Sulayman bin 'Abdillah: "How is it that Allah can test those who are beloved to Him?"

In his explanation of 'Kitab at-Tawhid,' Sulayman bin 'Abdillah bin Muhammad bin 'Abd al-Wahhab mentioned the hadith of the Prophet: "If Allah Loves a people, He tests them."

This hadith is hasan, and was reported by at-Tirmidhi (4/2396). It is also included in 'Sahih al-Jami'' (275).

After explaining some aspects of the hadith, Shaykh Sulayman asked the question: how is it that Allah can test those who are beloved to Him?

Summarizing the words of Ibn Taymiyyah, he answered:

"...because this forces the servant to repent.

Allah tests the servants with the punishments of this world in order that they repent from their sins, as He Said: {"...that He may make them taste a bit of that which they have done, in order that they may return."} [ar-Rum; 41] So, for whoever is granted the chance to repent by Allah as the result of an act of disobedience, this is from the greatest of blessings of Allah upon him, because this will result in his invoking and supplicating to Allah with submission and humility. Because of this, Allah has condemned those who do not lean on their Lord, and do not invoke Him when crisis occurs: {"And indeed, We seized them with punishment. But, they did not humble themselves to their Lord, nor did they invoke Him with submission."} [al-Mu'minun; 76]

And supplicating and invoking Allah with humility is from the greatest of blessings, and this blessing is from the greatest paths by which one can rectify his religious practice, as the rectification of one's religious practice is in his worshipping Allah, alone, depending on Him, and not calling upon any deity besides Him - not a du'a' of worship, nor a du'a' of request.

So, if you are granted the chance to perform repentance, which entails worshipping Allah, alone, and you obey His Messengers by doing that which you are commanded, and abandoning that from which you are forbidden, you are from those who worship Allah. And if you are granted the chance to supplicate to Allah - which is to ask Allah for whatever you need, and you ask Him for what will benefit you, and you seek refuge with Him from anything that would harm you - this is from the greatest of Allah's blessings upon you.

This is usually what happens when a disaster strikes, and if such blessings emerge when crisis strikes, it would only make sense that the people most deserving of this are those who are beloved to Him, and it is upon such people to thank Allah."

['Taysir al-'Aziz al-Hamid'; p. 353-355]*

*: FYI: This was the first - and best - sharh of 'Kitab at-Tawhid' ever written.