A persons 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 Eemaan throughout the 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 (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) 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 (S) 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 involvement in the worldly
life. For a believer, on the other hand, they are instances of rest and
remembrance, tests that promise great rewards, and indications of atonement
and expiation of sins. Regardless of how little is the harm that strikes a
believer, it carries with it good news of forgiveness 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 (radiallaahu anhu) reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) said:
" Hardships continue to befall a believing man and woman in their body,
family, and property, until they meet Allah (S) burdened with no sins. "
[Tirmithee ]
SIGN OF ALLAH'S LOVE
Abu Hurayrah (radiallaahu anhu) reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu
alaihi wasallam) said:
" Whenever Allah wills good for a person, He subjects him to adversity"
[Bukharee and others ]
SIGN OF EMAAN
Abu Hurayrah (radiallaahu anhu) and Ka'b Bin Maalik (radiallaahu anhu)
reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) 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 (radiallaahu anhu) reported that the Prophet
(sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) 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 (radiallaahu anhu) reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi
wasallam) 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 (radiallaahu anhu) reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) said:
" The amount of reward is in accordance with the amount of suffering. When
Allah (SWT) 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 (SWT) tests
His 'ibaad (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 Hurayrah (radiallaahu anhu) reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) 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 (radiallaahu anhu) reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) 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 (radiallaahu anhu) when he visited a sick
man in Kindah ( in Persia ), and he said to him: " Expect good because
Allah(SWT) makes a believers 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 (radiallaahu anhu) narrated that once some pain afflicted the
Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) causing him to suffer and turn about
in his bed. she said: " Had one of us done this, you would have blamed him."
He (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) replied:
"An ailment is intensified for the righteous. whenever a believer is
afflicted by a hardship, either 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 (radiallaahu anhu) narrated that the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi
wasallam) 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 (radiallaahu anhu)reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu
alaihi wasallam) 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 (radiallaahu anhu) reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) said:
" No muslims body is afflicted by Allah, but He will record (his deeds) foe
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 (radiallaahu anhu)reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu
alaihi wasallam) 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
accordance with his (usual) deeds, until he is cured or dies". [ Ahmad ]
REASON FOR THE REWARD
'Atta Bin Rabaah reported that ibn 'abbaas (radiallaahu 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
(sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) saying," "I have (epileptic) seizures, and I
get exposed, so supplicate to Allah for me." He (sallallaahu alaihi
wasallam) 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
(sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) 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 rewarded 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 (radiallaahu anhu)reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu
alaihi wasallam) 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 Judgement." [Bukharee]