Testing, Affliction and Calamities

by Shaykh Dr. Saalih As-Saalih ‫هههه هههه‬

Delivered on May 20th, 2006

The Shaykh ‫ رحمه ال‬began by praising Allaah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬and sending the salutation and
salaam upon the most noble of all Prophets and Messengers ‫صلى ال عليه وسلم‬, his family and
followers. He then said:

All praise is due to Allaah. The Most High, the One who says:

{And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and
fruits, but give glad tidings to As-Saabiroon (the patient). Who, when afflicted with calamity,
say: “Truly, to Allaah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.” They are those on whom
are the Salawaat (i.e. who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their Lord, and (they are
those who) receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided ones.} [Al-Baqarah 2:155–
157]

May the salaah and salaam of Allaah be upon His Messenger, Muhammad ‫صلى ال عليه وسلم‬,
the one who was tried and tested with various types of tests and he was patient and
persevered. May the salaah and salaam of Allaah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬be up on his household and the
noble Companions, who also were tested and tried, and upon the righteous predecessors and
on those who followed them in righteousness until the Day of Resurrection.

EVERY BELIEVER WILL BE TESTED

It is clear that this life is filled with calamites, tests and trials. Every believer will be
subjected to many of these calamities, tests and trials. Sometimes these trials are manifested
in himself, sometimes in his wealth, and sometimes with his beloved ones. These
preordainments are from the One who is All-Wise and they touch the believer in various
ways and manners. If a believer does not have the correct understanding regarding the
manner of dealing with trials and tribulations he may err seriously. This is especially true
when facing difficult and burdensome calamities.

Many people are ignorant of the wisdom behind facing trials and tests. They may not
understand that Allaah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬does not intend to punish us through tests; rather Allaah
creates an opportunity to earn His Mercy. The believer should look at the matter of ‘ibtilah
(being put to tests) and trials through the textual proofs from the Qur’aan and the authentic
Sunnah of the Prophet ‫صلى ال عليه وسلم‬, in order to stand firmly grounded regarding these
matters.

Yes, it is a test and a trial. Every day we are tested in this life. Our wealth is a test; the spouse
is a test; the children are tests; poverty, wealth, and richness are tests and health and illness
are tests. We are tested in everything which we possess and encounter in this life and until we
meet Allaah the Most High.

Allaah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬says in Surah al-Anbiyaa’, verse 35:

{Everyone is going to taste death, and We shall make a trial of you with evil and with good.
And to Us you will be returned.} [Al-Anbiyaa’ 21:35]
And Allaah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬said in Surah al-Ankaboot, verses 2 -3:

{Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: “We believe,” and will not be
tested. And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allaah will certainly make
(it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood
of) those who are liars, (although Allaah knows all that before putting them to test).} [al-
Ankaboot 29:2-3]

Therefore both the healthy and the ill are tested. The one who was healthy did not know until
he was touched by a trial, and the one who was ill did not feel that he was being tested until
he was cured. No one is safe from this due to his prestige or his status. This does not prevent
the matter of testing as we remember from the authentic hadeeth, narrated by al-Bukhaaree
where the Prophet ‫ صلى ال عليه وسلم‬said: “The most intense in terms of testing are the prophets
and then the like and then the like.”[1]

Amongst us there is no one who possesses the ability to reject the tests. The faithful, patient,
persevering individuals, who anticipate their reward from Allaah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬are the
successful ones amongst the tested. Also from amongst us are those who are tested but they
fail due to their weak faith and their objection to Allaah ‫ ;سبحانه وتعالى‬we seek refuge in Allaah
‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬from such a state.

