Forbearance

“I heard al-Rida (a.s.) saying, ‘A man cannot become a worshipper until he becomes a forbearing one. A man in the tribe of Israel wanting to become a worshipper had to keep silent for ten years before he could be considered a worshipper.’”

“The believer’s deeds are mixed with forbearance. He sits to learn and speaks to understand. He does not tell his friends about his trust and he does not hide his testimony for the enemies. He does not do any true thing to show off and does not ignore it due to shyness. If he purifies himself he fears what they may say and he asks forgiveness from Allah for what they do not know. The words of those who do not know him do not make him boastful. He fears from the record of his deeds.”

“Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) would say, ‘It is fascinating to me when a man’s forbearance saves him from his anger.’”

“Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, loves the living person who is forbearing.”

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Allah has never given respect to anyone because of ignorance and He has never humiliated anyone who possessed forbearance.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Forbearance is enough as a helper’ and he said, ‘If you are not a forbearing person at least pretend to be like a forebearing person.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) once sent one of his slaves for a certain work and he delayed. The Imam then went out to find why he has delayed so much. He found him sleeping. He sat near his head fanning to comfort him until he woke up. When he fully woke up, Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) said to him, ‘O so and so, Allah knows, you are not supposed to do this. You sleep night and day. The night is for you to sleep and your day is for us.’”

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Allah certainly loves the living person who is forbearing, maintains chastity and restrains from worldly matters (sins).”’

“When two men dispute each other, two angels come down and say to the foolish one of the two, ‘You said what you said and you were the kind to say what you said and you will be brought to account for what you have said.’ Then they will say to the forbearing one of the two men, ‘You exercised patience and forbearance. Allah will forgive you if you will complete it.’ The Imam said, ‘If the forbearing man answers back to the other man the two angels will ascend.’”