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From the 'Lectures' of Dr Zahurul Hassan Sharib published by the Society of Mystics, Asma Publications.
Ajmer, India.
The Sustaining Power of Patience
Let me extend to you a warm welcome and request you to sit with me at the table, where are
served Joy and Suffering, where toasts are proposed, where after dinner speeches are made
and where human destiny is discussed.
I with you all joy and wish you to achieve all the good things of life, which you want to achieve,
in the, short span of life granted to us.
But, the question is, what you wish and what you want to get, or what you want to achieve.
To get is easy.
To achieve is a little difficult.
To get requires little or no labour. It may drop in your lap like a ripe fruit, at any time, when you
are sitting underneath a tree bearing ripe fruits.
But it is otherwise with achievement. To achieve means to work, to watch and wait.
How many are willing and prepared to work assiduously, watch continuously and wait hopefully?
The crux of the matter is that we are living in an age of hurry, we want quick results. It is not
surprising if hurry gives worry.
Hurry is the negation of wisdom.
In the battlefield of life there are more casualties than anywhere else. In order to take refuge an
individual takes different directions and resorts to different pursuits.
In modern times, self-aggrandisement is considered better than self control.
The age of anarchy has set in. The defiance of vice is treated as a futile effort.
Modern society has given a subordinate place to virtue. It considers that virtue has outlived its
utility. In our social framework, more emphasis is laid on material acquisitions.
The problem is the lack of character but building. Want of stability in character is responsible
for many of the ills with which our-present day society suffers.
To take virtue as a guide and to act - according to the dictates of virtue is to act according
to-the laws of wisdom.
It is to live and to act as wisdom directs.
The real worth of a man is not judged by his possessions. He may be rich. He may be a
storehouse of knowledge. He may be popular. He may be famous.
All these things do not- confer upon him dignity if he lacks character.
Commendation or admonition does not make a man better.
Wealth is not lasting.
Popularity is vanishing.
Fame is a mere pageant.
Knowledge demands right use.
A man is best judged when he is involved in some trouble or when he is seized by some
misfortune. How he acts then, in the given situation, is the measuring rod. By moaning and
groaning he adds to his misery. The solution lies in patience.
Why not try patience?
Why not give it an opportunity to prove its intrinsic worth?
Many have drawn themselves towards patience in the time of affliction and they felt satisfied
with its working. If we try it, I am sure we will be benefited by it.
Patience is a virtue born of wisdom. Patience is the child of self-control. But what is patience?
Patience may be defined as the infinite capacity endure pain, suffering, grief, loss and
destruction without murmur, grudge, complaint, without sob and sigh and without tears.
Patience is a wonder working virtue.
Its basic and essential nature remains the same under all conditions.
There are four cardinal virtues, namely, justice, wisdom, courage and self-control. Of the
theological virtues of faith, hope and love, it can be said that each one of them is like a polar
star.
Patience combines in itself the virtues of wisdom, courage, and self-control on the one hand,
and the three theological virtues on the other.
Wisdom implies discrimination and adopting a course of action in the right direction.
Courage may be active or courage may be passive. Active courage is an inducement to
perform something, and in doing so, to face and rise up to intimidation, coercion, threat, pain
and trouble. In other words, it is to patiently persevere and to move on, forward and upward.
Passive courage is to bear hardship, pain or suffering, which is unavoidable, and never to lose
serenity of mind. Physical courage is to be indifferent to pain and to be insensitive to fear.
Moral courage insists on taking a right course, being aware of the fact that pain and hardship
will have to be faced in the pursuit of the course of action one has earmarked for oneself.
Temperance is another virtue which resists all temptations to pleasure. The Greeks acted on
the dictum:
Nothing too much.
Temperance calls for self control, and self control implies patience and perseverance.
A man is rich or poor not by the wealth that he possesses or the lack of wealth, that which is
denied to him, but he is judged by the degree or intensity of the power of patience,
perseverance and endurance.
