Islam gives great importance to patience. It holds out the promise of immense reward for those who practise patience. Thus, the Quran (39:10) says: “Truly, those who persevere patiently will be requited without measure.” Elsewhere, the Quran (76:12) says: “[…] and their reward for being patient will be a Garden and silk [clothing].”
There is one sort of reward for patience that people can earn in the Hereafter. But there is another one, which starts right in this world itself. Patience helps save you from despair. Someone who falls prey to the psyche of despair begins to live in constant uncertainty. Such a person cannot courageously plan the course of his life. Because of this, he cannot do anything great.
On the other hand, someone who cultivates and practises patience does not obsess about the trials and difficult times of the past. He lives with a strong sense of certainty. He is able to courageously plan the course of his life. And, because of this, he is able to achieve great successes.
Conviction is the greatest attribute one can have. Only someone who has firm conviction can do something great. Patience equips you to ignore factors that might threaten to weaken your conviction and to focus only on those things that can stir and strengthen your conviction. One who remains patient in the face of loss can calmly plan out his course of action for the future and thus overcome what he had lost. However, lack of patience makes a person lose his resolve and may surely lead to failure.
In this world, we are faced, at every moment, with experiences that can provoke us and push us into uncertainty. In this regard, patience saves us from moving off our course. It enables us to remain firmly established in our conviction.
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