‘I am under no obligation; I have been hurt; I am worn out.’ Rather, what is required is patience. This life is not long—just a few days and it will pass—so persevere until Allah brings about His decree.

In the words of ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd (may Allah be pleased with him): “It is as though I can see the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—right now as he relates this to us.” This shows that a narrator may bolster the precision of his report by describing how clearly he recalls it. The practice is common: someone will say, “It is as if I see so-and-so while he is saying such-and-such,” meaning he feels he is witnessing and hearing it at this very moment.

Whoever uses this style to reinforce the reliability of what he transmits is following the precedent of the righteous predecessors. Allah alone grants success.

37- Abū Saʿīd and Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with them) reported that the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said: “No fatigue, persistent illness, anxiety, sorrow, harm, or distress befalls a Muslim—even a thorn that pricks him—without Allah thereby expiating some of his sins.” (Agreed upon.) The word wasab refers to illness.

38- Abū Masʿūd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I visited the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—while he was suffering from fever. I said, “O Messenger of Allah, you are experiencing a severe fever!” He replied, “Yes, I suffer as two men among you suffer.” I asked, “Is that so you will have a double reward?” He said, “Yes, exactly so. No Muslim is afflicted by any harm—even a thorn or anything greater—without Allah expiating his sins through it.”