Guided to Faith by a Blind Boy - I

I still remember the night my wife gave birth to my first son. I was not yet thirty years of age and had stayed out with my friends in a restaurant all night. It was an evening full of vain talk, not to mention backbiting and vulgar comments. I was often the one who instigated the comments and backbiting that made them laugh.
I remember that I made them laugh a lot that night. I had the unique talent of mimicking others to an uncanny degree. I could change the tone of my voice so that it became exactly like the person I was mocking. Yes, it was my habit to mock all people, even my friends. Some people avoided me in order to be safe from my tongue.
I remember that night I mocked a blind person I saw begging in the market. What is even worse is that I put my foot in his way and he tripped and fell to the ground. He kept on turning his head this way and that, not knowing what to say. I laughed in a loud voice and my laugh echoed throughout the market. I went back home late as usual and found my wife waiting for me. She was in a pathetic condition.
With a quavering voice, she said, “Raashid… where were you?”
I said sarcastically, “On Mars! I was with my friends of course.”
She appeared very tired and fatigued. She was overcome with tears and said, “Raashid... I am exhausted…it seems like I am about to give birth.” Then a silent tear fell on her cheek.
I felt that I had neglected my wife. I was supposed to take care of her and stop my evenings out, particularly as she was in her ninth month.
I quickly accompanied her to the hospital.
She entered the delivery room and was in labor pains for several hours, while I waited impatiently for the birth. She suffered from a difficult delivery. I waited for a long time until I got tired, then I went home and left my phone number in order for them to call me and give me the good news.
An hour later, they called me in order to give me the good news of the birth of Saalim. I immediately went to the hospital. When they saw me asking about my wife’s room, they asked me to meet the doctor first. I shouted, “What doctor? I want to see my son, Saalim.” They said, “You have to meet the doctor first.”
I entered upon the doctor and she started talking to me about afflictions and being satisfied with fate. Then she said, “Your child suffers from a serious deformity in his eyes and it appears that he is blind!”
I lowered my head, trying to conceal my tears. I remembered the blind beggar I had tripped up in the market and made people laugh at.
Glory be to Allaah! What goes around comes around! I kept silent for a while and did not know what to say. Then I remembered my wife and son. I thanked the doctor for her kindness and then went to see my wife.
My wife was not sad because she believed in and was satisfied with the divine decree of Allaah The Almighty. She had often advised me to stop mocking people. She had often repeated: do not backbite people.
We came out of the hospital with my son Saalim. The fact was that I did not care much about him much and ignored his presence at home. When he cried, I would flee to the living room to sleep. My wife, however, showered him with love and care. As for me, I did not hate him, but I could not love him either!
Saalim started growing and he started to crawl like all babies, but in a strange abnormal way. When he was almost one year old, he tried to walk but we discovered that he was disabled. This affected me a great deal.
Later, my wife gave birth to my other sons, Khaalid and ‘Umar.
Years passed and Saalim and his brothers grew up. I did not like to stay at home and spent most of my time with my friends; I was like a toy in their hands and completely under their influence. My wife, however, did not despair of reforming me; she was always supplicating Allaah The Almighty to guide me. She never got angry at my irrational actions, but she was greatly grieved when she saw me ignoring Saalim and taking care of his brothers.
Saalim grew up and my pain grew as well. I did not object when my wife asked to enroll him in a school for the disabled. I did not feel the passing of years. The routine in which I spent my days was: work, sleep, eating and enjoyment in the evenings.
One Friday, I woke up at eleven o'clock in the morning. It was too early by my usual standards. I has been invited to a wedding banquet, so I put on my clothes, applied perfume and went out.
I passed by the living room – but I stopped when I saw that Saalim was weeping bitterly!
It was the first time I had paid attention to Saalim’s weeping since he was a child. Ten years had passed and I had never given him any attention. I tried to ignore him but I could not. I heard his voice calling his mother while I was in the room.
I turned and then approached him. I said, “Saalim, Why are you crying?”
When he heard my voice, he stopped crying. When he felt me approaching him, he started trying to feel around him with his small hands. Why was he doing that? I saw that he was trying to move away from me! It is as if he was saying, “Now you deign to take notice of my presence! Where were you ten years ago?”
I followed him and he entered his room. In the beginning, he refused to tell my why he was weeping. It was only when I spoke gently to him that he ventured to mention the reason behind his weeping. As I listened to him, I began trembling. Do you know why?
His brother ‘Umar, who used to accompany him to the mosque (Masjid) was late and because it was Friday, he was afraid of not finding a place in the first row. Saalim called ‘Umar and his mother but neither of them answered. Thus, he began weeping. I looked at the tears falling from his blind eyes and could not bear the sight, and so, I put my hand on his mouth and said, “Are you weeping for this reason, O Saalim!” He replied, “Yes…”
I forgot my friends. I forgot the banquet. I said, “Saalim, don’t be sad. Do you know who will accompany you to the mosque today?” He said, “‘Umar, of course. But he is always late.” I said, “No. I will accompany you.” Saalim was surprised and could not believe his ears. He thought that I was mocking him, and continued to weep.

