Forbearance (hilm)

In the Sheikh's lessons, forbearance is first a quality of God: He is forbearing and does not hasten punishment even for criminals. ¹ He urges the believer to be forbearing with people, and gives as an example an Arab who stayed calm when he was provoked (needs_source). ²

The Sheikh says that God is forbearing and does not hasten punishment even for criminals. ¹

He urges the believer to be forbearing with people. ¹ He recalls that the Prophet ﷺ praised a man of Abd al-Qays for forbearance and deliberation. ³

He tells of people who wagered that they could provoke an Arab man: they slaughtered a sheep and skinned it before him, and he stayed still (needs_source). ^{2 4 5} He says that they offered him a hundred camels and then named sums reaching thousands, and that the man was not provoked (needs_source). ^{4 6} He says that favour belongs to God and not to oneself (needs_source). ⁷

The Sheikh recounts that God describes what the idolaters said of the Prophet, calling him mad, a sorcerer, a soothsayer and a poet, and that the Prophet bore it patiently and did not answer in kind ⁸. The Sheikh holds, as his own opinion, that people need softness of heart, that harshness towards a father, a brother or a neighbour gains nothing, and that a harsh neighbour hides good and spreads evil ⁹.

He recounts that Umar ibn al-Khattab (may God be pleased with him) kept silent towards Abbas when Abbas angered him, and that later Abbas gave his house to the House of God (needs_source: the details of the episode) ¹⁰. He says that if a neighbour does not refrain or accept counsel, one should bear with him and advise him gently ¹¹.