Testing, Affliction and Calamities
By Shaykh Dr. Saalih As-Saalih رحمه الله
Delivered on May 20th, 2006

The Shaykh رحمه الله began by praising Allah سبحانه وتعالى and sending the salutation and salam upon the most noble of all Prophets and Messengers صلى الله عليه وسلم, his family and followers. He then said:

All praise is due to Allah. The Most High, the One who says:

وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوفْ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الأَمَوَالِ وَالأنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ {155} الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُواْ إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ {156} أُولَـئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَاتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ وَأُولَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُهْتَدُونَ
 

{And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As-Sabirun (the patient). Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: "Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return." They are those on whom are the Salawat (i.e. who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their Lord, and (they are those who) receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided ones.} [Al-Baqarah 2:155–157]

May the salah and salam of Allah be upon His Messenger, Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, the one who was tried and tested with various types of tests and he was patient and persevered. May the salah and salam of Allah سبحانه وتعالى be up on his household and the noble Companions, who also were tested and tried, and upon the righteous predecessors and on those who followed them in righteousness until the Day of Resurrection.

EVERY BELIEVER WILL BE TESTED

It is clear that this life is filled with calamites, tests and trials. Every believer will be subjected to many of these calamities, tests and trials. Sometimes these trials are manifested in himself, sometimes in his wealth, and sometimes with his beloved ones. These preordainments are from the One who is All-Wise and they touch the believer in various ways and manners. If a believer does not have the correct understanding regarding the manner of dealing with trials and tribulations he may err seriously. This is especially true when facing difficult and burdensome calamities.

Many people are ignorant of the wisdom behind facing trials and tests. They may not understand that Allah سبحانه وتعالى does not intend to punish us through tests; rather Allah creates an opportunity to earn His Mercy. The believer should look at the matter of ‘ibtilah (being put to tests) and trials through the textual proofs from the Qur’an and the authentic Sunnah of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, in order to stand firmly grounded regarding these matters.

Yes, it is a test and a trial. Every day we are tested in this life. Our wealth is a test; the spouse is a test; the children are tests; poverty, wealth, and richness are tests and health and illness are tests. We are tested in everything which we possess and encounter in this life and until we meet Allah the Most High.

Allah سبحانه وتعالى says in Surah al-Anbiya’, verse 35:

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ وَنَبْلُوكُم بِالشَّرِّ وَالْخَيْرِ فِتْنَةً وَإِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ

{Everyone is going to taste death, and We shall make a trial of you with evil and with good. And to Us you will be returned.} [Al-Anbiya’ 21:35]

And Allah سبحانه وتعالى said in Surah al-Ankabut, verses 2 -3:

أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوا أَن يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ
وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْكَاذِبِينَ

{Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: "We believe," and will not be tested. And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allah will certainly make (it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood of) those who are liars, (although Allah knows all that before putting them to test).} [al-Ankabut 29:2-3]

Therefore both the healthy and the ill are tested. The one who was healthy did not know until he was touched by a trial, and the one who was ill did not feel that he was being tested until he was cured. No one is safe from this due to his prestige or his status. This does not prevent the matter of testing as we remember from the authentic hadeeth, narrated by al-Bukhari where the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “The most intense in terms of testing are the prophets and then the like and then the like.” [1]

Amongst us there is no one who possesses the ability to reject the tests. The faithful, patient, persevering individuals, who anticipate their reward from Allah سبحانه وتعالى are the successful ones amongst the tested. Also from amongst us are those who are tested but they fail due to their weak faith and their objection to Allah سبحانه وتعالى; we seek refuge in Allah سبحانه وتعالى from such a state.

May Allah’s Mercy be upon al-Fudayl bin ‘Iyad who said, “As long as the people are in a state of good welfare, once tested, they will return to their realities. The believer will go to his faith and the hypocrite will go to his hypocrisy.” [2]