May Allaah’s Mercy be upon al-Fudayl bin ‘Iyaad who said, “As long as the people are in a
state of good welfare, once tested, they will return to their realities. The believer will go to his
faith and the hypocrite will go to his hypocrisy.”[2]

EVERYTHING HAS BEEN PREORDAINED

Allaah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬preordained everything for us including our sustenance and our life spans.
Allaah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬says in Surah az-Zukhruf, verse 32:

{…It is We Who portion out between them their livelihood in this world…} [az-Zukhruf
43:32]

Our sustenance and livelihood are preordained with clear and certain measures. Illness is
preordained, one’s welfare is preordained; everything in this life is preordained. So a person
should accept what Allaah has preordained for him and should not hate, dislike or feel
discomfort regarding the preordainments of the Almighty and All-Wise. On understanding
that a certain test is a part of the decree of Allaah, one should submit his affair to Allaah and
know that whatever befalls him could not have missed him and whatever misses him could
not have befallen him.
HOW THE BELIEVER DEALS WITH TESTS AND TRIALS

Whosoever wants their life be monotonic (always according to his wishes and without trials),
it is as if he wants the pre-decree of Allaah to be in accordance with his desires. This is
wishful thinking. No matter what pre-ordinance or test occurs it a matter that is good for the
believer. However, this is conditional upon the believer’s gratefulness to Allaah for His
favours and his being patient during times of trial.

It is reported in Saheeh Muslim that the Prophet ‫ صلى ال عليه وسلم‬said, “Amazing is the affair
of the believer. His affair for him is all good, and this is for none except the believer. If
he is touched by something good and he gives thanks, then it is good for him. And if he
is touched by a calamity or hardship and he is patient then this is good for him.”[3]

Allaah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬stated in Surah an-Nisaa’, verse 19:

{…it may be that you dislike a thing through which Allaah brings a great deal of good.} [An
Nisaa’ 4:19]

And in surah al-Baqarah, verse 216:

{…and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing
which is bad for you. Allaah knows but you do not know.} [Al-Baqarah 2:216]

One should recognize that Allaah is the One who tests him and also the One who bestows
favours upon him. He should also know that not all that he dislikes is to be disliked in reality,
and likewise, not everything which he desires is in reality beneficial for him. {Allaah knows
and you do not know}.

Some of the Salaf ‫ رحمهم ال‬said “If you are afflicted by a calamity and you are a patient, then
your calamity is one. But if you are not patient, then your calamity is doubled – losing the
reward and losing the beloved one, the Hereafter (Paradise).” This saying of some of the
Salaf is in relation to what Allaah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬mentions in Surah al-Hajj, verse 11:

{And among mankind is he who worships Allaah as it were upon the edge (i.e. in doubt): if
good befalls him, he is content therewith; but if a trial befalls him he turns back on his face
(i.e. reverts to disbelief after embracing Islaam). He loses both this world and the Hereafter.
That is the evident loss.} [Al-Hajj 22:11]
THE REWARD ASSOCIATED WITH TESTS/TRIALS

Certainly testing is a station for a while (i.e. it is temporary). It erases the sins just as the
leaves fall from a tree, as mentioned in the ahaadeeth narrated by Abu Sa`eed Al-Khudri and
Abu Hurairah ‫ رضي الله عنهما‬that the Prophet said, “No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow,
nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives
from a thorn, but that Allaah expiates some of his sins for that.”[4] Abu Hurairah ‫رضي‬
‫ الله عنه‬also narrated that the Messenger ‫ صلى الله عليه وسلم‬said, “If Allaah wants to do
good to somebody, He afflicts him with trials.” [5]

In a hadeeth narrated by Abdullah ibn `Umar ‫رضي الله عنهما‬, he said “I visited the Prophet
during his ailments and he was suffering from a high fever. I said, “You have a high
fever. Is it because you will have a double reward for it?” He said, “Yes, for no Muslim
is afflicted with any harm except that Allaah will remove his sins as the leaves fall from
a tree.”[6]

Hence, the reward is affirmed regarding every type of harm or hurt, tangible or intangible, if
the believer patiently perseveres and anticipates the reward. As Anas bin Maalik ‫رضي الله‬
‫ عنه‬reported: I heard Allaah’s Messenger ‫ صلى الله عليه وسلم‬saying, “Allaah said, ‘If I
deprive my slave of his two beloved things (i.e. his eyes) and he remains patient, I will
let him enter Paradise in compensation for them.’”[7]