Hijaab: definition and conditions

Hijaab is an Arabic word that describes the Muslim woman's entire dress code, which includes a veil and whatever else is needed to cover everything except the face and hands. It is adopted at puberty - an age when, according to Islam, people become accountable for their actions.

This essay will attempt to briefly enumerate the basic requirements regarding the Hijaab as stipulated by the Sharee’ah (Islamic Law). The term Hijaab includes not only dress and the covering of the body, but also the methods of behaviour that one has before members of the same and/or opposite sex, promoting privacy for females and prohibiting loose intermingling between males and females; it is, therefore, an encouragement of modesty, decency, and chastity.

The following requirements represent the ones agreed upon by the overwhelming majority of Islamic scholars and are all solidly backed by firm evidence taken from the Quran, the Sunnah (Prophetic traditions) and the practice of the Companions of the Prophet .

1. The Extent of Covering

The dress worn in public must cover the entire body except what has been specifically excluded, based upon the following verse:

Allaah Says (what means): “And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not display their adornment [Zeenah] except only that which [ordinarily] appears thereof and to draw their headcovers [Khumur] over their chests and not display their adornment [i.e., beauty] except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons, their sisters’ sons, their female slaves, their women [i.e., their sisters in Islam], or those male attendants having no physical desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And turn to Allaah in repentance, all of you, O Believers, in order that you might succeed." [Quran 24:31]

The word Zeenah in the above verse literally means adornment, and includes both:

(a) That which Allaah has adorned (i.e., the woman’s natural and/or physical beauty), and,

(b) That with which they adorn themselves (i.e., jewellery, eye shadow, attractive clothing, hand dye, etc). The word 'Khumur' (pl. of 'Khimaar') refers to a cloth that covers the head (including the ears), hair, neck and bosom.

2. Thickness

The garment should be thick and opaque so as not to display the skin colour and form of the body beneath it. Delicate or transparent clothing does not constitute a proper covering. Imaam Al-Qurtubi reported a narration from ‘Aa’ishah that some women from the tribe of Banu Tameem came to see her wearing transparent clothing. ‘Aa’ishah said to them: "If you are believing women, these are not the clothes of believing women.” He also reported that on another occasion, a bride came to see her wearing a sheer, transparent Khimaar, whereupon ‘Aa’ishah remarked: “A woman who wears such clothing does not believe in Soorah An-Noor (i.e., the chapter in the Quran that contains the abovementioned verse regarding the Hijaab)." Moreover, the following Hadeeth makes this point graphically clear. Prophet Muhammad said: "There will be among the last of my Ummah (Nation), scantily dressed women; they will wear their hair on top of their heads, like a camel’s hump. Curse them - for verily they are cursed."

3. Looseness

The clothing must hang loosely and not be so tight and fitting as to show the shape and size of the woman’s body. This obviously prohibits such things as skin-tight body suits and the like. The following Hadeeth proves this point clearly. Usaamah bin Zayd said: The Prophet once gave me a gift of thick Coptic cloth that he had received as a gift from Dahiyyah Al-Kalbee, so I gave it to my wife. Afterwards, he asked me: “Why haven't you worn the Coptic cloth? I replied: 'I gave it to my wife.' The Prophet then said: "Tell her to wear a thick gown under it (i.e., the Coptic garment) for I fear that it may describe the size of her limbs.” [Narrated by Ahmad, Al Bayhaqi & Al-Haakim]

4. Colour, Appearance and Demeanour

Allaah Says (what means):  “O wives of the Prophet! You are not like anyone among women. If you fear Allaah, then do not be soft in speech [to men], lest he in whose heart is disease should covet, but speak with appropriate speech." [Quran: 33:32]

The reason for the revelation of this verse was not due to the fear of distrust or misbehaviour on the part of the women, but rather to prevent them from speaking invitingly, walking seductively, or dressing revealingly so as to arouse sexual desire in the heart of lecherous and evil men. Seductive dressing and enticing speech are the characteristics of ill-intentioned women, not Muslims. Imaam Al-Qurtubi mentioned that Mujaahid said: "Women (before the advent of Islam) would walk about among men." Qataadah said: "The women (at that time) would wear an untied cloth on their heads, while provocatively toying with their necklaces, earrings, and other ornamental jewellery."  

