Patience and Certainty Repels The Thoughts of Fear-mongers, Pessimists And Discouragers!
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
Allaah [The Exalted] said:
وَلَقَدۡ ضَرَبۡنَا لِلنَّاسِ فِى هَـٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ مِن كُلِّ مَثَلٍ۬ۚ وَلَٮِٕن جِئۡتَهُم بِـَٔايَةٍ۬ لَّيَقُولَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ڪَفَرُوٓاْ إِنۡ أَنتُمۡ إِلَّا مُبۡطِلُونَ
كَذَٲلِكَ يَطۡبَعُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ
فَٱصۡبِرۡ إِنَّ وَعۡدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقٌّ۬ۖ وَلَا يَسۡتَخِفَّنَّكَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُوقِنُونَ
And indeed We have set forth for mankind, in this Qur’an every kind of parable. But if you (O Muhammad) bring to them any sign or proof, (as an evidence for the truth of your Prophethood), the disbelievers are sure to say (to the believers): “You follow nothing but falsehood, and magic.” Thus does Allah seal up the hearts of those who know not [the proofs and evidence of the Oneness of Allah i.e. those who try not to understand true facts that which you (Muhammad) have brought to them]. So be patient (O Muhammad). Verily, the Promise of Allah is true, and let not those who have no certainty of faith, discourage you. [Surah Ar-Rum. Aayaat 58-60]
[فَٱصۡبِرۡ – So be patient]- Meaning, be patience in that which you have been commanded and in your call to the path of Allaah. Even if you see them wilfully turning away, let that not hinder you. [إِنَّ وَعۡدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقٌّ۬ – Verily the promise of Allaah is true]- Meaning, there is no doubt regarding it, and this is from that which aids a person to exercise patience, because indeed when a servant knows that his effort will not go to waste, but rather he will find its complete reward, then that which he faces of hardship will become trivial and every difficulty will become much easier for him to face. [وَلَا يَسۡتَخِفَّنَّكَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُوقِنُونَ – And let not those who have no certainty of faith discourage you] – Meaning, indeed their Eemaan is weak and they have little certainty, and thus their forbearance is weak. Therefore, unless you refrain from giving their affair any importance and being careful, they will discourage and lead you to lack of steadfastness in holding onto the commands and prohibitions, and one’s soul does collaborate in such an affair – seeking to be similar to them and to be agreement with them. [Ref 1]
Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [rahimahulaah] said: “The person who has no certainty does not remain firm, rather he acts carelessly, whereas certainty is the firm Eemaan in the heart based on [sound] knowledge and action. And it maybe that a person has sound knowledge, but he does not exercise patience during calamities; rather he is swayed by emotion. Al-Hasan Al-Basri [rahimahullaah] said, ‘If you wish to see someone with insight but has no patience, you will see him; and if you wish to see someone who has patience but not insight, you will see him; but if you see a person who had insight as well as patience, then he is the one mentioned by Allaah in the Aayah:
[وَجَعَلۡنَا مِنۡہُمۡ أَٮِٕمَّةً۬ يَہۡدُونَ بِأَمۡرِنَا لَمَّا صَبَرُواْۖ وَڪَانُواْ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا يُوقِنُونَ – And We made from among them (Children of Israel), leaders, giving guidance under Our Command, when they were patient and used to believe with certainty in Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.)]’”. [Surah As-Sajdah’ Aayah 24] [Ref 2]
[Ref 1: An Excerpt from Tafseer as-Sadi. Slightly paraphrased]
[Ref 2: An Excerpt from Al-Fawaa’id’ pages 293-300. slightly paraphrased]