In His Name, the Most High
This is the sixth part in a detailed discussion on patience. The discussion is built on the seminal work (based on a series of lectures) by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khamenei. The book is published as ‘Discourses on Patience’.
Video of the Majlis (Sermon/Lecture)
This write up is a companion to the video majlis (sermon/lecture) found below:
Contents
Majlis - Patience - Part 6
Nasheed - Tawaf
Dua - Dua al-Ahad
Recap
This part continues from the previous two parts - part 4 and part 5 - discussing the various fields of patience. Part 4, discussed the concept of patience in obedience, and Part 5 discussed the role of patience against sin.
This part, will discuss the role of patience against unpleasant events (such as tragedies, calamities, catastrophes and the like).
Patience Against Unpleasant Events
The human condition is always accompanied by unpleasant events and calamities. There is no escape from such eventualities.
Humanity has been created such that, it has to deal with such situations, that is to say, that the human always experiences and has to deal with difficult, unpleasant and such events through the course of their lives on this temporal domain.
The following quote from the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali, peace and blessings be upon him, encapsulates this truth:
“The world is like a house, which has been encircled with temptations and calamities”
- Ghurur al-Hikam, Saying #1034 / (English Version, Section ‘The World’, Saying 67)
Sickness, physical handicaps, financial losses, death of loved ones and deprivations are just some of the inevitable happenings from which there is no escape.
Even the most prosperous, the most wealthy class of people are not immune from such occurrences.
When such calamities befall, naturally there are two types of reactions shown by the people:
Some people, on account of the calamity give up their resistance completely, and therefore become spiritually, religiously handicapped.
The other group of people, bear with patience, considering said calamity as a natural part of life on this world; therefore, they come out of such a calamity intact and with dignity.
According to the famous Persian poet, Roudaki - his full name was Ja’far ibn Muhammad known as Roudaki, and he is regarded as the ‘father of Persian poetry’. He flourished in the Samanid Court at Bukhara in the 9th and 10th Centuries CE - the merit, greatness and leadership of a man is tested during his encounter with calamity. Grief, crying and lamentation which are ways of the weak, timid-hearted and impatient individuals, in itself is a ‘strong natural passion’.
Such a passion imposes a violent emotional force upon the human structure, whereby all the body parts are employed to perform a particular function. The eyes, shed tears, the tongue complains, the throat groans, and hands and feed are all involved in performing special and specific actions and movements.
Patience against calamities, means to not surrender to these violent emotional outbursts. A patient human being, while facing such tragedies does not give up his morale and maintains his composure and control.
These tragedies do not make him depressed and discouraged, and do not stop him from making efforts and endeavours for accomplishing the main goals in the real life. Therefore, this type of patience - that is patiences against calamities - is also important, and has been termed as fair and charming in the narration quoted in the previous part (part 5):
“There are two types of patience, one of them is patience during tragedies and catastrophes, which is very good and charming, but there is another type of patience, which is far better, and more charming than the other, and this is patience against acts forbidden by God”
- al-Kafi, Volume 2, Book of Faith and Disbelief (Kitab al-Iman wa al-Kufr), Chapter on Patience (Bab al-Sabr), Hadith 15
Calamities During the Journey
Now, let us consider the case of a wayfarer, who starts his journey in a certain direction so that he can reach his final desired destination.
If, upon encountering each unpleasant accident, and after receiving a small injury, he gives up his morale and looses his composure, then it is clear that such a person will never complete the journey and will never reach his final destination.
The resistance offered against these ailments of depression, despondency and the like, while facing such tragedies is a key factor, which, not only secures and ensures a high state of morale, but furthermore, this endurance, this fortitude, is itself an exercise, which is invaluable in the building up of determination and an iron will (strong will) amongst human beings, which are prerequisites for the continuation of the difficult journey.
Therefore, patience against natural tragedies, and indeed man-made tragedies, which befall human beings, without any option or choice, have the two key advantages:
Firstly, they secure and help maintain a high morale, which is responsible for all constructive involvement, and further acts as an obstacle to prevent it from getting lost or being destroyed completely, in the face of additional tragedies, calamities and the like.
Secondly, it builds up the human determination, or will power, which is an important means for all positive actions, and further it provides the required endurance to face additional tragedies.
The special encouragement and passion shown by the teachers of Islamic thought about this type of patience clearly demonstrates its constructive and miraculous role.
In the following two narrations - or ahadeeth/traditions of the Prophet Muhammad and his pure family, may the peace and blessings of God be upon them all - we will examine the deeper philosophical depth of this branch of patience, and see it clearly demonstrated.
