In the renowned book ‘Udat As-Sabireen, Ibn Al-Qayyim quoted Imam Ahmad as saying, “Allah The Almighty mentioned patience in the Quran in ninety places.”

Here I will mention the various contexts in which patience was mentioned:

First: The command to be patient; Allah The Almighty Says (what means):

• {And be patient, [O Muhammad], and your patience is not but through Allah.} [Quran 16:127]

• {And be patient, [O Muhammad], for the decision of your Lord.} [Quran 52:48]
• {O you who have believed, be patient and endure and remain stationed and fear Allah that you may be successful.} [Quran 3:200]

Second: Forbidding the opposite of patience; Allah The Almighty Says (what means):

• {And do not be impatient for them.} [Quran 46:35]
• {So do not weaken and do not grieve…} [Quran 3:139]
• {And be not like the companion of the fish…} [Quran 68:48]

In general, every forbidden thing is the opposite of patience that is commanded.
Third: Making success contingent on patience; Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {O you who have believed, be patient and endure and remain stationed and fear Allah that you may be successful.} [Quran 3:200]

In the verse, success was made contingent on the mentioned matters.

Fourth: Informing of the multiplied reward of those who are patient; Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account.} [Quran 39:10]

Sulayman ibn Al-Qasim said, “Each good deed has a known reward except patience. Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account.} It is like flowing water.”

Fifth: Leadership in religion is made contingent upon patience and certainty in Allah; Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And We made from among them leaders guiding by Our command when they were patient and [when] they were certain of Our signs.} [Quran 32:24]

With patience and certainty, one obtains leadership in religion.

Sixth: Allah The Almighty is with the patient; Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {Allah is with the patient.} [Quran 2:153]

Abu ‘Ali Ad-Daqqaq said, “The patient won the honor of both worlds because they won the advantage that Allah is with them.”

Seventh: Those who are patient are given three things together from Allah The Almighty, which are not available for others: His blessings, mercy and guidance. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {But give good tidings to the patient, Who, when disaster strikes them, say, "Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return." Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided.} [Quran 2:155-157]

When one of the righteous predecessors was offered condolences for a disaster which afflicted him, he said, “How could I not be patient when Allah has promised me three things for patience, each one is better than this world and what is in it.”
Eighth: Allah The Almighty made patience a means for seeking help and support; He Says (what means): {And seek help through patience and prayer.} [Quran 2:45]

This means that a person who is not patient is neither supported nor helped.

Ninth: Allah The Almighty made victory contingent upon patience and observing consciousness of Allah The Almighty. He Says (what means): {Yes, if you remain patient and conscious of Allah and the enemy come upon you [attacking] in rage, your Lord will reinforce you with five thousand angels having marks [of distinction].} [Quran 3:125]

The Prophet therefore, said: “Know that victory is with patience.”

Tenth: Allah The Almighty made patience and fear of Him a great means of protection from the cunning and plotting of the enemies. They are the greatest of all refuges. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And if you are patient and fear Allah, their plot will not harm you at all.} [Quran 3:120]

Eleventh: Allah The Almighty Says that His angels greet the patient in Paradise with peace due to their patience; He, the Exalted, Says (what means): {And the angels will enter upon them from every gate, [saying], "Peace be upon you for what you patiently endured. And excellent is the final home."} [Quran 13:23-24]

Twelfth: Allah The Almighty allowed the patient to punish with an equivalent of that with which they were harmed, then He gave an asserted oath that showing patience is better. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And if you punish [an enemy, O believers], punish with an equivalent of that with which you were harmed. But if you are patient - it is better for those who are patient.} [Quran 16:126]

The Arabic equivalent of the verse has many signs indicating assertion and affirmation of the oath.

Thirteenth: Allah The Almighty made forgiveness and great reward the consequence of patience and righteous deeds; He Says (what means): {Except for those who are patient and do righteous deeds; those will have forgiveness and great reward.} [Quran 11:11]

Fourteenth: Allah The Almighty considered patience over affliction and disasters one of the matters which require determination. Actually, determination is required over the noblest and greatest of deeds. Allah The Almighty Says (what means):
• {And whoever is patient and forgives - indeed, that is of the matters [requiring] determination.} [Quran 42:43]

• {And be patient over what befalls you. Indeed, [all] that is of the matters [requiring] determination.} [Quran 31:17] 

Patience: The Path to Paradise - I

Patience: The Path to Paradise - III