The Meaning of the Hadith: (Seek refuge in Allah from the severity of the trial...)

Question:
There is another part of it where he says: Seek refuge in Allah from the severity of the trial, and from the onset of misery. What does that mean as well?

Answer:
It is to be understood on its apparent meaning. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: He seeks refuge in Allah from this; so that he is not afflicted with something that harms him, a trial that harms him. The onset of misery means that something overtakes him that plunges him into misery, into sins, and into shirk (associating partners with Allah). We ask Allah for well-being.
A person seeks out the means of salvation and seeks refuge in Allah from the severity of the trial, from the onset of misery, from the gloating of enemies, and from the badness of divine decree. This is how the believer seeks out [safety] and asks his Lord for well-being. Indeed, enemies gloat over him when he falls into what harms him. However, he seeks well-being from the severity of the trial, or from what distresses him of the trials and calamities that befall people.
: That something overtakes him that makes him miserable and plunges him into sins and evils, or into major shirk (associating partners with Allah). We ask Allah for well-being.
: Similarly, that he falls into sins and is afflicted with what Allah has forbidden for him.
: As mentioned before, that he falls into something over which enemies gloat. So the believer seeks well-being from these things and seeks refuge in Allah from the severity of the trial, from the onset of misery, from the badness of divine decree, and from the gloating of enemies.
This means he guards against all these causes, so he does not expose himself to a trial that plunges him into sins and evils, nor does he expose himself to things over which enemies gloat, nor does he expose himself to anything of what Allah has forbidden for him. For this would be part of the badness of the divine decree with which he is afflicted. Indeed, Allah decrees good and evil (Exalted and Majestic is He). So sins are by divine decree and acts of obedience are by divine decree. He asks his Lord that Allah protect him from the evil of the decree that contains sins, evils, and acts of shirk (associating partners with Allah), and the like. We ask Allah for well-being. Yes.

The presenter : May Allah reward you with good, Your Eminence the Shaykh.