Sunday, June 24, 2012

The Virtue of Patience


                             Salam people! So for this months SuperMuslims Magazine's issue the theme was patience. I chose to write about four admirable women and the trials that they endured. Enjoy! Oh and at the bottom of the page you will find the link to the second issue of the SuperMuslim's magazine, SuperMuslims FB page, FB group , twitter, and website, be sure to check all those out!     

                                                       The Virtue of Patience                     
                                                        By: Habiba Ghanem
                  Narrated Anas: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The real patience is at the first stroke of a calamity.” [Bukhari Book 23 Hadith 389]
                  In our lives we are going to be faced with many difficult problems. Sometimes we are going to think that our worlds are crashing down. This life is a struggle. What we need to have when facing any adversity is patience.  The greatest people to look up to and to use as examples are the Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) and his companions.
                  Anâs Radhi-Allâhu 'anhu reports that Nabî Sallallâhu 'alayhi wasallam has said: "From among the women of the world who have reached perfection and who are worthy of following are: Miryam the daughter of Imrân; Khadija daughter of Khuwailid; Fatima daughter of Muhammad and Asiyah wife of Fir'aun" (Tirmidhi)  
                  Do you think that these women were honored with such a title without going through hardships?
Of course not. 
Let’s take a closer look at just a few of the hardships that these women faced.
Khadija Daughter of Khuwalid:
The night when Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) got his first revelation at mount Hira, he ran back to his house shivering, Khadija was there to console him. She was the first to listen to him and she was the first there to support him as he took his role as the Prophet of our Ummah; she was always there for the Prophet (PBUH). This new responsibility was a heavy load and at night when Khadija couldn’t sleep she would pray to Allah (SWT).  To further show her support Khadija became the first person to accept Islam as her deen. When people turned their back on the Prophet (PBUH) and gave him a hard time, Khadija was the rock of support. She would support the Prophet (PBUH) and the believers with her wisdom and money.  Throughout the course of events that took place, Khadija’s faith and love for Allah (SWT) kept growing. Khadija’s strong and loving character captured the heart of not only the Prophet (PBUH), but her character touched and inspired many people to enter the faith of Islam (Malik).
Asiyah Wife of Farun:
Asiyah was married to a cruel man; Farun.  She was among the people who announced their faith to Allah and His messenger Moses. Upon declaring her faith, Farun tortured her. He pinned her to the ground in the scorching sun. But Asiyah’s faith was too strong to be shaken and whenever Farun would look away angels would use their wings to shield her from the sun. Her patience kept her strong enough to endure the pain. Her faith made her turn and pray to Allah (SWT) as she dreamt of her home in Jannah. Farun then gave her a choice; she could either give up her belief or have a boulder end her life. Asiyah refused to give up her belief, she chose to die and asked Allah for a home in Jannah far away from evil (Siham).

   Maryam Daughter of Imran:
Allah provided Maryam with a tough plight. A situation so tough, that her chastity came in to questioning. Her test later became known as one of history’s greatest miracles; the birth of Eissa.  Maryam the daughter of Imran had always been a devout follower. When the angles sent her this revelation, she went in to seclusion.  Her faith in Allah never decreased, even when people started accusing her of adultery and Allah didn’t leave her side. When she went to her clan carrying her child, they started questioning her. But Maryam didn’t reply, she just pointed at baby Eissa. At that moment baby Eissa spoke to the people and declared; “I am the servant of Allah who has given me the Book and made me a Prophet." (19:30) (Siham)
Fatimah Daughter of Muhammed (PBUH):
After her mother’s death Fatimah took on the role as the beacon of comfort to the Prophet (PBUH).  She was also benevolent with the people just as her mother Khadija was. Fatimah was married to Ali son of Abi Talib. They led a life of extreme poverty but despite her circumstances Fatimah never lost her humility.  To make ends meet she was a grinder of corn and he was a drawer of water. One day after they both came back from work exhausted Ali suggested that Fatima ask her dad to give her some of the servants that were captured in one of the battles. When Fatimah and Ali went to the Prophet (PBUH), he rejected their request because other people were more in need than they were. Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) later came to their house and told them to recite three things after prayer and before they fell asleep; Subhanna Allah (Glory be to Allah), El hamdu Allah (Praise be to Allah), and Allahu Akbar (Allah is great), for the reward and ease provided by those words are much better than having servants (“Fatimah bint Muhammed”).
In the face of great adversity these women were confident that Allah would prevail. Their faith surpassed and eased their grave struggles. When you face adversity you need to know that Allah (SWT) will never leave your side, you need to be sure that He will get you through whatever hardships you face. Be patient. Don’t lose faith. This life is nothing but trials; a test that we should aim to pass.

"If you see Allah, Mighty and Magnificent, holding back this world from you, frequently trying you with adversity and tribulation, know that you
... hold a great status with Him. Know that He is dealing with you ...as
He does with His Awliya’ and chosen elite, and is watching over you"
--Al Ghazali


 
                                                  Works Cited
Malik, Fida H. "Khadija." Wives of the Holy Prophet. 2009 ed. New Delhi: Adam and Distributors, 1952. 77-92. Print.
Siham. "The Great Women of Islam." The Great Women of Islam. 28 July 2008. Web. 24 May 2012. <http://jannah.org/madina/index.php?topic=1024.0>.
Umm Yusuf. "Great Women In Islam-Fatimah, Daughter of the Prophet Muhammad - Fatimah Bint Muhammad." A Glimpse Into The Life of A Muslimah. 27 Aug. 2007. Web. 25 May 2012. <http://southernmuslimah.wordpress.com/2007/08/27/great-women-in-islam-fatimah-daughter-of-the-prophet-muhammad/>.
SuperMuslims: 
SuperMuslims Magazine Issue #2:
http://issuu.com/supermuslims/docs/supermuslims_patience
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