The Virtue of Patience and Seeking Reward in Times of Affliction

Question:
May Allah reward you. This is a message from a sister in Allah. She says: These questions are presented to the Honorable Shaykh, Salih al-Fawzan (may Allah preserve him). She asks, Honorable Shaykh: In her first question, this questioner states that she is a disabled girl and praises Allah for that. She says: I am unable to walk, and I have been afflicted with my disability since I was about one year old. And, if Allah wills, I am patient and seeking reward. Is this disability considered a trial and test from Allah the Exalted and Majestic, even though it has been with me since my early childhood? Am I considered among the believers whom Allah has tested to raise their ranks and protect their sins, if I seek reward and am patient? Tell us about that and about the reward of the patient who are rewarded.

Answer:
We hope that this will be a purification and a raising of ranks. If a Muslim is afflicted by Allah with a calamity, he believes in the divine decree and destiny of Allah, and he is patient and seeks reward, and does not become despondent. Allah records for him the reward of his patience and seeking reward. However, if there is a treatment for the injury and a medicine for the illness, he seeks the medicine and treatment, because this is part of taking the beneficial means, and this does not diminish his reward or his patience. If there is no treatment, he is patient and seeks reward. The affliction with disliked things may be a punishment for the Muslim for a sin he committed or a shortcoming that occurred on his part. So he evaluates himself and repents to Allah the Exalted and Majestic. Allah the Exalted said: . And regarding the early disability mentioned by the questioner, this is the divine decree and destiny of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). So she should be patient and seek reward, and hope for the reward from Allah the Exalted and Majestic. And Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) says: . Yes.