36/23. Chapter:
Sunan Ibn Majah 4024 — Prophetic Trials and Reward
Patience at the time of calamity
Hadith About Prophetic Trials and Great Reward
Sunan Ibn Majah : 4024
Sunan Ibn MajahHadith Number 4024
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي فُدَيْكٍ، حَدَّثَنِي هِشَامُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ وَهُوَ يُوعَكُ فَوَضَعْتُ يَدِي عَلَيْهِ فَوَجَدْتُ حَرَّهُ بَيْنَ يَدَىَّ فَوْقَ اللِّحَافِ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا أَشَدَّهَا عَلَيْكَ قَالَ " إِنَّا كَذَلِكَ يُضَعَّفُ لَنَا الْبَلاَءُ وَيُضَعَّفُ لَنَا الأَجْرُ " . قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَىُّ النَّاسِ أَشَدُّ بَلاَءً قَالَ " الأَنْبِيَاءُ " . قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ مَنْ قَالَ " ثُمَّ الصَّالِحُونَ إِنْ كَانَ أَحَدُهُمْ لَيُبْتَلَى بِالْفَقْرِ حَتَّى مَا يَجِدُ أَحَدُهُمْ إِلاَّ الْعَبَاءَةَ يُحَوِّيهَا وَإِنْ كَانَ أَحَدُهُمْ لَيَفْرَحُ بِالْبَلاَءِ كَمَا يَفْرَحُ أَحَدُكُمْ بِالرَّخَاءِ " .
Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri Narrated from:
I entered upon the Prophet (ﷺ) when he was suffering from a fever, I placed my hand on him and felt heat with my hand from above the blanket. I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, how hard it is for you!’ He said: ‘We (Prophets) are like that. The trial is multiplied for us and so is the reward.’ I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, which people are most severely tested?’ He said: ‘The Prophets.’ I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, then who?’ He said: ‘Then the righteous, some of whom were tested with poverty until they could not find anything except a cloak to put around themselves. One of them will rejoice at calamity as one of you would rejoice at ease.’”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4024In-book reference : Book 36, Hadith 99English translation : Vol. 5, Book 36, Hadith 4024
Summary of Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 4024
This hadith about trials shows a very personal moment. Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri visited the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم while he was suffering from fever and felt the heat even above the blanket. When he said how hard it was for him, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم explained that the trial is multiplied for the Prophets and so is the reward. He then said that the Prophets are most severely tested, then the righteous. The narration also mentions poverty as one form of trial, to the point that a person may only find a cloak to wrap around himself. The hadith teaches that hardship can come to people of high rank, and that patient acceptance can change how a believer sees calamity.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophets faced severe trials, including physical sickness.
- Greater trial is linked in the text with greater reward for the Prophets.
- The righteous may also face hard tests, including poverty.
- Some righteous people may meet calamity with deep acceptance rather than only fear.
