Sabr
/ˈsɑːbər/noun
In Islamic thought, patient endurance, steadfastness, and restraint in the face of hardship.
Did you know?The Qur’an repeatedly praises sabr, including the teaching that God is with those who patiently endure (Qur’an 2:153).
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
ṣ-b-r
“Reconstructed root associated with enduring, persevering, or bearing difficulty.”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
ṣabr (صَبْر)
“Patience, endurance, steadfast restraint, especially under suffering or trial.”
7th Century
Qur’anic Arabic
ṣabr
“Virtuous perseverance and disciplined endurance in religious and moral trials.”
Medieval Period
Arabic
ṣābir
“One who is patient or steadfast; a person who practices ṣabr.”
19th–20th Century
English
sabr
“A borrowed Islamic term referring to spiritual patience, endurance, and self-control.”
Modern English
English
sabr
“Patient endurance understood as an active spiritual and ethical practice.”