The First Narration
“Whoever has not equipped himself with the weapon of patience, during hardships and calamities of the time, will be subjected to a state of weakness and helplessness”
- al-Kafi, Volume 2, p 93 (Hadeeth 24)
The Second Narration
“For a believer, if a position and rank, has been taken into consideration by God, which could never be accomplished by deeds alone, he is inflicted with physical sickness, or loss of wealth, or tragedies to his loved ones, and in case he remains patient, he is awarded by God the assigned position and rank”
- Safinat al-Bihar, Volume 2, Page 5 / Variants of this can also be found in al-Kafi
In the above narration, the constructive and exalted role of patience has been clearly explained.
Othman ibn Maz’oon, who was an experienced Muslim and from the believers who participated in both the migrations to Ethiopia as well as to Madinah, during the early period of Islam, he lost his young son in Madinah.
This tragedy was so devastating, that he chose to spend all his remaining life inside his house, in constant prayer, and stopped all social involvement abruptly.
His state of depression, after the death of his young son was extremely intense, such that he wished to never face the pleasures of life again.
The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, upon hearing of his situation, paid him a visit, and advised him to reconsider his decision. The Prophet told him, that Islam does not allow for a monastic life (i.e. the renunciation of the world), sitting in an isolated corner, engrossed in prayers, oblivious of the world.
Rather, the renunciation of the world by the Islamic Ummah, the Islamic community, actually means participation in Jihad for the sake of God. Be that the greater jihad or the lesser jihad.
Therefore, patience against tragedies, where in there is no choice, means being able to tolerate the injury caused by the given calamity, without losing your morale, and to be able to continue the progress of life, and rising above the calamity.
Patience Against Optional Tragedies
This branch of patience surpasses in excellence all other situations, because in this case, a conscientious and aware human being, arises to accomplish a certain goal, and offers resistance against all hardships and unpleasantness, which are inflicted upon him during this course.
In spite of facing all these severe calamities, he does not get demoralised, depressed, and continues his movement towards the cherished and desired goal.
If we perform an in-depth analysis, for research purposes, of the state of affairs in human societies in history, looking for lofty human ideals, and especially the goals aspired to by the divine Prophets. Goals which were always ranked against and in a state of conflict with the classes of tyrants, profiteers and other such oppressors, and as a result of this, said goals were opposed by such tyrants and oppressors.
It then becomes crystal clear, that there had - and has - always been a state of war and confrontation between the proponents of these higher goals and the powerful classes of tyrants and oppressors.
There are a plethora of Quranic verses which throw great historical light at this confrontation between the Prophets of God, and the forces of falsehood (Taghout in Quranic terminology).
Since this confrontation, between Truth and falsehood is inevitable, therefore it is necessary for the followers of the path of Truth, the proclaimers of justice and righteousness, the promoters and seekers of Truth to follow the path of the divine Prophets, to know and predict in advance that the path of Truth is accompanied by all manner of hardships and calamities.
The Holy Quran, in order to make ready the believers for confronting such problems, announces in advance, clearly and without ambiguity, the potential dangers on the path of Truth, and brings historical realities into clear focus:
لَتُبْلَوُنَّ فِي أَمْوَالِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ وَلَتَسْمَعُنَّ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَمِنَ الَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا أَذًى كَثِيرًا ۚ وَإِن تَصْبِرُوا وَتَتَّقُوا فَإِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ
You will be tested through your possessions and your persons; and you will hear from those who received the Scripture before you, and from the idol worshipers, much abuse. But if you persevere and lead a righteous life—that indeed is a mark of great determination.
- Quran, Surah Aal-i-Imraan (the Chapter of the Family of Imraan) #3, Verse 186
In reality, those who want to live as a true believer, as a true servant of God, who want to be responsible regarding their divine obligations and duties that have been assigned to them, must realise that they will be opposed, they will be subjected to all manner of hardships and harsh conditions by their opponents, and indeed they will soon witness the Truth of this Quranic prediction with their own eyes and in their own era.
Of course, the one who enjoys an important position or rank, and whose faith and actions are more determined in the path of God will be more effective, therefore, they will be proportionately subjected to more severe hardships and tragedies by the opponents, the tolerance of which is undoubtedly difficult.
There is a well known narration (hadeeth/tradition), quoted from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq, the sixth Imam of the Muslims, as follows:
“Among all the people, the prophets were inflicted with the harshest calamities, and after them, those who were closer to the prophets were subjected to similar kinds of hardships and calamities”
- Safinat al-Bihar and also found in Al-Kafi, Volume 2, Book 3, Chapter 1, Hadith 1
Of course, these calamities are not those unforeseen and somewhat natural tragedies as described in the previous section, regarding which the human being has no choice or control. Rather, in this case, everyone has the option to choose or refuse.
