1610 — “Indeed, the righteous are subjected to greater hardship. No misfortune—even the prick of a thorn or anything greater—befalls a believer except that a sin is thereby effaced from him and he is raised a rank.”

It was recorded by Ahmad (6/160), Ibn Hibban (702), and al-Hakim (4/320), the latter recording only its opening, through the route of Mu‘awiyah ibn Salam, who said: I heard Yahya ibn Abi Kathir say: Abu Qilabah informed me that ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Shaybah told him that ‘A’ishah informed him that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was afflicted by pain. He began to complain and turn over in his bed, so ‘A’ishah said, “Had one of us done this, I would have reproached him for it.” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, then mentioned the hadith.

Al-Hakim said, “Its chain of transmission is authentic.” Al-Dhahabi agreed with him, and they were correct. Its narrators are trustworthy and are narrators of Muslim, except for ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Shaybah, who is trustworthy. ‘Ali—namely Ibn al-Mubarak—also corroborated him from Yahya with it. Ahmad recorded it (6/215).

Muslim also recorded the hadith in his Sahih (8/15–16) through other routes from ‘A’ishah with similar wording. Some versions state: “Except that Allah records for him a good deed on account of it, or remits a sin from him on account of it.”

1611 — “When a servant falls ill, Allah reveals to His angels: ‘My angels, I have bound My servant with one of My bonds. If I take his soul, I shall forgive him; and if I restore him to health, he will be left with no sin.’”

It was recorded by al-Tabarani in al-Kabir (7697) and al-Hakim (4/313) through ‘Ufair ibn