Explanation of Hadiths from al-Mundhiri’s al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib, from the Book of Funerals, Chapter on Encouraging Patience, Especially for One Afflicted in Himself or His Wealth, and the Virtue of Affliction
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The Shaykh : The author (may Allah have mercy on him) said: And from Mus'ab ibn Sa'd from his father (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I said: O Messenger of Allah, which people are the most severely tested? He said It was narrated by Ibn Majah, Ibn Abi al-Dunya, and al-Tirmidhi, who said: “A good, authentic hadith.”
And in Ibn Hibban’s Sahih, from the narration of al-'Ala' ibn al-Musayyib from his father from Sa'd, it is said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked: Which people are the most severely tested? He saidSahih Ibn Hibban 11:30 In this hadith, which is from the narration of Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him), it is made clear that the testing of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) of His believing servant is a mercy that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) presents to His believing servant. And all people, the believers, are tested according to the measure of their religion. So if his religion is strong and firm, the test directed at him is also much and strong according to that strong, firm religion. That is because the more the test, the more the reward, and the less the test, the less the reward. So the test, in its abundance or scarcity, is linked to the reward, in its abundance or scarcity. Therefore, he (peace and blessings be upon him) explicitly states: “We, the prophets, are the most severely tested, the next best, then the next best,” meaning that the more a prophet is excellent in the sight of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) compared to others, the more the testing of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) of him is increased.
From this, we take that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was the most tested of the prophets by Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). That is what the hadith indicated, indeed explicitly stated, that the Muslim servant continues to be tested until he walks upon the earth with no sin upon him. And the Muslim takes a lesson from this hadith: that if he is afflicted with something that distresses and saddens him, he should remember that this affliction is from Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and a reward He presents to him. Therefore, he does not become weary or restless from any affliction that befalls him, because he knows and keeps in mind that the counterpart of this affliction by which Allah tested him is a great reward with his Lord (Mighty and Majestic). His affair is not like the affair of the open sinner or the disbeliever, whose nature is that if he is struck by an affliction in himself or in his beloved, he becomes weary and increases in sin and disbelief. The Muslim is not like that, as this hadith and others, both previous and to follow, indicate.
And on this basis, we can consider this hadith and its like from the hadiths that protect the believer from falling into disbelief and the like because of affliction. And you may remember in a previous lesson the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).
The prophets, then the next best, then the next best. A man is tested according to his religion. If his religion is strong, his test is severe. If there is softness in his religion, Allah tests him according to his religion. The test does not cease to be with the servant until he walks upon the earth with no sin upon him.
الأنبياء ثم الأمثل فالأمثل ، يُبتلى الرجل على حسب دينه فإن كان دينه صلبا اشتد بلاؤه وإن كان في دينه رقة ابتلاه الله على حسب دينه فما يبرح البلاء بالعبد حتى يمشي على الأرض وما عليه خطيئةAnd in Ibn Hibban’s Sahih, from the narration of al-'Ala' ibn al-Musayyib from his father from Sa'd, it is said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked: Which people are the most severely tested? He said
The prophets, then the next best, then the next best. People are tested according to the measure of their religion. So whoever has a thick religion, his test is severe. And whoever has a weak religion, his test is weak. And a man may be struck by a test until he walks among the people with no sin upon him.
الأنبياء ثم الأمثل فالأمثل يُبتلى الناس على قدر دينهم فمن ثخُن دينه اشتد بلاؤه ومن ضعف دينه ضعف بلاؤه وإن الرجل ليصيبه البلاء حتى يمشي في الناس ما عليه خطيئةFrom this, we take that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was the most tested of the prophets by Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). That is what the hadith indicated, indeed explicitly stated, that the Muslim servant continues to be tested until he walks upon the earth with no sin upon him. And the Muslim takes a lesson from this hadith: that if he is afflicted with something that distresses and saddens him, he should remember that this affliction is from Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and a reward He presents to him. Therefore, he does not become weary or restless from any affliction that befalls him, because he knows and keeps in mind that the counterpart of this affliction by which Allah tested him is a great reward with his Lord (Mighty and Majestic). His affair is not like the affair of the open sinner or the disbeliever, whose nature is that if he is struck by an affliction in himself or in his beloved, he becomes weary and increases in sin and disbelief. The Muslim is not like that, as this hadith and others, both previous and to follow, indicate.
And on this basis, we can consider this hadith and its like from the hadiths that protect the believer from falling into disbelief and the like because of affliction. And you may remember in a previous lesson the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)