The arabic word sabr implies many shades of meaning. It implies
- Patience in the sense of being thorough and not hasty (this means to do any given task thoroughly and not in a rush. This requies using your time wisely, planning out events in your life carefully and thoroughly which includes homework, job, prayer, reading material and basically all such things doign them peacefully and not in a state of fear and panic)
- patient perseverance, constancy, steadfastness, firmness of purpose (doing an act of faith and continue to persist in doing that act of faith and not give up on it when your heart testifies it and acccepts it. For example if your heart testifies that child abuse is wrong that you should constantly struggle against these forms of injustices and yourself have the example of how it is done properly by being the change that you want to see in the world)
- systematic as opposed to spasmodic or chance action (an example for this would be the five daily prayers and your regular activities and earnings which all need to be systematic. You should take action in a calm and peaceful state of mind, it should be reasonable as opposed to taking chances. It should be as carefully acted on as possible. For example, you shouldn't leave home so that you get on the bus stop only one minute before the bus arrives so that you have an equal chance of missing the bus. You shouldn't do so many activities that the time for your prayer has become narrow and you have a chance of missing it. When it comes to studying you should avoid the last minute and make sure that you know the material and haven't just guessed. That is not appropriate).
- a cheerful attitude of resignation and unerstanding in sorrow, defeat or suffering as opposed to murmuring or rebellion but saved from mere passivity or listlessness by the element of constancy or steadfastness (This requies faith. When thigns don't go the way that you want you have to understand that Allah has a plan for everything. Everything happens for a reason and you have to now trust Allah and seek more guidance. This includes loss of a job or somebody's death or maybe an illness. You need to accept what happened and now find a way through it. Maybe this requies a changed lifestyle or a new improvement in your life. Maybe there was somethign bad and you are saved from it. Maybe Allah is testing you to see whether you truly worship Allah (swt) sincerely or if it is because of wealth or because of people.
Allah (swt) states in the Qur'an:
"O ye who believe, seek help with patienct perseverance and prayer, for Allah is with those who patiently persevere. Be sure that Allah will test you with somebthing of fear aand hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits of your toil but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere. Who say when afflicted with a calamity, to Allah we belong and to Him is our return."
An additional meaning to sabr is self restraint and following reason and restraining fear, anger and desire. Allah (swt) gives the reward for patient perseverance, self restraint and constancy by being with us, opening the doors for every spiritual being.
Allah (swt) also states in the Qur'an:
"O ye who believe, persevere in patience and constancy, vie in such perseverance, strenghten eachother and fear Allah that ye may prosper" (Qur'an 3;200)
The full meaning of sabr is understood here. Patience, perseverance, constancy, self restraint, refusing to be cowed down. These virtues we are to exercise for ourselves and in relation to others. We are to set an example so that others may vie with us and we are to vie with them lest we fall short in this way we strengthen each other and bind our mutual relations closer in our common service to Allah. (Abdullah Yusuf Ali Quran Tafsir)
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