Texts from the Quran and from Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim about patience in hardship. This is a collection of texts, not a ruling and not a fatwa. For your own situation, ask a qualified scholar. All topics
From the Quran
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱسْتَعِينُوا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ
O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْخَوْفِ وَٱلْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ ﴿155﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَٰبَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌۭ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ ﴿156﴾ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَٰتٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌۭ ۖ وَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُهْتَدُونَ ﴿157﴾
[155] 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, [156] Who, when disaster strikes them, say, "Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return." [157] Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided.
قُلْ يَٰعِبَادِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ ۚ لِلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا۟ فِى هَٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةٌۭ ۗ وَأَرْضُ ٱللَّهِ وَٰسِعَةٌ ۗ إِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى ٱلصَّٰبِرُونَ أَجْرَهُم بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍۢ
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."
مَا عِندَكُمْ يَنفَدُ ۖ وَمَا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ بَاقٍۢ ۗ 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.
فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا ﴿5﴾ إِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًۭا ﴿6﴾
[5] For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease. [6] Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.
وَٱسْتَعِينُوا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ۚ وَإِنَّهَا لَكَبِيرَةٌ إِلَّا عَلَى ٱلْخَٰشِعِينَ
And seek help through patience and prayer, and indeed, it is difficult except for the humbly submissive [to Allah]
وَٱلْعَصْرِ ﴿1﴾ إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ لَفِى خُسْرٍ ﴿2﴾ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ ﴿3﴾
[1] By time, [2] Indeed, mankind is in loss, [3] Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.
From the hadith
مَا يُصِيبُ الْمُسْلِمَ مِنْ نَصَبٍ وَلاَ وَصَبٍ وَلاَ هَمٍّ وَلاَ حُزْنٍ وَلاَ أَذًى وَلاَ غَمٍّ حَتَّى الشَّوْكَةِ يُشَاكُهَا، إِلاَّ كَفَّرَ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِنْ خَطَايَاهُ
Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri and Abu Huraira:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that
عَجَبًا لأَمْرِ الْمُؤْمِنِ إِنَّ أَمْرَهُ كُلَّهُ خَيْرٌ وَلَيْسَ ذَاكَ لأَحَدٍ إِلاَّ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ سَرَّاءُ شَكَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرَّاءُ صَبَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ
Suhaib reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said:Strange are the ways of a believer for there is good in every affair of his and this is not the case with anyone else except in the case of a believer for if he has an occasion to feel delight, he thanks (God), thus there is a good for him in it, and if he gets into trouble and shows resignation (and endures it patiently), there is a good for him in it
الصَّبْرُ عِنْدَ الصَّدْمَةِ الأُولَى
Narrated Anas:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The real patience is at the first stroke of a calamity
حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، وَعُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَإِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، قَالَ إِسْحَاقُ أَخْبَرَنَا وَقَالَ الآخَرَانِ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ لَمَّا كَانَ يَوْمُ حُنَيْنٍ آثَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَاسًا فِي الْقِسْمَةِ فَأَعْطَى الأَقْرَعَ بْنَ حَابِسٍ مِائَةً مِنَ الإِبِلِ وَأَعْطَى عُيَيْنَةَ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ وَأَعْطَى أُنَاسًا مِنْ أَشْرَافِ الْعَرَبِ وَآثَرَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ فِي الْقِسْمَةِ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ وَاللَّهِ إِنَّ هَذِهِ لَقِسْمَةٌ مَا عُدِلَ فِيهَا وَمَا أُرِيدَ فِيهَا وَجْهُ اللَّهِ . قَالَ فَقُلْتُ وَاللَّهِ لأُخْبِرَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم – قَالَ – فَأَتَيْتُهُ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ بِمَا قَالَ – قَالَ – فَتَغَيَّرَ وَجْهُهُ حَتَّى كَانَ كَالصِّرْفِ ثُمَّ قَالَ " فَمَنْ يَعْدِلُ إِنْ لَمْ يَعْدِلِ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ " . قَالَ ثُمَّ قَالَ " يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ مُوسَى قَدْ أُوذِيَ بِأَكْثَرَ مِنْ هَذَا فَصَبَرَ " . قَالَ قُلْتُ لاَ جَرَمَ لاَ أَرْفَعُ إِلَيْهِ بَعْدَهَا حَدِيثًا .
