Patience is mentioned over 90 times in the Quran, and in this episode of The Deen Show, Shaykh Ibrahim Zidan returns to offer practical encouragement for Muslims who struggle to stay consistent in their worship and resist the temptations that surround them daily. From getting up for the early morning Fajr prayer to resisting the pull of desires, sabr (patience) is the quality that separates those who succeed in this life and the next from those who give in to momentary pleasures.
Why Patience Tastes Bitter But Leads to Sweetness
Shaykh Ibrahim reminds us that every human being already practices patience in worldly matters. If someone offered you a million dollars a month to wake up at 3:00 AM, you would not only set your alarm — you would stay up all night to make sure you did not miss it. Yet when the Creator of the heavens and the earth promises rewards beyond imagination for the Fajr prayer, many of us struggle to get out of bed. The difference is not ability; it is certainty in what awaits.
“If people knew the reward in the Fajr prayer, they would come to it even if they had to crawl. We don’t need to see it with our own eyes — we already see it from the revelation of Allah.”
Patience in Every Aspect of Life
- Patience with worship: performing your prayers on time even when you do not feel like it
- Patience in the home: dealing with your spouse, children, and neighbors according to the Sunnah, not your emotions
- Patience with sin: resisting temptation and understanding that everything Allah has forbidden is genuinely harmful
- Patience with knowledge: learning the Quran and Sunnah as practiced by the Prophet and the early generations, not through personal opinions
“The mother of Musa threw her son into the river. Did she know the benefit of it? No. She was just submitting to the orders of Allah. Unless we submit ourselves in such a way, the outcome will be good — but we need that submission.”
The comprehensive nature of Islam means that every detail of how to live — from marriage and parenting to dealing with enemies and strangers — is already covered in the Quran and Sunnah. You do not need a PhD in psychology to raise your children; you need the guidance of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. Learn it, apply it with patience even when you do not immediately see the benefit, and trust that Allah’s plan is always perfect. Continue to tune in to The Deen Show every week for knowledge that strengthens your patience and your faith.
