Patience means to be able to wait quietly in times of difficulty and hardship. It also means to be tolerant.

This can be compared to a mountaineer who, in order to reach the peak of a mountain has to face internal and external barriers. The internal obstacles, like the love of comfort, the fear and despair, are all within his inner self while the external ones, like falling rocks, wolves,and thieves are outside beyond his control. Each of them in their own way interfere with his climbing efforts.

Someone faced with these kinds of barriers will have the option to either drop his journey on this road that is full of hardships and dangers, or to go ahead by resisting against them and overcoming every barrier with his power of determination. The second case is defined as PATIENCE.

Our Holy Prophet Muhammad (S) has said that: "Patience is half of faith"

This means that if a person can stay patient even after hardship, then that person has taken a BIG step towards understanding their faith.

Allah says in the Holy Qur'an:

"..... and give glad tidings to the PATIENT ones who, when misfortune befalls them, they say, "Verily we are God's and to Him is out return." Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and His Mercy; and they are the ones that are rightly guided."

                                              PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE

This shows that in Islam, BEING GOOD BY YOURSELF is not enough to please Allah. You should teach others what you believe, and you should have patience, which is an EXCELLENT QUALITY.

(FURTHER REFERENCE; ANECDOTES OF REFLECTION PART 3 CHAPTER 51)