Tests and trials are a means to removing sins (from the believers) and all the children of
Adam commit sins. Tests and trials may also raise one’s degree enabling one to move on to a
higher level in Paradise as in the hadeeth where Allaah’s Messenger ‫صلى الله عليه وسلم‬
said, “Allaah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬says to His angels when they take the soul of a person’s
child, ‘You took the fruit of his heart.’ They (the angels) say, ‘Yes.’ Then Allaah says,
‘What did My slave say (upon that)?’ They say, ‘He praised you and made istirjaa’
(meaning he said, Innaa lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raaji`oon’ – To Allaah we belong and to
Him we shall return). So Allaah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬says, ‘Build for My slave a house in
Paradise and name it The House of Praise’.”[8] This is reported by Imaam Ahmad and
Shaykh al-Albaanee graded it Hasan.

In another hadeeth reported in Saheeh Muslim: Any Muslim who is hurt by a thorn or greater
than that, Allaah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬will remove a sin from him and elevates him a degree (raise
his status) because of that.[9] So (he is raised) degree above degrees, until he reaches his final
degree in Paradise which comes due to his patience and above that, due to the Favour of
Allaah ‫سبحانه وتعالى‬, as He ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬says in Surah az-Zumar, verse 10:

{Only those who are patient shall receive their reward in full, without
reckoning.} [Az-Zumar 39:10]

Thus calamities, trials and tests are signs of love from Allaah for the believers. They are
comparable to a cure; although it may be bitter, you accept it because it is from the one whom
you love; and to Allaah belongs the best example. As comes in the hadeeth, the Prophet ‫صلى‬
‫ الله عليه وسلم‬said: “The magnitude of the reward is proportional to the magnitude of the
affliction. When Allaah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬loves some people, He tests them. He who is content
(with Allaah’s decree) will receive the Pleasure (of Allaah ‫ ;)سبحانه وتعالى‬and he who is
discontent will attain the wrath (of Allaah 10]”.(‫ ]سبحانه وتعالى‬Related by at-Tirmidhi and
Sheikh al-Albaanee ‫ رحمه الله‬graded it Saheeh.

Imam ibn Al Qayyim said: The ibtilaa’ (testing) of the believer is like medicine for him. It
cures him from illness. Had the illness remained it would destroy him or diminish his reward
and level (in the hereafter). The tests and the trials extract these illnesses from him and
prepare him for the perfect reward and the highest of degrees (in the life to come).”[11]
Certainly the affliction of tests and trials is better to the believer than the punishment of the
hereafter. Certainly it is a cause for the elevation of one’s rank and expiation for his sins, and
therefore it is better.

In the hadeeth, Allaah’s Messenger ‫ صلى الله عليه وسلم‬said, “If Allaah intends good for
the Believer He hastens his punishment in this life and if He intends otherwise, He
withholds his punishment for his sin until he re-compensates him for it on the Day of
Resurrection.”[12] Reported by at-Tirmidhi and Sheikh al-Albaanee ‫رحمه الله‬
authenticated it. The People of Knowledge made it clear that this is in reference to the one
who is a hypocrite. Allaah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬withholds the punishment from him in this life to
give him his full account on the Day of Resurrection; and we seek refuge in Allaah from
such.
IN TESTS AND TRIALS THERE ARE LESSONS

Tests and trials contain many lessons.

1. The first lesson – From the benefit of tests and trials is the influence it has on one’s
tawheed (worship of Allaah), eemaan (faith) and tawakkul – reliance upon Allaah. It makes
you examine the reality that man is a weak creation without any power or strength, except in
your Lord. Therefore you resort to Him and depend on Him. Thereupon arrogance, false
pride and negligence will be removed and you will come to know that you are really poor and
in need of your Creator, the Almighty, the Most Perfect, and so you resort to Him.

