EXAMINATION OF SABR

 Assalamu alaikum warahmatullah

In the name of Allah, Most compassionate, Most Merciful,

All thanks and praise is due to Allah , we seek His help and forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil within ourselves and the consequences of our evil deeds. Whoever Allah guides will never be led astray , and whoever Allah leads astray will never find guidance. I bear witness there is no God but Allah, alone without any partners, and I bear

witness that Muhammad (SAW) is his slave and messenger

Alhamdulillah

with regards to tonight's topic "The Examination of Sabr", there happen to be two words of interest to me. One is Examination and the other Is Sabr

As far as Exam-Nation is concerned, I have grown to understand that it is the Nation we students dislike

And in fact, our younger one's detest it more

that was just on the lighter note.

Examination was used in the context of observing critically and carefully as to what Sabr is

Sabr on the other hand has a lot of meanings

it is the Islamic virtue of "patience" or "endurance" or more accurately "perseverance" and "persistence"

But I prefer the commonly used terminology Patience.

So you will be seing more of patience in my presentation.

To show.the importance of this topic Sabr (patience) it is mentioned in the Quran over 90 times! It is a crucial attribute that

all Muslims must have and work on.

in Surat Asr after Allah declared all makind as lost, Allah exempted these people

Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.

Imam Shafi Rahimahullah mentions that if this was the only chapter revealed by Allah, it will have sufficed.

And hopefully Allah singled out advising towards patience and mentioned it as a complete act separate from doing righteous deeds

Patience is the key that unlocks the door to serenity, it relieves the grips of misery. When a problem befalls a person what is the usual response you hear? How do they react? Their face darkens and they complain crying out to the heavens "Why me"?

Hmmm

all are here to partake in the Exams of Sabr. See how generous Allah can be in that regard

Allah leaks a paper in his glorious Qur'an. Copy and copy well. 😀

"Be sure we shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere"

Surat Baqarah (2:155)

And Allah even mentioned specifics.

Right?

And what is the answer to the test?

Patiently persevere

May Allah make it easy for us.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:

“If Allah intends for a servant to reach a rank he is unable to reach by his good deeds, then Allah will put him to trial in his body or his wealth or his children, and he will be patient

until he reaches the rank intended for him.” (Ahmad)

Being a Muslim requires a lot of patience, especially in turbulent times like this.

Patience is needed in staying away from things which are displeasing to Allah, and obeying Allah’s commands.

Every single day our patience is tested in one way or another — from prayer on time, fasting, doing hajj while being trampled by people, to solving conflicts and enduring admonishments from parents.

_Harken to Sabr_

_For lack of that cost Musah (AS) Khidr_

_We say it was Allah's qadr_

_For the scrolls have dried off and so has the hibr(ink)_

Since having patience is something so important and necessary for each one of us, it’s not surprising that Allah has given us wonderful examples of patience in the Quran, patience displayed by the heroes of Islam throughout different ages and times. Who were these heroes? Let us get introduced to some of them.

The Ever Patient Ayyub (AS) who endured hardship without ever complaining.

his name is mentioned in the Quran in a grand style. Listen to what my Allah says about him. 😊😊

“Truly! We found him patient. How excellent a slave! Verily, he was ever oft returning in repentance to Us”

( Saad 38:44).

How excellent a slave Allah describes him.This is what kills me. 😊 After his Sabr is mentioned, Allah paints the picture of his excellence.

Finally after seven years of being shy of praying to Allah for a good health when it was not haraam, Prophet Ayyub suddenly opened his mouth to call out to his Allah.😢

The call, so sweet for it took him seven years to finally voice it out. Imagine the worry that must have been harnessed in that unique call. So when Prophet Ayyub finally did call, Allah loved that call so soo much that he preservered it for us in the form of Qur'an 😊

Read and understand what a man Ayyub was;

"Commemorate Our servant Job for behold he cried out to his Lord: "The Evil One has afflicted me with distress and suffering"!

(The command was given:) "Strike with thy foot: here is (water) wherein to wash and refreshing to drink." And We gave him (back) his people and doubled their number as a Grace from Ourselves and a thing for commemoration for all who have Understanding."

 

[Quran 38:41-43]

Indeed what an excellent slave Prophet Ayyub (AS) was. Allah didn't just restore his health, family and wealth. Allah *DOUBLED* it. 😊😊😊

other pious individuals are also mentioned of In a similar manner in the glorious Qur'an

Think of 🤔

Our Mother Maryams first encounter with the people holding Prophet Isa as a baby and how she was rebuked.

