As Iman Grows, So Does Affliction
Worldly life is not a land of pleasure, but from beginning to end a field of testing and maturation. According to Islamic ethics, the calamities that befall a person do not indicate that they are sinful or worthless; on the contrary, most often they point to the greatness of their iman (faith) and the loftiness of their rank in the sight of Allah. The noble ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī summarizes this divine law as follows: "Whosever iman grows, increases, and expands; his affliction also grows." Indeed, the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) gave glad tidings that the greatest trials are given to the most distinguished servants, saying: "We, the community of prophets, are those among people who are tried with the severest afflictions. Then, in order, those who are more virtuous and those who are less so..." The stronger a servant’s iman, the heavier the afflictions that befall them; for Allah Most High wishes to sever His beloved servants completely from worldly attachments by constantly testing them.
The Wisdom of Affliction: Severing the Heart from All but God
The Real (al-Ḥaqq) Most High does not wish for the hearts of His beloved servants to become attached to the adornments of the world, the caprices of the nafs (the lower self), or to created beings. Afflictions are a divine hook that severs these worldly bonds. When a person’s qalb (the heart) begins to incline toward created things, immediately a test or calamity comes, shaking them and turning them back to their true Lord. "Affliction is a hook for their hearts, a bridle for their nafs." Through these afflictions, the arrogance of the nafs is broken, its caprices melt away, and truth is distinguished from falsehood. Those of iman who patiently endure the hardships of this world, trust serenely in what the Real has promised, and show riḍā (contentment with God's decree) toward destiny, eliminate every kind of fleeting expectation from their hearts. Hardship and calamity, in fact, are like a fire that separates gold from its dross; they cleanse and polish the soul of the perfected believer.
The Result of Patience and Divine Submission
The servant who does not rebel in the face of afflictions, and believes that everything occurs within Allah’s knowledge and permission, attains ultimate victory. The believer knows that the affliction that befalls him is, in accordance with the secret of "If you are grateful, We will surely increase you [in favor]" (Ibrāhīm, 7), for the opening of new horizons. If the qalb sacrifices every desire of the nafs to the command of Allah, then even if illnesses, hardships, and the harassment of creatures beset that heart, the servant’s unshakable submission within protects him. Should the desires of the nafs arise and pressure the qalb, the heart asks, "Does the Exalted Lord have permission for this?" thus seeking divine approval. The servant who shows riḍā toward afflictions and abandons complaint is adorned with the protection, blessing, grace, and maʿrifa (gnosis, experiential knowledge of God) of the Real Most High, and thus finds well-being both in this world and the Hereafter.