5. Difference from Men’s Clothing

The clothing of a Muslim woman must not resemble that of men. The following statement helps to explain this: Abu Hurayrah said: "The Prophet cursed the man who wears women’s clothes and the woman who wears men’s clothes." [Abu Daawood & Ibn Maajah]

6. Difference from the Clothing of Unbelievers

Her clothing must not resemble the clothing of the unbelievers. This is a general ruling of the Sharee’ah which encompasses not only dress but also matters such as manners, customs, religious practices and festivities, transactions, etc. Indeed, dissimilarity with unbelievers is a precedent that was established by the first generation of Muslims. ‘Abdullaah bin ‘Amr bin Al-’Aas sad: "The Prophet once saw me wearing two saffron coloured garments, so he said: “Indeed, these are clothes of 'Kuffaar' (unbelievers), so do not wear them.” [Muslim]

7. No Vain or Ostentatious Dressing

The woman’s dress must not be an expression of ostentation, vanity or a status symbol by being excessively showy or expensive, nor must it be excessively tattered so as to gain admiration and fame for being extremely humble. Ibn ‘Umar reported that the Prophet said: “Whoever dresses for ostentation in this world, Allaah will dress that person in a dress of humiliation on the Day of Resurrection, and then set it on fire.” [Abu Daawood]

Confucianism

Definition

Confucianism is the religion of the ancient Chinese, named after the great philosopher Confucius who appeared in the sixth century B.C calling for the revival of the religious values and traditions that the Chinese had inherited from their forefathers. To these values, he added his own philosophy and moral values leading to sound behaviour.Although Confucianism became the official ideology of the Chinese state, it has never existed as an established religion with a church and priesthood.

Prominent Figures

Confucius is regarded as the real founder of this Chinese philosophy. He was born in 551B.C. in Tsou, one of the cities of the Lu principality (now called Shantung province). Originally, he was called 'Kung Futze'; 'Kung' is the name of the tribe to which he belonged and 'Futze' means the president or the philosopher.

Thus, his name meant the 'President of Kung' or the philosopher of that tribe. Confucius belonged to a very aristocratic family which had deep roots and a respected history in that area. His grandfather was ruler of the provinceand his father was an excellent military officer. Nevertheless, he himself was the offspring of an illegal marriage and his father died before he was three, leaving his upbringing to his mother.

Thus, he lived as an orphan, worked as a shepherd and married at an early age before twenty. He had two children, a boy and a girl, but his wife was not able to continue living with him for more than two years due to his meticulous manners with regard to food, drinks and clothing, so they divorced.

Confucius studied philosophy with a man by the name of Professor Laotse who believed in contentment and absolute tolerance. Nevertheless, Confucius disagreed with his professor later on when the latter called for 'an eye for an eye' to maintain justice.

At the age of twenty-two, he established a school for studying the essence of philosophy. His students increased in number till they reached three thousand.

Confucius, confident in his ability to reorder society, held a number of important jobs: he worked as a consultant to princes and governors, was appointed judge and governor, minister of labour, minister of justice and finally prime minister in 496 B.C. In his capacity as prime minister, he sentenced some ex-ministers, politicians and riot-makers to death, thus making his province ideal with regard to applying his philosophical values and ideas.

Later, Confucius devoted his time to making trips to the various cities and towns of China, offering wisdom and consultation to the rulers and inviting people to adopt his values and traditions. Finally, he resorted to his province Lu where he devoted most of his time to teaching his friends, summarising the books of the ancients and introducing them to the people. He died in 479 B.C. at the age of seventy-three.

The Basic Beliefs of Confucianism with Regard to God, Angels and the Spirits of their Ancestors

God: Confucianists believe in many gods, though it is said that they believe in the great God, the Lord of Heaven whom they worship and to whom they offer sacrifices. However, these sacrifices are to be submitted through the mediation of the king or the princes of the different governorates. The earth also has a god that is worshipped by all the Chinese, as do the sun, the moon, the stars, the clouds and the mountains, and to each sacrifices are to be offered.

