What does Sabr mean?
Sabr is most often translated as patience. Its meaning is wider than waiting calmly: it includes holding firm when things are hard, restraining yourself from what is wrong, and staying consistent in doing good.
The root of Sabr
Like most Arabic words, Sabr is built from a three-letter root: ص ب ر (ṣād, bā, rā). Words from this root share the idea of endurance, such as ṣābir, a patient person.
Sabr in the Quran
One well-known verse that mentions Sabr is in Surah Al-Baqarah:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ“O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.”
