Horizons of Thought

Vol.1, No.2, Spring & Summer 2015

Mohammad Nasser Saghaye Biria, ED. D. IKI

Received: 2015/7/5 - Accepted: 2015/2/25

ABSTRACT

The objective of this article is to introduce an Islamic doctrine concerning patience as a moral pillar of belief, in Nahj al-Balaghah. The approach in this study is focused on how Islam conceives of itself.

The universally acknowledged Islamic texts, especially Nahj al-Balaghah, are used as the high point of tradition. The focus is on Maxim 31 of Nahj al-Balaghah which is referred to in this research as "the Hadith of the Pillars". This study uses textual and contextual analysis. The latent and manifest content of the texts are analyzed.  According to the study, patience and three other things, meaning certainty, justice and struggle, form the pillars of belief. Patience itself has four branches that shows how enthusiasm for Heaven, dread of the fire of Hell, abstaining from worldly things and anticipation for death create different types of patience in the life of a believer.

Key words: patience, morality, Islam, tradition, belief, pillars, Nahj al-Balaghah