Character
Patience (Sabr) in Hard Times: Quran Verses and Hadith
Quran verses and authentic hadith about patience (sabr) in hardship, loss and illness — with an explanation of what real patience looks like in daily life.
Reviewed by the Nouf Quran Academy teaching team · Updated
Sabr is often translated as patience, but it means more than waiting quietly. It is holding yourself steady: steady in obeying Allah, steady in staying away from what He dislikes, and steady when life does not go the way you hoped.
Seek help through patience and prayer
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱسۡتَعِينُواْ بِٱلصَّبۡرِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ
“O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient”
Tests are part of the plan — and so is the reward
وَلَنَبۡلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيۡءٖ مِّنَ ٱلۡخَوۡفِ وَٱلۡجُوعِ وَنَقۡصٖ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡوَٰلِ وَٱلۡأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَٰبَتۡهُم مُّصِيبَةٞ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيۡهِ رَٰجِعُونَ أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ صَلَوَٰتٞ مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡ وَرَحۡمَةٞۖ وَأُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُهۡتَدُونَ
“And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient Who, when disaster strikes them, say, "Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided”
قُلۡ يَٰعِبَادِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱتَّقُواْ رَبَّكُمۡۚ لِلَّذِينَ أَحۡسَنُواْ فِي هَٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا حَسَنَةٞۗ وَأَرۡضُ ٱللَّهِ وَٰسِعَةٌۗ إِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى ٱلصَّـٰبِرُونَ أَجۡرَهُم بِغَيۡرِ حِسَابٖ
“Say, "O My servants who have believed, fear your Lord. For those who do good in this world is good, and the earth of Allah is spacious. Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account”
Real patience is at the first moment
Narrated Anas:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The real patience is at the first stroke of a calamity
The first shock of bad news is when patience is hardest and most valuable. Saying “Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji‘un” in that moment is itself an act of sabr.
Patience can be learned
Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri:Some Ansari persons asked for (something) from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and he gave them. They again asked him for (something) and he again gave them. And then they asked him and he gave them again till all that was with him finished. And then he said "If I had anything. I would not keep it away from you. (Remember) Whoever abstains from asking others, Allah will make him contented, and whoever tries to make himself self-sufficient, Allah will make him self-sufficient. And whoever remains patient, Allah will make him patient. Nobody can be given a blessing better and greater than patience
Trials can be a sign of Allah’s care
Narrated Abu Huraira:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "If Allah wants to do good to somebody, He afflicts him with trials
How to build patience
- Say “Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji‘un” when bad news arrives.
- Lean on prayer — the Quran pairs patience with salah again and again.
- Remember the reward is “without account” (39:10).
- Complaining to Allah is not impatience; the Prophets did it. Complaining about Allah is what sabr protects you from.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best hadith about patience?
One of the most beautiful is: “Whoever remains patient, Allah will make him patient. Nobody can be given a blessing better and greater than patience” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1469).
Is crying against patience in Islam?
No. Tears of sadness are natural and the Prophet ﷺ wept at loss. Sabr is about not objecting to Allah’s decree in words or actions, not about hiding emotion.