Angels occupy a very high position in the Chinese religion; they are consecrated and sacrifices are offered to them as well.

The spirits of the ancestors are also consecrated by the Chinese: They believe in the immortality of these spirits and that they never die with the death of the bodies. The sacrifices offered to these spirits are given at celebrations where large banquets are extended, accompanied by music to help the spirits rejoice and feel happy. In every house, there is a small temple for the spirits of the dead and the gods of the householders.

Confucianism does not believe in the Hereafter, Paradise or Hell, nor does it accept any belief in Resurrection. Confucianists are mainly concerned with improving their life affairs with no regard for the destiny of the soul after leaving the body. One of the disciples once asked Confucius about death, Confucius answered succinctly: “We haven’t yet finished studying life to delve into the question of death.”

Confucianism is mainly concerned with moral values, which form the cornerstone of its philosophy and the basis of its religion. It tends to teach the individual to absorb these values until they become part and parcel of his very being.

These values can be materialised in absolute obedience to parents, elder brothers and rulers. These moral values also include sincerity to friends, refusal to cause any harm to others even in words, identical harmony between words and deeds, rejection of hypocrisy, care for common interests, encouraging beneficial arts, sympathising with foreigners and working for the common welfare of the princes and the common people of the empire.

There was, however, another side to Confucianism. Confucius not only stressed social rituals (Li), but also humaneness (Ren). 'Ren', sometimes translated as love or kindness, is believed to be the source of all virtues. The Chinese character represents the potential to live together humanely rather than scrapping like birds or beasts.

Areas Where Confucianism Spread

Confucianism started in China but in 1949 when China adopted a Communist regime, Confucianism was prohibited by the force of law like all other religions. Therefore, it spread to other places like Korea and Japan where it is studied in universities. Confucianism was welcomed by western philosophers like Lipnze (1646-1716) and Peter Noyel who later published a book about this system of Chinese Philosophy.

Author: By: Dr. Zaki M. Abdullah

Nullification of ablution

Before offering prayers and other particular acts of worship, one must be in a state of ritual purity. It is necessary therein to wash the parts of the body that are generally exposed to dirt or other impurities. This cleansing is called Wudhoo' (Ablution) and is performed as follows:

1. Have the intention that the act is for the purpose of worship and purification. Then, begin by saying 'Bismillaah' (ie., 'I begin in the Name of Allaah').
2. Wash your hands up to the wrists, three times starting with the right hand.
3. Rinse your mouth with water, three times.
4. At the same time, cleanse your nostrils by sniffing water and expelling it, three times.
5. Wash your whole face three times with both hands, if possible, from the top of the forehead to the bottom of the chin and from ear to ear.
6. Wash your right arm three times up to the far end of the elbow, and then do the same with the left arm.
7. Wipe the whole head, or any part of it, with a wet hand from the front to the back, once.
8. Wipe the inner sides of your ears with the forefingers and their outer sides with the thumbs. This should be done with wet fingers once.
9 Wash your two feet up to the ankles, three times, beginning with the right foot.

The following acts render ablution null and void:

Natural Bodily Discharges

These include urine, stools, gas from behind, etc. Concerning the cases which necessitate ablution, Allaah Almighty says what means: “… or (if) one of you comes from the place of relieving himself…” [Quran: 5:6] This proves that such an act obligates new purification.

Abu Hurayrah who was one of the outstanding Companions, reported that the Messenger of Allaah said: “Allaah does not accept the prayer of a person who has released gas until he performs a new ablution." A person from Hadhramawt (in Yemen) asked Abu Hurayrah : “What does releasing gas mean?” He answered: “Passing wind, with or without sound.” [Al-Bukhaari & Muslim]

He also narrated that the Prophet said: “If one of you finds a disturbance in his abdomen and is not certain if he released any gas or not, he should not leave the mosque (i.e., quit his prayer) unless he hears its sound or smells its odour.” [Muslim]

Hearing the escaping gas or smelling it is not the condition that nullifies the ablution, but the certainty that passing gas has occurred. As for a discharge of Al-Mathi (prostatic fluid), the Prophet said: “Perform ablution.” Concerning Al-Mani (sperm), Ibn ‘Abbaas who was another outstanding Companion, said: “It requires Ghusl (ritual bathing) and for Al-Mathi and Al-Wadi (which is secreted from the sexual organ due to sickness or fatigue), wash your sexual organs and perform ablution.” [Al-Bayhaqi]