Suffering is the lot of man. Is there any person in the world who may validly claim that he has
not undergone suffering in one way or the other? Is there any man on earth who has not
suffered any loss? Is there any man who has no experience of grief? Is there any man who can
say he has achieved all his aims and objects, and realised, in full measure all his ambitions,
aspirations and desires? Is there any man who has not uttered in despair "might have been`? Is
there any man, who has not undergone sickness, illness, or some other malady? Is there any
man, who has not witnessed some calamity, like flood famine, fire or earthquake. If there be any
such man let him come forward.
There are men, who have suffered but, who have not been cowed down by suffering. They kept
their buoyant spirit even when entangled in suffering. There are men who have experienced
grief, but their grief could not move them. There are men, who have suffered loss in business,
but their loss was compensated by their spirit of resignation. There are men who have
undergone privation, poverty, penury illness, sickness, and affliction, but they exhibited a
marvelous trait of character and did not allow their serenity and tranquillity to be disturbed.
If they narrate their experience, it will be a strange story of success secured by their spirit of
patience, perseverance and persistence. One thing, I am sure, will be common among them all.
It is their unshaken faith that "it is all for the best." It is all for their own good. It is all to make
them strong, and of stable mind, and of deep emotions, and to make them firm like a rock.
Joy and sorrow are two emotions, which give strength and weakness to the body respectively.
Hope and fear are inter linked with sorrow. Fear implies sorrow. Hope can not be separated
from, fear. Love and pain depict joy and sorrow respectively.
It is patience which teaches us the invaluable lesson, to suffer and to be strong. Success,
without patience, is a distant goal, or we may say a mere dream.
Those who have no patience are to be pitied.
Hurry is the enemy of patience.
Hurry is in fact the foster child of Satan.
To demand quick results shows the immaturity of mind and the latent incapacity for sustained
labour.
How foolish the man who wants his wounds to be healed within a few hours? How unwise is the
man who sows the seed and wants to reap the crop the next morning. How imprudent is the sick
person., who wants to be cured of a fatal disease without any loss of time. How unwise are the
parents, who want their child to take his postgraduate degree the day after his admission in a
primary school.
Life need not be like a noisy stream which attracts attention by its noise, but which is in fact,
neither useful nor helpful. And, neither should life he like a stagnant pool which has no
direction, depth or motion. Then what should life be like?
Life need not be stagnant. It should be like a river, which is neither boisterous nor noisy, but
which is useful for fields and farmers.
If we read the lives of the mystics we will find that their life was an epitome and an epitaph of
continuous search for human welfare and the advancement of human happiness. In the hour of
trial and in moments of sorrow, suffering, disappointment, despondency, dejection, destruction,
persecution, harassment and embarrassment, they remained peaceful, calm and collected, and
drew renewed vigour, spiritual force, and strength from patience. They took suffering as a
passing phase. They believed and held firmly that after every hardship and suffering, relief
must come.
The fact is, that in the school of life, the book entitled "Suffering" is a prescribed text for
intensive study. When one comes to understand the philosophy behind suffering one invariably
comes to the conclusion that suffering is not a thing to be detested. Suffering is for our own
good. Suffering is in fact a salutary discipline.
A tree unless it is trimmed and pruned does not look majestic and beautiful.
A lawn unless the grass is cut, remains a rough spot.
A diamond, unless it is cut, has no lustre and brightness.
An incense stick, unless it is burnt, does not give fragrance.
Coal is black, but when put in a fire, it becomes white.
Rain comes from dark clouds.
A wise man is one who combines activity with patience and perseverance.
An intelligent man is one who is not influenced and affected by the external circumstances,
come what may.
Wisdom comes from self introspection.
Enlightenment comes from self-realisation.
We learn more by suggestion.
Suffering is also a suggestion. This suggestion is advanced to those whom God wants to mould
and equip and prepare for higher, nobler, and better ends.
To overcome misery, defeat, frustration and, destruction, we should seek the help of patience.
Patience is the armour of man.
Wisdom is the gift given to man.
Love is. the hallmark of man.
Knowledge is the sceptre of man.
Self- control is the test of man.
