The Meaning of the Hadith: (The Most Severe Trials Are for the People of...)
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Meaning of the Hadith: (The Most Severe Trials Are for the People of...)
O Shaykh: May Allah reward you! Imam Ahmad narrated from Mu'adh ibn Jabal: (The most severe trials are for the prophets, then the next best, then the next best) What is meant by the last "next best"?
(The most severe trials are for the prophets) because Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, tested them with prophethood, and tested them with the call to Allah, and tested them with a people who deny them and describe them with characteristics of criticism and blame, as the Exalted said: [Al-Dhariyat: 52] But this trial is, in reality, a means of elevation in their ranks, for everything that befalls them on account of it is an increase in their degrees.
(Then the next best, then the next best) means: the most righteous, then the most righteous. The more righteous a person is, the stronger his call to Allah, and the more firmly he holds to the religion of Allah, the more enemies he has,Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Furqan: 31] The enmity of the criminals toward the prophets is not for their persons, but for the truth they brought. Accordingly, whoever holds firmly to the truth they brought will face enmity from the criminals, just as the prophets face it, or less depending on the circumstances. And Allah, Mighty and Majestic, is Wise; He tests with blessings and He tests with hardships. His testing with blessings is to test whether we will be grateful or ungrateful, and His testing with hardships is to test whether we will be ungrateful or patient. This is the meaning of the hadith.
And this is, in truth, a consolation for the believer who calls to Allah when he is met with what he is met with from people, for that is in the path of Allah. And when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had his finger wounded, he said:
Are you not but a finger that has bled, and in the path of Allah is what you have encountered?
So know that everything that befalls you by way of mockery or ridicule from the criminals on account of your calling to Allah, or your holding to the religion of Allah, know that you have a reward for it, because it is in the path of Allah.
O Shaykh: May Allah reward you! Imam Ahmad narrated from Mu'adh ibn Jabal: (The most severe trials are for the prophets, then the next best, then the next best) What is meant by the last "next best"?
(The most severe trials are for the prophets) because Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, tested them with prophethood, and tested them with the call to Allah, and tested them with a people who deny them and describe them with characteristics of criticism and blame, as the Exalted said:
Similarly, there came not to those before them any messenger except that they said, "A magician or a madman."
كَذَلِكَ مَا أَتَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ مِنْ رَسُولٍ إِلَّا قَالُوا سَاحِرٌ أَوْ مَجْنُونٌ(Then the next best, then the next best) means: the most righteous, then the most righteous. The more righteous a person is, the stronger his call to Allah, and the more firmly he holds to the religion of Allah, the more enemies he has,Allah the Exalted said:
And thus have We made for every prophet an enemy from among the criminals
وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَا لِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ عَدُوّاً مِنَ الْمُجْرِمِينَAnd this is, in truth, a consolation for the believer who calls to Allah when he is met with what he is met with from people, for that is in the path of Allah. And when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had his finger wounded, he said:
Are you not but a finger that has bled, and in the path of Allah is what you have encountered?
So know that everything that befalls you by way of mockery or ridicule from the criminals on account of your calling to Allah, or your holding to the religion of Allah, know that you have a reward for it, because it is in the path of Allah.