Deep Sleep that Makes a Person Completely Unaware of his Surroundings

If the person did not keep his buttocks firmly seated on the floor while sleeping, he must make a new ablution.  Safwaan bin ‘Asal said: “The Prophet used to order us while we were travelling not to take our socks off unless we were in post-sex impurity (i.e. not for defecation, urination or sleep).”
If one’s buttocks remained firmly on the floor during his sleep, no new ablution is necessary.  This is implied by the narration of Anas who said: “The companions of the Prophet were waiting for the delayed 'Ishaa' prayer until their heads began nodding up and down (from drowsiness and sleep). They would then pray without performing ablution." [Muslim, Ash-Shafi'ee, Abu Daawood & At-Tirmithi]
The wording that At-Tirmithi recorded from the chain of Shu'bah is: "I have seen the companions of the Prophet sleeping to the extent that one could hear some of them snoring, but, they would stand for prayer without a new ablution.” Imaam Ibn Al-Mubaarak said: “In our view, this happened when they were sitting.”
Loss of Consciousness  
This nullifies the ablution, regardless of whether it was due to insanity, fainting, drunkenness, or medication. It also does not matter if one was unconscious for a short or long period of time, or if one was sitting, or fell to the ground, and so on. The aspect of unawareness here is greater than that of sleeping.  The scholars all agree on this point.

Touching the Sexual Organ Without Any 'Barrier' (clothing, and so on) between the Hand and the Organ

Busrah bint Safwaan (a female companion) narrated that the Prophet said: “Whoever touches his sexual organ cannot pray until he performs ablution.” [Maalik, Ash-Shafi'ee, Ahmad & Others]

Imaam Abu Daawood said: “I asked Ahmad : ‘Is the Hadeeth (prophetic narration) of Busrah authentic?’ He replied: ‘Certainly it is authentic.'” In the narration of Imaams Ahmad and An-Nasaa’i Busrah heard the Prophet saying: “Ablution is to be made by the one who touches his sexual organ.”  

This is general and encompasses touching one’s own sexual organs or touching anyone else’s. Abu Hurayrah reported the Prophet as saying: “Whoever touches his sexual organ without any covering (over it) must perform ablution.” [Ahmad, Ibn Hibbaan & Al-Haakim]

Imaam Ibn As-Sakan who was a Hadeeth scholar, said: “This Hadeeth is from the best of what has been related on this topic,” Imaam Ash-Shaafi'ee related: “Any man who touches his penis must perform ablution. Any woman who touches her vagina must perform ablution.” 

The scholars of the Hanafi school are of the opinion, based on the following Hadeeth, that touching the sexual organ does not nullify the ablution: “A man asked the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa salami if a man who touches his penis has to perform ablution. The Prophet replied: “No, it is just a part of you.”

In addition to this issue (touching the sexual organ), there are other issues that are also controversial in this regard among Muslim scholars, such as excretion of pus or blood, vomiting and eating camel meat.

