Patience and Gratitude by Ibn Qayyim - An Abridged Translation

I would like to first and foremost advice all of you to get hold of the book and read it as I found in extremely beneficial and inshaaAllah you will too.

Chapter 1

* Definition of Patience

-Abu 'Uthman: "the one who has patience is the one who has trained himself to handle difficultie"

-Amr Ibn Uthman al-Makki: "Patience means to keep close to Allah and to accept calmly the trials He sends, without complaining or feeling sad"

-Al-Khawwas: "patience means to adhere to the Qur'an and Sunnah"

-"Patience means to refrain from complaining"

-Ali Ibn Abi Talib "patience means to seek Allah's help"

*complaint

-To Allah - doesnt contradict patience

-to people (words, behaviour, look) - contradictory to patience

-----------------------------------Patience

-------------------------------/--------------\

------------------------------/----------------\

----------------------1. Driving force-|-------2. restraining force

--------------------towards good deeds,-----|--from following whims and

----------------- patience to-------------|----desires, doing forbidden

---------------------fast, pray, etc...------|----------things

One may lack in one and have more of the other

Another definition of Patience: "means that one's common sense and religious motives are STRONGER than one's whims and desires"

->natural to have an inclination towards desires but Religion should limit.