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Tests For the Believers
FLUCTUATIONS OF LIFE
From :- The Inevitable Journey: Sickness, Death, and the Grave
A person's life in this world is not stable. One passes through alternating
periods of happiness and dismay, strength and weakness. wealth and povert, health
and sickness etc. A true believer is one who maintains a clear level of Eemaan
throughout the wordly 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 (Sallallahu `Alayhi Wa Sallam)
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 or him."
[Muslim]
And Allah (SubHanahu Wa Ta`ala) said (which means);
"Certainly, We shall test you with fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives
and fruits; but give glad tidings to the patient - those who, when afflicted
with calamity say, "Truly to Allah we belong, and truly to Him shall we
return." It is those who will be awarded blessings and mercy from their
Lord; and it is those who are the guided ones." [2:155-157]
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 involvment in the wordly life. For a believer,
on the other hand, they are instances of rest and rememberance, tests that promise
great rewards, and indications of atonment and expiation of sins. Regardless
of how little is the harm that strikes a believer, it carries with it good news
of forgivness and elevated rank (in Jannah). The Righteous Predecessors used
to be pleased when a hardship afflicted them, seeing it as a token of Allah's
forgiveness and benevolence.
EXPIATION OF SINS
Abu Hurayrah (Radhiallahu `anhu) reported that the Prophet(Sallallahu `Alayhi
Wa Sallam) said:
"Hardships continue to befall a believing man and woman in their body,
family, and property, until they meet Allah (SubHanahu Wa Ta`ala) burdened with
no sins." [Tirmithee]
SIGN OF ALLAH'S LOVE
Abu Hurayrah (Radhiallahu `anhu) reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu `Alayhi
Wa Sallam) said:
" Whenever Allah wills good for a person, He subjects him to adversity"
[Bukharee and others]
SIGN OF EEMAN
Abu Hurayrah (Radhiallahu `anhu) and Ka'b Bin Maalik (Radhiallahu `anhu) reported
that the Prophet (Sallallahu `Alayhi Wa Sallam) said:
"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." [Bukharee and Muslim]
SIGN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
The prophets and righteous people are afflicted the most, and their rewards
are the highest. Sa'd (Radhiallahu `anhu) reporeted that the Prophet (Sallallahu
`Alayhi Wa Sallam) said:
"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 deen (faith).
If his deen is firm his affliction is hard, and if his deen 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, Tirmithee]
EARLY PUNISHMENT
Anas (Radhiallahu `anhu) reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu `Alayhi Wa Sallam)
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." [Tirmithee]
MULTIPLICATION OF REWARDS
Anas (Radhiallahu `anhu) reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu `Alayhi Wa Sallam)
said:
"The amount of reward is in accordance with the amount of suffering. When
Allah (SubHanahu Wa Ta`ala) 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)." [Tirmithee]
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 (SubHanahu Wa
Ta`ala) tests His 'ibaad (servants), giving them a chance to aquire rewards,
as was explained above, as is further emphasized below.
REMOVAL OF SINS AND ELEVATION IN RANKS
Abu Hurayrah (Radhiallahu `anhu) reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu `Alayhi
Wa Sallam) 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."
[Bukharee and Muslim]
Abu Sa'eed al-Khudree (Radhiallahu `anhu) reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu
`Alayhi Wa Sallam) said:
"A muslim is not afflicted by hardship, sickness, sadness, worry, harm,
or depression - even if pricked by a thorn, but Allah expiates his sins because
of that." [Bukharee and Muslim]
Sa'eed said, "I was with Salmaan (Radhiallahu `anhu) when he visited a
sick man in Kindah (in Persia), and he said to him: 'Expect good because Allah
(SubHanahu Wa Ta`ala) makes a believer's sickness an expiation (for his sins)
and a period of rest. However, when a disbeliever falls sick, he is like a camel
whose owner ties it then lets it loose - it does not understand why it was tied
nor why it was freed.'" [Bukharee]
'Aishah (Radhiallahu `anha) narrated that once some pain afflicted the Prophet
(Sallallahu `Alayhi Wa Sallam) causing him to suffer and turn about in his bed.
she said: "Had one of us done this, you would have blamed him." He
(Sallallahu `Alayhi Wa Sallam) replied:
"An ailment is intensified for the righteous. Whenever a believer is afflicted
by a hardship, whether it is a thorn or more, a sin is taken off from him because
of it, and he is elevated by one rank (in Jannah). " [Ahmad]
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 Moosa Al-Ash'aree
narrated that the Prophet (Sallallahu `Alayhi Wa Sallam) said:
"For a travelling or sick person, his deeds will be recorded in accordance
with what he used to do when he was resident or well." [Bukharee]
'Abdullah Bin 'Amr reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu `Alayhi Wa Sallam)
said:
"No (believing) person gets sick, but (his deeds) will be recorded for
him in accordance with what he used to do when he was well." [Bukharee]
Anas (Radhiallahu `anhu) reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu `Alayhi Wa Sallam)
said:
"No muslims body is afflicted by Allah, but He will record (his deeds)
for him in accordance with what he used to do when he was well - as long as
he is sick. Thus, if He takes his life, He forgives him; and if He cures him,
He washes him (from sins)." [Bukharee]
'Uqbah Bin 'Aamir reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu `Alayhi Wa Sallam) said:
"Each days deeds are sealed with it. Thus, when a believer gets sick, the
angels say, 'Our lord! Your servant such and such, You have restrained him (from
doing good this day).' And the lord replies, 'Seal his day in acordance with
his (usual) deeds, until he is cured or dies.'" [Ahmad]
REASON FOR THE REWARD
'Atta Bin Rabaah reported that ibn 'abbaas (Radhiallahu `anhu) told him, "Do
you want to see a woman from the people of Jannah (paradise)?" He said
"Yes." He said: "It is this black woman. She came to the Prophet
(Sallallahu `Alayhi Wa Sallam) saying, "I have (epileptic) seizures, and
I get exposed, so supplicate to Allah for me." He (Sallallahu `Alayhi Wa
Sallam) said:
"If you wish, be patient and you will attain Jannah; 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 (Sallallahu `Alayhi Wa Sallam) did." [Bukharee and Muslim]
The scholars have differed in opinion as to whether a sick person will be rewarded
for the sickness itself or for being patient during it. The correct opinion
is that if he is patient and submits to Allah's will, as in the above hadeeth,
he would be rewarded for both the submission and the sickness, otherwise, he
would not be rewrded at all; because he resented Allah's decree. This is what
should be understood from Ibn hajar al -'Asqalaanees words:
"The authentic hadeeths are clear in that the rewards are recorded once
affliction strikes a Muslim. As for patience and acceptance, they are virtues
for which a person may get additional rewards over those for the affliction."
'Abdullah Bin 'Amr reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu `Alayhi Wa Sallam)
said:
"If a Muslim is pricked by (as little as) a thorn in the wordly life, and
he seeks its reward from Allah, some of his sins will be removed, because of
it, on the Day of Judgement." [Bukharee]