Patience and Gratitude

  By Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah

  An abridgement of his original work entitled, “Uddat as-Sâbireen wa Dhâkirat ash-Shâkireen” © 1997 TA-HA

Translator’s Introduction

Translator’s Note

Author’s Prologue

Chapter 1: The Definition of Patience
·         What scholars have said about patience
·         Is it better to have patience at a time of difficulty, or to be in a situation that does not require patience
·         Patience and Shakwah (complaint)
·         Opposing forces
·         Further definition of patience 
·         Is it possible to obtain the quality of patience?

Chapter 2: Different perspectives on patience
·         Different degrees of patience 
·         The patience of men and the patience of animals
·         The patience of jinn
·         The patience of angels
·         The patience of man
·         Different degrees of patience
·         Different strengths of patience
·         When patience is needed
·         Patience in worshipping Allâh
·         Patience in abstaining from wrong action
·         Patience at times of trial and adversity

Chapter 3: Five categories of patience
·     Obligatory patience (wâjib)
·      Encouraged patience (mundûb)
·      Forbidden patience (mahdhûr)
·      Disliked patience (makrûh)
·      Permissible patience (mubâh) 

Chapter 4: Good patience and bad patience
··        Emulating the attributes of Allâh
·     No contradiction between patience and complaining to Allâh

Chapter 5: The patience of noble people and the patience of ignoble people

Chapter 6: Ways of strengthening patience
··        Knowledge
·         Action
·         Strengthening the motive of reason and religion

Chapter 7: Man cannot do without patience
·         Patience at a time of adversity is easier than at a time of ease
·         Patience in worship
·         Patience in abstaining from committing wrong actions
·         Patience in adversity and in situations beyond man’s control
·         Patience in situations which are started by choice, but whose consequences get out of hand

Chapter 8: What is the most difficult type of patience?
·      Patience in abstaining from wrong actions of speech and sexual wrong actions

Chapter 9: Patience in the Qur’ân

Chapter 10: Ahâdîth about patience
·         Patience at the time of sickness

Chapter 11: Sahâbah on the virtues of patience
·        The story of ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr
·        Beautiful patience (sabr jamîl - Yûsuf 12:83) and panic

Chapter 12: Patience at the time of bereavement
·        Eulogizing and wailing
·        Saying a few words
·    The deceased person suffers because of the people’s wailing for him

Chapter 14: Patience and loving Allâh
·       Patience for the sake of Allâh, by the help of Allâh and in accepting the decree of Allâh
·       Different degrees of patience

Chapter 15: Gratitude in the Qur’ân
·     The rewards of gratitude
·     Iblîs and gratitude
·     Gratitude and ‘ibâdah

Chapter 17: The Sahâbah and Tabi‘în on gratitude
·      Gratitude of different faculties
·      Prostration of gratitude
·     All the good deeds of man cannot pay for one blessing of Allâh

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