Translator's Foreword–Patience

One of the most brilliant, gifted and worthy sons of Islam of our age; a great scholar, thinker, philosopher, jurisprudent, writer of great intellect, defender of honor of Islam during the deposed Pahlavi regime; and best pupil and outcome of the entire life of Imam Khomeini (RA) — Martyr Ayatollah Sheikh Murtaza Motaheri (RA) — who was martyred on May 1, 1979 by the terrorist Furqan group in Tehran — has said regarding the need of publishing suitable Islamic literature as follows:

"We are responsible people, we have not produced sufficient literature in various aspects of Islam in the current languages. Had we therefore made available pure and sweet waters in abundance, people would not have contented themselves with polluted waters."

Keeping the above in mind, I have tried to translate the book: Importance of Patience and Prayer in Islam by Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei from Persian into English, as my insignificant contribution to produce a tiny drop of pure and sweet water. He delivered these speeches during Muharram of 1394 AH, 1973 AD at Masjid-e-Karamat, in the City of Mashad, Khorasan, I.R. Iran. The speeches contain valuable information in accordance the Holy Qur'an's verses, Holy Prophet's (SAW), and Ahl al-Bayt's (AS) most authentic traditions about the importance of patience. These books were first published in the form of two separate books namely: Discourse on Patience (Guftari der Bareyeh Sabr) and Profundities of Prayer (Azh Zharfhai Namaz). My earlier English translations of these books were published by Ansariyan Publications of Qum, I.R. Iran in the year 1994 and since then their several editions have been published. Now, it was considered appropriate to combine these two books into a single book under the title of: Importance of Patience and Prayer in Islam. As the writer of these books Grand Ayatollah Khamenei has stated: "An indifferent, unaware believer could be compared to a soldier in the battlefield, who is fighting naked without wearing armor. Such an ill-equipped soldier is most likely to be killed or disappear from the scene during the very first encounter. However an aware, conscientious, and knowledgeable Muslim with Islamic ideology could be compared to a soldier — who is fully clad in armor from head to foot and is fully equipped with all the required armaments. Obviously, for the enemy to defeat such a well equipped soldier is a relatively difficult task."

The struggle between the total belief and blasphemy is going on fiercely on all fronts namely: Militarily, economically, and culturally. The most severe among them is the cultural onslaught being waged by those who worship the darkness or devil, don't believe in God's existence, life after death, hereafter, day of resurrection, and accounting of deeds etc. This ideological and cultural struggle is most crucial, because once people are deprived of their basic ideology beliefs, and culture, then the pagans become victorious without firing a single bullet and waging a single military operation. Islam as God's Last Monotheistic Message still possess, the Holy Qur'an that had still remained completely unchanged in its original form unlike earlier divine scriptures revealed to other divine messengers, together with the most authentic traditions of the Holy Prophet (SAW) and his Ahl al-Bayt (AS) who lived for a period of 250 years after his sad demise. However it's just a matter of its true and sincere implementation in our daily lives. Sometimes it happens that a society possesses theoretical knowledge and fundamental beliefs of its religion nevertheless the circumstances are such that it's practical implementation is not possible due to many complex factors of modern living in high-tech societies.

The role of patience has been emphasized a lot in the Holy Qur'an and the Holy Prophet's (SAW) and Ahl al-Bayt's (AS) most authentic traditions. Also patience has been described like honey which is sweet but bitter, it's practicing is rather difficult but God always helps those who try to practice it. In a nutshell the position of patience in the complex of Islam is responsible for fulfillment of all aspirations, and all short term and long term goals whether individual or social. In the Persian poetry lots of beautiful verses have been complied in describing the importance of the patience. Here we would present the following few examples like a drop from the infinite ocean of Persian literature:1

Sayyid Rohullah Mosavi has translated Imam's (AS) verses about the patience in the Persian as follows:

"Agar pursi tu az hale nihanam,

Choo kohe sabri az ranje jahanam.

Chira az darde khud goyam ke beenam,

Aduv, shad ast wa ghamgeen dostanam."

English Translation:

"If you ask about my inner sorrows,

Like a mountain of patience, in facing world's sorrows.

Why should I speak about my hidden pains,

To make my enemies happy & friends sad."

And the following:

"Goyand sang l'al shaved der maghame sabr,

A'ari shaved, walik beh khune jigar shaved."

— Hafiz Shirazi

English Translation:

"It's said that a stone turns into ruby due to patience,

Yes, it does so, but only through drinking his own lever's blood."

And another one:

"Sad hazara kimya haq a'afrid,

Kimyai hamchoon sabr adam nadeed.

Sabr karden jane tasbeehate tust,

Sabr kun ke a'an ast tasbeeh drust.

Heech tasbeehi nadarad a'an daraj,

Sabr kun al-sabr mafateeh al-faraj."

English Translation:

"God has created one thousand alchemies,

Men have not seen an alchemy like patience.

Practicing patience is the soul of Your praises,

Be patient since it's the correct praise.

None of the praises have such quick result,

Be patient because it's the key of divine help."

— Molana Romi

And the following:

"Yousuf husani wa ein a'alm choo chah,

Vein rasan, sabr ast bar amrillah."

English Translation:

"Joseph the handsome; and this world is like a well,

That rope — is the patience by God's command."

— Molana Romi.

Following is a sermon regarding the importance of patience in the Path of Eloquence (Nahj al-Balagheh) of...