The greatest reward comes with the greatest trial

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

“The greatest reward comes with the greatest trial. When Allah loves a people He tests them. Whoever accepts that wins His pleasure but whoever is discontent with that earns His wrath.” [1]

Furthermore, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

“When Allah loves people, He tests them. Anyone who is patient is one of the patient, and anyone who is outraged is one of the outraged. » [2]

The meaning of the first hadith is: the greater the affliction, the greater the reward. It is said: Indeed, trials are a source of reward, as well as an expiation for sins.

The fairest opinion for Ibn Al-Qayyim رحمه الله is that the reward is just atonement for sins, unless it is a cause for working for good, such as patience, acceptance (of misfortune), repentance and asking for forgiveness.

He is therefore rewarded for what resulted. Due to this, it was said that the meaning of the hadith is: Indeed, the reward is proportional to the trial, provided that there is patience and hope of the reward.

Just as in the hadith of Sa'd رضي الله عنه, the Prophet was asked:

“Who are those who undergo the most difficult tests? »

This hadith, and those similar to it, are proofs of Tawheed .

Since if an individual knows that the Prophets and the awliyya (the allies of Allah) have themselves experienced calamities and that they are in reality a mercy (rahmah) and that no one can remove these misfortunes except Allah, then they will know that they cannot cause, benefit, or avoid evil for themselves – so how could they avoid evil for others?

So, rather than turning to the Prophets and pious people to remove evil, or relieve them of worry or sorrow, the individual should turn directly to Allah Alone – the One who is able to accomplish this.

Excerpt from the book: Glad tidings to the Muslims