Perseverance is the test of man.
Persistence is the triumph of man
It is said that patience is bitter but its fruits are sweet.
It is given in the Qur'an that God is with those who undergo patience.
Patience has a reformatory influence on man. It rescues a person from envy, jealousy, pride,
temptation, anger, inner conflict and tension. It removes obstacles to a better and happier life. It
lends new dimensions to life. Its role in moulding character and its insistence on strengthening
the will need no elucidation.
It is patience, perseverance, persistence and audacity that remove hindrances from the path,
leading to success.
Patience is strength which defies all hardships.
To be a genius, one should have patience and perseverance in ample measure.
Patience promotes the purification of character. It lends beauty, gentleness, and sweetness to
life. It goes to a sick man to give a word of comfort and cheer. It goes to a bereaved family to
console.
It secures rare sweet beauty.
Patience teaches humility. Its one lesson is that, suffering is meant for purification. It is, like
pruning a tree, in order to make it beautiful.
Patience lends beauty, grace, and sublimity to life. Inner strength and nobleness receive
sustenance from patience.
To understand the 'cause' or purpose of suffering, in whatever shape it may come or however it
may visit, requires insight. By patience and perseverance, the sufferer comes to realise that,
the experience of suffering gives variety to life and is meant to strengthen his character.
The tests, trials, and tribulations call for patience. Patience is strengthened by experience. And
experience depends upon hope for its survival.
Suffering, without patience remains suffering. But once the ointment of patience is applied then
suffering, instead of decaying, destroying and defacing the beauty and serenity of life, moulds
and shapes the life, as a potter moulds clay to make pots.
Not to be patient is not to rise up to the situation in which a person. finds himself placed.
Impatience, generated by certain factors, under certain conditions, gives sustenance to tension
and inner conflict.
Impatience is weakness of character. It is the negation of all that is true beautiful and
noble.Impatience is the result of the loss of faith. When interior realities like faith are lost then
everything is lost. Life becomes like a floating vessel, which is at the mercy of waves.
Impatience is the mistress of restless agitation. Impatience leads to the fragmentation of life.
Haste and hurry nourish and sustain impatience.
Sometimes it so happens that spiritual depression leads to the loss of patience in a given
situation. Spiritual depression may be due to a melancholy or a gloomy temperament, which
has allowed pessimism to enter life. It may be due, also, to persistent affliction or trial or
tribulation, resulting in the loss of the power of endurance.
Sometimes sickness makes a person impatient. Prolonged treatment means prolonged
despondency.
In some cases, it so happens, that repeated troubles and continuous tests deprive life of
sweetness, harmony and hope. Life looks tiresome because the heart has become sick, as the
misfortune has thrown it out of the, nest of peace.
Mental confusion is also responsible in a way for the loss of the spirit of bearing hardship,
without murmur, which is called patience.
Sometimes needless argument and questions create mental confusion, depriving a person of
patience. A question which receives no satisfactory answer leaves a doubt in the mind. Doubt is
the enemy of faith which gives sustenance to patience and keeps it vibrant, alive and active.
The question now arises as to how to acquire or imbibe the spirit of patience. To exhibit
patience is to rely upon Divine Grace. Patience is the manifestation of indifference to pain,
suffering, sickness, bereavement, trials, and tribulations.
To cultivate the spirit of patience is to acquire the inestimable virtue of optimism. It is to
convince oneself that, when joy does not last long, suffering cannot last long either. It will
go-back to its dwelling.
The one who has sent suffering for our test will also remove suffering from our path
Patience calls for self-surrender and self control.
In the hour of trial and in time of suffering, the study of scriptures is best.
The study of the lives of the prophets is conducive to the pattern of life, marked by the colours
of patience, perseverance and persistence.
To study the lives of the saints, who were ridiculed, harassed, embarrassed, vexed and
persecuted, is to derive consolation and to be fortified against the visiting suffering.
To be absorbed in the pursuit of useful activity is to forget the pangs of suffering.
