Patience is mentioned over 90 times in the Quran, yet it remains one of the most challenging qualities for any human being to develop. In this essential episode of The Deen Show, Shaykh Ibrahim Zidan returns to discuss the importance of sabr (patience) in Islam — what it really means, why Allah commands it so frequently, and how every person, Muslim or not, already practices patience in their daily life without even realizing it.
The Three Types of Patience in Islam
Shaykh Ibrahim explains that the Arabic word “sabr” literally means something bitter — it does not taste good at first. But just as medicine may be bitter yet brings healing, patience leads to rewards beyond imagination. The Quran identifies three types of patience: patience in obeying Allah’s commands (like getting up for Fajr prayer), patience in staying away from sins (like resisting temptation), and patience during times of hardship and calamity.
“You already have patience in many things. You have patience to study, to earn money, to clean your house. If you can be patient for worldly goals, how much more should you be patient for the rewards of the Hereafter?”
Practical Advice for Staying Steadfast
- Keep your heart attached to the Akhirah (Hereafter) rather than the temporary pleasures of this life
- If you commit a sin, never abandon your prayers — repent sincerely and keep going to the masjid
- Communities should support young adults by helping them get married rather than leaving them isolated with temptation
- For those unable to marry, the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, advised fasting as a means to control desires
“We cannot sustain the punishment of Allah in this life and in the Hereafter. So we strive for the Hereafter. Never give up. Return to Allah with repentance.”
The episode concludes with a powerful reminder that our entire life oscillates between two states: patience and gratitude. In times of hardship, we exercise patience. In times of ease, we express gratitude. Both are acts of worship that draw us closer to Allah. Submission to the Creator is not selective — it encompasses everything we say, everything we do, and every state we find ourselves in. Stay patient, stay grateful, and keep returning to the dean show every week for knowledge that benefits your soul in this life and the next.
