How to Practice Patience during Ramadan – Islamic Tips & Guide

What is patience?

Islam is a religion of peace that teaches its followers certain fundamental characteristics to lead a disciplined and prosperous life in this world and the hereafter. The fundamental values Islam has given to Muslims include a wide range of subjects related to a person’s social, economic, emotional, and individual well-being.

Patience is one of the fundamental virtues that has immense importance in Islam and Allah has mentioned this trait on many different occasions in His Holy Book, Al-Quran. The importance of patience and practicing it in our daily lives has countless benefits. But during the Holy month of Ramadan, it becomes an ultimate necessity and a powerful practice so that we can spend this month spiritually.

Patience means to remain calm and composed in the face of any difficulty or hardship for Allah only. It requires us to endure any trial realizing that whatever we are going through is according to Allah’s divine will, and He is the One to take us out from difficult circumstances. It is also to keep all our expectations from the Creator of this world, Allah, and ask Him to grant us strong willpower for managing challenging times in life.

Sabr

However, the term patience refers to ‘Sabr’ in the Arabic language, which means to endure or persevere. If we do more research on this subject, we will find different definitions of patience; one says the act of submitting; usually surrendering power to another.

Now is the best time to learn more about this topic as the blessed days of Ramadan are nearing, and while we would have to go without food, water, and rest most days, we need more insights on the importance of implementing patience.

Islamic teachings about patience

Allah has discussed the word, patience or sabr almost 75 times in the Holy Quran which further indicates the importance of this topic as humans and Muslims. Before we jump on to the topic of practicing patience during Ramadan, the following are the Islamic teachings about patience mentioned in the Holy Quran:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَ¡بر¦ وَالصَّلَاةِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََ َََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََ ََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََ 

O you who believe! Seek help in patience and As-Salāt (the prayer).

Truly! Allah is with As-Saabireen (the patient ones, etc)

[Surah al-Baqarah 2:153]

In the above verse, Allah commands the believers to appreciate Him and then asks them to establish patience and prayer. As devoted servants of Allah, we have an obligation to be grateful when we earn Allah’s bounties. Similarly, we should deal with a calamity with forbearance and humbleness. On another occasion, Allah addresses His beloved Prophet (PBUH) and says:

« So endure this denial, O Prophet, with beautiful patience. »

[70:5]

« O, my dear son! Establish prayer, encourage what is good and forbid what is evil, and endure patiently whatever befalls you. Surely this is a resolve to aspire to. » 

[31:17]

قَالَ بَلْ سَوَّلَتْ لَكُمْ أَنفُسُكُمْ أَمْرًۭا 1ُ فَصَبْرٌۭ جَمِيلٌ ۖ عَسَى ٱللَِّّّّّّّّ¡ّّّّّّّ䃟ُ أَن يَأْتِيَنِى بِهِمْ جَم¡يعًا ۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ 

[Jacob] said, « Rather, your souls have enticed you to something, so patience is most fitting. Perhaps Allah will bring them to me altogether. Indeed it is He who is the Knowing, the Wise. » [Surah Yousuf, verse 83]

What does our Prophet (PBUH) teach about patience?

The rewards of enduring patience in trying times is also great:

Abu Sa’id and Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him)

reported that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:

« Never a believer is stricken with a discomfort, an illness, an anxiety, a grief or mental worry or even the pricking of a thorn but Allah will expiate his sins on account of his patience ».

[Sahih Bukhari and Muslim]

It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:

« The believer who mixes with people and bears their annoyance with patience will have a greater reward than the believer who does not mix with people and does not put up with their annoyance. »

[Reference: Sunan Ibn Majah 4032]

Ramadan is the best month to practice patience

Now that we have a good understanding of the significance of patience, let’s learn how the month of Ramadan could be the best time to practice forbearance and Sabr. While we are fasting during the blessed days of Ramadan, it comes as a time of training for Muslims. We spend our days without eating, drinking, and avoiding all such activities that might become a reason for Allah’s displeasure. 

We control ourselves from committing impermissible acts, spend our nights in worship, and give charity to the less fortunate members of society. All these activities help us practice self-control, modesty, and compassion so that we reflect back and self-assess our inner conscience. This entire struggle of performing tasks during Ramadan is the best way towards attaining the Almighty’s favor. 

