Living The Quran
From Issue: 621 [Read full issue]
Two Essentials
Al-Baqarah (The Cow) - Chapter 2: Verse 153 (partial)
"O you who Believe, seek strength in Patience (Sabr) and Prayer (Salah). God is with those who are patient."
Background
Having established a permanent and universal Qiblah for Islam, and having outlined the general features of the 'balanced' Muslim community, the Quran gives Muslims specific instructions to endure adversity with fortitude and to observe Prayer.
Two most essential requisites for the Muslim Ummah to be able to withstand the hardships and trials are:
1) Patience: Patience is required on the personal level for observing one's religious duties, for resisting temptation, misfortune, poverty, oppression, and injustice, and for carrying out one's responsibilities towards the establishment of the Islamic way of life in society.
2) Prayer: To avoid the state of despair, God links patience with Prayer, as an inexhaustible source of strength and energy. The two combine to infuse the heart with boundless confidence and fortitude, total tranquility and inner peace.
A Powerful Link And Assurance
The value and role of Prayer lies in its being the direct link between God and human being. It is the means by which a human being, an insignificant mortal, draws strength, reassurance, and help from God's infinite power and everlasting mercy. God is always there to provide the believers with help and comfort, to lend them His support and replenish their fading enthusiasm and morale.
Compiled From:
"In the Shade of the Quran" - Syed Qutb, Vol. 1, p. 149-152