Ḥilm
Definition
Hilm — forbearance — was one of the Prophet's ﷺ most distinctively described qualities. In every account of how he was treated with contempt, rudeness, and violence, the prophetic response was patience, dignity, and the refusal to respond in kind. Al-Ghazali presents the Prophet's ﷺ hilm as the pinnacle of a virtue that the Ihya has been building toward throughout the book of brotherhood and social relations: the capacity to absorb injury from others without reactive retaliation, to respond to rudeness with gentleness, and to meet hatred with the kind of long-suffering love that the Quran describes as the response of those who have genuinely submitted to Allah.
As understood in the classical tradition of Imam al-Ghazali and the scholars of his school.
How the scholars use Ḥilm.
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"As someone once said, "They weep for us, but we do not weep for anyone, for we are tougher than camels." If one strays from the virtue of forbearance, they may become impulsive, extravagant, sharp, and frivolous, or they may fall into humiliation, disgrace, and insignificance. There is a difference between someone whose forbearance is due to weakness, disgrace, and incapacity, and someone whose forbearance is due to strength, honor, and nobility."
— Ibn al-Qayyim, Volume Two
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"The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "Seek knowledge and along with knowledge seek tranquility and forbearance. Be gentle with those you teach and those you learn from, and do not be domineering scholars, lest your ignorance overpower your forbearance." This indicates that arrogance and pride provoke anger and prevent forbearance and leniency."
— Imam al-Ghazali, Book 25: Condemnation of Rancor and Envy
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"that I did not recognize in the face of Muhammad, peace be upon him, when I looked at him, except for two that I had not been informed of. His forbearance precedes his ignorance, and the severity of ignorance only increases his forbearance. He said, I would try to be gentle with him so that I could mix with him and recognize his forbearance and ignorance."
— Ibn Kathir, Volume 2 — From the Israelite Prophets to Pre-Islamic Arabia
Appears in
2 books in the library
Hear the term in context.
Every book above uses Ḥilm the way the classical scholars meant it. Listen with the full Study Kit in the app.