He cried, « No! Your souls must have tempted you to do something ˹evil˺. So ˹I am left with nothing but˺ beautiful patience! I trust Allah will return them all to me. Surely He ˹alone˺ is the All-Knowing, All-Wise. » [Quran 12:83] 

The month of deep cleansing

Moreover, Ramadan is the month of deep cleansing; it’s about purifying our heart and soul from worldly impurities and connecting to our Creator. This month teaches us how to show forbearance and gratitude even during the toughest situations. As humans, we tend to become impatient at little troubles in life; however, Allah commands us to implement the virtue of sacrifice and humility for Him.

In Quran al-Majeed, Allah promised His servants and says:

« Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear » [2:286]

We should keep faith in His decree and organize our lives according to the Quran and Sunnah during Ramadan. Practicing the virtue of patience has so many rewards that would make us realize how merciful and kind our Lord is towards His pious servants. 

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says, 

“Never a believer is stricken with a discomfort, an illness, an anxiety, a grief or mental worry or even the pricking of a thorn but Allah will expiate his sins on account of his patience”. Muslim. Allah also says, Verily! I have rewarded them this Day for their patience, they are indeed the ones that are successful. [Quran 23:111] 

How does Ramadan help you keep patience?

When we keep fast from Fajr till Maghrib, throughout the month of Ramadan, this act itself becomes tough without patience. Allah has taught us how to be tolerant and patient by stopping us from eating and drinking for the entire day. It’s patience that helps us control our desire to eat or drink and avoid forbidden tasks the whole day. Then the worship sessions during Ramadan make us strengthen our bond with The Almighty and let us earn His countless bounties both in this world and the hereafter.

Being devoted Muslims, we anxiously wait for the blessed month of Ramadan to sit back and implement humility and compassion in our life. Each fasting day we remind ourselves of the countless ways Allah has blessed us and how kind He is towards the entire creation. This mere thought is also a blessing and a source of gratitude that we should apply in our busy fast-paced life.

It is also patience that allowed us to experience the uncertain circumstances during the pandemic that shook the entire world. Otherwise, we would witness a chaotic time in our personal, professional, and social life.

Implementing perseverance

Perseverance refers to continuing to do something despite struggles and obstacles to achieve the goals. From the fasting perspective, when we make our ‘niyah’ (intention) to keep fast all day throughout the month, this act of completing the fast could determine our perseverance. As Muslims keep themselves busy in worship, self-reflection, charity, and meditation; these acts help us gain rewards and strengthen our connection with Allah.

Besides, the spiritual level we achieve through all fundamental acts of fasting make our soul and heart at peace. We feel close to our Lord and refresh our faith, religious goals, and learn more about redirecting our real-life journey. Eventually, our real life is the one that is Akhirah, and we should be making more preparations for the hereafter through obligatory prayers, good deeds, and obedience to Allah.

Good deeds are a source of inner peace and we feel positive towards different circumstances. This positivity helps us change the actual situation we experience and no doubt, we come out a lot more peaceful and healthier after Ramadan; both spiritually and physically.

Tips to strengthen patience during Ramadan

• Practice gratitude – If you get distracting thoughts during fasting, try to avoid such situations by being grateful for all the blessings you have and remember those who can not afford even the basic luxuries of life. 
• Value your time. Keeping ourselves busy in meaningful activities during Ramadan is also a form of worship; we can recite the Holy Quran, read Islamic books, or volunteer for a charitable organization. 
• Avoid unnecessary situations. We must make sure not to involve ourselves in activities that cost our time and patience. Ramadan teaches us to boost our patience level in triggering situations. 
• Plan your day. It’s a good practice to make a proper plan for the month of Ramadan so that we can dedicate more time for prayers and self-reflection. For instance, we can cook food in batches to avoid daily kitchen visits. Similarly, we should make a practical plan for our Ibadah – how many Quranic verses we would want to recite daily to achieve our goals for the entire month. Another significant task is dedicating our time to a charitable organization or an NPO.

Psychological Impact of Patience during Ramadan

Psychological studies have shown that patience has immense benefits during or beyond the month of Ramadan. The blessed days of Ramadan train us to practice positivity, gratitude, and patience not only for 30 days but throughout the year to get rid of worldly desires and mortal love. We learn to go closer to our religious and moral values and pause to realign our spiritual goals. These efforts build up a powerful connection between us and Allah who rewards us generously for all big or small acts done in His way.

Research shows that the virtue of patience has a long-term impact on a person’s physical and psychological health and this development starts from a young age. While impatience can adversely affect an individual’s social skills, life situations, and physical well-being; patience increases his self-esteem and leads to better consequences.

Ramadan is the month that offers us an opportunity to practice empathy and realize the sufferings of those who are less privileged. It is a religious obligation that makes us understand the concept of humanity, kindness, and how we should share joy among our relationships.