…“If you are thankful, I will surely give you more” (Ibrahim 7). Allah—majestic and exalted—continually enlarges His favour for those who give thanks. So if you desire an increase of blessings, give thanks to Allah; but if you wish those blessings to vanish, deny them. He said, “and when he is tried, he is patient.” Allah, exalted be He, tries His servants: He tests them with calamities and hardships, and with enemies from among the disbelievers and hypocrites. They therefore need patience, must avoid despair, and must never lose hope in Allah’s mercy. They stand firm upon their religion, neither wavering nor surrendering to trials; rather, they persevere and bear the fatigue they encounter for its sake. By contrast, the one who, when tried, panics, complains, and despairs of Allah’s mercy only has trial added to trial and misfortune to misfortune. The Prophet said: “When Allah loves a people He tests them; whoever is content shall have contentment, and whoever is displeased shall have displeasure” (1); and he said: “The people most severely tried are the Prophets, then those nearest to them in virtue, then those nearest” (2). The Messengers were tried, the Siddiqun (the utterly truthful) were tried, and— (1) Reported by al-Tirmidhi, Book of Zuhd, chapter “Patience in affliction” (4/601), and by Ibn Majah, Book of Tribulations, chapter “Patience in affliction” (no. 4031), on the authority of Anas ibn Malik. Al-Tirmidhi said: “This hadith is gharib.” Also narrated by Ahmad (5/428) on the authority of Mahmud ibn Labid. (2) Part of a hadith reported by al-Tirmidhi, Book of Zuhd, chapter “Patience in affliction” (4/601-602); by Ibn Majah, Book of Tribulations, chapter “Patience in affliction” (no. 4023); by Ahmad (1/172, 173-174, 180, 185); al-Darimi (2/320); Ibn Hibban in his Sahih (7/131, Ihsan edition); al-Hakim (1/41); and al-Bayhaqi (3/372). Al-Tirmidhi graded it “hasan sahih.”