Knowing As-Saboor Gives Us Comfort and Hope

If there’s one quality that is generally lacking in the modern world, it is patience. Many of us have grown so used to instant gratification that we get irritated at the slightest delay. We expect information to download within seconds and we demand next-day delivery for our online purchases. We can travel across vast oceans in a matter of a few hours, but we complain about the lines at the airport. Perhaps because of our fast-paced lives, we are often impatient with each other. Many of us have little tolerance for mistakes, a slow pace, or imperfection. We want results now and we want things to be just right. Even when we make duaa, we are sometimes restless, expecting Allah to give us exactly what we want, immediately.

In contrast to the human tendency toward impatience, there is Allah, As-Saboor, the Most Patient. We and our children can learn so much from this beautiful attribute. Let’s focus on three things we need to know about As-Saboor.

1. Allah does not punish us quickly.

Even when we disobey Him, As-Saboor postpones our punishment, giving us opportunities to repent. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“Verily, the angel on the left side will raise his pen over the error or sin of a Muslim servant for six hours. If he sincerely regrets it and seeks forgiveness from Allah, the angel will throw it aside. Otherwise, he will record it as one sin.” 

[al-Mu’jam al-Kabīr]

Despite our mistakes and disobedience, Allah still showers us daily with innumerable gifts. He is always willing to accept our repentance and let us start again. This should be a source of great relief and comfort to us.

2. As-Saboor’s timing is flawless.

Allah has a perfect plan, and He neither rushes nor procrastinates. Rather, He does everything at exactly the right time, in the best possible way. He tells us in the Quran, 

“I only delay their end for a while, but My planning is flawless.” 

(Surah Al-A’raf, 7:183) 

We can always trust As-Saboor to answer our duaas with incomparable patience and wisdom. He will give us what we truly need, exactly when we need it. 

The next time we are feeling frustrated because we have made a duaa and we have not gotten what we asked for, let us remember that As-Saboor has indeed heard us, and He will answer in the most appropriate and loving manner. He knows whether that thing we want is truly good for us, and He knows when is the best time to give it to us or, instead, to replace it with something better. We should be grateful that Allah is not like Amazon who fulfills our orders immediately. He is the Most Wise and All Knowing, and many times He keeps us from harm by denying or delaying our requests. 

3. Allah is forbearing with us.

Allah sees and appreciates our efforts, even when we are stumbling along. He does not expect us to be perfect and in fact He is extremely generous to His servants who are striving to please him, even when they make mistakes along the way. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

 “Allah Almighty says: Whoever comes with a good deed will have the reward of ten like it and even more. Whoever comes with an evil deed will be recompensed for one evil deed like it or he will be forgiven. Whoever draws close to Me by the length of a hand, I will draw close to him by the length of an arm. Whoever draws close to Me by the length of an arm, I will draw close to him by the length of a fathom. Whoever comes to Me walking, I will come to him running. Whoever meets Me with enough sins to fill the earth, not associating any partners with Me, I will meet him with as much forgiveness.” 

[Muslim]

When we think about how patient and appreciative our Creator is, we can feel tranquility in our hearts. Our efforts to please Him are never wasted, and He knows when we are fighting an uphill battle to hold tight to our faith. Imagine! All we have to do is take steps towards Him, and As-Saboor will come running to us. Alhamdullilah, all praise and thanks be to God! 

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Acknowledging that we will never be as patient as As-Saboor, we can still work to hone this quality in ourselves. As the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, tells us: 

“Whoever persists in being patient, God will make him patient. Nobody can be given a blessing better and greater than patience.” 

(Bukhari)

We can develop patience by making small, consistent efforts to grow closer to Him.

In the hustle and bustle of life, it takes patience to be mindful of our worship and consistent with our deeds. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, told us that:

 “The best actions are those which are small and consistent.” 

(Bukhari & Muslim)

We can make a concerted effort to be patient with others.

If we remember how merciful Allah is to us, then we can try to be forgiving and tolerant of others. When someone makes a mistake, we have choices: we can shame them, encourage them, help them, or belittle them. Remember, if we are parents, we are teaching our children how to deal with mistakes whether we realize it or not. Every time our child makes a mistake, how do we react? Do we sigh, roll our eyes, scold them, or make them feel bad? Or do we show understanding and compassion? What our children witness in our behavior will likely be the same way they deal with others’ shortcomings in the future. 

We can be more patient with ourselves.

The way we talk to ourselves matters. When we make a mistake, do we berate ourselves? Do we replay the incident over and over in our mind, cringing all the while? Is our inner dialogue toxic, or do we talk to ourselves like we would a good friend, with compassion and kindness? Learning to be patient with ourselves can be even more challenging than being patient with others, but it is definitely something we should aspire to. We are, after all, beloved by Allah so we are worthy of our own love and gentleness. 

Reflecting on the meaning of As-Saboor can truly give us peace in our hearts. We have a Lord who is slow to anger and quick to forgive. He gives us innumerable chances to earn His pleasure and appreciates the slightest gesture. He answers our requests with wisdom and kindness, in the right way and at the right time. Let us reflect upon this magnificent quality of Allah every day and strive to be more patient in our interactions with others as well as the way we talk to ourselves. 

Laura El Alam is a freelance writer and editor and the author of the book Made From the Same Dough, as well as over 100 published articles. A wife and mother of five, Laura lives with her family in Massachusetts. You can visit her online at www.seaglasswritingandediting.com.