Patience and Prayer

Last usrah session, Al-Ustaz Shihabuddin dwelled on the tafsir of ayat 152 Surah Al-Baqarah:


(Yusuf Ali) 2:153. O ye who believe! seek help with patient perseverance and prayer; for Allah is with those who patiently persevere.

(Muhammad Asad) 2: 153 O YOU who have attained to faith! Seek aid in steadfast patience and prayer: for, behold, God is with those who are patient in adversity.

In facing our challenges, be they big or small, Allah has called upon us to seek help in 2 ways, i.e.

1. through patience
2. through prayer

Although by being patient does not mean to sit around waiting for divine intervention. Patience is an accompaniment to the problem-solving which we carry out by:

1. thinking out the strategies
   
2. putting full effort and taking positive action
3. making appropriate do'as
4. relying solely on Allah

Patience need to be exercised in various situations:

1. hardship - musibah
   
2. joy - ni'mat
   
3. adherence to Islamic principles - ibadah
   
4. forbidding evil - nahi munkar
   
5. socialising
6. spreading the message - da'awah
   
7. striving in Allah's way - jihad

There are 3 forms of prayer

1. Munajat - in repentance of sins
   
2. At-Taqarrub - in getting closer to Allah
   
3. Al-Ibadah - in fulfillment of the rights of Allah

Engaging all 3 forms is the best for asking Allah's help

The kinds of trials that Allah shall test us with are spelled out in ayat 155 Surah Al-Baqarah:

(Yusuf Ali) 2.155 Be sure We shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere

(Muhammad Asad) 2: 155 And most certainly shall We try you by means* of danger, and hunger, and loss of worldly goods, of lives and of [labour's] fruits. But give glad tidings unto those who are patient in adversity

May Allah have Mercy on us