the Lectures of Nokounam, May His Sanctity Be Respected (Session 277)
Mystical wayfaring, akin to a profound journey into the depths of Divine knowledge, guides the seeker through various stations towards the peaks of spiritual nearness. Patience, a resplendent jewel along this path, functions as the essential substratum of human character, the foundational element of ethical virtues, and a cardinal prerequisite for progressing through spiritual stages. This station, which fortifies the wayfarer against the polarities of lifefrom hardship to ease, from poverty to wealthnot only prevents fragility and passivity but also directs towards spiritual perfection. The present text, drawn from the 277th session of Nokounams lectures, offers a scholarly, mystical, and philosophical elucidation of patience. The focal point of discussion is the noble verse And be patient, and your patience is not but through Allah (al-Nahl 16:127, : So endure patiently, and your patience is only by [the help of] Allah), which attributes patience to divine empowerment. This treatise examines the station of patience, its ranks, critiques of generalized views, and emphasises the systematic nature of Divine wisdom, all articulated within a rigorous academic framework.
Patience, as the elemental foundation of human character, constitutes the first station in the domain of ethics and the indispensable condition for embarking upon the spiritual journey. Just as awakening (yaqaza) in the preliminary stages is the gateway to mystical progression, patience in ethics serves as the bedrock for the actualisation of virtues such as contentment, gratitude, and sincerity. This attribute, functioning as a motivating force, renders the seeker steadfast before the adversities of life and enables the traversal of successive mystical stages. The sacred verse And be patient, and your patience is not but through Allah (al-Nahl 16:127) correlates patience with divine assistance, as if this virtue emanates like a radiant light from the fountain of Divine wisdom within the seekers heart.
Contrary to simplistic notions, patience is not an innate trait that suddenly manifests within the human being. The noble tradition If you are not forbearing, then cultivate forbearing in yourself (إن لم تكن حليماً فتحلم) emphatically highlights the acquirability of this attribute. Patience is akin to a muscle which, through continuous exercise and self-restraint in the face of challenges, is strengthened. Gradually, the seeker entrenches this capacity within the soul, such that each moment of patience resembles a droplet flowing into the stream of endurance, eventually converging into the ocean of inner strength.
Islamic narrations describe patience as a wise and mystical treasury whose profound semantic depth has often led to its underutilisation in practice. This richness resembles a clear spring, from which if the seeker drinks, he is guided towards spiritual perfection. The lack of practical utilisation of these narrations has created a vacuum in the realisation of ethical virtues, as if a precious jewel lies dusty in the corner of the treasury of knowledge.
Patience, like a limpid stream, flows through all contraries of life. A tradition attributed to the Prophet (peace be upon him) via Jibril explicates patience in facing hardship (arr), ease (sarr), poverty (<em'fqah'), and wealth (tharwah). In hardship, the wayfarer stands firm as a mountain, preserved from fragmentation and passivity; in ease, he is guarded against heedlessness and corruption. Such patience acts as a shield preserving the wayfarer against lifes vicissitudes.
Patience in wealth implies refraining from extravagance and exercising prudent stewardship of resources. The wayfarer, like a wise gardener, manages blessings as though they do not belong to him, abstaining from squandering and wastefulness. This form of patience functions as a vigilant guardian, preventing the corruption of blessings and heedlessness thereof.
Patience amid poverty averts fragmentation and passivity in the face of material and spiritual adversities. This virtue, like a flame within the seekers heart, keeps him warm and lucid against the chill of hardships. In poverty, the wayfarer resembles a tree that bends with the storm yet does not break.
Patience in calamity and well-being reveals the two primary challenges of the wayfarer. In calamity, patience prevents fragmentation and passivity; in well-being, it forestalls corruption and heedlessness. This duality, like the two wings of a bird, sustains the seeker in balance and perfection. Patience in well-being acts as a discipline that prevents the wayfarer from drowning in material pleasures, akin to an ascetic in the desert maintaining his composure amid abundance.
The sacred verse And be patient, and your patience is not but through Allah (al-Nahl 16:127) directly associates patience with Divine strength. The seekers patience, grounded in reliance upon God and performed for His sake, appears as a luminous emanation from the Divine fountain shining within the heart. This dependency transforms patience into a spiritual power unattainable without Divine confirmation.
Some commentators attribute patience solely to Divine strength and conclude that patience belongs exclusively to God. This generalisation is critiqued with examples such as the patience of tyrants (e.g., Saddam, Atatrk). Patience is a quality common to both believers and unbelievers, akin to courage or beauty, contingent upon various factors. Such a viewpoint, analogous to diluting pure wine with water, distorts the true nature of patience.
Patience resembles a quality strengthened through practice. Stunt performers, through rigorous training, acquire extraordinary patience, as if tempering their body and soul within the furnace of hardship. This example underscores the role of exercise and discipline in internalising patience.
Patience serves as a key to triumph, transforming calamity into divine goodness. This attribute is not merely defensive but acts as an active force, converting challenges into spiritual opportunities. The slik, through patience, functions like an alchemist, transmuting hardship into the jewel of spiritual growth.
The slik must refrain from complaining about calamity before other creatures. Such behaviour is akin to divulging the secrets of ones heart to strangers, which either pains friends or gladdens enemies. Patience obliges the slik to preserve dignity and reliance upon God when facing others.
Defence is a legitimate right aimed at preserving existence and rights, whereas complaint is indicative of a failure to endure calamity and a lack of trust. This distinction, like a boundary between upholding ones rights and succumbing to weakness, guides the slik towards behavioural equilibrium.
Verses 125 to 127 of Srah An-Nr present patience as a superior alternative to retaliation:
Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best. (An-Nahl: 125) And if you punish [an enemy, O believers], punish with an equivalent of that with which you were harmed. But if you are patientit is better for those who are patient. (An-Nahl: 126) And be patient, for your patience is not but through Allah. And do not grieve over them and do not be in distress because of what they conspire. (An-Nahl: 127)
These verses depict patience as a spiritual shield against deceit and oppression, leading to inner tranquility and divine benevolence.
The sliks patience, owing to its sincere intention and divine orientation, is distinct from common patience. This patience, like a flower blooming in the garden of faith, carries a profound spiritual value, guiding the slik towards divine proximity. The verse And be patient, for your patience is not but through Allah affirms this unique form of patience.
Patience, as a pinnacle in the stages of spiritual progression, directs the slik to maintain steadfastness against the adversities of life. This attribute constitutes the foundation of moral virtues and attains perfection through consistent practice and trust in God. Patience in prosperity, poverty, calamity, and wellbeing preserves the slik from passivity and corruption, transforming adversity into divine goodness. The verses of Srah An-Nahl present patience as a superior alternative, while critiques of its generalisation distinguish the sliks patience by virtue of divine intention. This treatise, through precise explication of these concepts, guides the slik towards knowledge and proximity to the Divine. Supervised by: Sadegh Khademi