In case a person desires and prefers the comforts of this life, wishes to have ‘an easy life’ , and thereby remain immune from such types of calamities; then a person can choose to do so.
What makes these events inevitable, is when a person moves and consciously moves towards that cherished goal.
Every easy going person, who prefers the comfortable environment of his home, and never takes the trouble to venture outside the four walls of his house, would never face inconveniences and problems encountered in a journey. However, at the same time, he will never benefit from the experiences which are only possible by going out, by embarking on such an auspicious adventure.
Such a person, would remain safe throughout their life from events such as, slipping from the peak of a mountain, facing a wild beast in the jungle, being attacked and robbed by bandits, all of which are likely events when one embarks on an adventurous journey.
Like every naive and irresponsible human being who has not recognised the aims of life, and has not taken any steps towards that sublime goal, who prefers an uneventful life without headaches, would be better advised to follow the decree of the great Iranian poet, Sa’di as follows:
“Although inside the sea there are plenty of material gains. But if you prefer safety, you better stay on the shore!”
- Golestan of Sa’di of Shiraz, Chapter 8
Indeed, the same logic has been spoken of by the French poet Gautier who once during wartime said the following:
“I prefer lying down to sitting, I prefer sitting to standing, and I prefer remaining home to going out. I will know nothing of the war they say has engulfed the whole world, unless a bullet shatters the window of my house”
- Théophile Gautier
According to this logic, one could easily elect to take the option of remaining immune from all the troubles, headaches, and injuries, etc., all of which are pre-requisites for joining the path of the Prophets.
Therefore, the calamities on the path of the prophets are certainly optional tragedies, in the sense that they are inflicted upon those who are taking their commands from the following saying of Imam Ali, the Commander of the Faithful, may the peace and blessings of God be upon him:
“By taking giant steps on the divine path, they throw themselves into the whirlpool of tragedies”
- Nahjul Balagha, Sermon 3, On Patience in the absence of supporters / Variants of the same quote can also be found elsewhere in Nahjul Balagha as well as in Ghurur al-Hikam.
Therefore, they succeeded in announcing the positive and definite reply to the divine invitation to support the Truth. Hence, patience against optional tragedies is the most important type of patience, relative to the other categories.
This branch of patience, reflects the highest degree of human exaltedness in facing optional tragedies.
This type of patience means accepting tragedies in spite of the fact that all the instincts of a person are forcing him to turn his back to the path, to stop offering resistance, yet he continues offering that sacred resistance, and never regrets, or feels sorry or ashamed to be inflicted with severe blows on the path of Righteousness, on the path of Truth.
Khabbab ibn al-Arth, is ranked amongst the top Muslims, one who accepted the invitation of the Prophet Muhammad to Islam, and offered many sacrifices. Because of his movement to (conversion to) Islam, he lost a significant portion of his properties and possessions.
One day, he complained to the Prophet about his severe financial loss. He himself narrates as follows:
“The Prophet had spread his robe on the ground, and was reclining with his back against the Holy Ka’bah. When he listened to my complaint, he changed his relaxed sitting posture, and his composure changed. He then said:
‘Your predecessors (the Prophet here is referring to believers in the missions of earlier prophets, who in those distant times were subjected to all sorts of inhuman atrocities by the idolators. The main theme of the messages of all the divine prophets was Monotheism (Tawheed), a belief in The One and Only God, and Islam means submission to the will of God), sometimes were slaughtered by the iron saw, cutting their skin, veins and flesh all the way down to the bone.
But they remained committed to their faith, and never complained, even when in some cases, their bodies were cut off into two equal pieces.
God will carry this movement (Islam) till its perfection. The distance a rider travels between Sana’ (the Capital of Yemen) and Hadhramaut (a region in the southern part of Yemen), roads and highways will be so safe, under the Islamic government and system that nobody will be afraid of anything but God, and the flock of sheep will not be scared of anyone, but the wolf.”
- Al-Kafi and other sources
Therefore, the Prophet, by delivering these fiery speeches, instilled in his followers, the spirit of resistance and of an iron will. He encouraged them to be patient, while facing calamities that were inflicted upon them on account of their belief in Allah, and movement towards the Truth.
It is quite possible, that someone, by practising patience in discharging their Islamic obligations - Patience in Obedience, or by offering resistance against instinctual passions - Patience Against Sin, may be genuinely included in the list of believers and may start walking on the path that leads to God, to Truth.
