Tenwaystofindpatienceinatrial

Ibn al-Qayyim (Tarīq al-Hijratayn) sets out ten "witnessings" — ten things to hold before the eyes — that generate patience in a trial. If they grow strong, they bear more than patience: contentment, and even gratitude.

1. See its reward. Witness the recompense and the prize stored up for the patient.
2. See it wiping out sins. The trial expiates and erases bad deeds.
3. See the decree that ran before it. It was written in the Mother of the Book before you were created; it was always going to reach you. Panic adds nothing — except more trial.
4. See Allah's right upon you in it. Your duty inside the trial is patience — by the agreement of the ummah — or patience and contentment together, on one of the two views. You are commanded to give Allah His due and your servitude inside this very trial; fail in it, and the trial is doubled on you.
5. See the part your own sins played. "And whatever strikes you of disaster — it is for what your hands have earned; and He pardons much" (Sūrah al-Shūrā 42:30) — general in every misfortune, small or great. Let this witnessing busy you with istighfār, the greatest of all means of lifting the misfortune. 'Alī ibn Abī Tālib said: "No trial descends except by a sin, and none is lifted except by repentance." (And hold this gently: the same tradition teaches that trial also comes to the beloved of Allah to raise their rank — illness is not proof of guilt. The point of this witnessing is the turning back, not the self-condemnation.)
6. See that Allah chose it for you. He approved it, selected it and apportioned it — and servitude means being pleased with what your Master chose. If you cannot reach the rank of contentment, that is your weakness: come down to the rank of patience. Fall below that, and you have fallen into the rank of wrongdoing and trespass against His right.
7. See it as medicine. This misfortune is a beneficial remedy sent to you by the Physician who knows your welfare perfectly and is merciful toward you. Be patient swallowing it — do not vomit it up with resentment and complaint, wasting its benefit.
8. See what follows the dose. At the end of this medicine lie cure, wellbeing, health and the lifting of pain — none of which would come without it. When your soul studies the bitterness of the remedy, make it look at the outcome: "…perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you…" (Sūrah al-Baqarah 2:216); "…perhaps you dislike a thing and Allah places in it much good" (Sūrah al-Nisā' 4:19). As the poet said: "Perhaps the reproach carries a praiseworthy end — and sometimes bodies grow healthy through illness."
9. See what the trial came for. It did not come to destroy you or kill you. It came to test your patience — to see whether you are fit for His service, fit to be made one of His friends and His party. If you pass, He chooses you, robes you in honour, and makes His friends and His party your helpers; if you turn on your heels, you are turned away — and the misfortune multiplies on you, though you do not feel the multiplying at the time. The patient man later finds his one misfortune became blessings beyond count; the resentful man finds his one misfortune became many. And between those two stations stands nothing but an hour's patience — a heart held brave for one hour. The trial was always going to lift from them both: from the one with honours and good things; from the other with deprivation and abandonment. Such is the apportioning of the Mighty, the Knowing — and Allah's bounty He gives to whom He wills.
10. See how Allah raises His servant. He trains him on ease and hardship together, favour and trial, drawing out his servitude in every state. The true servant is the one who serves Allah in all conditions, not only the servant of ease who worships "on an edge" — if good touches him he is content, and if trial touches him he turns on his face. The faith that holds firm in both trial and ease is the faith that avails at the hour of need. Trial is the servant's furnace and the touchstone of his faith: he comes out pure gold, or pure dross — or carrying both metals, and then the trial keeps working on him until the copper burns away and pure gold remains. If the servant knew that Allah's blessing on him in trial is not less than His blessing in ease, his heart and tongue would be busy with thanks — "O Allah, help me to remember You, thank You and worship You well." How should He not be thanked who seizes from His servant the dross and copper in him, and turns him to pure gold fit for nearness to Him, and for being looked upon in His abode?

These causes and their like fruit patience in trial; when they strengthen, they fruit contentment and gratitude. "So we ask Allah to shield us with His wellbeing, and not to expose us by His trial — by His grace and generosity."