الصبر
Patience
Sabr is often translated as “patience”, but it means more than waiting. It is steadiness: holding on to what is right when life is hard, keeping away from what is wrong when it is tempting, and trusting God when you can't see the outcome.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱسْتَعِينُوا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ ١٥٣
2:153 O you who believe, seek help through patience and prayer. Surely, Allah is with those who are patient.
اے مسلمانو مدد لو صبر اور نماز سے بیشک اللہ صبر کرنے والوں کے ساتھ ہے 2:153
2:153 O ye who believe! Seek help in steadfastness and prayer. Lo! Allah is with the steadfast.
Patience and prayer are the two things believers are told to lean on, and God is with those who are patient.
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىْءٍ مِّنَ ٱلْخَوْفِ وَٱلْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ ١٥٥
2:155 Surely We will test you with a bit of fear and hunger, and loss in wealth and lives and fruits, and give good tidings to the patient.
اور البتہ ہم آزمائیں گے تم کو تھوڑے سے ڈر سے اور بھوک سے اور نقصان سے مالوں کے اور جانوں کے اور میووں کے اور خوشخبری دے ان صبر کرنے والوں کو 2:155
2:155 And surely We shall try you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and lives and crops; but give glad tidings to the steadfast,
ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَٰبَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ ١٥٦
2:156 who, when a suffering visits them, say: “We certainly belong to Allah, and to Him we are bound to return.”
کہ جب پہنچے ان کو کچھ مصیبت تو کہیں ہم تو اللہ ہی کا مال ہیں اور ہم اسی کی طرف لوٹ کر جانے والے ہیں 2:156
2:156 Who say, when a misfortune striketh them: Lo! we are Allah's and lo! unto Him we are returning.
أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَٰتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ ۖ وَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُهْتَدُونَ ١٥٧
2:157 Those are the ones upon whom there are blessings from their Lord, and mercy as well; and those are the ones who are on the right path.
ایسے ہی لوگوں پر عنایتیں ہیں اپنے رب کی اور مہربانی اور وہی ہیں سیدھی راہ پر 2:157
2:157 Such are they on whom are blessings from their Lord, and mercy. Such are the rightly guided.
Hardship is part of the test of life. The response the Quran teaches is to remember that we belong to God and return to Him.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱصْبِرُوا۟ وَصَابِرُوا۟ وَرَابِطُوا۟ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ٢٠٠
3:200 O you who believe, be patient, compete with each other in patience, and guard your frontiers and fear Allah, so that you may be successful.
اے ایمان والو صبر کرو اور مقابلہ میں مضبوط رہو اور لگے رہو اور ڈرتے رہو اللہ سے تاکہ تم اپنی مراد کو پہنچو 3:200
3:200 O ye who believe! Endure, outdo all others in endurance, be ready, and observe your duty to Allah, in order that ye may succeed.
A call to be patient, to outlast difficulty together, and to stay steady.
قُلْ يَٰعِبَادِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ ۚ لِلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا۟ فِى هَٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةٌ ۗ وَأَرْضُ ٱللَّهِ وَٰسِعَةٌ ۗ إِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى ٱلصَّٰبِرُونَ أَجْرَهُم بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ ١٠
39:10 Say (on My behalf) “O My servants who believe, fear your Lord. Those who do good deeds in this world will have a good return, and the earth of Allah is wide. Certainly those who observe patience will be given their reward in full without measure.
تو کہہ اے بندو میرے جو یقین لائے ہو ڈرو اپنے رب سے جنہوں نے نیکی کی اس دنیا میں انکے لئے ہی ہے بھلائی اور زمین اللہ کی کشادہ ہے صبر کرنے والوں ہی کو ملتا ہے ان کا ثواب بے شمار 39:10
39:10 Say: O My bondmen who believe! Observe your duty to your Lord. For those who do good in this world there is good, and Allah's earth is spacious. Verily the steadfast will be paid their wages without stint.
The patient are given their reward without measure: no limit is placed on it.
فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا ٥
94:5 So, undoubtedly, along with the hardship there is ease.
سو البتہ مشکل کے ساتھ آسانی ہے 94:5
94:5 But lo! with hardship goeth ease,
إِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا ٦
94:6 Undoubtedly, along with the hardship there is ease.
البتہ مشکل کے ساتھ آسانی ہے 94:6
94:6 Lo! with hardship goeth ease;
Said twice for emphasis: with hardship comes ease. Not after it, with it.
وَٱلْعَصْرِ ١
103:1 (I swear) by the Time,
قسم ہے عصر کی 103:1
103:1 By the declining day,
إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ لَفِى خُسْرٍ ٢
103:2 man is in a state of loss indeed,
مقرر انسان ٹوٹے میں ہے 103:2
103:2 Lo! man is a state of loss,
إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ ٣
103:3 except those who believed and did righteous deeds, and exhorted each other to follow truth, and exhorted each other to observe patience.
مگر جو لوگ کہ یقین لائے اور کئے بھلے کام اور آپس میں تاکید کرتے رہے سچے دین کی اور آپس میں تاکید کرتے رہے تحمل کی 103:3
103:3 Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance.
A whole surah in three ayat: people are at a loss except those who believe, do good, and encourage each other to truth and patience.
Explanations are our own summaries, not translations. Use the tafsir links on each ayah for classical commentary.
Related questions
If God is good, why is there so much suffering?
Islam teaches that this life is a test, not the final destination. Suffering is real and painful, but it isn't meaningless. God promises that no one is burdened beyond what they can bear, that ease comes with hardship, and that perfect justice will come in the next life. Islam doesn't ask you to pretend pain isn't there; it gives you a way to carry it.