By Mawlana Shaykh Nazim Adil Al-Haqqani

Hadith says, “The way to Paradise is filled with many things that our nafs (ego) will never like. The way to Hell, on the other hand, is full-up with our desires and pleasures.”

It was once a very cold day in Damascus at the time of the morning prayer (fajr). Grandshaykh said to the people who had gathered at the mosque, “Since you have been patient, here in the cold, for the sake of your Lord, Allah Almighty will send the heat of hell fifty-years distance away from you. This is for your one minute of patience!”

Patience is fighting all that the nafs likes. There are three types of patience:

The first type of patience is patience with physical discomforts – such as getting up on cold mornings for prayer, having cold water for washing, waiting in line, being uncomfortable during illness, completing difficult tasks, and so forth. To remain patient and to be steadfast in your worship in spite of these difficulties is very valuable in the sight of Allah.

The second type of patience is even more valuable, and that is the patience to refrain from forbidden things. When you look at a woman, for example, say, “O my nafs! This is my sister! How can I look at her with bad eyes?” About this kind of patience there is a hadith: “To live as a servant and to keep away from forbidden things is more valuable than all the worship of all the angels, men, and jinn throughout the ages!”

The third type of patience is the best of all. It is to be patient with the people who trouble you. Quran relates: “You must carry some of you with others of you. We are trying some of you with others of you.”
(Quran)

Patience is a most necessary thing in the life of a man. If a man has hold of patience, all goodness is with him. Allah’s eyes are on you . . . will you be patient?

Source: Mercy Oceans, Book One (1980), pages 3-4.