[13:19] Is one
who
recognizes that your Lord's
revelations to you
are the
truth equal to one who is
blind? Only those who possess
intelligence will take heed.
[13:20]
They are the ones who
fulfill
their pledge to GOD, and
do not
violate the covenant.
[13:21] They
join what GOD has commanded to
be joined,
reverence their Lord, and
fear
the dreadful reckoning.
[13:22]
They steadfastly persevere in
seeking their Lord,
observe
the Contact Prayers (Salat),
spend
from our provisions to them secretly and
publicly, and
counter
evil with good. These have
deserved the best abode.
[13:23] They
enter the gardens of Eden, together with
the righteous among their parents, their
spouses, and their children. The angels
will enter in to them from every door.
[13:24]
"Peace
be upon you, because you
steadfastly persevered.
What a joyous destiny."
One of the
top qualities/traits that God is
strongly commanding us to strengthen
through out the entire Quran is our
perseverance in worshiping Him and in
facing our daily ups and downs and our
adversities. There are 89 verses in the
Quran that remind the believers of this
important quality through many
derivatives of the word "sabr", used in
a command, in a beautiful description
for a true believer, or to state the
blissful rewards awaiting those who
steadfastly persevere.
The strife to
maintain our perseverance/sabr
throughout our journey of submission
becomes very challenging at certain
situations as the human being is created
weak (4:28) and impatient (21:37). As
clarified by God, our unwavering
perseverance/sabr to hold fast to His
rope at all times is the valid proof of
our strong faith and character.
The
Inevitable Test*
[3:186] You will
certainly be tested, through your money
and your lives, and you will hear from
those who received the scripture, and
from the idol worshipers, a lot of
insult. If you steadfastly
persevere and lead a righteous life,
this will prove the strength of your
faith.
[47:31]
We will
certainly put you to the test,
in order to distinguish those among you
who strive, and steadfastly persevere.
We must expose your true qualities.
[42:43]
Resorting to patience and forgiveness
reflects a true strength of character.
Our perseverance/sabr
is also a strong indication of our total
submission to the will of God and the
unshakable trust in Him. Thus, it is
always linked with a better self-control
during adversities and higher level of
dedication to steadfastly maintain all
of the traits of righteousness and
observe all of God's rites and commands.
[29:58]
Those who believe and lead a
righteous life, we will
surely settle them in Paradise, with
mansions and flowing streams. Eternally
they abide therein. What a beautiful
reward for the workers.
[29:59]
They are the ones who steadfastly
persevere, and trust in their
Lord.
[2:155] We will
surely test you through some fear,
hunger, and loss of money, lives, and
crops. Give good news to the
steadfast.*
[2:156]
When an affliction befalls them, they
say, "We belong to
GOD, and to Him we are returning."
[2:157] These
have deserved blessings from their Lord
and mercy. These are the guided ones.
[103:3] Except
those who believe and lead a righteous
life, and exhort one another
to uphold the truth, and
exhort one another to be
steadfast.
[90:17] And being
one of those who believe, and
exhorting one another to be steadfast,
and exhorting one another to
be kind.
[12:90] ....
That is because if one leads
a righteous life, and steadfastly
perseveres, GOD never fails to reward
the righteous."
[11:11]
As for those who
steadfastly persevere, and
lead a righteous life, they
deserve forgiveness and a generous
recompense.
[28:80] As for
those who were blessed with knowledge,
they said, "Woe to you, GOD's
recompense is far better for those who
believe and lead a righteous life."
None attains this except the
steadfast.
[3:200] O you who
believe, you shall be
steadfast, you
shall persevere,
you shall be united,
you shall observe GOD,
that you may succeed.
[19:65] The Lord
of the heavens and the earth, and
everything between them; you
shall worship Him and steadfastly
persevere in worshiping Him.
Do you know of anyone who equals Him?
God gave us the
examples and the guidelines to attain
the high ranks of perseverance/sabr.
