Discussion of the types of patience and which is more difficult: performing acts of obedience or committing forbidden acts.
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The Shaykh : How is it, Khalid? Does patience in obedience require mental effort and physical effort?
The student: Physical effort through performing the act of obedience...
The Shaykh : Yes, through performing the act of obedience itself.
The student: And mental effort, patience in performing the act of obedience.
The Shaykh : That means dealing with the self, right? The Fajr adhan is called and you are in bed, you start to stir, wake up, and say, "We are getting up early so we don't miss the prayer." This requires effort; you must deal with your self and get up. Now, does patience in avoiding sin require only mental effort? Why?
The student: Because it is restraint.
The Shaykh : Because it is restraint, restraining the hand.
The student: The limbs.
The Shaykh : Yes, because it is leaving it. Sin is leaving it. Leave the sin, and there is no physical toil for you. But the self is tired if the sin is something the self desires and you restrain yourself from it; the self is certainly tired. So, there is only one type of toil in patience in avoiding sin. What is it, Mazen?
The student: The sin.
The Shaykh : Which patience in [such] sin has only one type of dealing or one type of struggle from one side?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : I mean, struggling with the self to leave it? Be decisive.
The student: Struggling with the self.
The Shaykh : To leave it. Now, there is no physical effort. Patience with the painful decrees of Allah is the lowest. Why? Because the matter is not in your hands. The matter is not in your hands. The matter has happened, so it is as some of the Salaf said: "Either you have the patience of the noble, or you have the resignation of the beasts." Correct? There is no action from you. Something that must happen to you has happened to you. It is said that Yusuf (peace be upon him) was tested with the three types of patience. Correct? Yusuf ibn Ya'qub was tested with the three types of patience? Now, the guidance of Allah! Patience in obedience?
The student: Patience in obedience and patience with the painful decrees.
The Shaykh : No, no, don't go there. Patience in obedience, with what?
The student: Patience in obedience, which is... which is when Zulaikha entered the room and... this is patience in...
The Shaykh : No, no.
The student: Patience in obedience, he is a Prophet...
The Shaykh : I mean, this is a logical deduction, but we need something clear.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : The supplication, you mean?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Did he not call to Allah while he was in prison, or not? He called to Allah while he was in prison. ءَأَرْبَابٌ مُتَفَرِّقُونَ خَيْرٌ أَمِ اللَّهُ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ 39 مَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ Are scattered lords better, or Allah, the One, the Subduer? What you worship besides Him This is undoubtedly patience: a man in prison calling people to the oneness of Allah. Now, patience in avoiding sin?
The student: His refusal to comply with the wife of the Aziz.
The Shaykh : Well done. His refusal to comply with the wife of the Aziz when she tried to seduce him. Now, patience in...
The student: What happened to him from his brothers and his imprisonment.
The Shaykh : Well done. Perfect.
The student: Physical effort through performing the act of obedience...
The Shaykh : Yes, through performing the act of obedience itself.
The student: And mental effort, patience in performing the act of obedience.
The Shaykh : That means dealing with the self, right? The Fajr adhan is called and you are in bed, you start to stir, wake up, and say, "We are getting up early so we don't miss the prayer." This requires effort; you must deal with your self and get up. Now, does patience in avoiding sin require only mental effort? Why?
The student: Because it is restraint.
The Shaykh : Because it is restraint, restraining the hand.
The student: The limbs.
The Shaykh : Yes, because it is leaving it. Sin is leaving it. Leave the sin, and there is no physical toil for you. But the self is tired if the sin is something the self desires and you restrain yourself from it; the self is certainly tired. So, there is only one type of toil in patience in avoiding sin. What is it, Mazen?
The student: The sin.
The Shaykh : Which patience in [such] sin has only one type of dealing or one type of struggle from one side?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : I mean, struggling with the self to leave it? Be decisive.
The student: Struggling with the self.
The Shaykh : To leave it. Now, there is no physical effort. Patience with the painful decrees of Allah is the lowest. Why? Because the matter is not in your hands. The matter is not in your hands. The matter has happened, so it is as some of the Salaf said: "Either you have the patience of the noble, or you have the resignation of the beasts." Correct? There is no action from you. Something that must happen to you has happened to you. It is said that Yusuf (peace be upon him) was tested with the three types of patience. Correct? Yusuf ibn Ya'qub was tested with the three types of patience? Now, the guidance of Allah! Patience in obedience?
The student: Patience in obedience and patience with the painful decrees.
The Shaykh : No, no, don't go there. Patience in obedience, with what?
The student: Patience in obedience, which is... which is when Zulaikha entered the room and... this is patience in...
The Shaykh : No, no.
The student: Patience in obedience, he is a Prophet...
The Shaykh : I mean, this is a logical deduction, but we need something clear.
The student: ...
Take me away as a Muslim
توَفني مسلماThe Shaykh : The supplication, you mean?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Did he not call to Allah while he was in prison, or not? He called to Allah while he was in prison. ءَأَرْبَابٌ مُتَفَرِّقُونَ خَيْرٌ أَمِ اللَّهُ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ 39 مَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ Are scattered lords better, or Allah, the One, the Subduer? What you worship besides Him This is undoubtedly patience: a man in prison calling people to the oneness of Allah. Now, patience in avoiding sin?
The student: His refusal to comply with the wife of the Aziz.
The Shaykh : Well done. His refusal to comply with the wife of the Aziz when she tried to seduce him. Now, patience in...
The student: What happened to him from his brothers and his imprisonment.
The Shaykh : Well done. Perfect.