Abdullah reported:On the day of Hunain, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) showed preference (to some) people in the distribution of the spoils. He bestowed on Aqra' b. Habis one hundred camels, and bestowed an equal (number) upon 'Uyaina, and bestowed on people among the elites of Arabia, and preferred them (to others) on that day, in the distribution (of spoils). Upon this a person said: By Allah, neither justice has been done in this distribution (of spoils), nor has the pleasure of Allah been sought in it. I (the narrator ) said: By Allah, I will certainly inform the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about it. I came to him and informed him about what he had said. The colour of his (the Prophet's) face changed red like blood and he then said: "Who would do justice, if Allah and His Messenger do not do justice?" He further said: "May Allah have mercy upon Moses; he was tormented more than this, but he showed patience." I said: Never would I convey him (the Holy Prophet) after this (unpleasant) narration
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عَطَاءُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ، أَنَّ أَبَا سَعِيدٍ، أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ أُنَاسًا مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ سَأَلُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلَمْ يَسْأَلْهُ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ إِلاَّ أَعْطَاهُ حَتَّى نَفِدَ مَا عِنْدَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ حِينَ نَفِدَ كُلُّ شَىْءٍ أَنْفَقَ بِيَدَيْهِ " مَا يَكُنْ عِنْدِي مِنْ خَيْرٍ لاَ أَدَّخِرْهُ عَنْكُمْ، وَإِنَّهُ مَنْ يَسْتَعِفَّ يُعِفُّهُ اللَّهُ، وَمَنْ يَتَصَبَّرْ يُصَبِّرْهُ اللَّهُ، وَمَنْ يَسْتَغْنِ يُغْنِهِ اللَّهُ، وَلَنْ تُعْطَوْا عَطَاءً خَيْرًا وَأَوْسَعَ مِنَ الصَّبْرِ ".
Narrated Abu Sa`id:Some people from the Ansar asked Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (to give them something) and he gave to everyone of them, who asked him, until all that he had was finished. When everything was finished and he had spent all that was in his hand, he said to them, '"(Know) that if I have any wealth, I will not withhold it from you (to keep for somebody else); And (know) that he who refrains from begging others (or doing prohibited deeds), Allah will make him contented and not in need of others; and he who remains patient, Allah will bestow patience upon him, and he who is satisfied with what he has, Allah will make him self-sufficient. And there is no gift better and vast (you may be given) than patience
مَا مِنْ مُصِيبَةٍ تُصِيبُ الْمُسْلِمَ إِلاَّ كَفَّرَ اللَّهُ بِهَا عَنْهُ، حَتَّى الشَّوْكَةِ يُشَاكُهَا
Narrated `Aisha:(the wife of the Prophet) Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "No calamity befalls a Muslim but that Allah expiates some of his sins because of it, even though it were the prick he receives from a thorn
اتَّقِي اللَّهَ وَاصْبِرِي ". قَالَتْ إِلَيْكَ عَنِّي، فَإِنَّكَ لَمْ تُصَبْ بِمُصِيبَتِي، وَلَمْ تَعْرِفْهُ. فَقِيلَ لَهَا إِنَّهُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم. فَأَتَتْ باب النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلَمْ تَجِدْ عِنْدَهُ بَوَّابِينَ فَقَالَتْ لَمْ أَعْرِفْكَ. فَقَالَ " إِنَّمَا الصَّبْرُ عِنْدَ الصَّدْمَةِ الأُولَى
Narrated Anas bin Malik:The Prophet (ﷺ) passed by a woman who was weeping beside a grave. He told her to fear Allah and be patient. She said to him, "Go away, for you have not been afflicted with a calamity like mine." And she did not recognize him. Then she was informed that he was the Prophet (ﷺ) . so she went to the house of the Prophet (ﷺ) and there she did not find any guard. Then she said to him, "I did not recognize you." He said, "Verily, the patience is at the first stroke of a calamity
لاَ تُصِيبُ الْمُؤْمِنَ شَوْكَةٌ فَمَا فَوْقَهَا إِلاَّ قَصَّ اللَّهُ بِهَا مِنْ خَطِيئَتِهِ
A'isha reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:A believer does not undergo (the trouble) of running a thorn or more than that when Allah effaces his sins
أَجَلْ إِنِّي أُوعَكُ كَمَا يُوعَكُ رَجُلاَنِ مِنْكُمْ " . قَالَ فَقُلْتُ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ لَكَ أَجْرَيْنِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَجَلْ " . ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يُصِيبُهُ أَذًى مِنْ مَرَضٍ فَمَا سِوَاهُ إِلاَّ حَطَّ اللَّهُ بِهِ سَيِّئَاتِهِ كَمَا تَحُطُّ الشَّجَرَةُ وَرَقَهَا " . وَلَيْسَ فِي حَدِيثِ زُهَيْرٍ فَمَسِسْتُهُ بِيَدِي .
Abdullah reported:I visited Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as he was running a high temperature. I touched his body with my hand and said to him: Allah's Messenger, you are running a high temperature, whereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Yes, it is so. I comparatively have a more severe fever than any one of you. I said: Is it because there is a double reward in store for you? Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Yes, it is so. And Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) again said: When a Muslim falls ill, his compensation is that his minor sins are obliterated just as leaves fall (in autumn). In the hadith transmitted on the authority of Zubair there is (no mention of these words):" I touched his body with my hands
Quran verses use the Arabic text with the Sahih International translation. Hadith are from Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. A translation is not the Quran itself, and one text does not give a full ruling. Open each link and read the text in its full context.