You always hear patience is the key to life. However, there is better advise than this. Being grateful to God in times of ease and hardship will first allow you to accept what Allah has destined, then it will spawn patience in you. It does not work the other way around though. Patience does not breed gratefulness, but gratefulness does breed patience.
To further prove that gratitude is better than patience, the Qur’an exposes the devil’s promise made to Allah. The devil’s promise was to show mankind’s ingratitude to Allah despite the Mercies:
It is We who have placed you with authority on earth, and provided you therein with means for the fulfilment of your life: small are the thanks that ye give! It is We who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and they prostrated, not so Iblis; he refused to be of those who bow down. (Allah) said: “what prevented thee from bowing down when I commanded thee?” He said: “I am better than he: thou didst create me from fire, and him from clay.” (Allah) said: “Get thee down from this: it is not for thee to be arrogant here: get out, for thou art of the meanest (of creatures).” He said: “Give me respite till the day they are raised up.” (Allah) said: “Be thou amongst those who have respite.” He said: “Because thou hast thrown me out of the Way, lo! I will lie in wait for them on Thy straight Way. “Then will I assault them from before them and behind them, from their right and their left: nor wilt Thou find, in most of them, gratitude (for Thy mercies). [Qur’an, Al A’râf (The Heights), 7:10-17]
Because of this, we must overcome the devil’s work on us by having gratitude to Allah in all situations. This does not mean to thank Allah blindly, which has a different meaning. “Praising Allah” is the correct term and what Allah has destined for you should be accepted by “praising Allah”. Alhamdulillah! Most of the bad things that happens to us is because of ourselves or the devil, not because of Allah. It is Allah’s Mercy that helps us elevate above it. Be strong and praise Allah at all times for the Mercies. It is better for you than to “just be patient”. And have faith in Allah’s Decree:
Allah! there is no Allah but He―the living, the Self-subsisting, Eternal. No slumber can seize him nor sleep. His are all things in the heavens and on earth. Who is there can intercede in His presence except as He permitteth? He knoweth what (appeareth to His creatures as) Before or After or Behind them. Nor shall they compass aught of His knowledge except as He willeth. His Throne doth extend over the heavens and the earth, and He feeleth no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. For He is the Most High, the Supreme (in glory). [Qur’an, Ayat Al-Kursi, 2:255]
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