KalamSabr Meaning
Sabr (صَبْر, ṣabr) means patience in Arabic. It's more than waiting calmly: it means steadfast endurance, holding yourself together in hardship, and self-restraint. In Islam, sabr is a central virtue, and the Quran says "inna llāha maʿa ṣ-ṣābirīn," "indeed God is with those who are patient" (Al-Baqarah 2:153).
Literally: “patience, endurance, restraint”
Sabr across the Arab world
Arabic changes from country to country. Here's what you'll actually hear.
The standard word. The verb is صبر (ṣabara), "to be patient," and a patient person is صبور (ṣabūr).
Same word. For "be patient" in a casual moment, Egyptians often say ṭawwil bālak, "lengthen your mind."
Levantineصبر / طوّل بالكṣabr / ṭawwil bālakSame word and same casual phrase. الله يصبرك (alla yṣabbrak) is said to someone going through a hard time.
Gulfصبر / طوّل بالكṣabr / ṭawwil bālakSame word. اصبر (iṣbir), "be patient," is a common reassurance.
Other ways to say sabr
How to respond
Amen (reply to allāh yṣabbrak)
Praise be to God in every situation (a common response when told to have sabr)
How to say it right
The sounds English speakers find tricky, and how to get them right.
Practise with feedbackThe ṣ (ص) in ṣabr is a heavy, "dark" s. Pull your tongue back and round your mouth slightly; the a after it sounds deeper, close to the u in "sun."
Ṣabr is one syllable ending in two consonants, b and r. Don't add a vowel between them: not "saber," but ṣabr, with a light tap of the r.
In ṣabūr and ṣābir, hold the long vowel: ṣa-BŪR, ṢĀ-bir.
Example sentences
O you who believe, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, God is with the patient. (Al-Baqarah 2:153)
Standard (MSA)Be patient a bit, the food's coming.
EgyptianMay God give you patience, brother; may God have mercy on him.
LevantineBe patient, everything in its time.
GulfUsing it like a local
In Islamic teaching, sabr is often described in three forms: patience in doing what God commands, patience in holding back from what He forbids, and patience with what He decrees, such as illness or loss. The Quran mentions sabr and its forms dozens of times, and promises that "the patient will be given their reward without measure" (Az-Zumar 39:10).
Sabr doesn't mean silent suffering or giving up on effort. It means staying steady, avoiding despair and complaint against God, while still working, seeking help and making dua. Yaqub's "ṣabrun jamīl" (12:83) came alongside deep grief and continued hope.
In daily Arabic, the word shows up constantly: telling a friend to be patient in traffic, consoling someone after a death, or describing a mother as ṣabūra. The root ṣ-b-r also gives صبّار (ṣabbār), the word for cactus, a plant that endures harsh conditions.
What does sabr mean in Islam?
Sabr means patience and steadfastness. In Islam it covers persevering in worship, restraining yourself from wrongdoing, and enduring hardship without despair. The Quran says "inna llāha maʿa ṣ-ṣābirīn," "God is with the patient" (2:153).
What is sabr jameel?
صبر جميل (ṣabrun jamīl) means "beautiful patience." It's what Prophet Yaqub said after losing his son Yusuf (Surah Yusuf 12:18, 12:83). Scholars describe it as patience without complaining to people, while turning to God.
How do you tell someone to be patient in Arabic?
Say اصبر (iṣbir) to a man or اصبري (iṣbirī) to a woman. Casually, طوّل بالك (ṭawwil bālak) works across Egypt, the Levant and the Gulf. To someone grieving, say الله يصبرك (allāh yṣabbrak).
Is Sabr a name?
Sabr itself is occasionally used as a name, but related names are far more common: صابر (ṣābir, often spelled Saber) for boys and صابرين (Sabreen) for girls, both carrying the meaning of patience.
Related words & phrases
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