What is patience according to Imam Ali (AS)?
It is narrated from Imam Ali (AS) who said: There are three kinds of patience; patience in calamity, patience in obedience and servitude (of God), patience in committing sins [1]. Imam Ali (AS) emphasized: The patient human being does not lose victory, even if its length of time is long [2]. In another narration, Imam Ali (AS) said: Patience in calamity is nice, but even nicer than that is the patience in avoiding sins and what are forbidden by God [3]. In Nahjul Balaghah, Imam Ali (AS) divided patience according to four principles; eagerness, fear, asceticism, and expectation. The one who is eager for paradise, his/her desires are reduced. The one who fears hell fire avoids Haram. The one who adopts asceticism, considers calamities as simple cases, and the human being who expects death, hurries in doing good deeds [4].
[1] Tohaful Oqool, Page 203.
[2] Nahul Balaghah, Wisdom 153.
[3] Qorarul Hekam, Vol. 1, Page 609.
[4] Nahul Balaghah, Wisdom 31.