Aasiyah the wife of Pharaoh been tortured to death for embracing Islam.

Or the people of the ditch (Ashabul ukhduud) and how they were thrown into the fire for their belief In Surat Buruuj.

And now help me ask myself and you reading as to which of these ordeals we have undergone

we have lived a life of complete ease with nothing holding us back from practicing deen

yet how many times have we been heedless of the Azan and wished Salaat never existed

how many times do we feel like Deen is a *BURDEN* upon us

It all boils down to our nafs

the natural inclination to do good exist in each and every one. But when we are faced with a problem of which we mostly know it's ruling In Deen haraam.

We make Mashawra (consult) with our nafs (base desires) for it mostly agrees with the wrong. And It gives daleels that are uncalled for.

Daleels (proofs/evidences) that can not hold in the court of man never mind the court of Allah.

O brother you can shake a lady's hand, it's just about your intention. some will say

O u can watch pornography with your wife, there is no harm 🙄, some will say

Allah is very merciful and won't admit us his beloved creation into Jahannam. others will wrongfully put it.

well I tell them

u can equally kill a human and tell the judge it wasn't your intention to kill him and let's see how far that argument will take you.

and to the porn addict who feels u can watch with your wife, then meaning you can equally act for other married couples to buy and also watch. In fact, it's earning is halaal. 😡 Ku nyama

Allah might be very merciful so will not put us In hell. True. But Allah has more self Honour for him to say something and do the exact opposite.

Prophet Ayyub and all those we mentioned might have had to exercise Sabr in a context. Our test will come but maybe in a different context.

such as do away with a bad habit.

help correct a difficult friend.

drag yourself to the Masjid.

_deal with a difficult wife or husband_

and much much more.

Look at how Allah deals kindly with this servant who exercises Sabr upon the demise of a loved one Abu Moosa al Asharee (RA) narrates: Allah’s Messenger (SAW), said, If the child of a servant (of Allah) dies, Allah questions the angels, Have you taken the life of my servants beloved one?

The angels reply, yes. Allah then asks them, have you taken the fruit of his heart?

The angels reply, yes we took it.

Then Allah asks them, what did my servant say?

They reply, Alhamdulilah Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (All Praises are due to God, We are to God, and we are to return to Him)

At that Allah will say, Build a home for my slave in Jannah and call it Bayt-ul-Hamd

(The Home of Thankfulness).

what an everlasting recompense for exercising patience.

Now let's learn from the professionals. A typical manifestation of Sabr. And who can give a better example than the Blessed Pious predecessors of Rasalullah (SAW).

Let's look at the predicament of this Tabi'i and how he addresses it.

He is Urwah ibn Zubayr;

He was among the seven fuqaha (jurists) who formulated the fiqh of Medina in the time of the Tabi‘in and one of the Muslim historians.

Urwah Ibn Al Zubair had an operation, and the doctor amputated his leg. One friend came to visit him. ‘Urwah thought that the friend came to pacify him for the loss of his leg. So ‘Urwah told the visitor: If you came to give me condolence for the loss of my leg, I already submitted to Allah with patience to reward me for its loss. The guest told him, I came to inform you that your son fell down in a stable, and the animals stepped over him, and he died about an hour ago. ‘Urwah said: O Allah! You took one child, and left me many. You took one organ from my body, and left me many organs… O Allah You tested me with my body, and you were kind to leave me with good health.

You tested me with the loss of my son, but youw were kind in leaving me the rest of my children.

_O ye who belittles Sabr

_Harken! before u get engulfed by the Qabr

_For sufficient to mention in Surat al Asr

_Is; wa tawaasaw bis Sabr

_For the first Jihad was Sabr

_Then opened was a chapter in the land of Tamar

_And behold came the almighty Badr

_So check your Sabr

_before picking your sword to head to battle

_And later blame Qadr

So beloved brothers and sisters on this platform, I want us all to remember this,

"if we are not in a problem, it means we are waiting for one. this is the Sunnah of this life. But with the right kind of patience, it brings brightness. A misery in this life could be a path to the gates of Jannah (paradise). You just have to exercise some restraint.

The Prophet (Salallahu 'akayhi wa salam)

said: “How remarkable is the case of the believer! There is good for him in everything, but this is not the case for anyone except for the believer. When the believer receives any good, he is thankful to Allah, and gets a reward. And when some misfortune befalls him, he endures it patiently, for which he is (also) rewarded".

Lets not runaway from this Exams for it holds our success and failure in this world and the hereafter

Alhamdulillah.

salaam alaikum warahmatullah wabarikatuh.