Patience is a virtue and will be rewarded

With the school break this week, I had the distinct pleasure of looking after my grandchildren. Oh what fun we had! 

A little bit of academia in the morning and a lot of play in the afternoon, made for a wonderfully blended week.  

However, I nearly pulled all my hair out — they had me hopping, with my youngest granddaughter, Yasmeen, in particular, who made me stick to every word I said.

If I said I was going to take them somewhere, every 10 seconds Yasmeen would ask me, “When are we going… you said at two o’clock we are going to Shelly Bay”.  

It was only 9:30am in the morning, so imagine, every 10 seconds — and I am not exaggerating — she asked me the same question, relentlessly.

And when she was not asking every 10 seconds, she resorted to drawing pictures of the places I promised her we would go.

What a girl Yasmeen is!  I love it though and I prayed that this child keeps up that same tenacity with every aspect of her life as she grows and matures. What an asset to have — she definitely will be successful.

Of course, on my part, I had to restrain myself from screaming at the top of my lungs.

She nearly drove me crazy with her persistence! As I appreciated where it was coming from, it made me realize and put it in the context of patience.  

Humility

I had to exercise every bit of patience not to become hasty with Yasmeen, because after all, I had made the promises and it was really on me to deliver them.  

How could I get upset with her for simply making sure that I was going to do what I said I was going to do.

Yes, patience is certainly a virtue.

Allah has 99 names — all of them attesting to His beautiful character.

The noble Quran says “Allah! there is no god but He! To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names.” (20:8)

Prophet Muhammad said: “To God belongs 99 names, 100 minus one, anyone who memorizes them will enter Paradise; He (God) is odd (odd number, he is the Only One), and He loves odd numbers (such as 99).”

Amongst the beautiful names of Allah is As-Sabur — translated meaning The Patient One.  

Allah indeed is patient. Patient with us — a demanding, impatient crew. We want and we want and we want it now! Yet Allah, the Patient perseveres with us and gives us pardon. 

Having just experienced being with my spiritual sisters last Friday, organized by dear Sister Nadiyah, we dhikered (remembrance of Allah) and went over some of the beautiful names of Allah; from that experience, the attribute of  ‘The Patient One’ was quite clear in my mind, Alhamdulillah!

What does it actually mean to be patient. As I write I’m thinking, ‘Well, one that is sick is called a patient’. 

So in my opinion, the word ‘patient’ when used in the context of a sick person means one must wait to be healed.

The meanings of ‘patient’ according to the World English Dictionary is: 1. Enduring trying circumstances with even temper; 2. Tolerant; understanding; 3. Capable of accepting delay with equanimity (calm temperament — even under stress); 4. Persevering or diligent. 

So indeed from the above, we see that being patient is a good thing. 

Let us pray that as we go about our daily living that we will exercise one of the beautiful attributes of God and be patient with our fellowman; it will certainly attain us success as is promised in Surah Al Insan, Ayah 12-14 of God’s Noble Quran: “And because they were patient and constant. He will reward them with a Garden and garments of silk. 

“Reclining in the Garden on raised thrones, they will see there neither the sun’s excessive heat nor the moon’s excessive cold. 

“And the shades of the Garden will come low over them, and the bunches of fruit there, will hang low in humility.”

Ameen.