Thus, in this noble verse, He—Glorified is He—informs us that He tests His servants with trials so that the truthful may be distinguished from the liar, the impatient from the patient, and the one certain in faith from the doubter. He mentions several things with which He tests them: a measure of fear—that is, fear of enemies—and hunger—that is, a shortage of food and sustenance—as well as loss of wealth. This encompasses every form of loss that may befall property, whether through natural disasters, flooding, misplacement, seizure, or otherwise. He also tests them through loss of life, with the passing of loved ones such as children, relatives, and companions. This also includes the various illnesses and ailments that afflict the body. Likewise, He tests them through diminished produce, including grain and the fruits of date palms and other trees. These things must inevitably occur, for the All-Knowing, the All-Aware has foretold their occurrence.

A person’s portion of a calamity is the effect it produces in him: whoever meets it with contentment will have Allah’s pleasure, while whoever responds with resentment will incur His displeasure. The afflicted person must therefore know that the One who has tried him through his calamity is the Wisest of judges and the Most Merciful of the merciful. He—Glorified is He—did not send the affliction upon him to destroy or punish him. Rather, He tried him to test his patience, contentment, and faith; to hear his humble entreaty, earnest supplication, and prayer; and to see him lying humbled at His door, seeking refuge in His protection, brokenhearted before Him, raising his hands to Him in humble supplication and pouring out his anguish and sorrow to Him. Through this, he attains the tremendous reward Allah has promised, His generous gifts, and His abundant favors and blessings:

“Give glad tidings to those who are patient—those who, when calamity befalls them, say, ‘Indeed, we belong to Allah, and to Him we shall return.’ They are the ones upon whom are blessings and mercy from their Lord, and it is they who are rightly guided.” 1

How boundless is this grace, and how generous this gift! Umar ibn al-Khattāb—may Allah be pleased with him—said: “What an excellent pair of blessings, and what an excellent added bounty!”