Alhamidullah, this semester I’ve been enrolled in the Zaytuna distance education class titled “Living the Quran” with Imam Zaid Shakir. Even though it’s not a live class, each session has so many beautiful gems of wisdom, that it is always a delight to listen and reflect upon Imam Zaid’s words. Often though, because I’m still thinking of a point from ages back it takes me a while to progress to the next lesson. I thought it would be helpful to share some things that I’ve found particularly useful from the course in the hopes that consolidating my notes will improve my own learning. Recently I’ve been reviewing the lesson about patience (a characteristic that I am always in need of improving) so insha’Allah that is the class I will write about first. It’s a long class so I didn’t take notes on everything, but here are some of the things Imam Zaid mentioned. (Part 2 coming soon insha’Allah)
Here I go insha’Allah..
The second lesson of the course was about patience, one of the most important Quranic themes. Imam Zaid noted that patience is a tremendous virtue, and then pointed our attention to the famous verse from Surah Asr,
“By the testimony of time, surely humanity is lost except those who believe and do righteous deeds and counsel each other with truth and counsel each other with patience.”
Imam Zaid said that if we want to live the Quran then this is the basis of living it: to have faith, and to have faith that is strengthened by the Quran. Reading the Quran increases our faith and our ability to implement its teachings. When faith grows, one is inspired to do something. This can be seen very clearly in the Prophet’s (sallahu alayhi wasalaam behaviour in Ramadhan, a time where he was more generous than he was normally at other times. And normally he was already extremely generous. And the Prophet was the most generous when he would review the Quran with the angel Jibril. At that time, the Prophet was more generous then the free blowing wind. Imam Zaid explained that this was because when the Prophet reviewed the Quran with the angel Jibril, he would come to verses about spending and his faith would be strengthened, and this strengthened faith would lead to greater and deeper implementation of faith by the Prophet (sallahu alayhi wasalaam)
Another thing that Imam Zaid reminded us of was that one of the names of Allah is as-Sabur (the exceedingly Patient). This is because God does not hasten to punish, but rather holds back and is Patient, and this is a manifestation of His Mercy. This respite gives us time to repent, reform our actions, and straighten our ways and fly straight. It also means that Allah is not moved by haste to do anything other than at its proper time (which is when it is decreed). So Allah is not moved by haste, and one of the manifestations of wisdom therefore, is to approximate this trait as much as humanly possible and be a person who is deliberate.
In addition, wisdom (hikma) can be defined as doing that which is appropriate in the way that is most appropriate and at the time that is most appropriate. This is the essence of wisdom.
The challenge for us then is to insha’Allah manifest this characteristic in our own lives. Deliberateness is from the Merciful, so we should think before we act, and hold back. We don’t have to always be so quick to say and do things. We should think about our actions, and seek to be deliberate and reflective.
Again: Allah does not hasten the term He has set for anything He has created nor does He create anything outside of the time other than the time He has decreed.
How is Patience defined?
According to Ragib Asfahani: patience is restraining the soul from the things reason and the divine law demand restraint from.
note: Our rational assessment and the divine law do not necessarily conflict.
According to Jafar (a Mutazilite scholar), sabr exists in the face of difficulty and is comprised of maintaining dignity and courage in the face of difficulty.
So dignity is about maintaining composure and self restraint, and a patient person is one that responds to life’s events with the words masha’Allah, alhamidullah and subhana’Allah, and realises that Allah doesn’t take anything except He gives something else back.
Furthermore, patient people are courageous in the face of difficulty, and don’t run away, but keep going, persevere, don’t jump ship and do the right thing.
Imam Munawi, an Egyptian scholar said that sabr is the strength to confront terrible situations even though they involve physical and/or emotional pain.
Imam Zaid then mentioned a dua that would be helpful to memorise insha’Allah:
Allahumma inni asaluka kalban shakiran wa lisanan dhakiran wa badanan ala balagi sabira
(translation: All I ask is a heart that is thankful, and a tongue that is constantly remembering You and a body that is patient in the face of trials and tribulations).
note: transliteration is from me (truthfulseeker) so may be off..
Also, patience is composure in the face of fear and anger, as well as restraining the tongue from complaining and the limbs from fidgeting (which is a manifestation of impatience.) It is also leaving off complaining in the face of tribulation (though not blameworthy to complain to God)
My favourite part of the lecture: Don’t complain to people and let people know your problems- why burden them? Once you tell them others what is going on with you, then they are now grieved and worried. If a dog bit you for example, pull up your socks and don’t complain..
Spare people and take your complaints to Allah.
best example of patience is Sayyid Ayub who complained to Allah only after ten years, and that was only because others told him too.
End of Part 1. All mistakes in notetaking are my own.
