلًا
“So endure (this denial, O Prophet) with beautiful patience.” (70:5)
- Beautiful patience appears outwardly as calm composure and firmness of heart, and inwardly as contentment and surrender to Allah. Imām al-Qurṭubī (raḥimahullāh) writes: “Beautiful patience is that which contains no panic, and no complaint to other than Allah.”
- The best armour a believer can carry is the armour of ṣabr, for the burdens of life are heavy. Beautiful patience keeps the believer steadfast in his journey to Allah.
Reflect: How can I cultivate beautiful patience so that my heart remains steady through trials and challenges?
The Ultimate Trial
“Consider the instinct of parents for their children:
- A father once told me how, while carrying his almost four-year-old daughter down the stairs, he tripped. Instinctively, he threw himself aside to protect her, injuring himself severely, while she continued playing, unaware of what had happened.
- Another shared how, as a child sick at night, he heard his mother gasp in pain at every sigh he made, whispering prayers: “Would it be me instead of you… would it be me instead of you…” Her heart ached to take his suffering upon herself.
These examples show the extraordinary depth of parental love and sacrifice.
Now imagine a far greater, terrifying scene: the Day of Judgement. Even the most loving parents, overwhelmed by the fear of Allah’s punishment, will wish to ransom themselves with their own children:
يَوَدُّ الْمُجْرِمُ لَوْ يَفْتَدِيْ مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِئِذٍ بِبَنِيْهِ
“…The wicked will wish to ransom themselves from the punishment of that Day by (sacrificing) their children.” (70:11)
SubhanAllah! Even those hearts that once willingly suffered for their children will, in the face of the blazing Fire, wish their children could bear the punishment in their place. This is a reminder of the unimaginable terror of that Day and the seriousness of our deeds.
May Allah protect us, our children, and all believers from the Fire, and grant us hearts conscious of His guidance in this life.” – aṭ-Ṭarīq ilā al-Qur’ān
The Scorching Fire of Hell
كَلَّا ۖ إِنَّهَا لَظَىٰ نَزَّاعَةً لِّلشَّوَىٰ
“But no! There will certainly be a raging Flame, ripping off scalps.” (70:15-6)
The evildoers will enter Hell-fire, its flames raging with unbearable intensity.
It scorches and tears away the scalp: a part of the body deeply sensitive to heat. Each time the skin is burned away, it regenerates, only to be tormented again, increasing the severity of the punishment.
May Allah protect us.
Reflect: How does the reality of such a fire inspire me to live with greater mindfulness, obedience, and preparation for the Hereafter?
The Nature of the Human
.إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ خُلِقَ هَلُوْعًا. إِذَا مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ جَزُوْعًا. وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ الْخَيْرُ مَنُوْعًا
“Indeed, humankind was created impatient: very upset when touched with evil, but tight-fisted when good fortune comes his way.” (70:19-21)
The human being is naturally inclined to restlessness and impatience. When faced with adversity — poverty, illness, or fear — he panics and loses hope. When blessed with ease, wealth, or health, he hoards and withholds, displaying greed and cowardice. This combination of excessive fear and stinginess renders a person weak.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “The worst qualities in a man are excessive greed and extreme cowardice.” (Abū Dāwūd)
Ibn al-Qayyim (raḥimahullāh) explains that excessive greed (shuḥḥ) and extreme cowardice (jubn) are among the worst traits in a person. When a man’s greed is excessive and his fear overwhelming, his heart is stripped of firmness and generosity. He lacks courage, nobility, and the ability to benefit from his wealth or his own body. He becomes constrained, diminished, and weighed down by greed, fear, and desire.
A person who is ‘halūʿ’ is one who panics at hunger, complains quickly under pain, and submits excessively under oppression. He has no endurance, no generosity, and no inner strength.
Allah ﷻ informs us that mankind is created with this natural tendency. In contrast, whoever displays patience, generosity, or courage does so only by Allah’s purification, grace, and favour.
Reflect:
– How do I respond to hardships? Do I respond with patience and trust in Allah or do I respond with despair and negativity?
– How do I respond to blessings? Do I respond with gratitude and generosity or do I respond with hoarding and miserliness?
The Power of Prayer
.إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ خُلِقَ هَلُوْعًا. إِذَا مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ جَزُوْعًا. وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ الْخَيْرُ مَنُوْعًا. اِلَّا الْمُصَلِّيْن الَّذِيْنَ هُمْ عَلٰى صَلَاتِهِمْ دَآئِمُوْنَ
“Indeed, humankind was created impatient: very upset when touched with evil, but tight-fisted when good fortune comes his way — except those who pray, consistently performing their prayers.” (70:19‑23)
- Although humans, by their very nature, are prone to impatience, quick to panic when afflicted with misfortune, and stingy, the next set of verses lists the qualities of those who are NOT like that.
- The first quality is steadfastness in ṣalāh. Consistency in ṣalāh is the most effective remedy for overcoming these negative traits and purifying the soul.
Act: Always ask Allah with the duʿā’ of Ibrāhīm (ʿalayhis-salām):
رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِيْ مُقِيْمَ الصَّلَاةِ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِيْ ، رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَآءِ
My Lord, make me steadfast in salāh, and my offspring as well. Our Lord, accept my prayer. (14:40)
The Right of the Needy in Your Wealth
Allah describes the condition of the wrongdoer in the Hereafter:
وَالَّذِيْنَ فِيْٓ أَمْوَالِهِمْ حَقٌّ مَّعْلُوْمٌ . لِّلسَّآئِلِ وَالْمَحْرُوْمِ
“And those in whose wealth there is a specified right for the one who asks and the one who is deprived.” (70:24-25)
Recognising that the poor have a right in your wealth is both a reminder of Allah’s favour upon you and a recognition of the bond of human brotherhood.
Spending in the path of Allah frees your soul from the shackles of stinginess. In addition to its immense spiritual benefit, it serves as a social institution, developing solidarity and cooperation within the community.
Reflect: Do I honour the rights of the needy in my wealth, recognising both Allah’s blessing and my responsibility toward my fellow human beings?
