When the Verse:--'If there are twenty steadfast amongst you (Muslims), they will overcome twohundred (non-Muslims).' was revealed, it became hard on the Muslims when it became compulsory that one Muslim ought not to flee (in war) before ten (non-Muslims). So (Allah) lightened the order by revealing: '(But) now Allah has lightened your (task) for He knows that there is weakness in you. So if there are of you one-hundred steadfast, they will overcome (two-hundred (non-Muslims).' (8.66) So when Allah reduced the number of enemies which Muslims should withstand, their patience and perseverance against the enemy decreased as much as their task was lightened for them.

The Prophet said, "The real patience is at the first stroke of a calamity."

The Messenger of Allah (saws) made me read the verse "It is I who give (all) sustenance, Lord of power, steadfast (for ever).

Yahya related to me from Malik that Zayd ibn Aslam had said that Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah had written to Umar ibn al-Khattab mentioning to him a great array of Byzantine troops and the anxiety they were causing him. Umar ibn al-Khattab wrote in reply to him, "Whatever hardship befalls a believing slave, Allah will make an opening for him after it, and a hardship will not overcome two eases. Allah the Exalted says in His Book, 'O you who trust, be patient, and vie in patience; be steadfast and fear Allah, perhaps you will profit.' " (Sura 3 ayat 200).

Malik related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Ata ibn Yazid al-Laythi from Abu Said al-Khudri that some people of the Ansar asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he gave to them. Then they asked him again, and he gave to them until he used up what he had. Then he said, "What wealth I have, I will not hoard from you. Whoever has forbearance, Allah will help him. Whoever tries to be independent, Allah will enrich him. Whoever tries to be patient, Allah will give him patience, and no one is given a better or vaster gift than patience."

When the Verse:-- "If there are twenty steadfast amongst you, they will overcome two hundred." (8.65) was revealed, then it became obligatory for the Muslims that one (Muslim) should not flee from ten (non-Muslims). Sufyan (the sub-narrator) once said, "Twenty (Muslims) should not flee before two hundred (non Muslims)." Then there was revealed: 'But now Allah has lightened your (task)..' (8.66) So it became obligatory that one-hundred (Muslims) should not flee before two hundred (nonmuslims). (Once Sufyan said extra, "The Verse: 'Urge the believers to the fight. If there are twenty steadfast amongst you (Muslims) ..' was revealed.) Sufyan said, "Ibn Shabrama said, "I see that this order is applicable to the obligation of enjoining good and forbidding evil."

Some people from the Ansar asked Allah's Apostle (to give them something) and he gave to everyone of them, who asked him, until all that he had was finished. When everything was finished and he had spent all that was in his hand, he said to them, '"(Know) that if I have any wealth, I will not withhold it from you (to keep for somebody else); And (know) that he who refrains from begging others (or doing prohibited deeds), Allah will make him contented and not in need of others; and he who remains patient, Allah will bestow patience upon him, and he who is satisfied with what he has, Allah will make him self-sufficient. And there is no gift better and vast (you may be given) than patience."

The Prophet (saws) named our cavalry "the Cavalry of Allah," when we were struck with panic, and when panic overtook us, the Messenger of Allah (saws) commanded us to be united, to have patience and perseverance; and to be so when we fought.

Whenever the Prophet (saws) became free from burying the dead, he used to stay at him (i.e. his grave) and say: Seek forgiveness for your brother, and beg steadfastness for him, for he will be questioned now.

Abu Dawud said: The full name of the narrator Buhair is Buhair b. Raisan.

[Abu Dawud].

When we reached (Hudaibiya) in the next year (of the treaty of Hudaibiya), not even two men amongst us agreed unanimously as to which was the tree under which we had given the pledge of allegiance, and that was out of Allah's Mercy. (The sub narrator asked Naf'i, "For what did the Prophet take their pledge of allegiance, was it for death?" Naf'i replied "No, but he took their pledge of allegiance for patience.")

When the Messenger of Allah (saws) prayed, he began with himself and said: May the mercy of Allah be upon us and upon Moses. If he had patience, he would have seen marvels from his Companion. But he said: "(Moses) said: If ever I ask thee about anything after this, keep me not in they company: then wouldst thou have received (full) excuse from my side". Hamzah lengthened it.

I asked Allah's Apostle about the plague. He said, "That was a means of torture which Allah used to send upon whom-so-ever He wished, but He made it a source of mercy for the believers, for anyone who is residing in a town in which this disease is present, and remains there and does not leave that town, but has patience and hopes for Allah's reward, and knows that nothing will befall him except what Allah has written for him, then he will get such reward as that of a martyr."

Who was `Aisha's mother: While I was with `Aisha, `Aisha got fever, whereupon the Prophet said, "Probably her fever is caused by the story related by the people (about her)." I said, "Yes." Then `Aisha sat up and said, "My example and your example is similar to that of Jacob and his sons:--'Nay, but your minds have made up a tale. So (for me) patience is most fitting. It is Allah (alone) Whose help can be sought against that which you assert.' (12.18)

The Prophet passed by a woman who was weeping beside a grave. He told her to fear Allah and be patient. She said to him, "Go away, for you have not been afflicted with a calamity like mine." And she did not recognize him. Then she was informed that he was the Prophet . so she went to the house of the Prophet and there she did not find any guard. Then she said to him, "I did not recognize you." He said, "Verily, the patience is at the first stroke of a calamity."

Some Ansari persons asked for (something) from Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) and he gave them. They again asked him for (something) and he again gave them. And then they asked him and he gave them again till all that was with him finished. And then he said "If I had anything. I would not keep it away from you. (Remember) Whoever abstains from asking others, Allah will make him contented, and whoever tries to make himself self-sufficient, Allah will make him self-sufficient. And whoever remains patient, Allah will make him patient. Nobody can be given a blessing better and greater than patience."