“Do not think glory is a date that you simply eat. You will never attain glory until you taste Sabr.”
People want ease, success, honour, closeness to Allah, and peace of heart. But Allah did not create the road to Him as a road of comfort. He created it as a road of patience. As it is said,
لا تَحْسَبِ المَجْدَ تَمْرًا أَنْتَ آكِلُهُ … لَنْ تَبْلُغَ المَجْدَ حَتَّى تَلْعَقَ الصَّبر
“Do not think glory is a date that you simply eat. You will never attain glory until you taste Sabr.”
You cannot attain greatness until you taste sabr – and sabr is a sour fruit.
Many people think that ease means Allah is pleased with them, and hardship means Allah is angry with them. But this is not true. If you become the richest person on earth, it does not mean Allah loves you more than others. And if you become the most troubled person on earth, it does not mean Allah hates you. Both ease and hardship are tests.
Allah tests people through what He gives. And when He takes something away, He tests them through patience. If they pass the test, He brings them nearer to Him.
He could have made everything easy and sweet, but He tests people to make clear who truly submits to Him and who only worships Him when life is comfortable. Allah says in the Qur’an that He tests people so that what is hidden inside hearts becomes clear.
وَلِيَبْتَلِيَ اللَّهُ مَا فِي صُدُورِكُمْ وَلِيُمَحِّصَ مَا فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ
“And [it was] so that Allah might test what is in your breasts and purify what is in your hearts. And Allah is Knowing of that within the breasts.” (3:154)
As-Sabiroon – The People of Sabr
The people closest to Allah were often the people tested the most. The Prophet ﷺ said that the most severely tested people are the prophets, then those nearest to them in righteousness. Allah raises the ranks of His servants through tests.
Sometimes Allah loves a servant so much that He increases their tests so their rank becomes higher in the Hereafter. Shaykh Sa‘di tells the story of a man afflicted with severe illnesses and disabilities. His body was covered with wounds, and flies gathered around him. His eyes, ears, and limbs barely functioned.
Yet the man continuously said:
“Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah.”
Someone asked him, “Why are you thanking Allah? Everything seems difficult for you.”
The man replied:
“I thank Him because He gave me a tongue that can remember and thank Him.”
Allah could have removed his suffering instantly. But sometimes Allah tests certain people so humanity can witness true servitude. There are servants of Allah who suffer greatly and still praise Him in every circumstance.
In another story, Shaykh Sa‘di mentioned a worshipper who spent fifty years worshipping Allah day and night.
Then one day he heard a voice saying:
“None of your worship has been accepted.”
The man replied:
“I do not care whether it is accepted or not. I have no door other than the door of Allah. I will remain at His door.”
Then another voice came:
“Everything has been accepted because you believe there is no door for you except Mine.”
From this story, we understand that ibadah is not transactional. A servant does not worship Allah only for rewards. A servant worships because there is no other door except His.
The sword of sabr is sharper than the sword of iron.
Strength is not in anger, force, or domination. Real strength lies in patience and self-restraint. The sword of patience and hilm (controlling oneself) is more powerful than armies. One person with true patience can defeat people who possess far greater worldly strength.
When people oppress you, be patient. When people abandon you, be patient. When life delays what you hoped for, be patient. Allah is with those who are patient.
And who is better for you – people or Allah?
When the word sabr is mentioned, most people think it means dismissing or suppressing their feelings and emotions, and that they should not grieve. However, sabr does not mean eliminating your human nature. It is okay to grieve, and it is okay to cry. Grief is not the opposite of sabr.
In Qur’an, Allah swt says,
“يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ أَن يُخَفِّفَ عَنكُمۡۚ وَخُلِقَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ ضَعِيفا”
“And Allah wants to lighten for you [your difficulties]; and mankind was created weak.” (4:28)
Human beings are created weak, and grief is a natural human feeling embedded within their nature. Crying is also natural. Tears are not a sign of weakness; they are a mercy from Allah.
One day, the Prophet ﷺ cried after the death of one of his grandchildren. People were surprised and asked, “You cry too, Ya Rasool Allah?”
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Verily, tears are a mercy that Allah has placed in the essence of His servants.”
So, crying is not a weakness, and grief is not a sin.
Even Ya‘qub عليه السلام grieved for years after losing Yusuf عليه السلام, yet Allah still called him patient.
What is forbidden is not grief itself, but mourning and complaining against Allah. There is a difference between crying to Allah and complaining about Allah.
Tears that come naturally soften the heart and lighten grief. But mourning with resentment and speaking badly about Allah come from Shaytan. As believers, we can be patient while still carrying sorrow.
I understand that it is easy to become disheartened when hardship comes, and during those vulnerable moments, negative thoughts such as “Why me?” can occupy our minds. But we must try to learn the lessons these tests teach us. Every test has two purposes:
1. To Bring Us Back to Allah
Sometimes hardship comes because of sins and mistakes. Allah uses pain to awaken the heart before our sins destroy it completely. If we repent sincerely, our sins are transformed into good deeds. Allah brings life from death and death from life.
2. To Raise Us Through Patience
Some hardships are not punishments at all. They are elevations. Allah tests certain people because He wants to raise their ranks.
So the believer should complain to Allah, not complain about Allah. When difficulties come, turn to Allah like Ya‘qub عليه السلام did when he lost his son:
“I only complain of my suffering and my grief to Allah…” (12:86)
Sabr is not easy; it feels bitter in the dunya. Waiting feels bitter. Loss feels bitter. Loneliness feels bitter. But beyond this temporary bitterness is a sweetness of the Hereafter that never ends. The reward of sabr is not always in this world. Much of it is saved for the Hereafter.
Never despair in the mercy of Allah. He never wastes the patience of His servants. Allah loves as-Sabiroon:
وَٱللَّهُ يُحِبُّ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ
“And Allah loves those who are patient.” (3:146)
But sabr should be for the sake of Allah. We should always keep Allah at the centre of our lives and do everything for His sake. Continually purify your intentions, for actions are judged by intentions. If your sabr is for the world, then your reward will be for the world. But if your sabr is for Allah, then you have done it for Allah.
I ask Allah to grant us the ability to be His humble and patient servants, to grant us the ability to complain only to Him, to bless us with His love and the love of His righteous servants, and to grant us His company and the company of the righteous in this world and the Hereafter. Ameen.
Islam is perfect, and any mistakes are solely mine. I take responsibility for my mistakes and seek your pardon for any errors I may have made. And Allah Knows Best!