The secrets of patience

The meaning of Sabr 
In the Arabic language, sabr means ‘to hold fast’ ‘cease,’ or ‘choke’. For example, in Bedouin Arabic, to say “one has been killed by sabr,” means one was choked to death. Allaah the Most High Says (what means): “And keep yourself patient [by being] with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His countenance…” [Quran 18: 28]. Sabr in this verse means to ‘hold to.’
Thus sabr means to hold one’s self from anxiety (jaza') and anger (tasakhkhut), to hold one’s tongue from complaint, and to hold one’s body from disgraceful movements.
It is of three types: Patience in obeying Allaah the Most High (namely, perseverance), patience in avoiding Allaah’s disobedience (namely, resolve), and patience in Allaah’s tests. The first two of these are related to voluntary acts, over which we as humans have control. The last pertains to what happens to us (by Allaah’s Decree) wherein we have no choice. The patience of the Prophet Yousuf
I have heard Ibn Taymiyyah say: [The Prophet] Yousuf’s patience in resisting the temptation of the minister’s wife was higher than his patience regarding his brothers’ throwing him into the well and separating him from his father, for the latter happened to him without his choice. In such cases, a servant of Allaah has no option but patience. But his perseverance in avoiding the seduction (of the minister’s wife) involved his choice and pleasure (resulting from his volitional obedience to Allaah), and struggling against his self. This is especially true because there were factors complicating the situation which made it all the harder for him. Not only was he young and full of powerful natural desire, he also was unmarried (thus lacking an appropriate way of satisfying those native urges). He was furthermore a stranger in the land with no relatives or friends to be ashamed before (had he fornicated). Moreover, he was a slave, and in servitude one’s moral restraint (wazi’) is not as it is in freedom. Further, the woman (seeking to seduce him) was beautiful, of high status, and his owner, and she tempted him when her husband was out. On top of all this, she threatened him with imprisonment and humiliation if he were not to oblige her. Yet despite all these factors, he was patient out of his own choice, preferring what is with Allaah. How much better it is compared to his patience in the well, wherein he had no choice?”
He [&Ibn Taymiyyah&&] also used to say: “Patience through the performance of righteous acts is better and higher in status than patience in avoiding sins, for the benefit that comes from the performance of a righteous deed is dearer to the Lawgiver (Allaah the Most High) than the benefit that comes from abjuring sin. Likewise, the ill that arises from the absence of righteous obedience is more hateful to Allaah the Most High than the ill that arises from the presence of disobedience.”
He has a treatise in this matter in which he has supported this opinion in 20 different ways, but this is not the occasion to mention them. Our purpose here is to discuss patience, its reality, its levels and ranks. Allaah the Most High alone gives success.
Various ranks of patience
Patience is also of three sorts: Patience by Allaah (billaah), patience for Allaah (lillaah), and patience with Allaah (ma‘allaah).
The first, patience by Allaah, consists in seeking Allaah’s help and seeing Allaah as the source of patience. For the patience of a servant is not in his own power but is his Lord’s gift, as He the Most High Says (what means), “And be patient [O Muhammad], and your patience is not but through Allaah. And do not grieve over them and do not be in distress over what they conspire.” [Quran 16:127].That is to say, if Allah does not give you patience, you shall not be patient.
The second, patience for Allaah, means that the motivation of your patience must he the love of Allaah, the will to seek His pleasure, and nearness to Him——not the desire to exhibit your self-control, to seek the praise of people, or for any other reasons.
The third, patience with Allah, is comprised of the servant’s effort to keep with Allaah’s religious decrees and requirements, in terms of persevering with them, living with them, establishing them, going with them wherever they take one, and stopping wherever they stop. One’s patience with Allaah is to attach the “self” (nafs) to the things Allaah the Most High commands and loves. This is the hardest and most demanding type of patience. It is the patience of the Siddiqoon (those of the highest degree of truthfulness and faithfulness.)
The sage Al-Junayd said: “The journey from this world to the Hereafter is easy and light for a believer when compared with renouncing people (for their rejection of faith) in front of Allaah, which is hard. The journey from the self to Allaah is harder still.
Yet to be patient with Allaah is the hardest of all. He was asked about patience. So he said: “It is to swallow bitterness without frowning.”
It has also been said that [patience] is “the endurance of the self in attacking adversities.” And also “withstanding a calamity with a good attitude [patience] is like enjoying peace and felicity.”
The elite [worshippers of Allaah] say: “[Patience] is to stand firm on the commandments of the Book and the Sunnah.”
It has been said that the ranks of sabr are five: Saabir, mustabir, mutasabbir, saboor, and sabbaar. The first, saabir, is the most general. Mustabir is of the one who has earned patience and is filled with it. Mutasabbir is of one who forces one’s “self” to it [against all odds]. Saboor is of one whose patience is great in comparison to others. And, finally, sabbaar, is of one who has a great amount of patience— greater than any of the [people meant by these four] earlier [descriptions].
Regarding the words of Allaah, the Most High (which mean): “O you who have believed, persevere and endure and remain stationed and fear Allaah that you may be successful.” [Quran 3:200] —it has been said that this verse proceeds from the easier [and lesser] command to the harder and nobler. This means that sabr is less than musaabara, and musaabara is less than muraabatah.
The word ‘muraabatah’ comes from rabt which means a tie or hold. Someone is called al-muraabit because he ties his horse and waits for the enemy’s assault. Hence, this term has been used for anyone who ties and holds his “self” in discipline and waits for Allaah’s commandments.
The Prophet Muhammad has said: “Shall I not inform you of that by which Allaah erases sins and raises ranks? Perfecting ablution (wudhou’), even when it is difficult, walking frequently to the mosques, and waiting for a prayer after another [has finished]: That is ribaat! That is ribaat!” (Muslim, Maalik, At-Tirmithi) He also said: “Waiting patiently for a single day in the path of Allaah is better than this world and all that is in it.” (Al-Bukhaari, Ahmad)
Source: Translation from Madaarij- as-Saalikeen by Imaam Ibn Al-Qayyim