Poetry and literature soothe nerves and calm the emotions, thus restraining one from haste
and hurry and from being impatient.
Seclusion, silence, and introspection are aids to patience.
Mosques, temples, churches and the tombs of saints, vibrate peace, and peace, in its turn,
feels reluctant to be disturbed by impatience.
To be guided by the dictum, that the higher the position and greater the opportunity, implying
more difficulties, undergoing more suffering ensures patience.
In order to be patient and to be fortified to face and overcome every challenge, one must try to
train oneself to be patient in small things, and in the trials of every day.
Thus trained and equipped, the person will not lose patience when he finds himself besieged
by some unexpected calamity, trouble, or hardship.
To learn to wait dispassionately, watch vigilantly, think positively, act wisely, resolve firmly, and
live hopefully is to bear sorrow, suffering and sadness calmly and patiently.
The past may be an hindrance in the path leading to the dwelling where patience resides. But,
in a way, the past is helpful, as our experiences are stored therein.
In case of injury or injustice caused, or some trouble inflicted by someone, the golden rule is to
forget it; or better still to forgive it so that the even tenor of life may not be disturbed. In case of
some calamity or mishap it is always better to take it as a test and to accept it as such, without
any sigh of remorse or resentment.
Not to be patient in time of suffering is not consistent with human dignity. To suffer is human,
but to bear suffering calmly constitutes human dignity. Patience is a tribute to greatness and to
loftiness of character. Not to cultivate the spirit of patience is to bear a grievance against God.
Those who seek God, those who serve God, are those who have first sought patience, served
patience and at last found patience working in a mysterious way for their good, ultimately
making them an instrument of Divine Will.
Patience. if pursued, makes ample provision for a radical simplicity.
Patience, is the mother of virtues, manifesting courage, self-control, wisdom, love, faith and
hope.
The love relationship between God and man called patience transcends vision and values,
virtues and vows, concern and caring, discouragement and dejection, and sorrow and sickness.
A strong heart is an asset.
A trained mind is a good guide.
What is touched by patience turns into a rainbow.
Zahurul Hassan Sharib
Ajmer
August 1984
Ajmer, India.
The Sustaining Power of Patience
Let me extend to you a warm welcome and request you to sit with me at the table, where are
served Joy and Suffering, where toasts are proposed, where after dinner speeches are made
and where human destiny is discussed.
I with you all joy and wish you to achieve all the good things of life, which you want to achieve,
in the, short span of life granted to us.
But, the question is, what you wish and what you want to get, or what you want to achieve.
To get is easy.
To achieve is a little difficult.
To get requires little or no labour. It may drop in your lap like a ripe fruit, at any time, when you
are sitting underneath a tree bearing ripe fruits.
But it is otherwise with achievement. To achieve means to work, to watch and wait.
How many are willing and prepared to work assiduously, watch continuously and wait hopefully?
The crux of the matter is that we are living in an age of hurry, we want quick results. It is not
surprising if hurry gives worry.
Hurry is the negation of wisdom.
In the battlefield of life there are more casualties than anywhere else. In order to take refuge an
individual takes different directions and resorts to different pursuits.
In modern times, self-aggrandisement is considered better than self control.
The age of anarchy has set in. The defiance of vice is treated as a futile effort.
Modern society has given a subordinate place to virtue. It considers that virtue has outlived its
utility. In our social framework, more emphasis is laid on material acquisitions.
The problem is the lack of character but building. Want of stability in character is responsible
for many of the ills with which our-present day society suffers.
To take virtue as a guide and to act - according to the dictates of virtue is to act according
to-the laws of wisdom.
It is to live and to act as wisdom directs.
The real worth of a man is not judged by his possessions. He may be rich. He may be a
storehouse of knowledge. He may be popular. He may be famous.
All these things do not- confer upon him dignity if he lacks character.
Commendation or admonition does not make a man better.
Wealth is not lasting.
Popularity is vanishing.
Fame is a mere pageant.
Knowledge demands right use.
