Despair not — Handicaps do not prevent success

An interview was published in the Arabic daily ‘Ukkaaz, with a blind man named Mahmood ibn Muhammad al-Madani. He studied books of Arabic literature through the eyes of others. He would listen as others read to him books of history and commentaries on the classics. He used to have one of his friends read to him until 3 o’clock in the morning. Today, he is considered to be a reference book in literature and history.Mustafa Ameen, a columnist for Ash-sharq al-awsat, wrote:”Be patient with oppressors and wrongdoers for only five minutes. After a short time, the whip will fall, the shackles will break, the prisoner will be released, and the clouds will dissipate; upon you, then, is only to be patient and to wait.”An Arab poet wrote:”How many calamities cause one to lose patience?But from them, the exit is with Allah.”l once met with the Mufti of Albania in Riyadh. He told me of how the ruling communists imprisoned him with hard labor for twenty years. While serving his sentence in prison, he was constantly subjected to torture, darkness, and hunger. He would secretly perform the five daily prayers in a corner of the washroom, for fear of being caught. Through all of this he was patient and anticipated his reward with Allah, until finally relief came.(So they returned with Grace and Bounty from Allah)  (Quran 3: I74)Consider Nelson Mandela, the one-time President of South Africa, who for twenty-seven years endured imprisonment. He sought freedom for his people and he struggled to break off the shackles of tyranny and oppression. He was steadfast and firm, and he almost appeared to be seeking out death. As a result, he reached his goal and achieved his worldly glory. Allah, the Exalted, said:(To them we shall pay in full [the wages of] their deeds therein)(Qur’an 11: 15)lf you are suffering [hardships] then sure@ they [too] are suffering [hardships] as you are suffering, but you have a hope from Allah [for the reward, i.e. Paradise] that for which they hope not… )     (Quran 4: 104)(If a wound [and killing] has touched you, be sure a similar wound [and killing] has touched the others)     (Quran 3: 140)