Chapter II: Patience and Gratefulness
Loqman advised his son: O dear son, a religious man is tried by calamities, just as gold is tried by fire. When God loves a party of men, He gives them trial. He becomes pleased with those who remain satisfied with it and he becomes displeased with those who become displeased with it.
The saint Ahnaf-b-Qais said: One day I awoke in the morning and complained of pain in my teeth. I told my uncle: I could not sleep last night owing to pain in my teeth. I told him of this three times. He said:* You complain much of pain of one night, but nobody knows that I became blind for the last 20 years.
God revealed to the Prophet Ozair: When any calamity befalls on you, don't complain of it to My created beings but tell Me of your complaint, just as 1 do not make complaint of you to My angels.
MERITS OF CALAMITIES: You may say now that calamities are better than gifts. Shall we not then pray for calamities? The answer is in the negative as the Prophet used to pray for being saved from the calamities of this world and the next. He and the other Prophets prayed: O Lord, give us good in the world and in the next. They used to seek refuge from the calamity of enemies. The Prophet said: You pray to God for calamities while I pray to him for peace of mind. He said: Pray to God for peace of mind. Nobody has been given a greater good than peace of mind except sure faith. The meaning of sure faith is peace of mind. Mental peace is better than physical peace. The saint Mutref-b-Abdullah said: That I am forgiven and that I express gratefulness for that is dearer to me than that calamity falls on me and I keep patience.
Calamity is considered as a gift for two reasons. One reason is that calamity has got connection with more gifts, either .
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temporal or spiritual. Another reason is the hope for getting rewards in calamities.
The saint Samnun prayed: I have got no joy except without Thee. Examine me as Thou liked. After this, Samnun fell ill of constipation. He used to tell the boys: Pray for your false speaking uncle Samnun, as I am not successful in examination.
Which is better - patience or gratefulness? There is a great deal of differences in this matter. Some say patience is better and some to the contrary. The Prophet said: Of all the things that you have been given the best is certain faith and firm determination of patience. God says: The patient will be given full rewards without account. The Prophet said: A grateful eater is equal to a patient fasting man. From the above, it appears that patience is greater than gratefulness. The Prophet said: Jumma is the pilgrimage of the poor and women's jihad is to live with husband in a good manner. He said: Patience is half of faith. The Prophet said: Of all the Prophets. Solaiman will go last to Paradise, as he enjoyed rule of kingdom. Abdur Rahman-b-Auf will go last to paradise among my companions, as he was enormously rich.