A man is best judged when he is involved in some trouble or when he is seized by some
misfortune. How he acts then, in the given situation, is the measuring rod. By moaning and
groaning he adds to his misery. The solution lies in patience.
Why not try patience?
Why not give it an opportunity to prove its intrinsic worth?
Many have drawn themselves towards patience in the time of affliction and they felt satisfied
with its working. If we try it, I am sure we will be benefited by it.
Patience is a virtue born of wisdom. Patience is the child of self-control. But what is patience?
Patience may be defined as the infinite capacity endure pain, suffering, grief, loss and
destruction without murmur, grudge, complaint, without sob and sigh and without tears.
Patience is a wonder working virtue.
Its basic and essential nature remains the same under all conditions.
There are four cardinal virtues, namely, justice, wisdom, courage and self-control. Of the
theological virtues of faith, hope and love, it can be said that each one of them is like a polar
star.
Patience combines in itself the virtues of wisdom, courage, and self-control on the one hand,
and the three theological virtues on the other.
Wisdom implies discrimination and adopting a course of action in the right direction.
Courage may be active or courage may be passive. Active courage is an inducement to
perform something, and in doing so, to face and rise up to intimidation, coercion, threat, pain
and trouble. In other words, it is to patiently persevere and to move on, forward and upward.
Passive courage is to bear hardship, pain or suffering, which is unavoidable, and never to lose
serenity of mind. Physical courage is to be indifferent to pain and to be insensitive to fear.
Moral courage insists on taking a right course, being aware of the fact that pain and hardship
will have to be faced in the pursuit of the course of action one has earmarked for oneself.
Temperance is another virtue which resists all temptations to pleasure. The Greeks acted on
the dictum:
Nothing too much.
Temperance calls for self control, and self control implies patience and perseverance.
A man is rich or poor not by the wealth that he possesses or the lack of wealth, that which is
denied to him, but he is judged by the degree or intensity of the power of patience,
perseverance and endurance.
Suffering is the lot of man. Is there any person in the world who may validly claim that he has
not undergone suffering in one way or the other? Is there any man on earth who has not
suffered any loss? Is there any man who has no experience of grief? Is there any man who can
say he has achieved all his aims and objects, and realised, in full measure all his ambitions,
aspirations and desires? Is there any man who has not uttered in despair "might have been`? Is
there any man, who has not undergone sickness, illness, or some other malady? Is there any
man, who has not witnessed some calamity, like flood famine, fire or earthquake. If there be any
such man let him come forward.
There are men, who have suffered but, who have not been cowed down by suffering. They kept
their buoyant spirit even when entangled in suffering. There are men who have experienced
grief, but their grief could not move them. There are men, who have suffered loss in business,
but their loss was compensated by their spirit of resignation. There are men who have
undergone privation, poverty, penury illness, sickness, and affliction, but they exhibited a
marvelous trait of character and did not allow their serenity and tranquillity to be disturbed.
If they narrate their experience, it will be a strange story of success secured by their spirit of
patience, perseverance and persistence. One thing, I am sure, will be common among them all.
It is their unshaken faith that "it is all for the best." It is all for their own good. It is all to make
them strong, and of stable mind, and of deep emotions, and to make them firm like a rock.
Joy and sorrow are two emotions, which give strength and weakness to the body respectively.
Hope and fear are inter linked with sorrow. Fear implies sorrow. Hope can not be separated
from, fear. Love and pain depict joy and sorrow respectively.
It is patience which teaches us the invaluable lesson, to suffer and to be strong. Success,
without patience, is a distant goal, or we may say a mere dream.
Those who have no patience are to be pitied.
Hurry is the enemy of patience.
Hurry is in fact the foster child of Satan.
To demand quick results shows the immaturity of mind and the latent incapacity for sustained
labour.
How foolish the man who wants his wounds to be healed within a few hours? How unwise is the
man who sows the seed and wants to reap the crop the next morning. How imprudent is the sick
person., who wants to be cured of a fatal disease without any loss of time. How unwise are the
parents, who want their child to take his postgraduate degree the day after his admission in a
primary school.
