| Answer: In the Arabic
language, the word sabr is used to firmly set oneself on one’s
view while protecting oneself from worry, frustration and
anxiety. It does not have any element of feebleness and
frailty in it.
While referring to
this meaning, Farahi writes:
الصبر عند العرب ليس من التذلل في شى كما
يصبر المضطهد العاجز بل هو أصل القوة والعزم و كثر في كلام العرب
استعماله بهذا المعنی
To the Arabs,
صَبْر never
referred to what is frail and feeble – something accustomed to
the weak and meek. On the contrary, it is the basis of power
and determination. It is abundantly used in this meaning in
classical Arabic.
Farahi goes on to
corroborate his claim by quoting from the Qur’an and from
various classical poets:
وَلَمَن صَبَرَ وَغَفَرَ إِنَّ ذَلِكَ لَمِنْ
عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ (43:42)
And indeed if anyone shows sabr and
forgives, that would truly be an exercise of the courageous.
(42:43)
A famous classical Arab poet, Hatim al-Ta’i
says:
وغمرة موت ليس فيها هوادة
يكون صدور المشرفي جسورها
صبرنا له في نهكها و مصابها
بأسيافنا حتی يبوخ سعيرها
(Many are the seas of
death on which are bridges of swords. We showed sabr with our
swords against all their torments and tortures until they
cooled down.)
Al-Asbagh writes:
يا بن الجحاجحة المداره
والصابرين علی مكاره
(O progeny of noble
chiefs and of people who show sabr
while facing hardships.)
Al-Zuhayr says:
قود الجياد وأصهار الملوك وصبر
في مواطن لو كانوا بها سئموا
(Riding thoroughbred
horses, being sons in law of kings and [showing] sabr in
trenches where others lose inner strength.)
All these usages of
the word sabr show that it is referred to as a commendable
trait and not something which reflects weakness and frailty.
Thus a more accurate translation of it would be “perseverance”
rather than patience.
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