Seeking help of Allah سبحانه و تعالى in Ṣabr & Ṣalāħ

[Abu Hafs]

بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

الحمد الله

Allāh سبحانه و تعالى says,

وَاسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِۚوَإِنَّهَا لَكَبِيرَةٌ إِلَّا عَلَى الْخَاشِعِينَ ﴿٤٥﴾ الَّذِينَ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُم مُّلَاقُو رَبِّهِمْ وَأَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ ﴿٤٦﴾

“And seek help in patience and Aṣ-Ṣalāħ and truly it is extremely heavy and hard except for Al-Khashi'īn. (45) (They are those) who are certain that they are going to meet their Lord, and that unto Him they are going to return. (46)”[1]

وَاسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ

Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Kathīr رحمه الله writes in his tafsīr,

“Allāh سبحانه و تعالى commanded His servants to use patience and prayer to acquire the good of this life and the Hereafter. Muqātil bin Ḥayyān رحمه اللهsaid that this āyaħ means, ‘Utilize patience and the obligatory prayer in seeking the Hereafter.’ As for patience (here), they say that it means fasting. There are similar texts reported from Mujāhid رحمه الله. Imām Al-Qurṭubī رحمه اللهand other scholars commented, “This is why Ramaḍān is called the month of patience,” as is mentioned in the Ḥadīth literature. It was also said that “patience” in the āyaħ means, refraining from evil, and this is why “patience” was mentioned along with practicing acts of worship, especially and foremost, the prayer. Also, Ibn Abi Ḥātim رحمه اللهnarrated that cUmar bin Al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه said, “There are two types of patience: good patience when the disaster strikes and a better patience while avoiding the prohibitions of Allah.” Ibn Abi Ḥātim رحمه اللهsaid that Imām Al-Ḥasan Al-Baṣrī رحمه الله was reported to have said similarly.”[2]

Imām al-Qurṭubī رحمه الله writes,

“The Exalted has commanded patience upon obedience and against its contrary in His Book and said, ‘Be patient!’ It was said that so-and-so was patient against sin and if he was patient against sin, then he was enduring upon the obedience. This is the most correct from what was said.”[3]

Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله writes,
“Patience in worshipping Allāh سبحانه و تعالى and carrying out His instructions means that you perform the prescribed acts of worship regularly and do so sincerely and with knowledge. Worship that is not performed regularly is of no value. Even if worship is performed regularly, there are two dangers. Firstly, we risk losing our sincerity, if the motive for performing prayers is not to please Allāh سبحانه و تعالى and draw closer to Him. So to protect our worship we must make sure that we are sincere. Secondly, we must be sure never to deviate from the way of the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم, so we have to ensure that our worship is done according to the Sunnaħ.”[4]

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References

[1]Sūraħ al-Baqaraħ, 2:45-6


[2] Tafsīr al-Qur’ān al-Karīm


[3] Jāmi' li Aḥkām al-Qur’ān


[4] 'Uddaħ aṣ-Ṣābirīn wa Dhakhīraħ ash-Shākirīn