In today’s world fueled by immediate gratification, the concept of patience is alienating. Very few people are willing to wait, prepare, and suffer temporary hardships to get to their goals. With the rise of social media which further promotes this deterioration of mind by providing instant “likes” to your recently posted photos, it is not a wonder that this dangerous culture leads to the decay of gratitude. Unfortunately, Muslims are amongst the victims abandoning the means of salvation—ṣabr and shukr (patience and gratitude), which are two sides of the same coin.
This work is an adaptation from Wings of Faith: Patience and Gratitude, a lecture by Dr. Omar Suleiman and Shaykh Muhammad al-Shareef, which discusses these two important concepts in such a profound manner. When ṣabr is often rigidly translated as patience, Wings of Faith: Patience and Gratitude touches on its broader and deeper meanings. Shukr on the other hand, is a concept that should run parallel with ṣabr, which without one, imbalance will result.
The relationship between these two means is also highlighted, debunking the belief that patience is beneficial with hardships and gratitude with blessings. This is not always the case. Both patience and gratitude are essential in the face of adversity and grace.