2. The second lesson – Tests unravel the reality of this life. It is clarified to be a temporal stay
for enjoyment, and the perfect life is the one which follows, wherein there is no toil, worry,
fatigue or disease. Allaah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬stated this in Surah al-Ankaboot, verse 64.

{And this life of the world is only amusement and play! Verily, the home of the
Hereafter – that is the life indeed (i.e. the eternal life that will never end), if they but
knew.} [al-Ankaboot 29:64]

Even with this amusement and play there is also toil and fatigue. This is the reality of this life
– one day life is smiling at you, and the other day it is turning its back on you. This is the
nature of life, but man forgets that. The trials and tests come and they serve to remind man of
the nature of this life and that he should not become attached to it.

3. The third lesson – The tests and trials remind the person of the favours bestowed upon him
by Allaah. It is also a reminder that this life is transitional.

4. The fourth lesson – We are reminded to avoid being in a state of joy such that we feel
arrogance and likewise to avoid a state of sadness and grief such that one feels despair.
Allaah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬sates this in Surah al-Hadeed, verses 22-23:

{No calamity befalls on the earth or in yourselves but it is inscribed in the Book of
Decrees (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfooz) before We bring it into existence. Verily, that is easy for
Allaah. In order that you may not grieve at the things over that you fail to get, nor
rejoice over that which has been given to you. And Allaah likes not every prideful
boaster.} [al-Hadeed 57:22-23]

5. The fifth lesson – Trials and tests remind the person of his shortcomings and diseases (of
the heart and actions) so that he can take preventive measures against them. Allaah ‫سبحانه‬
‫ وتعالى‬says in Surah an-Nisaa’ verse79:

{Whatever of good reaches you, is from Allaah, but whatever of evil befalls you, is from
yourself. And We have sent you (O Muhammad ‫ )صلى ال عليه وسلم‬as a Messenger to
mankind, and Allaah is Sufficient as a Witness.} [an-Nisaa’ 4:79]

And Allaah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬says in Surah as-Shooraa, verse 30:

{And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned.
And He pardons much.} [ash-Shooraa 42:30]

There is a chance for repentance before the greater torment occurs. Allaah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬says in
Surah as-Sajdah, verse 21:

{And verily, We will make them taste of the near torment (i.e. the torment in the life of
this world, i.e. disasters, calamities) prior to the supreme torment (in the Hereafter), in
order that they may (repent and) return (i.e. accept Islaam).} [as-Sajdah 32:21]

This lesser torment is in this life which is full of calamities, disasters and hardships.

6. The sixth lesson – Tests and trials serve as great teaching processes through which one
learns patience. We cannot be firm upon truth and obedience except with patience; and we
cannot stay away from falsehood and disobedience except with patience and perseverance.
We cannot walk the paths of this life except with patience regarding the pre-ordinance of
Allaah. The outcome is jannat al-qulb war-ridwaan – the endless bliss in Paradise and the
Pleasure of Allaah ‫سبحانه وتعالى‬. Allaah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬says in Surah Fussilat, verse 35:

{But none is granted it except those who are patient – and none is granted it except the
owner of the great portion (of happiness in the Hereafter, i.e., Paradise, and of a high
moral character) in this world.} [Fussilat 41:35]
CONCLUSION

If the calamity befalls us and we pass it in reality (by observing the proper manners) then we
have learnt the lessons. The Salaf ‫ رحمهم الله‬were in a much better state than us regarding
(their handling of) tests and trials. We have in them magnificent examples of patience,
perseverance and anticipation of reward from Allaah ‫سبحانه وتعالى‬.

It is reported from `Umar ‫ رضي الله عنه‬that he used to praise Allaah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬for tests
and trials and when asked about it he said, “I was not touched by testing except that Allaah
bestowed on me four favours: that it wasn’t a test in my Deen, that it was not greater than
me, that it was not greater than what befell me, and that I was not deprived of being
contented and patient, and that I hope for the reward from Allaah.”