But, once confronted with accidents, tragedies, and/or calamities; all of which are an essential and indeed inevitable part of this journey, he may not be able to withstand, and in the middle of the path, might face a complete morale break down, indeed even a moral break down. Might face, weakness and doubts in faith, hopelessness and other such reasons; all on account of impatience.
He may decide to return without completing the journey, disregard the discharging of any duties he may have been assigned.
Therefore, the completion of this journey, without being deviated, without breaking it mid-journey, certainly and without any doubt, is only made possible by practising this type of patience. That is patience against optional tragedies.
As is always the case, when looking at this subject, we can always yield back to the epic of Ashura to garner lessons that will drive us ever forwards, towards the Truth, and that will protect us, inoculate us, from falling prey to the machinations of Satan and his minions, all of whom work tirelessly to prevent the believer from reaching that ultimate destination.
But in this case, we can also look at events in more recent history, that are so intertwined with the epic of Ashura and this subject that it is important we at the very least mention them, that we may benefit and learn from them.
If we examine, the situation of Imam Husayn, prior to his epic martyrdom on Ashura; following the death of Muawiyyah, we can see that Muawiyyah had instructed his son, Yazid, to ensure he obtained the oath of allegiance from three key people.
Abdullah ibn Zubayr, the eldest son of Zubayr ibn Awam
Abdullah ibn Umar, the eldest son of the second Caliph, Umar ibn al-Khattab, and
Husayn ibn Ali, the third Imam of the Muslims, and grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.
Muawiyyah had also said, that if the two Abdullah’s do not give the allegiance but agree not to rebel, then leave them be, do not pursue them; but for Husayn, if he refuses to give the oath of allegiance; then he must be forced, and if that means killing him, then so be it.
These were Muawiyyah’s instructions to Yazid, who sent them to his governor in Madinah, Walid ibn Uqba.
Now the reason for mentioning this, is that, if Imam Husayn wanted ‘an easy life’, where he could perhaps ‘preach’ (a variant) of Islam (disconnected from that taught by Prophet), but that would ensure he is ‘safe’ and unharmed, then this is an option that was available - technically available - to Imam Husayn.
Perhaps he could have said to himself:
“Well if I give the allegiance to Yazid, maybe I can work to reform him from the inside.”
But Imam Husayn said something far more profound:
He said:
“Someone like me, cannot give the oath of allegiance, to someone like him”
- Maqtal al-Husayn by Abu Mikhnaf, Kitab al-Irshaad of Shaykh Mufid and many other sources.
This is a very profound statement. Imam Husayn could have said:
“I, Husayn ibn Ali, cannot give the oath of allegiance, to Yazid ibn Muawiyyah”
That would have been factually correct, since it was clear that Imam Husayn, was refusing to give the oath of allegiance to Yazid. But why say it as he did?
Why say:
“Someone like me, cannot give the oath of allegiance, to someone like him”
- Maqtal al-Husayn by Abu Mikhnaf, Kitab al-Irshaad of Shaykh Mufid and many other sources.
Because this was not just a statement that was to be locked in time; rather it was a statement that was built on the positions taken by all the Prophets through history; as well as all the Aimmah (Imams), and that is the position taken by the Truthful, the Honourable, the Righteous, the people standing for Truth, against the agents of Satan, against the Satanic forces, against the forces ranked against Truth, against the forces of falsehood.
In saying what Imam Husayn said, he clarified; that “someone like me” - a person on the path of Truth, who relies on God, who moves towards God, cannot give any sort of allegiance to someone who is diametrically opposed to the path that I am on.
A Truthful person, cannot give any sort of allegiance, or even recognition, to a person who relishes in and resides within falsehood.
This should be reflected upon, and this is an important lesson from the epic of Ashura.
Indeed, this is how the believer operates in contemporary times, or how the believer should operate rather, when it comes to the modern day Yazid’s and Muawiyyah’s. When dealing with the forces that seek to suppress humanity, that seek to corrupt humanity, that seek to cloud the Truth, that seek to operate not just in an anti religious manner, but in an anti-God manner.
Such forces that work to break the core unit of the family, that promote perversions, that promote psychological ailments that have catastrophic results upon humanity.
Forces that claim that ‘there are too many people on the earth’, forces that claim that one group of people has the right to oppress another group of people.
Forces that are at their core Pharaonic and Satanic.
In more contemporary times; we can see, and this is now documented and a matter of the public record.
In the Epic of the al-Aqsa Flood, that to this day rages on, and will continue until the liberation of Palestine from the forces of Zionism, we also know, that both the Helpers of God (Ansarallah) as well as the Party of God (Hizbullah) were offered huge ‘concessions’ if they were to stop their support front operations against the Zionist child killing regime and in support of the heroic resistance in Palestine.
