A theme in the Qurʾān

الصبر

Ṣabr

Ṣabr is the Qur'ān's word for holding steady under pressure — in worship, in hardship, and against the self. It is repeatedly yoked to prayer as the two supports of the believer, and its reward is uniquely described as 'without measure'.

At a glance

counted

بغير حساب

reward 'without measure' (39:10)

counted

3

arenas: worship · hardship · the self

interpreted

«+prayer»

ṣabr is paired with ṣalāh

counted2:45, 2:153

The two supports

interpreted· quran by quran

Patience and prayer named together as the believer's help.

The three arenas of patience

interpreted

The classic tripartite reading of where ṣabr is exercised.

Patience in obedience

صبر على الطاعة

Holding to worship when it is heavy.

19:65

Patience against sin

صبر عن المعصية

Restraint from what tempts.

12:53

Patience in affliction

صبر على المصيبة

Steadiness under loss — the response of 'to God we return'.

2:1552:156

The test and the response

interpreted· quran by quran

In Al-Baqara ṣabr is defined operationally by the reaction to loss.

  1. The test named2:155

    Fear, hunger, loss

    'We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger, a loss of wealth, lives and fruits — and give good tidings to the patient.' The test is announced as certain.

  2. The mark of the patient2:156

    The saying, not the silence

    The patient are defined by a sentence: 'innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rājiʿūn' — to God we belong and to Him we return. Ṣabr here is a confession, not a clenched jaw.

  3. The reward2:157

    Blessings and guidance

    Upon them are blessings from their Lord and mercy, and it is they who are rightly guided. Patience is repaid with orientation, not merely relief.

Ṣabr and its opposite

interpreted

The Qur'ān sets patience against panic and despair (jazaʿ).

Ṣabr

الصبر

Composed steadiness that keeps acting.

  • Reward without measure (39:10)
  • Allah is with the patient (2:153)
  • The end belongs to the God-conscious who are patient

Jazaʿ / despair

الجزع

Collapse under trial — the reaction ṣabr replaces.

  • Man is anxious when evil touches him (70:20)
  • Despair of God's mercy is disbelief (12:87)
  • Haste and complaint void the test

What patience yields

interpreted· quran by quran

Be patient

and pray

39:10

  • Reward without measure

    39:10
  • God's companionship

    2:153

    Allah is with the patient

  • Victory & firm footing

    3:200

Patience across the Qur'ān

interpreted· quran by quran
39:10open →

قُلْ يَٰعِبَادِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ لِلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا۟ فِى هَٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةٌ وَأَرْضُ ٱللَّهِ وَٰسِعَةٌ إِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى ٱلصَّٰبِرُونَ أَجْرَهُم بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ

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."

Reward without measure.

3:200open →

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱصْبِرُوا۟ وَصَابِرُوا۟ وَرَابِطُوا۟ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

O you who have believed, persevere and endure and remain stationed and fear Allah that you may be successful.

Be patient, outdo in patience, stand firm.

16:96open →

مَا عِندَكُمْ يَنفَدُ وَمَا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ بَاقٍ وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ صَبَرُوٓا۟ أَجْرَهُم بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ

Whatever you have will end, but what Allah has is lasting. And We will surely give those who were patient their reward according to the best of what they used to do.

We will reward the patient by the best of their deeds.

103:3open →

إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ

Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.

…and advised one another to patience.

8:46open →

وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ وَلَا تَنَٰزَعُوا۟ فَتَفْشَلُوا۟ وَتَذْهَبَ رِيحُكُمْ وَٱصْبِرُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ

And obey Allah and His Messenger, and do not dispute and [thus] lose courage and [then] your strength would depart; and be patient. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.

Be patient — Allah is with the patient.

16:127open →

وَٱصْبِرْ وَمَا صَبْرُكَ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَلَا تَحْزَنْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا تَكُ فِى ضَيْقٍ مِّمَّا يَمْكُرُونَ

And be patient, [O Muhammad], and your patience is not but through Allah. And do not grieve over them and do not be in distress over what they conspire.

Be patient — your patience is only through Allah.

Ṣabr in the web of concepts

interpreted
kinkinleads tooppositeleads to
Ṣabrالصبر
Ṣalāhالصلاة
Shukrالشكر
Despairالجزع
Reward without measure