#754: If Trials are Punishments from Allah: Do They Cleanse Sins?
754 QUESTION
“Please i have a question from a sister…
As-salaamu alaykum warahmatullah wabarakatuhu. Salamun alaykum. How do one know if a calamity is a trial or a punishment? I lost my baby after the turmoil of pregnancy and labour…in respect to the hadith which says no musiba befalls a muslim except it is used as an expiation of his sins, then what if it’s a punishment from Allah, will my sins be forgiven?”
ANSWER:
Wa Alaykum Salām Warahmatullāh Wabarakātuh.
Alhamdulillāh.
We ask Allāh to forgive us our sins and to free us from our pains, amīn.
Trials generally are from Allāh. There are those that afflict a Believer by way of the Death of near relatives and it’s likes. These are referred to as general trials and are not traced to the effects of sins. But if a Believer is steadfast in spite of them and submissive to Allāh, they efface for him his sins and elevate him in status.
As for those that are sudden calamities and their likes, the Ulamā have explained that they are cleansing of the Sins that one has committed even though they are caused by sins. In the Hadīth recorded by Imām Abū ‘Īsah Muhammad bn ‘Īsah At-Tirmidhī – rahimahullāh – from Anas bn Mālik, the Rasūl -salallāhu alayhi wasallam – said:
إِذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بِعَبْدِهِ الْخَيْرَ عَجَّلَ لَهُ الْعُقُوبَةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا ، وَإِذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بِعَبْدِهِ الشَّرَّ أَمْسَكَ عَنْهُ بِذَنْبِهِ حَتَّى يُوَافِيَ بِهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ
“If Allāh wants good for His Servant, He hastens for him the punishment of his sins in this World. And if Allāh wants evil for His Servant he delays for him his punishment until he pays for it on the Day of Qiyāmah.”
We seek Allāh’s refuge from that.
Therefore a lot of patience is required from a believer in this world when trials manifest themselves. A Believer must be patient and focused, remember Allāh, seek forgiveness, make Tawbah and return to Him.
We ask Allāh for Steadfastness and a forgiveness that spares no sin amīn.
Bārakallāhu Fīkum.
Jazākumullāhu khayran.
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