Whenever I ask someone about past events in one's life, he talks about the difficulties and calamities that he endured in the past. Indeed, life is no bed of roses for any one of us and we have to bear so many difficulties over time. The degree of the difficulty and circumstances may vary but still, it's hard for everyone to go through a calamity. A calamity can be a financial loss, loss of a dear one, or any other form.
Islam advises a Muslim to be patient in every situation. But only advice and teachings are not enough when one is going through a hard time with a heavy heart. For this, Islam provides us with a role model in the form of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). His life is like an open book for us. When you are going through a hard time and you have to be patient, read the patience of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
Holy Prophet (PBUH) was a child born without a father because his father passed away before his birth. When he was six years old, his mother passed away, and at the age of eight, he lost his grandfather as well. He spent his whole life without his mother and father as an orphan.
He went through many calamities when he declared himself a prophet of Allah and invited polytheists toward Allah. They started to disturb him and his family. He kept inviting others towards Islam and only forty people embraced Islam in the early three years of invitation but he remained patient. The people of Quraish tortured him in various ways. They called him a magician, liar, poet, etc. They made him leave his city Makkah and move towards another city Madinah along with his followers. Just think that how difficult it is to leave your house and property etc.
Quraish made a plan to kill the Holy Prophet (PBUH) (Naudbillah) and he left his city and hid in a cave with his only companion Hazrat Abu Bakar (RA). When the pursuers were very near to him and Hazrat Abu Bakar became conscious of the situation, he consoled him in the following words:
Don’t be sad, Allah is with us.
Similarly, when Holy Prophet (PBUH) visited the tribe of Tauif to invite people of this tribe towards Islam, they treated Holy Prophet (PBUH) with inhumane behavior. Holy Prophet (PBUH) went to every leader of the tribe and invited them towards Islam. The people of the Tauif tribe rejected his invitation to Islam and started hurting him. They said put him out and let the foolish boys hurt him. The foolish boys called him bad names and threw stones towards him. His body started bleeding and his shoes became filled with blood but he endures every difficulty just for the sake of Allah.
Hazrat Ayesha (RA) narrates that it happened various times that Holy Prophet and his family had nothing to eat except water and a few dates. Holy Prophet (PBUH) was habitual of being hungry. When Muslims tied stones with their bellies to lessen the hunger pangs in the abdomen, Holy Prophet did the same.
Holy Prophet (PBUH) was very patient in his dealings. Once a Jewess brought a poisoned cooked goat for Holy Prophet (PBUH) and he (PBUH) ate from that. It was a plan to kill him and they made this plan various times in his life. Hazrat Anas narrated that when Muslims brought her (Jewess woman) and asked Holy Prophet (PBUH) whether we should kill her? Holy Prophet (PBUH) said no. Poison sowed its effects around the mouth of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
It is clear from all the incidents stated above that Holy Prophet (PBUH) is a role model of endurance and patience for us. His steadfastness was matchless. Quraish made him and his family live in Shoe'eb Abu Talib (a place between two mountains) for three years. They disconnected them from the rest of the world and stopped the sale and purchase of the necessary food items as well. They lived by eating leaves and herbs.
It's not possible to cover a long list of examples of the patience of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) in this one blog. We should learn from the life of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) life and we should try to be patient as our Holy Prophet (PBUH) was. We can try to follow these examples in our own life. So, let's start doing this now.
