Part I

 

1. Initial Supplication

 

I seek refuge with Allah from the Accursed Shaytan

In the Name of Allah Most Gracious Most Merciful

All Praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds

And peace be upon the greatest among the prophets and messengers

Our master and leader Muhammad…..

 

And upon his righteous and pure progeny. 

 

As-Salaam Alaykum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuho!

The Peace, Mercy of God and the Blessings of God be on you!

 

2. Starting with verses from the Holy Qur’an (the Final Testament)

 

The Qur’an mentions the following verses about Patience

 

Bismillah Hir Rahman Nir Raheem

In The Name of God, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful

 

وَاسْتَعِينُواْ بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلاَةِ

002.045 Nay, seek (Allah’s) help with patient perseverance and prayer:

 

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اصْبِرُواْ وَصَابِرُواْ وَرَابِطُواْ وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

003.200 O ye who believe! Persevere in patience and constancy; vie in such perseverance; strengthen each other; and fear Allah; that ye may prosper.

 

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اسْتَعِينُواْ بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلاَةِ إِنَّ اللّهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ

002.153 O ye who believe! seek help with patient perseverance and prayer; for Allah is with those who patiently persevere.

 

In fact there are many verses in the Quran that exhort the believers to be patient because it is an important attribute of a godly person. The word sabr (in the Arabic language) is from sabara - to be patient and to persevere, and it indicates to holding back and restraining oneself.

 

3. Some high-level benefits of being patient

   • Personal reflection: Lack of patience caused anxiety and stress when I was first began discussing my faith with others – however this is different from the injunctions we get from the Holy Qur’an, i.e.

 

If you endure patiently, this is indeed better for those who are patient (16:126)

 

• Allah promises the best reward in the Hereafter for those who are patient – here’s an opportunity to maximize your returns

 

We will certainly bestow on those who are patient their reward according to the best of what they used to do (16:96)

 

• You are not left alone when being patient, in fact Allah promises divine aid in return as he did for the early Muslims during the Battle of Badr

 

If you have patience and guard yourselves against evil and disobedience, God will send to your aid five thousand angels having distinguishing marks, if they [your enemies] suddenly attack you (3:124)

 

• A beautiful saying of the final prophet about the win-win situation God created for those who believe –

 

How remarkable a believer’s affair is, for it is always to his advantage, and such a condition is only for a believer. If something good happens to him he thanks God, which is to his advantage; if something bad happens to him he endures it, which is also to his advantage.

 

 

4. A deeper look at Patience and the levels we can attain

   • 5 characteristics of patience

• 6 degrees of patience – (and you thought there was only one!)

 

1. Showing patience for the sake of God

   • Most people think this is it! This level is for those who feel they cause themselves to be patient and steadfast for the sake of God

2. Showing patience and attributing it to God (being convinced that God enables one to show patience)

   • This level is for those who believe that when they are being patient, it is in fact God who creates patience in them

3. Enduring patiently whatever comes from God, knowing that He acts from His Wisdom

   • The people at this level will convince themselves to be patient and steadfast at all times, justifying events they may dislike as all part of God’s Plan

4. Being resigned to whatever happens in the way of God

   • The people at this level do not need to convince themselves to be patient always – they are by nature resigned and accept God’s Plan as pristine by default

5. Showing patience by not disclosing the mysteries of one’s achieved spiritual station and to preserve one’s nearness to God

   • This is one of the highest levels of patience for most people. If you are this level – you know it! You are very humble of your position.

6. Resolving to fulfill one’s mission of communicating God’s Message to people despite one’s deepest desire to die and meet with God

   • The highest level of patience that we see in the examples of the lives of the prophets and holy imams where their knowledge of God and their piety is so great that they find life in this world so much lower than what they are certain exists in the Hereafter – but yet they persevere and teach others about what they know

 

5. Significance in the greater scheme of things

   • The cry of Prophet Ayyub (Job), upon him be peace, to God:

 

Truly distress (disease, tribulation) has seized me. But You are the Most Compassionate of the Compassionate (21:83)

I only complain of my anguish and my sorrow unto God (12:86)

 

• God Almighty praised Job, upon him be peace, for being an excellent servant distinguished with patience and supplications

 

We found him patient; how excellent a servant! Truly he was ever turning (to God) with supplications (38:44).

 

• To attain true humanity, each individual must be “sieved” or “distilled” many times to discover his or her true essence

 

It is expected of God’s servant to suffer,
And of an aloe wood to burn

 

6. Surah Al-Asr

 

 

Part II

 

7. Being steadfast this Ramadan

   • Turn off the TV – Reduce entertainment time – Increase worship time

   • Lengthen your prayers when you are by yourself – pray the Non-obligatory prayers

   • Set goals for this Ramadan – check them at the end of each week

 

8. Announcements of various activities at the center

 

8. Final Supplication

 

Our Lord! Place us not among the people who have been guilty of evildoing. (7:47)

 

رَبَّنَا لاَ تَجْعَلْنَا مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ

 

Our Lord! Pour out on us patience and constancy, and make us die as those who have surrendered themselves unto You. (7:126)

 

رَبِّنَا لَمَّا جَاءتْنَا رَبَّنَا أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًا وَتَوَفَّنَا مُسْلِمِينَ

 

Our Lord! In You we have placed our trust, and to You do we turn in repentance, for unto You is the end of all journeys. (60:4)

 

رَّبَّنَا عَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْنَا وَإِلَيْكَ أَنَبْنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ

 

- Mujtaba Khambatti, Oct. 10, 2005