Hadith on Hardships: Trials and Tribulations

Trials and Tribulations

Table of Contents

📖Sahih Muslim 2967c
Khalid b. Umair reported: I heard ‘Uqba b. Ghazwan saying: “I found myself as the seventh amongst the seven who had been along with Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ). We had nothing to eat but the leaves of the hubla (a wild tree) until the corners of our mouths were injured.”

Understanding the Hadith

This hadith highlights the severe trials faced by the early Muslims, showing that not all hardships come directly from Allah, but many occur due to the actions and choices of people.

The Prophet (ﷺ) and his companions did not suffer because Allah forced them into hardship.
Their suffering was caused by the oppression of the Quraysh, who denied them food, exiled them, and placed economic sanctions on them.
However, Allah allowed this to happen as a test, because He has given free will to humanity.

This hadith teaches that when people choose oppression, others may suffer, but those who remain patient will be rewarded by Allah.

📖Surah Ash-Shura (42:30)
“And whatever affliction befalls you is because of what your hands have earned, yet He pardons much.”

🔹 This verse does not mean every suffering is a punishment from Allah. It also applies to situations where one group’s wrongdoing leads to another’s suffering.

The Quraysh chose to boycott the Muslims and starve them, leading to their hunger.
The Prophet (ﷺ) and his companions endured patiently, proving that those who suffer from injustice are being tested, while those who cause injustice will be held accountable.

Lessons from the Hadith

1. Suffering is Often a Result of Human Choices, Not Directly from Allah

Hunger, war, and oppression are not created by Allah’s injustice, but by the misuse of free will by humans.
The real test is not just suffering itself, but how a person reacts to it.
The wrongdoers (like the Quraysh) will be held responsible, while the oppressed (like the companions) will be rewarded for their patience.

📖Surah Al-Baqarah (2:286)
“Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear…”

🔹 This means that Allah allows trials based on what a person can handle, and those who endure them with faith will be rewarded.

2. The One Who Causes Hardship is Responsible Before Allah

The Quraysh oppressed the Prophet (ﷺ) and his followers, but they were fully responsible for their actions.
Similarly, today’s oppression, poverty, and wars are often caused by human greed and corruption, not by Allah.
Allah allows people to act with free will, but He will hold the oppressors accountable on the Day of Judgment.

📖Surah An-Nahl (16:93)
“If Allah had willed, He could have made you one nation, but He lets go astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills, and you will surely be questioned about what you used to do.”

🔹 This means that humans are responsible for their choices, and those who choose to spread injustice will answer to Allah.

3. The One Who Suffers is Also in a Test

Even though hardship is often caused by human actions, the person who suffers is still tested.

They must be patient and trust in Allah’s wisdom.
They should not blame Allah, because the suffering came from human actions, not from divine cruelty.
Their endurance will be rewarded, while the oppressors will be punished.

📖Surah Aal-e-Imran (3:185)
“Every soul will taste death, and you will only be given your full compensation on the Day of Resurrection. So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained success…”

🔹 This verse reminds us that true success is not in this world, but in the Hereafter, where all injustices will be corrected.

4. The Prophet (ﷺ) and His Companions Did Not Remain Patient Forever – They Fought Back

This hadith does not mean that Muslims should always remain patient in the face of oppression.

Patience is required when one is weak and unable to resist.
However, when the Prophet (ﷺ) and his companions gained strength, they fought against those who oppressed them.
Islam does not teach blind patience—it teaches strategic patience until action is possible.

📖Surah Al-Hajj (22:39-40)
“Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought, because they were wronged. And indeed, Allah is competent to give them victory. Those who have been evicted from their homes without right—only because they say, ‘Our Lord is Allah’…”

🔹 This verse proves that Islam teaches patience when necessary but also commands fighting back when oppression continues.

📖Surah An-Nisa (4:75)
“And what is [the matter] with you that you do not fight in the cause of Allah and [for] the oppressed among men, women, and children who say, ‘Our Lord, take us out of this city of oppressive people and appoint for us from Yourself a protector and appoint for us from Yourself a helper’?”

🔹 This shows that it is a duty to fight against oppressors when the time is right, just as the Prophet (ﷺ) did.