Patience in Times of Hardship
How can patience help us respond to hardship?
Understand sabr, the Islamic concept of patience, as active steadfastness rather than passive resignation, and learn how the Qur'an and the Prophet's teaching guide people through difficulty.
Why it matters
Everyone faces hardship: illness, loss, disappointment, uncertainty. Nobody can choose whether difficulty arrives, but people can influence how they respond to it.
Islam gives patience (sabr) a central place. This lesson explains what patience means, what it does not mean, and how it can be practised realistically.
The teaching
Patience is active
The Arabic root of sabr carries the sense of holding firm or restraining. Scholars often describe three forms: patience in continuing to do good, patience in holding back from wrong, and patience in enduring what one cannot change.
Patience is not passivity. Someone who is ill and seeks treatment, or who is treated unjustly and pursues fair redress, can be fully patient. Sabr describes the inner steadiness with which a person acts, not a refusal to act.
Hardship is part of life, not a sign of being forgotten
The Qur'an says plainly that people will be tested 'with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits' (2:155). Difficulty is presented as part of human experience rather than proof that God is absent.
The same passage describes the patient as people who, when disaster strikes, say: 'Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return' (2:156). Muslims commonly say these words on hearing of a death or loss.
With hardship comes ease
Surah Ash-Sharh (94:5–6) repeats: 'For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.' The repetition offers reassurance. The wording is 'with' hardship rather than only 'after' it, and many commentators note that relief can accompany difficulty, not only follow it.
The Qur'an also says that God does not burden a soul beyond its capacity (2:286). This verse is often a comfort, though it should never be used to dismiss someone else's pain.
Patience and prayer as support
In 2:153 believers are told to 'seek help through patience and prayer'. Patience is not presented as gritting one's teeth alone; it is supported by turning to God, and, as other teachings make clear, by community and practical help.
A hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari (1469) describes patience as a quality that grows with effort: 'whoever remains patient, Allah will make him patient', and calls it the greatest of blessings.
From the Qur'an
Each passage shows the Arabic text, an attributed English translation, and our explanatory note, kept visually separate.
Arabic text
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱسۡتَعِينُواْ بِٱلصَّبۡرِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ153
Translation · Saheeh International
153O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient
Explanatory note (our words, not part of the Qur'an)
Patience and prayer are described as sources of help, and God is described as being 'with the patient'.
Arabic text
وَلَنَبۡلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيۡءٖ مِّنَ ٱلۡخَوۡفِ وَٱلۡجُوعِ وَنَقۡصٖ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡوَٰلِ وَٱلۡأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ155 ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَٰبَتۡهُم مُّصِيبَةٞ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيۡهِ رَٰجِعُونَ156 أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ صَلَوَٰتٞ مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡ وَرَحۡمَةٞۖ وَأُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُهۡتَدُونَ157
Translation · Saheeh International
155And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient
156Who, when disaster strikes them, say, "Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return
157Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided
Explanatory note (our words, not part of the Qur'an)
Hardship is acknowledged as part of life. The patient response is to remember that we belong to God and will return to Him.
Arabic text
فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلۡعُسۡرِ يُسۡرًا5 إِنَّ مَعَ ٱلۡعُسۡرِ يُسۡرٗا6
Translation · Saheeh International
5For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease
6Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease
Explanatory note (our words, not part of the Qur'an)
A repeated reassurance that ease accompanies hardship.
Differences of interpretation and context
Classical grammarians and commentators observed that 'hardship' is definite in Arabic while 'ease' is indefinite, and some concluded that one hardship is accompanied by more than one ease. This is a widely cited reflection rather than a legal ruling.
Arabic text
لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفۡسًا إِلَّا وُسۡعَهَاۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتۡ وَعَلَيۡهَا مَا ٱكۡتَسَبَتۡۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذۡنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوۡ أَخۡطَأۡنَاۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحۡمِلۡ عَلَيۡنَآ إِصۡرٗا كَمَا حَمَلۡتَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِنَاۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلۡنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦۖ وَٱعۡفُ عَنَّا وَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَٱرۡحَمۡنَآۚ أَنتَ مَوۡلَىٰنَا فَٱنصُرۡنَا عَلَى ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ286
Translation · Saheeh International
286Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned. "Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people
Explanatory note (our words, not part of the Qur'an)
God does not charge a soul beyond its capacity. The verse ends with a prayer for forgiveness and help.
From the hadith
Hadith are reports of the Prophet Muhammad's words and actions. Each one below shows its collection, reference number and grading, with the authority that graded it.