Life need not be like a noisy stream which attracts attention by its noise, but which is in fact,
neither useful nor helpful. And, neither should life he like a stagnant pool which has no
direction, depth or motion. Then what should life be like?
Life need not be stagnant. It should be like a river, which is neither boisterous nor noisy, but
which is useful for fields and farmers.
If we read the lives of the mystics we will find that their life was an epitome and an epitaph of
continuous search for human welfare and the advancement of human happiness. In the hour of
trial and in moments of sorrow, suffering, disappointment, despondency, dejection, destruction,
persecution, harassment and embarrassment, they remained peaceful, calm and collected, and
drew renewed vigour, spiritual force, and strength from patience. They took suffering as a
passing phase. They believed and held firmly that after every hardship and suffering, relief
must come.
The fact is, that in the school of life, the book entitled "Suffering" is a prescribed text for
intensive study. When one comes to understand the philosophy behind suffering one invariably
comes to the conclusion that suffering is not a thing to be detested. Suffering is for our own
good. Suffering is in fact a salutary discipline.
A tree unless it is trimmed and pruned does not look majestic and beautiful.
A lawn unless the grass is cut, remains a rough spot.
A diamond, unless it is cut, has no lustre and brightness.
An incense stick, unless it is burnt, does not give fragrance.
Coal is black, but when put in a fire, it becomes white.
Rain comes from dark clouds.
A wise man is one who combines activity with patience and perseverance.
An intelligent man is one who is not influenced and affected by the external circumstances,
come what may.
Wisdom comes from self introspection.
Enlightenment comes from self-realisation.
We learn more by suggestion.
Suffering is also a suggestion. This suggestion is advanced to those whom God wants to mould
and equip and prepare for higher, nobler, and better ends.
To overcome misery, defeat, frustration and, destruction, we should seek the help of patience.
Patience is the armour of man.
Wisdom is the gift given to man.
Love is. the hallmark of man.
Knowledge is the sceptre of man.
Self- control is the test of man.
Perseverance is the test of man.
Persistence is the triumph of man
It is said that patience is bitter but its fruits are sweet.
It is given in the Qur'an that God is with those who undergo patience.
Patience has a reformatory influence on man. It rescues a person from envy, jealousy, pride,
temptation, anger, inner conflict and tension. It removes obstacles to a better and happier life. It
lends new dimensions to life. Its role in moulding character and its insistence on strengthening
the will need no elucidation.
It is patience, perseverance, persistence and audacity that remove hindrances from the path,
leading to success.
Patience is strength which defies all hardships.
To be a genius, one should have patience and perseverance in ample measure.
Patience promotes the purification of character. It lends beauty, gentleness, and sweetness to
life. It goes to a sick man to give a word of comfort and cheer. It goes to a bereaved family to
console.
It secures rare sweet beauty.
Patience teaches humility. Its one lesson is that, suffering is meant for purification. It is, like
pruning a tree, in order to make it beautiful.
Patience lends beauty, grace, and sublimity to life. Inner strength and nobleness receive
sustenance from patience.
To understand the 'cause' or purpose of suffering, in whatever shape it may come or however it
may visit, requires insight. By patience and perseverance, the sufferer comes to realise that,
the experience of suffering gives variety to life and is meant to strengthen his character.
The tests, trials, and tribulations call for patience. Patience is strengthened by experience. And
experience depends upon hope for its survival.
Suffering, without patience remains suffering. But once the ointment of patience is applied then
suffering, instead of decaying, destroying and defacing the beauty and serenity of life, moulds
and shapes the life, as a potter moulds clay to make pots.
Not to be patient is not to rise up to the situation in which a person. finds himself placed.
Impatience, generated by certain factors, under certain conditions, gives sustenance to tension
and inner conflict.
Impatience is weakness of character. It is the negation of all that is true beautiful and
noble.Impatience is the result of the loss of faith. When interior realities like faith are lost then
everything is lost. Life becomes like a floating vessel, which is at the mercy of waves.
Impatience is the mistress of restless agitation. Impatience leads to the fragmentation of life.
