Is it permissible for us to say, “May Allah reward us for the hardships, for they taught us such and such”?

The questioner : A man says, “May Allah reward us for the hardships, for they taught us such and such and such.” Is this permissible?

The Shaykh : There is nothing wrong with it, my brother. This is a well-known expression in the Arabic language, a common and established usage, and they call it metaphorical speech (majaz), like when a poet says, “Spring brought forth the herbs.” This is of that nature, as is saying “the river flowed” or “the gutter ran,” and the like. There is nothing wrong with this if the speaker believes in Allah and His Messenger and that anything that happens only happens by His will. Yes, may Allah reward you.