Suhaib reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said:
Strange are the ways of a believer for there is good in every affair of his and this is not the case with anyone else except in the case of a believer for if he has an occasion to feel delight, he thanks (God), thus there is a good for him in it, and if he gets into trouble and shows resignation (and endures it patiently), there is a good for him in it.
Why it matters here
Both gratitude in good times and patience in hard times are good for the believer.
Source, grading and translation details
- Collection
- Sahih Muslim, no. 2999 (Book 55, Hadith 82)
- Numbering
- Muhammad Fu'ad 'Abd al-Baqi numbering, as used on sunnah.com
- Grade
- Sahih: Included in Sahih Muslim, a collection accepted as authentic (sahih) by Sunni hadith scholarship
- Translation
- Abdul Hamid Siddiqui (English translation as published on sunnah.com)
- Checked
- sunnah.com English dataset (offline copy in the `hadith` npm package v1.3.0): wording, number, in-book reference and grade, on 2026-10-09
Narrated Anas bin Malik:
The Prophet (ﷺ) passed by a woman who was weeping beside a grave. He told her to fear Allah and be patient. She said to him, "Go away, for you have not been afflicted with a calamity like mine." And she did not recognize him. Then she was informed that he was the Prophet (ﷺ) . so she went to the house of the Prophet (ﷺ) and there she did not find any guard. Then she said to him, "I did not recognize you." He said, "Verily, the patience is at the first stroke of a calamity."
Why it matters here
Patience is tested most at the first moment of shock. Notice also the Prophet's gentle response to a grieving woman who spoke harshly to him.
Source, grading and translation details
- Collection
- Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 1283 (Book 23, Hadith 43)
- Numbering
- Muhammad Fu'ad 'Abd al-Baqi numbering, as used on sunnah.com
- Grade
- Sahih: Included in Sahih al-Bukhari, a collection accepted as authentic (sahih) by Sunni hadith scholarship
- Translation
- Muhammad Muhsin Khan (English translation as published on sunnah.com)
- Checked
- sunnah.com English dataset (offline copy in the `hadith` npm package v1.3.0): wording, number, in-book reference and grade, on 2026-10-09
Narrated Anas bin Malik:
the eyes of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) started shedding tears. `Abdur Rahman bin `Auf said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) , even you are weeping!" He said, "O Ibn `Auf, this is mercy." Then he wept more and said, "The eyes are shedding tears and the heart is grieved, and we will not say except what pleases our Lord, O Ibrahim ! Indeed we are grieved by your separation."
Why it matters here
The Prophet wept at his son's death and called his tears 'mercy', while saying only what pleases God.
Source, grading and translation details
- Collection
- Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 1303 (Book 23, Hadith 61)
- Numbering
- Muhammad Fu'ad 'Abd al-Baqi numbering, as used on sunnah.com
- Grade
- Sahih: Included in Sahih al-Bukhari, a collection accepted as authentic (sahih) by Sunni hadith scholarship
- Translation
- Muhammad Muhsin Khan (English translation as published on sunnah.com)
- Checked
- sunnah.com English dataset (offline copy in the `hadith` npm package v1.3.0): wording, number, in-book reference and grade, on 2026-10-09
- Editorial note
- This excerpt describes the Prophet at the death of his infant son Ibrahim.
Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri and Abu Huraira:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that."
Why it matters here
Even small hardships carry meaning: they are a means of forgiveness.
Source, grading and translation details
- Collection
- Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 5641, 5642 (Book 75, Hadith 2)
- Numbering
- Muhammad Fu'ad 'Abd al-Baqi numbering, as used on sunnah.com
- Grade
- Sahih: Included in Sahih al-Bukhari, a collection accepted as authentic (sahih) by Sunni hadith scholarship
- Translation
- Muhammad Muhsin Khan (English translation as published on sunnah.com)
- Checked
- sunnah.com English dataset (offline copy in the `hadith` npm package v1.3.0): wording, number, in-book reference and grade, on 2026-10-09
Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri:
And whoever remains patient, Allah will make him patient. Nobody can be given a blessing better and greater than patience.
Why it matters here
Patience is a quality that can be cultivated through effort.
