Sabr () (literally 'endurance' or more accurately 'perseverance' and 'persistence') is one of the two parts of faith (the other being shukr) in Islam. It teaches to remain spiritually steadfast and to keep doing good actions in the personal and collective domain, specifically when facing opposition or encountering problems, setbacks, or unexpected and unwanted results. It is patience in the face of all unexpected and unwanted outcomes.
Arabic lexicographers suggest that the root á¹£-b-r, of which á¹£abr is the nominalization, means to bind or restrain. The word á¹£abr has a special technical application in the expression yamën aá¹£-á¹£abr (ÃÂàÃÂàçÃÂõèñ), which refers to perjury.
In the Quran, words that are derived from the root á¹£-b-r occur frequently, with the general meaning of persisting on the right path when under adverse circumstance, whether internal or external, personal or collective. For example, Muhammad is told to be patient like the Apostles of God before him (); (). The Qur'an promises those who face difficulty and yet persist on the right path, a double reward ( ). The concept is also in jihad, () where it is translated as "endurance" or "tenacity". It is also used when God commands Muslims to serve Him: XIX, 65, "Serve Him and persevere in His service." (). Sometimes á¹£abr is associated with the salÃÂt (, ). According to the Qur'an commentators, á¹£abr in these passages is synonymous with fasting, as the month of Ramadan was given the name sòhòahr á¹£abr (meaning month of patience).
The word is found with the meaning resignation(acceptance), for example in the sura of Yusuf, Yaqub(As.), on hearing of the death of his son, says "[My best course is] fitting resignation(acceptance)", where resignation(acceptance) is the most appropriate translation for sabar. The Quran also uses the adjective á¹£abbÃÂr. This concept is related to shukr (meaning gratitude).
In Quran there is usually a close connection between being patiently persisting in doing right and expecting relief or deliverance from God (tawakkul). Thus Muhammad is told to be "patient till your Lord decides, for you are in Our sight".
Abu Yahya Suhaib b. Sinan said that Muhammad said: "Wondrous are the believer's affairs. For him there is good in all his affairs, and this is so only for the believer. When something pleasing happens to him, he is grateful, and that is good for him; and when something displeasing happens to him, he is enduring (á¹£abr), and that is good for him." ( Muslim )
Muhammad is reported to have said, "No one had ever been given anything better than á¹£abr." From Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim
Abu Musa al-Ashari reported that Muhammad said, "When a son of a servant of Allah dies, Allah Says to the angels, 'Have you taken the son of My servant?' They say, 'Yes.' Then Allah Says, 'Have you taken the fruit of his heart?' They say, 'Yes.' Allah Says, 'What has My servant said?' They say, 'He has praised You and said, þinnàli-llÃÂhi wa-þinnàþilaihi rÃÂjiÃ¿à «n (To Allah we belong and to Him is our return). Then Allah Says, 'Build a house for My servant in Paradise and call it the house of praise.'" From Tirmidhi, Musnad Ahmad and ibn Habban.
Umar bin Khattab said, "We considered the best part of our lives to be that in which there was á¹£abr." Related by al-BukhÃÂrë (11/303) in taÿlëq form, and it has been related in connected form by ImÃÂm Ahmad in az-Zuhd with a á¹¢aḥëḥ þisnÃÂd â as al-ḤÃÂfiẠIbn Hajar mentioned in Fatḥ al-BÃÂrëþ (11/303).
Ali said, "Indeed á¹£abr is from þëmÃÂn (faith). Its position is like that of the head with respect to the rest of the body." Then he raised his voice and said, "Verily, there is no þëmÃÂn (faith) for the one who has no á¹£abr." Related by Hibat AllÃÂh ibn al-Ḥasan al-LÃÂlakÃÂþë in Sharḥ þuá¹£à «l þiÿtiqÃÂd þahl as-sunnah wa-al-jamÃÂÿah (no. 1659), al-Bayhaqë in ShuÃ¿à «b al-þëmÃÂn and Abë ShaybÃÂn in KitÃÂb al-þëmÃÂn (no. 130), with a slightly different wording.
Imam Ahmad said, "AllÃÂh has mentioned á¹£abr (patient perseverance) in over ninety places in His Book (Quran)." Related by Ibn al-Qayyim in MadÃÂrij as-SÃÂlikën (2/152).
Many Muslim scholars have tried to classify and give examples of á¹£abr. According to the Encyclopaedia of Islam á¹£abr is of two kinds:
Fakhòr al-Dën al-RÃÂzë distinguishes four kinds:
He also gives an application of the concept, Muá¹£ÃÂbara, in which ones refrains from taking revenge from one's fellow-creature (like neighbors, People of the Book).
Al-Ghazali said that á¹£abr consisted of three parts: maÿrifa (the tree), ḥÃÂl (branches) and ÿamal (the fruits).
In addition to the above, Sabr was also classified as thus:
According to Qur'an, a practical example of Sabr was described and stated as thus:
Those who possess á¹£abr to a certain extent are called á¹£ÃÂbirà «n. Out of the three classes of beings (jinn, angels, and mankind), man alone may possess á¹£abr. This is because the animals are entirely governed by their desires and impulses; and the angels are completely occupied by their longing for God, so they have no desires and thus need no á¹£abr to overcome them. In man, however, the two impulses (that of desire and that of spirituality) are fighting, where the former is kindled by Satan and the latter by the angels.
Among mankind, there are the pious, who have attained á¹£abr by overcoming their animal instincts, called siddiqà «n, while some still struggle in this task. SÃÂbirà «n are to remain steadfast not only in health and prosperity (where their á¹£abr is to be used as gratitude to God) but also in the performance of religious obligations, in refraining from forbidden things and in the event of uncontrollable calamities.