Haste and hurry nourish and sustain impatience.
Sometimes it so happens that spiritual depression leads to the loss of patience in a given
situation. Spiritual depression may be due to a melancholy or a gloomy temperament, which
has allowed pessimism to enter life. It may be due, also, to persistent affliction or trial or
tribulation, resulting in the loss of the power of endurance.
Sometimes sickness makes a person impatient. Prolonged treatment means prolonged
despondency.
In some cases, it so happens, that repeated troubles and continuous tests deprive life of
sweetness, harmony and hope. Life looks tiresome because the heart has become sick, as the
misfortune has thrown it out of the, nest of peace.
Mental confusion is also responsible in a way for the loss of the spirit of bearing hardship,
without murmur, which is called patience.
Sometimes needless argument and questions create mental confusion, depriving a person of
patience. A question which receives no satisfactory answer leaves a doubt in the mind. Doubt is
the enemy of faith which gives sustenance to patience and keeps it vibrant, alive and active.
The question now arises as to how to acquire or imbibe the spirit of patience. To exhibit
patience is to rely upon Divine Grace. Patience is the manifestation of indifference to pain,
suffering, sickness, bereavement, trials, and tribulations.
To cultivate the spirit of patience is to acquire the inestimable virtue of optimism. It is to
convince oneself that, when joy does not last long, suffering cannot last long either. It will
go-back to its dwelling.
The one who has sent suffering for our test will also remove suffering from our path
Patience calls for self-surrender and self control.
In the hour of trial and in time of suffering, the study of scriptures is best.
The study of the lives of the prophets is conducive to the pattern of life, marked by the colours
of patience, perseverance and persistence.
To study the lives of the saints, who were ridiculed, harassed, embarrassed, vexed and
persecuted, is to derive consolation and to be fortified against the visiting suffering.
To be absorbed in the pursuit of useful activity is to forget the pangs of suffering.
Poetry and literature soothe nerves and calm the emotions, thus restraining one from haste
and hurry and from being impatient.
Seclusion, silence, and introspection are aids to patience.
Mosques, temples, churches and the tombs of saints, vibrate peace, and peace, in its turn,
feels reluctant to be disturbed by impatience.
To be guided by the dictum, that the higher the position and greater the opportunity, implying
more difficulties, undergoing more suffering ensures patience.
In order to be patient and to be fortified to face and overcome every challenge, one must try to
train oneself to be patient in small things, and in the trials of every day.
Thus trained and equipped, the person will not lose patience when he finds himself besieged
by some unexpected calamity, trouble, or hardship.
To learn to wait dispassionately, watch vigilantly, think positively, act wisely, resolve firmly, and
live hopefully is to bear sorrow, suffering and sadness calmly and patiently.
The past may be an hindrance in the path leading to the dwelling where patience resides. But,
in a way, the past is helpful, as our experiences are stored therein.
In case of injury or injustice caused, or some trouble inflicted by someone, the golden rule is to
forget it; or better still to forgive it so that the even tenor of life may not be disturbed. In case of
some calamity or mishap it is always better to take it as a test and to accept it as such, without
any sigh of remorse or resentment.
Not to be patient in time of suffering is not consistent with human dignity. To suffer is human,
but to bear suffering calmly constitutes human dignity. Patience is a tribute to greatness and to
loftiness of character. Not to cultivate the spirit of patience is to bear a grievance against God.
Those who seek God, those who serve God, are those who have first sought patience, served
patience and at last found patience working in a mysterious way for their good, ultimately
making them an instrument of Divine Will.
Patience. if pursued, makes ample provision for a radical simplicity.
Patience, is the mother of virtues, manifesting courage, self-control, wisdom, love, faith and
hope.
The love relationship between God and man called patience transcends vision and values,
virtues and vows, concern and caring, discouragement and dejection, and sorrow and sickness.
A strong heart is an asset.
A trained mind is a good guide.
What is touched by patience turns into a rainbow.
Zahurul Hassan Sharib
Ajmer
August 1984