The Categories of Calamities and the Categories of People in Relation to Them
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Regarding the calamity that befalls a Muslim, how does the Muslim distinguish between it being an expiation for sins and a raiser of ranks, and it being a warning from Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) to the person?
First: We must know that Allah said in the Book: [Surat al-Shura: 30].
First: Either it is due to what his hands have earned, so he is punished for the disobedience in this world, and the punishment of this world is easier than the punishment of the Hereafter.
The second: Or it is in order to test him until he reaches the degree of perfection in patience;Because a person is between two states: Either it is ease, and its function is gratitude.
Or it is hardship, and its function is patience.
So a person does not reach the degree of patience except through something upon which he is patient. For this reason, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was tested more than others, to the extent that he would be stricken with illness as two of us would be, and he was afflicted with severe pain upon his death (peace and blessings be upon him) in order to raise his rank through the station of patience.
So a person is tested with a specific trial, either because of sins he committed, in which case Allah expiates for him through this calamity, and the torment of this world is easier than the torment of the Hereafter. For this reason, some people, when they commit sins and then calamities and trials befall them, they thank Allah for this;Because he says: [saying], "Allah knew my sin and punished me in this world before the Hereafter, and the punishment of this world is easier than the punishment of the Hereafter," so he makes that a blessing for which he thanks Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
And when a person is struck with a trial, he has four states: The first: Either he becomes dissatisfied in his heart or with his limbs, so he tears his clothes, pulls out his hair, strikes his cheeks, and feels in his heart that he is dissatisfied with his Lord—may Allah protect us from that—so this is in the lowest of the ranks, and he is sinful, and the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) disavowed him and said: "He is not one of us who strikes his cheeks, tears his clothes, and calls out with the calls of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance".
Second: Or he is patient and seeks reward from Allah despite his dislike of what happened, so this one has fulfilled the obligatory, and he has the reward of the patient. And if he seeks the reward from Allah, then [Surat al-Zumar: 10].
Third: A more perfect state than patience is contentment; contentment is more perfect than patience, so the patient is dissatisfied with the trial; but he is patient, and the one who is content finds both matters equal in his regard regarding the decree of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and he says to himself: "Allah did not decree this for me except for good," so he is fully content, and his state is not affected at all, neither in his heart nor with his limbs.
Fourth: That he is in the station of gratitude.
How does he thank Allah for the calamity?We say: Its aspect is what I mentioned to you a little while ago: that he knows—if he has committed sins—that this is a punishment for his sins, so he thanks Allah that He hastened the punishment for him to be in this world, and that is easier than it being in the Hereafter. Then he thanks Allah that if he is content and patient, it is good for him, so he thanks Allah for that.
First: We must know that Allah said in the Book:
And whatever strikes you of disaster - it is for what your hands have earned; but He pardons much.
وَمَا أَصَابَكُمْ مِنْ مُصِيبَةٍ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَيَعْفُو عَنْ كَثِيرٍFirst: Either it is due to what his hands have earned, so he is punished for the disobedience in this world, and the punishment of this world is easier than the punishment of the Hereafter.
The second: Or it is in order to test him until he reaches the degree of perfection in patience;Because a person is between two states: Either it is ease, and its function is gratitude.
Or it is hardship, and its function is patience.
So a person does not reach the degree of patience except through something upon which he is patient. For this reason, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was tested more than others, to the extent that he would be stricken with illness as two of us would be, and he was afflicted with severe pain upon his death (peace and blessings be upon him) in order to raise his rank through the station of patience.
So a person is tested with a specific trial, either because of sins he committed, in which case Allah expiates for him through this calamity, and the torment of this world is easier than the torment of the Hereafter. For this reason, some people, when they commit sins and then calamities and trials befall them, they thank Allah for this;Because he says: [saying], "Allah knew my sin and punished me in this world before the Hereafter, and the punishment of this world is easier than the punishment of the Hereafter," so he makes that a blessing for which he thanks Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
And when a person is struck with a trial, he has four states: The first: Either he becomes dissatisfied in his heart or with his limbs, so he tears his clothes, pulls out his hair, strikes his cheeks, and feels in his heart that he is dissatisfied with his Lord—may Allah protect us from that—so this is in the lowest of the ranks, and he is sinful, and the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) disavowed him and said: "He is not one of us who strikes his cheeks, tears his clothes, and calls out with the calls of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance".
Second: Or he is patient and seeks reward from Allah despite his dislike of what happened, so this one has fulfilled the obligatory, and he has the reward of the patient. And if he seeks the reward from Allah, then
Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account."
إِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى الصَّابِرُونَ أَجْرَهُمْ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍThird: A more perfect state than patience is contentment; contentment is more perfect than patience, so the patient is dissatisfied with the trial; but he is patient, and the one who is content finds both matters equal in his regard regarding the decree of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and he says to himself: "Allah did not decree this for me except for good," so he is fully content, and his state is not affected at all, neither in his heart nor with his limbs.
Fourth: That he is in the station of gratitude.
How does he thank Allah for the calamity?We say: Its aspect is what I mentioned to you a little while ago: that he knows—if he has committed sins—that this is a punishment for his sins, so he thanks Allah that He hastened the punishment for him to be in this world, and that is easier than it being in the Hereafter. Then he thanks Allah that if he is content and patient, it is good for him, so he thanks Allah for that.