The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarifies that whatever afflicts the Muslim of diseases, sorrows, sadness, adversities, calamities, hardships, fear, and hunger, even the prick of a thorn that hurts him, expiates his sins and erases his misdeeds.
- Manifesting Allah's grace and mercy that He shows to His believing slaves by forgiving their sins by the least degree of harm that afflicts them.
- The Muslim must seek Allah's reward in whatever afflicts him and must show patience in every minor or major affliction to have his degree elevated and his misdeeds expiated.
صحيح البخاري (7/ 114) (5641). صحيح مسلم (4/ 1992) (2572). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 489). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (1/ 242). شرح النووي على مسلم (16/ 126). تطريز رياض الصالحين، لفيصل آل مبارك (ص44). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (1/ 96). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمصطفى الخِن وغيره (1/ 70).