اَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ اَنْ یُّتْرَكُوْۤا اَنْ یَّقُوْلُوْۤا اٰمَنَّا وَ هُمْ لَا یُفْتَنُوْنَ(۲)

Do people think they will be left as they say, “We believe”, and they will not be tested?^[1]

Tafsīr Ṣirāṭ al-Jinān explains:

From this it is understood that testing Muslims according to the strength of their faith is the law of Allah Almighty. Illness, poverty, affliction, and hardship — all are trials sent by Allah Almighty, through which the sincere person and the hypocrite are distinguished.^[2]

Trials Come Upon Those Whom Allah Loves

Sayyidunā Anas رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ reports that the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: “Great reward comes with great affliction. When Allah Almighty loves a people, He tests them. Whoever is pleased with this receives the pleasure of Allah, and whoever is displeased receives displeasure.”^[3]

Trials Are Also a Mercy

Dear Islamic brothers, there is an important clarification to make: the difficulties and trials that the believers face in this world are, in reality, a mercy from Allah Almighty. Here is a faith-inspiring narration regarding this:

It is reported that two angels met—one was descending from the heavens to the earth, and the other was ascending from the earth to the heavens.

One angel asked the other, “Where are you coming from?”

He replied: “A non-Muslim lives in such-and-such city. He was extremely ill, and his final moments were near. The recompense of his good deeds had already been given in this world; therefore, no goodness remained by which he would receive any reward on the Day of Judgement. Only one good deed