In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
One of the greatest blessings of faith is the fact that everything Allah decrees for the believer, whether in ease or hardship, will be good for him. If he experiences ease, he remains grateful and is rewarded. If he experiences hardship, he remains patient and is rewarded.
Suhaib, RadhiAllahu Anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, said:
عَجَبًا لِأَمْرِ الْمُؤْمِنِ إِنَّ أَمْرَهُ كُلَّهُ خَيْرٌ وَلَيْسَ ذَاكَ لِأَحَدٍ إِلَّا لِلْمُؤْمِنِ إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ سَرَّاءُ شَكَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرَّاءُ صَبَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ
Wondrous is the affair of the believer for there is good for him in every matter and this is not the case with anyone except the believer. If he is happy, then he thanks Allah and thus there is good for him, and if he is harmed, then he shows patience and thus there is good for him.
Source: Sahih Muslim 2999, Grade: Sahih
Anas ibn Malik, RadhiAllahu Anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, said:
عَجِبْتُ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَقْضِي لِلْمُؤْمِنِ قَضَاءً إِلَّا كَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ
I am amazed by the believer. Verily, Allah does not decree anything for the believer except what is good for him.
Source: Musnad Ahmad 12495, Grade: Hasan
Allah will test us with both goodness and evil to see how we will behave.
Allah said:
وَنَبْلُوكُم بِالشَّرِّ وَالْخَيْرِ فِتْنَةً ۖ وَإِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ
We test you with evil and with good as trial, and to Us you will be returned.
(Surah Al-Anbiya 21:35)
And Allah said:
وَبَلَوْنَاهُم بِالْحَسَنَاتِ وَالسَّيِّئَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ
We tried them with both good and evil that they might return.
(Surah Al-A’raf 7:168)
Allah afflicts us with calamities and hardship because of our sins, and He intends for us to learn lessons from these events and to turn in repentance to Him.
Allah said:
وَمَا أَصَابَكُم مِّن مُّصِيبَةٍ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَيَعْفُو عَن كَثِيرٍ
Whatever strikes you of disaster, it is for what your hands have earned, but He pardons much.
(Surah Ash-Shura 42:30)
And Allah said:
أَوَلَا يَرَوْنَ أَنَّهُمْ يُفْتَنُونَ فِي كُلِّ عَامٍ مَّرَّةً أَوْ مَرَّتَيْنِ ثُمَّ لَا يَتُوبُونَ وَلَا هُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ
Do they not see that they are tried every year once or twice but then they do not repent nor do they remember?
(Surah At-Tawbah 9:126)
In such a situation, we are called upon to remain patient and steadfast in our faith. Such was the advice given to the son of Luqman, upon him be peace.
Allah said:
يَا بُنَيَّ أَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ وَأْمُرْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَانْهَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَاصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا أَصَابَكَ ۖ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ
O my son, establish prayer and enjoin good and forbid evil and be patient over what befalls you. Verily, those are matters requiring determination.
(Surah Luqman 31:17)
When we are patient, these hardships and calamities are a means to expiate our sins.
Abu Huraira, RadhiAllahu Anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, said:
مَنْ يُرِدِ اللَّهُ بِهِ خَيْرًا يُصِبْ مِنْهُ
If Allah intends good for someone, then He afflicts him with trials.
Source: Sahih Bukhari 5321, Grade: Sahih
Mus’ad ibn Sa’eed, RadhiAllahu Anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, said:
فَمَا يَبْرَحُ الْبَلَاءُ بِالْعَبْدِ حَتَّى يَتْرُكَهُ يَمْشِي عَلَى الْأَرْضِ مَا عَلَيْهِ خَطِيئَةٌ
The servant will continue to be tried until he is left walking upon the earth without any sin.
Source: Sunan At-Tirmidhi 2398, Grade: Sahih
Likewise, Allah sends us blessings and bounties in order to test us if we will be grateful.
Allah said:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَشْكُرُونَ
Verily, Allah gives favor to the people but most of the people are not grateful.
(Surah Ghafir 40:60)
Allah said:
لِيَأْكُلُوا مِن ثَمَرِهِ وَمَا عَمِلَتْهُ أَيْدِيهِمْ ۖ أَفَلَا يَشْكُرُونَ
They eat of His fruit and their hands have not produced it, so will they not be grateful?
(Surah Ya Sin 36:35)
For this reason, the believers will praise Allah no matter what occurs, even if it appears bad, for they do not know the hidden good Allah has put into it.
Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas, RadhiAllahu Anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, said:
عَجِبْتُ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ إِذَا أَصَابَهُ خَيْرٌ حَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَشَكَرَ وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ مُصِيبَةٌ حَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَصَبَرَ فَالْمُؤْمِنُ يُؤْجَرُ فِي كُلِّ أَمْرِهِ حَتَّى يُؤْجَرَ فِي اللُّقْمَةِ يَرْفَعُهَا إِلَى فِي امْرَأَتِهِ
I am amazed by the believer. If he is granted goodness, he praises Allah and is grateful. If he is afflicted with a calamity, he praises Allah and is patient. The believer is rewarded for every matter, even lifting a morsel of food to his wife’s mouth.
Source: Musnad Ahmad 1495, Grade: Sahih
Aisha, RadhiAllahu Anha, reported: When the Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, saw something he liked he would say:
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي بِنِعْمَتِهِ تَتِمُّ الصَّالِحَاتُ
All praise is due to Allah by whose favor good deeds are accomplished.
When the Prophet saw something he disliked, he would say:
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ عَلَى كُلِّ حَالٍ
All praise is due to Allah in every circumstance.
Source: Sunan Ibn Majah 3803, Grade: Sahih
Ash-Sha’bi reported: Shuraih, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
إِنِّي لَأُصَابُ بِالْمُصِيبَةِ فَأَحْمَدُ اللَّهَ عَلَيْهَا أَرْبَعَ مَرَّاتٍ أَحْمَدُ إِذْ لَمْ يَكُنْ أَعْظَمَ مِنْهَا وَأَحْمَدُ إِذْ رَزَقَنِي الصَّبْرَ عَلَيْهَا وَأَحْمَدُ إِذْ وَفَّقَنِي لِلِاسْتِرْجَاعِ لِمَا أَرْجُو مِنَ الثَّوَابِ وَأَحْمَدُ إِذْ لَمْ يَجْعَلْهَا فِي دِينِي
Verily, if I am afflicted with a calamity, then I praise Allah four times. I praise him that it was not worse than it was. I praise him when he provides me patience to bear it. I praise him when he guides me to supplicate appropriately and hoping for reward, and I praise him for not making it a calamity in my religion.
Source: Siyar A’lam An-Nubula 4/105
Therefore, let us be determined to remain grateful and patient and to praise Allah regardless of what befalls us.
Success comes from Allah, and Allah knows best.
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