Chapter II: Patience and Gratefulness
2. Patience at things against nature: This patience is divided into three classes - (a) patience at things within the control oi man, such as divine service, giving up sin etc, (b) patience which is out of control of man, such as natural calamities, dangers and difficulties (c) and patience at a thing in which a man has got no freedom but he can remove it, such as removing the difficulty of man by avenging. With regard to the subjects within control of man, they are sub-divided into two. The first sub- division includes such divine services in which patience is necessary. To have patience in divine services is difficult, as nature does not want to be slave but loves to be master. For this reason, a certain sage said : There is no such man who does not say what Pharaoh said : I am your biggest lord. There is no such man who does not say this kind of words with his servants, slaves and persons subordinate to him. As the serfdom of body is difficult, so also divine service is difficult. One is not willing to serve God by * prayer and other services owing to idleness and to pay zakat and other charities owing to miserliness. It is difficult to do divine service through pilgrimage and jihad and owing to idleness and miserliness. A worshiper feels necessity of this patience under three circumstances. Firstly by having patience in divine
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services, such as to make motive sincere, to free himself from the evil of show, to determine firmly to do sincere deeds. The Prophet said : All actions are based on motive and everyone gets what he intends for. God says : They are not ordered but to do divine service being sincere to Him. For this reason, God preceded patience before actions saying : Those who have patience and do good deeds. Secondly, patience in divine services, such as observing rules of Shariat in worship, restraining oneself in evil actions and thoughts in the midst of prayer and to remain attentive to the thoughts of God. The third, circumstance is to have patience after divine service, such as patience from broadcasting it to the people, from restraining oneself from a desire of getting honour. God says : Don't make your action void. He says : Don't make your charitable actions void by^harsh treatment and rebuke- 2:264.
SECOND SUBDIVISION