Source, grading and translation details
- Collection
- Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 1469 (Book 24, Hadith 71)
- Numbering
- Muhammad Fu'ad 'Abd al-Baqi numbering, as used on sunnah.com
- Grade
- Sahih: Included in Sahih al-Bukhari, a collection accepted as authentic (sahih) by Sunni hadith scholarship
- Translation
- Muhammad Muhsin Khan (English translation as published on sunnah.com)
- Checked
- sunnah.com English dataset (offline copy in the `hadith` npm package v1.3.0): wording, number, in-book reference and grade, on 2026-10-09
Context and key terms
Arabic terms in this lesson (4)
Sabr
صبر
Patience; steadfastness
Holding oneself steady: persevering in doing good, restraining oneself from wrong and enduring hardship without despair. It is active endurance, not passive resignation.
Shukr
شكر
Gratitude
Thankfulness shown in the heart (recognising a blessing), on the tongue (acknowledging it) and in action (using it well).
Du'a
دعاء
Supplication; personal prayer
Calling on God in one's own words, at any time and in any language.
Salah
صلاة
Prayer
The formal prayer that Muslims perform five times a day. Surah Al-Fatihah is recited in every unit of the prayer.
Grief is not a lack of patience
Crying and feeling sorrow are not contrary to patience. Hadith collections record that the Prophet wept at the death of his young son Ibrahim (Sahih al-Bukhari 1303). Patience concerns not despairing, and not saying or doing things that are wrong, rather than not feeling pain.
Patience does not mean staying in danger
Teachings on patience should never be used to pressure someone to remain in an abusive or unsafe situation. Islamic teaching also strongly prohibits injustice and harm. Anyone in danger should seek help from appropriate services and trusted people.
Go deeper: Patience and gratitude as partners
Many scholars treat sabr and shukr as two halves of a believer's response to life, following the hadith in Sahih Muslim 2999. In ease, the test is gratitude; in difficulty, the test is patience. Most lives contain both at the same time.
Everyday example
Illustrative story (fictional)
Yusuf's long recovery
Yusuf tore a ligament months before a race he had trained a year for. At first he was angry and stopped speaking to his teammates. A coach reminded him that patience is not doing nothing; it is doing the next right thing steadily.
Yusuf followed his physiotherapy plan, helped coach younger runners while he recovered, and allowed himself to feel disappointed without letting it turn into bitterness. He missed the race, but he came back stronger and, by his own account, kinder.
Patience shows itself in steady action, honest feelings and refusing to let hardship turn into harm to oneself or others.
Activity
Scenario challenge
Waiting for news
A close family member is in hospital and you are waiting for test results. You feel anxious, and a relative keeps telling you that 'if you were really patient you wouldn't be upset'.
Which response best reflects the teaching on sabr?
Knowledge check
Answer each question to see an explanation. You can retry as many times as you like; nothing is graded.
Reflection
Try it in practice
The pause before reacting
- 1When something frustrating or upsetting happens, pause for three slow breaths before responding.
- 2Silently say a short phrase that steadies you, such as 'with hardship comes ease'.
- 3Ask: what is one constructive thing I can do now?
This is also available as an optional daily practice: Pause before reacting.
Sources and further reading
Primary sources cited
- Qur'an 2:153 (Surah Al-Baqarah). Arabic: King Fahd Complex Uthmani text; translation: Saheeh International.
- Qur'an 2:155–157 (Surah Al-Baqarah). Arabic: King Fahd Complex Uthmani text; translation: Saheeh International.
- Qur'an 94:5–6 (Surah Ash-Sharh). Arabic: King Fahd Complex Uthmani text; translation: Saheeh International.
- Qur'an 2:286 (Surah Al-Baqarah). Arabic: King Fahd Complex Uthmani text; translation: Saheeh International.
- Sahih Muslim 2999, graded Sahih (Sahih collection). Sunnah.com (opens in a new tab)
- Sahih al-Bukhari 1283, graded Sahih (Sahih collection). Sunnah.com (opens in a new tab)
- Sahih al-Bukhari 1303, graded Sahih (Sahih collection). Sunnah.com (opens in a new tab)
- Sahih al-Bukhari 5641, 5642, graded Sahih (Sahih collection). Sunnah.com (opens in a new tab)
- Sahih al-Bukhari 1469, graded Sahih (Sahih collection). Sunnah.com (opens in a new tab)
Further reading
- Surah Ash-Sharh (94) (opens in a new tab) · Quran.com
A short surah of eight verses, worth reading in full.
- Sahih Muslim 2999 (opens in a new tab) · Sunnah.com
The hadith on gratitude and patience.
This lesson is educational and is not a fatwa (religious ruling). For personal religious questions, please consult a qualified scholar you trust. How we source and review lessons.
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