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The Severity of a Believer’s Afflictions
21 - عن حمران عن أبي جعفر (ع) إنَّ العبدَ المؤمنَ ليكرم على الله (جلّ جلاله) حتى لو سألَه الجنَّةَ وما فيها أعطاها إياهُ ولم يُنقِص ذلك من مُلكه شيئاً، ولَو سأله موضِع قدمِه من الدّنيا حرَمهُ، وإنّ العبدَ الكافرَ ليَهونُ على الله (جلّ جلاله) لو سألَه الدّنيا وما فيها أعطاها إيّاه ولم يُنقِص ذلك من ملكه شيئاً، ولو سألَه موضعَ قدمِه من الجنَّةِ حرمَه. وإنّ الله (جلّ جلاله) ليتعاهدُ عبدَه المؤمنَ بالبلاءِ كما يتعاهَدُ الرّجُلُ أهلَه بالهديّة ويحميه كما يحمي الطّبيبُ المريضَ
21. Humran narrated that Abu Ja'far (a.s) said: A believer is so honorable before Allah that if he were to ask Him for Paradise and all it contains, He would give it to him -and this would not decrease anything in His Kingdom- but if he were to ask Him of this world, even the space that his feet occupy, He may deny him. And a disbeliever is so contemptuous before Allah that if he were to ask Him for the world and all it contains, He would give it to him -and this would make no difference in His Kingdom- but if he were to ask Him of Paradise, even the space that his feet occupy, He would deny him. Indeed, Allah presents a believer with afflictions just like a man presents his family with gifts and He protects him (from what is harmful for him) like a doctor protects the sick.”
22 - عن أبي حمزة قال: قال أبو جعفر (ع) إنّ للهِ (جلّ جلاله) ضنائنَ مِن خلقِه يضنّ بهم عن البلاء؛ يحييهم في عافية ويرزقُهم في عافية ويُميتهم في عافية ويبعثُهم في عافية ويُدخلهم الجنّةَ في عافية.
22. It has been reported by Abu Hamzah that Abu Ja'far (a.s) said: Allah has some chosen ones amongst His creatures whom He spares from afflictions. He keeps them alive in well-being, sustains them in well-being, causes them to die in a state of well-being, shall resurrect them in well-being and admit them into Paradise in well-being.
23 - عن محمد بن عجلان قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله (ع) يقول: إنّ للهِ (جلّ جلاله) مِن خلقِه عباداً ما مِن بليّةٍ تنـزلُ من السماء أو تقتيرٍ في الرّزق الاّ ساقه إليهِم، ولا عافيَةٍ أو سَعة في الرزق إلاّ صَرفه عنهم، ولَو أنّ نورَ أحدِهم قُسّم بين أهلِ الأرض جميعاً لاكتفَوا به.
23. It has been narrated that Muhammad ibn 'Ajlan said: I heard Abu 'Abd Allah (a.s) saying: Indeed, Allah has amongst His creatures some (special) servants; whenever an affliction descends from the heavens or a deficiency in sustenance, He drives it towards them. And whenever (there is) well-being or ample sustenance, He diverts it from them. (And) if the light (nur) of one of them were to be divided between all the inhabitants of the earth, it would suffice them.
24 - عن يزيد بن خليفة عن أبي عبد الله (ع) قال: ما قضى الله تبارك وتعالى لمؤمن من قضاءً الاّ جعل له الخيرةَ فيما قضى.
24. It has been narrated that Yazid ibn Khalifah said that Abu 'Abd Allah (a.s) said: Allah never decrees anything for a believer but that He makes His decree the best for him.
25 - عن أبي عبد الله (ع) قال: إنّ الله يذود المؤمنَ عمّا يكره ممّا يشتهي كما يذود الرجُل البعيرَ عن إبله ليس منها.
25. It has been narrated that Abu 'Abd Allah (a.s) said: Allah keeps a believer away from what He dislikes even if he (the believer) longs for it, just as a man keeps a camel away from a flock it does not belong to.
26 - وعنه (ع) قال: إن الربَّ ليتعاهدُ المؤمنَ؛ فما يمُرّ به أربعون صباحاً إلاّ تعاهده إمّا بمرضٍ في جسده وإما بمصيبة في أهله وماله أو بمصيبة من مصائب الدّنيا ليؤجِرَه الله عليه.
26. It has been also narrated that Abu 'Abd Allah (a.s) said: Verily the Lord maintains a believer; no forty days pass but that He presents him either with an ailment in his body, or with an affliction in his family and wealth, or any other affliction of the world, that He may thereby reward him for that.
27 - عن ابن حمران قال: سمعته يقول: ما مِن مؤمنٍ يمرُّ به أربعون ليلةً إلاّ وقد يُذكر بشئٍ يؤجر عليه، أدناه هَمٌّ لا يدري من أين هو.
27. It has been narrated that Ibn Hamran said: I heard him (i.e. al-Sadiq (a.s)) say: No forty nights pass for a believer without something befalling him for which he is rewarded - the least of which is an anxiety whose cause he does not understand.
28 - وعن أبي عبد الله (ع) لا يصير على المؤمن أربعون صباحاً إلاّ تعاهده الربُّ تبارك وتعالى بوجَع في جسده أو ذَهاب ماله أو مصيبة يؤجره الله عليها.
28. It has been also narrated that Abu 'Abd Allah (a.s) said: No forty days pass for a believer without the Glorious and most High Lord presenting him with pain in his body or loss of wealth, or an affliction for which Allah rewards him.
29 - وعنه (ع) قال ما فَلتَ المؤمنُ من واحدةٍ من ثلاث، أو جمِعتْ عليه الثلاثةُ: أن يكون معه مَن يغلق عليه بابَه في داره، أو جارٍ يؤذيه أو مَن في طريقه إلى حوائجه يؤذيه، ولوأنّ مؤمناً على قلّة جبلٍ لبعث الله شيطاناً يؤذيه، ويجعل الله له من إيمانه أنساً.
29. It has been also narrated that Abu 'Abd Allah (a.s) said: A believer never escapes one of three (problems) if not all three! Either a family member who shuts him out, or a neighbor who troubles him, or a person he meets on his way to work (who troubles him). Even if a believer were (to isolate himself) on a mountain top, Allah would send a devil to bother him. And Allah provides for him (the believer) comfort from his faith.”
30 - عن محمد بن مسلم قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله (ع) يقول المؤمنُ لا يمضي عليه أربعون ليلةً إلاّ عُرض له أمرٌ يحزِنه، ويُذكّره به.
30. It has been narrated that Muhammad ibn Muslim said: I heard Abu 'Abd Allah (a.s) saying: No forty nights pass for a believer except a matter befalls him that grieves him and reminds him (of Allah).
