A persons life in this world is not stable. One passes through alternating periods of happiness and dismay, strength and weakness. wealth and povert, health and sickness etc.
A true believer is one who maintains a clear level of Eemaan throughout the wordly 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 involvment in the wordly life. For a believer, on the other hand, they are instances of rest and rememberance, tests that promise great rewards, and indications of atonment and expiation of sins. Regardless of how little is the harm that strikes a believer, it carries with it good news of forgivness 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 forgivness 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 EEMAN
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) reporeted 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 aquire 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 Prophrt (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, ehether 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 wahes 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, thw 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 acordance 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 aptient 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 rewrded at all; because he resented Allah's decree. This is what should be understood from Ibn hajar al -'Asqalaanees words:
" The authentic hadeeths ar eclear 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 wordly life, and he seeks its reward from Allah, some of his sins will be removed, because of it, on the Day of Judgement." [ Bukharee ]
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