O you who believe be patient and vie in patience be steadfast; fear God so that you will prosper. Patience ṣabr relates to the servant alone. Vying in patience muṣābara is with the enemy. Being steadfast ribāṬ is a type of patience with a particular objective. It is said that the beginning of patience is acting as if one were patient taṣabbur. Then it is being patient ṣabr then vying in patience muṣābara then [achieving] the utmost patience iṣṬibār. It is said “Be patient by [performing] acts of obedience Ṭāʿāt and refraining from disobedient acts mukhālafāt; vie in patience by leav- ing whims and desires shahawāt and cutting off desire and attachments ʿalāqāt; and be steadfast by holding to the path of companionship in all times awqāt and states ḥālāt.” It is said “Be patient with your lower selves vie in patience with your hearts and be steadfast with your innermost selves.” It is said “Be patient looking to the reward vie in patience by desiring nearness and be steadfast in the place of proximity and nearness upon the witnessing of the [divine] beauty and might.” The taste of patience is bitter when the servant gulps it in [the state of] absence. Its taste is pleasant when it is drunk in witnessing and vision. Fear God so you will prosper: Prosperity is the conquering of desire. Their aspiration today is to gain victory over their lower selves for in that their deliverance will be complete. When they have defeated their lower selves they sacrifice them by the swords of [spiritual] effort mujāhada and crucify them on the trunks of toil mukābada. After their annihilation fanāÌ from their lower selves they will attain their subsistence baqāÌ through God.
