Forbearance Required of Muslims

The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Patience comes with forbearance.” [Ad-Daraqutni]

Forbearance means to suppress one’s anger and other negative reactions that naturally and immediately surface in the untrained person when they are insulted, abused, hurt or taken advantage of. Forbearance means to tolerate perceived harm and control one’s reaction, exhibiting only such behaviour as pleases Allah (subhana wa ta’ala).

A Muslim preacher was once giving a lecture in a prison. The lecture was delivered in a special section of the prison where most of the prisoners were guilty of murder or manslaughter. When he had finished his lecture and the prisoners were going back to their cells, one of them came forward to thank him. He was the one responsible for cultural activities in the prison. The preacher asked him about the cause which led most of these men to commit murder. He replied, “Just anger. By Allah, dear Shaykh, some of them have killed over a few riyals during a dispute with a shopkeeper or a petrol station attendant!”

The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) ordered us to train ourselves on forbearance. The first time a person suppresses his anger, it may drain his emotions 100%. The second time, it will decrease to 90%. The third time, it will be 80%, and so one until forbearance becomes second nature. Eventually, on experiencing unpleasant circumstances, a person will exhibit patience, one of the qualities most beloved to Allah (subhana wa ta’ala).