The Three Categories of Patience (Sabr) in Islam: A Comprehensive Guide

Understanding the Three Types of Patience: Obedience, Restraint, and Acceptance

THE THREE CATEGORIES OF PATIENCE

Patience is divided into three categories:

1⃣. Patience upon the obedience of ALLĀH

2⃣. Patience with staying away from disobedience to ALLĀH

3⃣. Patience upon the pre-decree of ALLĀH

Sheikh al-’Uthaymīn (may ALLĀH have mercy on him) wrote in his explanation of Riyadh us-Sāliheen:

“Sabr (patience), in the language, means to hold back and restrain oneself. As for its intent in the Sharee’ah, it is to restrain the soul with respect to three matters:

1⃣. Upon obedience to ALLĀH.

2⃣. Upon the prohibitions of ALLĀH.

3⃣. Upon the unpleasant and agonising decrees of ALLĀH.

These are the three types of sabr that the people of knowledge have mentioned:

The first type is that a person is patient upon the obedience of ALLĀH, because obedience is heavy upon the soul and some aspects of it are difficult upon a person, and it can be difficult upon the body such that a person experiences inability and fatigue. A person may even experience financial difficulty such as when paying Zakah or making Hajj, and all of these hardships necessitate patience, just As ALLĀH the Most High says:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اصْبِرُوا وَصَابِرُوا وَرَابِطُوا وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
“O you who believe, endure patiently, and be more patient (than your enemy) and guard your territory, and fear ALLĀH so that you may be successful.” {Āli ‘Imrān : Verse 200}.

The second type is to be patient with regard to staying away from the prohibitions, and that is because the soul incites a person towards evil so he must show patience against his soul by restraining himself from lying, cheating, consuming the wealth of others, dealing with interest, fornication, drinking wine, theft and other prohibited acts. So, a person must restrain himself so that he does not commit these sins—and this also requires patience and perseverance.

The third type is being patient upon the painful decree (Qadar) of ALLĀH. The decree of ALLĀH is of two types:

1. Agreeable and pleasing. 2. Painful and unpleasant.

That which is pleasing requires being thankful to ALLĀH by obeying HIM. That which is unpleasant and painful may be that a person is put to trial in his body, or that he loses his wealth, or has family problems—the types of calamities are numerous and all of them require patience and perseverance, and a person is patient by restraining himself from expressing his displeasure on his tongue or heart or limbs.