Outdo Your Enemy in Patience-On the Battlefield or in Your Backyard
Allah Ta'ala tells us in the Qur'an,
“O you who believe! Endure and be more patient (than your enemy), and guard your territory by stationing army units permanently at the places from where the enemy can attack you, and fear Allâh, so that you may be successful.” (Al-Imran: 200)
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اصْبِرُواْ وَصَابِرُواْ وَرَابِطُواْ وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ٠
This ayah of the Qur'an is quoted quite often but using translations that do not show that Allah Ta'ala as well as asking us to be patient is also asking us to be more patient than our enemy. The mention of guarding territory reveals that this ayah is primarily regarding patience during fighting for the sake of Allah. In such situations, you may be patient regarding physical hardships, loss of wealth and separation from loved ones but your enemy will also be enduring the same and if they are more patient than you are then it could lead to your eventual defeat, so you need to outdo them in patience.
If your enemy gains the upper hand then you could find yourself being banished, boycotted and even imprisoned. These situations may seem hopeless; disease, hunger and loss of freedom could be ways to destroy your spirit and make you abandon your religion or your beliefs but the enemy also need to be patient as they need to use a lot of man-power and wealth to maintain the status quo, so you need to outdo them in patience.
This ayah can also be used in our personal lives as many of us face enemies in our families and among our communities as well as in our work places. If it's an unjust business partner or spouse (male or female) who makes false allegations against you then remember that all the proof and paperwork that you need to be patient in gathering they need to gather too, so you need to outdo them in patience.
If it's a powerful organisation that is falsely accusing you or pressuring you to give up on your principles and you find yourself having to be patient during an emotionally draining and time consuming fight that you never envisaged having to fight then remember that they will also have to be patient through their meetings and paperwork too, so you need to outdo them in patience.
How can outdoing your enemy in patience be achieved though? The heroism and fearlessness of Antar, a pre-Islamic, black, Arab warrior were well known to our beloved prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم and to the sahaba (may Allah be please with them). A man once asked Antar what made him always defeat his enemies. He asked the man to bite his finger while he would bite the man’s finger. Eventually, the man couldn’t take the pain any longer, screamed and gave up. Antar replied that had the man held on for even a moment longer then Antar would have given up and that this was the reason why he always won against his enemies.
This shows that you should just keep holding on. It may be that your enemy is on the verge of giving up. Don't give up before they do.
Also, if the truth is truly on your side and not theirs then you have a secret weapon that they can never hope to have that can encourage you to outdo them in patience and that is a good reward and Paradise for Allah Ta'ala tells us in the Qur'an,
"And don't be weak in the pursuit of the enemy; if you are suffering (hardships) then surely, they (too) are suffering (hardships) as you are suffering, but you have a hope from Allah (for the reward, i.e. Paradise) that for which they hope not, and Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise." (TMQ 4: 104)
Wal-hamdu lillahi rabbil 'alamin (July 2022)
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