Those who manage to be steadfast absorb
their strength and inner power from
knowing that God will always support the
truth and those who persevere to fully
uphold it. God clearly emphasized to us
the honored rewards of successfully
maintaining perseverance ; God's full
support in this life and the eternal
bliss of the Hereafter.This is God's
promise for those who steadfastly
persevere on His path and during their
earthly journey of submission:
[34:48] Say,
"My Lord causes the truth to
prevail. He is the Knower of all
secrets."
[2:249] .....Those
who were conscious of meeting GOD said,
"Many a
small army defeated a large army by
GOD's leave. GOD is with
those who steadfastly persevere."
[8:66] Now (that
many new people have joined you) GOD has
made it easier for you, for He knows
that you are not as strong as you used
to be.
Henceforth, a hundred
steadfast
believers can defeat two hundred,
and a thousand of you can defeat
two thousand by GOD's leave.
GOD is with those who
steadfastly persevere.
[8:46] You shall
obey GOD and His messenger, and do not
dispute among yourselves, lest you fail
and scatter your strength.
You shall steadfastly
persevere. GOD is with those who
steadfastly persevere.
[39:10] Say,
"O My servants who believed, you
shall reverence your Lord." For
those who worked righteousness in
this world, a good reward. GOD's
earth is spacious, and
those who steadfastly persevere will
receive their recompense generously,
without limits.
[25:75]
These are the ones
who attain Paradise in return
for their steadfastness;
they are received therein with joyous
greetings and peace.
[13:23] They
enter the gardens of Eden, together with
the righteous among their parents, their
spouses, and their children. The
angels will enter in to them from every
door.
[13:24]
"Peace be upon you, because you
steadfastly persevered.
What a joyous destiny."
Being steadfast takes a lot of practice
and consumes tremendous energy. We
struggle and fight our egos and human
weakness, and at times we fail to
maintain this golden, spiritual state of
mind. Because we are so fragile, we tend
to lose our patience, despair, and
collapse, breaking up certain codes and
righteous routines. God knows all this
otherwise He would not stress out the
nature of our struggle as well as the
importance to achieve this quality. God
even explained for us thorough the
history of His prophets and messengers
how sometimes they fall into the same
human mistake and lose their patience
(18:65-82,10:88-89, 68:44-50, 71:26-27).
God, thus, equally commands both His
messengers and the believers to strive
hard in order to beautify their souls
with this awesome quality (52:48,
70:5-7, 20:130, 76:24, and
many others) . He also invites all of us
to repent and He assures all His
servants a brand new start after every
fall as long as we show our regret,
repent, and strive to reform (39:53).
God tells us that perseverance/sabr is
achievable by the constant practice,
worship, and imploring. It is achievable
by seeking refuge
in God, all the time, from Satan and his
constituents:
[16:127]
You
shall resort to patience -
and your patience is attainable only
with GOD's help.
Do not grieve over them, and do not be
annoyed by their schemes.
[2:45] You
shall
seek help through
steadfastness and the Contact
Prayers (Salat). This
is difficult indeed,
but
not so for the
reverent,
[2:46]
who believe that they will meet
their Lord; that to Him they
ultimately return.
[2:153] O you
who believe, seek help
through steadfastness and the
Contact Prayers (Salat).
GOD is with those who
steadfastly persevere.
[73:8]
You shall commemorate the name of your
Lord, to come ever closer and closer to
Him.
[73:9] Lord of
the east and the west; there is no other
god beside Him. You should
choose Him as your advocate.
[73:10]
And remain steadfast in the face of
their utterances, and disregard them in
a nice manner.
[30:60]
Therefore, you shall steadfastly
persevere - for GOD's promise is the
truth - and do not be intimidated by
those who have not attained certainty.
[76:24]
You shall steadfastly carry out your
Lord's commandments,
and do not obey any sinful disbeliever
among them.
[2:250] ...."Our
Lord, grant us steadfastness, strengthen
our foothold, and support us against the
disbelieving people."
[7:126] .... "Our
Lord, grant us steadfastness, and let us
die as submitters."
