The Arabic phrase “Sabr wa iman” (patience and faith) is a familiar and commonly-offered Muslim value, and appears many times in the Qur’an.
Sabr wa Iman
Patience and faith
Beloveds, we must have patience and faith
More than that
We need resilience, perseverance, and persistence
Like the lioness in your home
Lying in wait
For the moth who flutters its wings
Taunting, taunting
Or like the flower that awaits
Sun’s rays peeking
Unveiling, unwrapping
Slowly, slowly
Patience and faith
Requires courage and strength
Like the refugee
Who travels thousands of miles
To begin a new life
In a new place
Traversing the unknown
Crossing the borders of their mind
Patience and faith
Means
I am grateful
Like the baby who looks up
And smiles
While held in a cradle of love
Or like the first movement of freedom
After being chained for so long
In a 9 by 12 prison cell
Feeling the warmth of the sun on your face
Sabr wa iman
Patience and faith
It is good to have
Patience and faith