the need for believers to display patience in order for something to
be resolved. When we look at our Noble Book, the Qur'an, we see that
the Prophets as well as all true believerswere advised to wait for a
specific time before achieving the promised success. This important
fact can also be seen from a look at the lives of the Prophets. The
first revelation came to our beloved Prophet (saas) when he was 40.
Allah appointed a 40-day waiting period for the Prophet Moses (as).
Allah reveals this in the verse:
We set aside thirty nights for Moses and then completed them with ten,
so the appointed time of his Lord was forty nights in all. Moses said
to his brother Aaron, "Be my khalif [successor, representative] among
my people. Keep order and do not follow the way of the corrupters."
(Surat al-A'raf, 142)
Almighty Allah has also appointed 40 as the age ofmaturity for human beings:
We have instructed man to be good to his parents. His mother borehim
with difficulty and with difficulty gave birthto him; and his bearing
and weaning take thirty months. Then when he achieves his full
strengthand reaches forty , he says, "My Lord, keep me thankful for
the blessing You bestowed on me and on my parents, and keep me acting
rightly, pleasing You. And make my descendants righteous. I have
repented to You and I am truly one of the Muslims." (Surat al-Ahqaf,
15)
In the Qur'an, Allah also appoints a waiting period for Muslims to
achieve success and dominion. It can be seen that the Prophets and the
believerswho followed them preached to their own communities, reminded
them with the Qur'an and were then advised to wait.Verses referring to
Muslimswaiting patiently are as follows:
What are theywaiting for but for the angels to come to themor for your
Lord Himself to come, or for one of your Lord's signs to come? On the
day that one of your Lord's signs does come, no faith which a self
professes will be of any use to it if it did not have faith before and
earn good in its faith. Say: "Wait, then;We too are waiting." (Surat
al-An'am, 158)
He said, "Punishment and anger have come down on you from your Lord.
Do you argue with me regarding names which you and your forefathers
invented andfor which Allah has sent down no authority? Wait, then; I
am waiting with you." (Surat al-A'raf,71)
Say: "If your fathers or your sons or your brothers or your wives or
your tribe, or any wealth you have acquired, or any business you fear
may slump, or any house which pleases you, are dearer to you than
Allah and His Messenger and striving in His Way, then wait until Allah
brings about His command. Allah does not guide people who are
deviators." (Surat at-Tawba, 24)
Say: "What do you await for us except for one of the two best things
[martyrdom or victory]? But what we await for you is for Allah to
inflict a punishment on you either directly from Himself or at our
hands. So wait, we are waiting with you!" (Surat at-Tawba, 52)
They say, "Why has a sign not been sent downto him from his Lord?"
Say: "The Unseen belongs to Allah alone. So wait, I am waiting with
you." (Surah Yunus, 20)
What are they waiting for but the same fate as those who passed away
before them? Say: "Wait, I will be among the people waiting with you."
(Surah Yunus, 102)
He [Solomon] said, "We will [wait and] soon see if you have told the
truthor are a liar." (Surat an-Naml, 27)
So turn from them and wait. They too are waiting. (Surat as-Sajda, 30)
Among the believers there are men who have been true to the
contractthey made with Allah. Some of them have fulfilled their pact
by death and some are still waiting to do so, not having changed in
any way at all. (Surat al-Ahzab, 23)
We have made it easy in your own tongue so thathopefully they will pay
heed. So watch and wait.They too are waiting. (Surat ad-Dukhan, 58-59)
We will send the she-camelas a trial for them. Just keep a watchful
eye on them and be steadfast. (Surat al-Qamar, 27)
It can be seen from the above verses that communities of unbelievers
also have waiting periods. While believers wait for Allah's promise to
come true and,by His leave, to achieve victory, unbelievers also await
the punishment to come. For believers, this waiting time means an
increase in their patience, closeness to Allah and in their reward.
This period permitted to unbelievers, however, merely means an
increase in sin.
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