Fluctuations Of Life: Tests For Believers
A person s life in this world is not stable. One passes through alternating periods of happiness and dismay, strength and weakness, wealth and poverty, health, and sickness, etc. A true believer is one who maintains a clear level of faith throughout worldly fluctuations. He continues to remember Allah and ascribe the bounties to Him, and he turns to Him in submission, asking for relief from his affliction. This is described by the Messenger (peace be upon him), who said: Indeed amazing are the affairs of a believer! They are all for his benefit. If he is granted ease of living he is thankful, and this is best for him. And if he is afflicted with a hardship, he perseveres; and this is best for him. (Muslim)
Thus, a believer shows gratitude and thankfulness for all the wonderful blessings that Allah grants him. And he displays patience and submission during sickness and hardships, hunger, or other afflictions.
Hardships benefit the believer
Allah has decreed that, in this life, hardships and disasters strike both believers and non-believers. For a non-believer, they are inconveniences that hinder him from proceeding with his normal involvement in worldly life.
Expiation of sins
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet said, Hardships continue to befall a believing man and woman in their body, family, and property until they meet Allah burdened with no sins. (At-Tirmidhi)
Sign of Allah s Love
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, Whenever Allah wills good for a person, He subjects him to adversity. (Al-Bukhari and others)
Sign of Faith
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) and Kab Ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said,d (Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,
<span style="color: #339966;">The parable of a believer is that of a fresh and moist plant; the wind tilts it this way and that way; and so is the believer; he continues to be subject to affliction. And the parable of a hypocrite is that of a firm cedar tree; it does not shake until it is uprooted all at once</span>. <span style="color: #999999;">(Al-Bukhari and Muslim)</span>
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<strong>Sign of righteousness</strong>
The prophets and righteous people are afflicted the most, and their rewards are the highest. Sa
The most in their suffering among the people are the prophets, then the best, then the (next) best. One is afflicted in accordance with his faith. If his faith is firm, his affliction is hard, and if his faith is weak, his affliction is light. Indeed, one would be so much subjected to adversity until he walks among the people without any sins. (Ahmad and At-Tirmidhi)
Early punishment
Anas (Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,
When Allah wills good for a servant of His, He expedites his punishment in this life; and when He wills retribution for a servant of His, He holds his sins for Him to judge him by them on the Day of Resurrection. (At-Tirmidhi)
Multiplication of rewards
Anas (Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,
The amount of reward is in accordance with the amount of suffering. When Allah loves some people, He tries them (with affliction). He who then is content (with Allah s decree) has achieved the acceptance (of Allah), and he who is dissatisfied (with Allah s decree) will attain the anger (of Allah). (At-Tirmidhi)
Rewards for sickness
One should not look to sickness as a gloomy episode but should remember the great good in it. It is one form of affliction with which Allah tests His servants, giving them a chance to acquire rewards, as was explained above, as is further emphasized below.
Removal of sins and elevation in ranks
Abu Hurairah (Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, Whenever a Muslim is afflicted by harm from sickness or other matters, Allah will drop his sins because of that, like a tree drops its leaves. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Retaining rewards for deeds before sickness
Usually, when a believer falls sick, he would not be able to do the same amount of good (prayer, fasting, helping Muslims, etc.) that he used to do when he was well. But Allah, out of His great mercy, continues to record for him the good deeds that he was forced to stop because of his sickness. Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, For a traveling or sick person, his deeds will be recorded in accordance with what he used to do when he was resident or well. (Al-Bukhari)
Reason for the reward
Atta Ibn Rabaah reported that Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) told him, Do you want to see a woman from the people of Paradise? He said, Yes. He said It is this black woman. She came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saying, I have (epileptic) seizures, and I get exposed, so supplicate to Allah for me. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said, If you wish, be patient and you will attain Paradise; or if you wish, I will ask Allah to cure you. She replied I will be patient! But my body gets exposed (because of the fall), so supplicate to Allah for me that I do not become exposed. And he (peace be upon him) did. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Abdullah Ibn Amr reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said If a Muslim is pricked by (as little as) a thorn in the worldly life, and he seeks its reward from Allah, some of his sins will be removed, because of it, on the Day of Judgment. (Al-Bukhari)