You won’t be able appreciate the importance of Allaah’s Favors till you have tasted the adversities

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

 

Allaah تعالى says:

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِن قَبْلِكُم ۖ مَّسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَاءُ وَالضَّرَّاءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ مَتَىٰ نَصْرُ اللَّـهِ ۗ أَلَا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّـهِ قَرِيبٌ

{Or think you that you will enter Paradise without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They were afflicted with severe poverty and ailments and were so shaken that even the Messenger and those who believed along with him said: “When (will come) the Help of Allaah?” Yes! Certainly, the Help of Allaah is near!}

[Surah al-Baqarah (2): 214]

 

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

❝This is from the perfection of the Lord’s Favors and Blessings that He تعالى makes His slave taste the bitterness of being broken down into fragments before making him taste the sweetness of relief and reparation. Allaah تعالى makes the person know the extent of His Favors upon him by testing him with the opposite (i.e. by taking away the Favors). Like when how He سبحانه وتعالى wished to complete for Aadam the pleasure and delight of Paradise; He تعالى made him taste the bitterness of being expelled from the Jannah and made him suffer in this abode (earth), in which prosperity and pleasure are blended in with hardships and tribulations.

So, He تعالى does breakdown His Believing slave except to mend him, and He تعالى does not prevent from him except to give it to him, and He تعالى does not afflict him (with sickness) except to heal him, and He تعالى does not cause him to die except to resurrect him, and He تعالى does not constrict for him the Dunya except to make him yearn more for the Hereafter, and He تعالى does not test him with people’s rudeness except to make him turn towards Him سبحانه وتعالى.❞

[مختصر الصواعق المرسلة 1/306]