Muhammad b. Khalid as-Sulami on his father’s authority said his grandfather reported God’s messenger as saying, “When God has previously decreed for a servant a rank which he has not attained by his action, He afflicts him in his body, or his property, or his children. He then enables him to endure that so that He may bring him to the rank previously decreed for him by God.”
Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “The believing man or woman continues to have affliction in person, property and children so that they (this is a little difficult to translate. The Arabic has “he”, but the pronoun refers to the man or woman mentioned. I have therefore compromised by using the plural) may finally meet God free from sin.”
Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Malik transmitted something similar. Tirmidhi said this is a hasan sahih tradition.
‘Abdallah b. Shikhkhir reported God’s messenger as saying, “The son of Adam was created with ninety-nine trials at his side. If the trials miss him he falls into decrepitude till he dies.”
Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying that this is a gharib tradition.
He reported God’s messenger as saying, “The magnitude of the reward goes along with the magnitude of the affliction. When God who is great and glorious loves people He afflicts them, and those who accept it gladly receive God’s good pleasure, but those who are displeased receive God’s displeasure.
