127 Preface وَاصبِر وَما صَبرُكَ إِلّا بِاللَّهِ ۚ وَلا تَحزَن عَلَيهِم وَلا تَكُ في ضَيقٍ مِمّا يَمكُرونَYusuf AliAnd do thou be patient,1 for thy patience is but from God. nor grieve over them: and distress not thyself because of their plots.In the previous verse are laid down the principles of conduct in controversy for all Muslims: 'if you catch them out, you are not entitled to strike a heavier blow than you received, but it is better to restrain yourself and be patient.' There patience was recommended. In this verse a command is directly addressed to the Prophet, 'Do thou be patient.' It is a command: his standard as the Great Teacher is much higher: and he carried it out in his life. His patience and self-restraint were under circumstances of extraordinary provocation. In his human wisdom it may sometimes have seemed questionable whether forbearance and self-restraint might not be human weakness: he had to defend his people as well as himself against the enemy’s persecutions. He is told here that he need not entertain any such fears. Patience (with constancy) in those circumstances was in accordance with God’s own command. Nor was he to grieve if they rejected God’s Message: the Prophet had done his duty when he boldly and openly proclaimed it. Nor was his heart to be troubled if they hatched secret plots against himself and his people. God would protect them.