Trials are a sign of goodness

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

The following Ahaadeeth are all taken from Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth al-Saheehah of Shaikh al-Albaanee رحمه الله:

143. It was narrated from Mus`ab bin Sa`d that his father, Sa`d bin Abu Waqqaas رضي الله عنه said: “I said: ‘O Messenger of Allaah which people are most severely tested?' He صلى الله عليه وسلم said: 'The Prophets, then the next best and the next best. A person is tested according to his religious commitment. If he is steadfast in his religious commitment, he will be tested more severely, and if he is frail in his religious commitment, his test will be according to his commitment. Trials will continue to afflict a person until they leave him walking on the earth with no sin on him.’”

[al-Tirmidhee (2398), Ibn Maajah (4023) and graded as “Saheeh” (Authentic) by Shaikh al-Albaanee in al-Saheehah (143)]

144. On the authority of Abu Sa`eed al-Khudree رضي الله عنه that he said: “I entered upon the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم when he was suffering from a fever, and I placed my hand on him and felt heat with my hand from above the blanket. I said: ‘Messenger of Allaah, how hard it is for you!’ He صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ‘We (Prophets) are like that. The trial is multiplied for us and so is there ward.’ I said: ‘O Messenger of Allaah, which people are most severely tested?' He صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ‘The Prophets.’ I said: ‘O Messenger of Allaah then who?' He صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ‘Then the righteous, some of whom were tested with poverty until they could not find anything except a cloak to put around themselves. One of them will rejoice at calamity as one of you would rejoice at ease.’”

[Ibn Maajah (4024) and Adab al-Mufrad (510) and graded as “Saheeh” (Authentic) by Shaikh al-Albaanee and he said: “It is Authentic as per the condition of al-Bukhaaree and Muslim” in al-Saheehah (144)]

145. Abu `Ubaidah bin Hudhaifah narrated on the authority of his aunt Faatimah (bint al-Yamaan) رضي الله عنها that she said: “We went to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to pay him a visit in his sickness in (one of) the house of wives. (We saw) that a water container was hanging above him, from which drops of water were pouring on him because of the extreme fever that he صلى الله عليه وسلم had. We said: ‘O Messenger of Allaah! If you supplicate to Allaah, He تعلى will cure you.’ He صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ‘The people who are most severely tested are the Prophets, then those who follow them, then those who follow them, then those who follow them.’”

[Musnad of Imaam Ahmad (26538) and graded as “Hasan” (good) by Shaikh al-Albaanee in al-Saheehah (145)]

Shaikh al-Albaanee رحمه الله said: “In this Ahaadeeth there is clear evidence that a Believer, whenever his Eemaan is strong, his trials and tests will increase; and the opposite is also true (i.e. whoever is of weak Eemaan, he will have less trials). In this there is a reply to those of weak minds, those who think that if a Believer - when he is afflicted with trials like confinement, or expulsion, or dismissal from work etc - that Allaah تعالى is not pleased with him. This is bad thoughts (about Allaah). Here is the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم, and he is the best of mankind, among the people and even (other) Prophets he was tried the most. Trials, often times, are evidence for goodness and not warning for evilness as evident in the following Hadeeth:”

146. Anas رضي الله عنه reported that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “A mighty reward is associated with a large affliction. Indeed, when Allaah loves a people, He afflicts them in trial. Thus, he who is pleased, for him is (His تعالى) pleasure, and as for him who is angry, for him is displeasure.”

[al-Tirmidhee (2397) and Ibn Maajah (4031) and graded as “Hasan” (good) by Shaikh al-Albaanee in al-Saheehah (146)]

[Note: A similar Hadeeth which the Shaikh did not mention in al-Saheehah:

Anas رضي الله عنه reported that Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “When Allaah تعالى decides to do good to His slave, he hastens for him punishment in this world. And when He تعالى decides to do evil to his slave, He holds back from him (punishment for) his sins till He تعالى takes retribution from him on the Day of Resurrection.” [al-Tirmidhee (2396) and graded as “Hasan Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

Shaikh al-Albaanee رحمه الله said: “And in this Hadeeth there is further evidence from what has preceded, that the trial is a sign of goodness and that that person is beloved to Allaah تعالى, only if he bears the trials of Allaah تعالى with patience and is pleased with the decree of Allaah عز وجل. And the support for that Hadeeth is the following Hadeeth:”

147. Suhaib ibn Sinaan رضي الله عنه narrated: “The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم while sitting with his companions laughed and said: “Do you not want to ask me what made me laugh?” They said: “O Messenger of Allaah! What made you laugh?” He صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “The case of the believer amazed me! [In another narration it is: “How remarkable is the case of the believer”] There is good for him in everything. When the believer receives any good, he is thankful to Allaah, and that is good for him (and he is rewarded for that). And when some misfortune befalls him, he endures it patiently, and that is (also) good for him (and he is rewarded for that as well). But this is not the case for anyone except for the believer.”

[Musnad of Imaam Ahmad (23411) and al-Daarimee (2/318) and graded as “Saheeh” (Authentic) by Shaikh al-Albaanee in al-Saheehah (147) and he said: “It is Saheeh as per the condition of Imaam Muslim.” A similar Hadeeth is also mentioned in Saheeh Muslim (5322) on the authority of Suhaib رضي الله عنه without mentioning the incident of the Prophet’s laughter.]

148. On the authority of Anas رضي الله عنه that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Remarkable (is the case of) the Believer. There is nothing decreed for him from Allaah except that it was good for him.”

[Musnad of Imaam Ahmad (19814) and graded as “Saheeh” (Authentic) by Shaikh al-Albaanee in al-Saheehah (148)]