We should not forget that in the test there is a reward and that this cannot be attained except
with patience, and patience cannot be attained except with a strong will and faith. We should
not forget to remember Allaah and be thankful for His favours and be patient upon His tests
and trials. Let this be a sincere and hidden matter between us and our Rabb (Lord) ‫سبحانه‬
‫ وتعالى‬because He Knows and He Sees and He is more Merciful to us than we and all
mankind are to ourselves, so we should turn our affair to Him.

As a poet said, “If you complain to the son of Adam it is as if you are complaining to the one
who has no mercy towards you.” We should remember that if we are touched by a calamity
we should be thankful to Allaah that He did not touch us with something more intense, and
far greater, and that whatever befalls us was not going to miss us and whatever missed us was
not going to befall us.

The magnitude of the reward is proportional to the magnitude of the test. To Allaah ‫سبحانه‬
‫ وتعالى‬is that which He gives and to Him is that which He takes. The complaints and
discontent are not going to help you. Rather, it will magnify your calamity and will cause you
to miss the reward and subject you to being held as sinful.

Let each of us remember that no matter how great the magnitude of the calamity that may
befall us, it will never reach the intensity of the calamity which touched the entire Ummah –
the loss of the beloved one, Muhammad ‫صلى الله عليه وسلم‬, who reminded us by saying,
“If anyone of you is touched by a calamity let him remember the calamity that befell him
concerning me, for indeed it is the greatest calamity.”[13] It is reported by al-Bayhaqi and
authenticated by Sheikh al-Albaanee ‫رحمه الله‬.

When touched by a calamity we should remember to say:

Verily we belong to Allaah and to Him we shall return. O Allaah help me in my calamity and
bring me something better in return. [14]

We should not despair of the Mercy of Allaah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬no matter what calamity befalls
us, no matter what its magnitude or how intense it is because Allaah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬stated in
Surah ash-Sharh, verses 5–6:
{Verily, along with every hardship is relief. Verily, along with every hardship is relief
(i.e. there is one hardship with two reliefs,
so one hardship cannot overcome two reliefs).} [Ash-Sharh 94:5–6]

Verily with hardship there is relief and “one hardship cannot beat two reliefs” as `Umar
‫ رضي الله عنه‬stated.

We should not forget the favour of Allaah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬if He restores to you your state of
wellbeing and soundness, lest we become from those whom Allaah mentioned in surah az-
Zumar, verse 8:

{And when some hurt touches man, he cries to his Lord (Allaah Alone), turning to Him
in repentance. But when He bestows a favour upon him from Himself, he forgets that
for which he cried for before, and he sets up rivals to Allaah, in order to mislead others
from His path. Say: “Take pleasure in your disbelief for a while, surely, you are (one) of
the dwellers of the Fire!”} [az-Zumar 39:8]

We should not forget that the tests, calamities and trials remind us of an Hour that is surely
coming and of a time which will end. This life is not an endless abode and therefore we must
work for our Hereafter. In the end, the reminder and the glad tidings are found in the same
verse which we first spoke about:

{And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives
and fruits, but give glad tidings to As-Saabiroon (the patient). Who, when afflicted with
calamity, say: “Truly, to Allaah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.” They are
those on whom are the Salawaat (i.e. who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their
Lord, and (they are those who) receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided
ones.} [Al-Baqarah 2:155–157]

We ask Allaah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬to make us of those who when afflicted with a calamity truly
remember and manifest the saying of Allaah: Innaa lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji`oon. asking
Him to help us in our calamities, tests and trials, to be able to persevere patiently, to
overcome, and to ask His reward and anticipate the reward from Him ‫سبحانه وتعالى‬, and to
compensate us with that which is better.

All Praise is due to Allaah, and may the salaah and salaam be on Prophet Muhammad, his
household, the noble Companions and those who follow them until the Day of Resurrection.