But they refused to accept, and with their refusal I am reminded of the refusal given by Prophet Muhammad, when he was approached by the leaders of the polytheists in Makkah at the start of his mission to raise the banner of Monotheism.
The leaders of Makkah went to the Prophet, and tried to entice him with worldly things - the same way that attempts were made to entice both Ansarallah in Yemen and Hizbullah in Lebanon with ‘international recognition’, ‘removal of sanctions’ and such things - they said they would make Prophet Muhammad the richest man in Makkah, they would give him the keys to the city, even declare him the king, all he had to do was renounce his mission, that was so dangerous to the polytheists, all he had to do was renounce his move towards Allah, towards the Truth and towards raising the flag of Monotheism.
The reply Prophet Muhammad gave was profound, inspired, and resonates in the heart of all those who truly stand for Truth, and when the Satanic forces - in whatever form they take - come to break his resolve:
The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him and his pure family, said:
“If you place the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left, I will not renounce my mission, which is from God”
- al-Sira an-Nabawiyyah, Ibn Hisham / Tafsir al-Qummi of Shaykh al-Aqdam (Ali ibn Ibrahim al-Qummi), Kitab al-Irshaad of Shaykh Mufid and other sources
This shows the position of the Prophet Muhammad, that regardless of the monumental challenges he faced, the level of coercion against him, and the pressure on him to end his mission; he refused, saying clearly; that even if you give me the sun and the moon, I will not renounce this mission, this task, that has been given to me by God.
In Kerbala we see a similar approach taken by Imam Husayn, and indeed the approach of all the Imams, all the Prophets has been the same; to accept the difficulties that will be put upon them, but to understand that these are but tests, and standing firm to them is the path to true salvation.
In recent times, we see what the Zionist child killers have done to both Gaza, Yemen and Lebanon, the level of wanton destruction and death meted out by these Pharaonic and Satanic forces, of both the US Empire, the collective West and its vassal the Zionist terror regime.
Yet the honourable leaders and people stand tall, stand firm, and are unwavering, unbroken, unbending, screaming at the top of their voices to a world that has gone deaf, dumb and blind - ‘We will never accept humiliation’.
And indeed, such was the great martyr, Abu Ibrahim, Yahya Sinwar, may God bless his eternal soul. Who, without having eaten or drunk (evidenced by Zionist autopsy results) for at least 3 days, still stood firm.
A true disciple of Imam Husayn, who understood Kerbala in a way that very few do. Who joined as one of the purest souls on that Caravan of Love, led by the Master of the Martyrs.
His last act of defiance was to stand tall against the Zionists, with nothing more than a stick in his broken hand.
Just like our master, Aba Abdillah al-Husayn, the Master of the Martyrs, who never bent the knee, and till the end, and even after his martyrdom, from atop the spear, is known to have been reciting from the Quran.
Amongst the verses the blessed head of Imam Husayn is reported to have recited is:
الَّذِينَ قَالَ لَهُمُ النَّاسُ إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ جَمَعُوا لَكُمْ فَاخْشَوْهُمْ فَزَادَهُمْ إِيمَانًا وَقَالُوا حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ
Those to whom the people have said, “The people have mobilised against you, so fear them.” But this only increased them in faith, and they said, “God is enough for us; He is the Excellent Protector.”
- Quran, Surah Aal-i-Imraan (the Chapter of the Family of Imraan) #3, Verse 173
This is what we have to all strive to attain; the true patience that will help to keep our resolve firm, and to keep our hearts strong in the face of speaking the Truth to the tyrants - be the tyrant internal, or external.
And from Him alone is all ability and He has authority over all things.
To, all the children, and families, lives cut short by the demonic forces of Zionism and Empire, the blood and tears of the oppressed, of the innocent, truly innocent, will burn the palaces, houses and temples of the child killers, and those who support them, and those who turn a blind eye to their crimes.
The world should understand, that God is on the watchtower; and there will be a reckoning. Falsehood will always perish, and Truth will always be victorious.
Woe to the liars, who with their lies, enable mass murder, on the day when the souls are sorted. For such criminals and their enablers, an eternity - yes eternity - of torment remains; where as the beautiful martyrs, the innocent children, the innocent men and women, fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers, are reclining on couches of silk, in a beautiful place, where in are gardens with pure rivers, their reward for their steadfastness, and therein shall they remain, eternally, never to be tired, nor upset, and the word they hear always is, ‘salaam’ (peace).