How To Deal With Calamities & Hardships Of Life as per Islam

Islamic Meaning of Calamities and Hardships of Life

In Islamic terminology, a calamity (مُصِيبَة / بَلَاء / نَازِلَة) refers to any painful or distressing event that befalls a person, such as: illness or physical suffering, loss of a loved one, financial difficulties or poverty, natural disasters, emotional distress, fear, or anxiety.

Hardships (كَرْب / عُسْر) are ongoing struggles or difficulties a person experiences in life, including: prolonged stress or adversity, social or family problems, persecution or injustice, internal struggles like fear, doubt, or sadness.

Hardships of Life often last longer than a single calamity and require endurance and consistency in faith.

Calamities and Hardships of Life are a Test

In Islam, calamities and hardships are not meaningless occurrences; rather, they are a form of divine testing and a sign of Allah’s wisdom and care for His servants. Just as bitter medicine is given out of love and concern for healing, calamities—despite their difficulty—are sent for a higher purpose. Through them, faith is tested, sins are erased, and spiritual ranks are elevated. Although such trials may appear painful on the surface, they ultimately reflect Allah’s mercy and compassion, and to Him belongs the most perfect example.

This understanding is clearly affirmed in an authentic ḥadīth, where the Prophet ﷺ said: “The greatest reward comes with the greatest trial. When Allah loves a people He tests them. Whoever accepts that wins His pleasure but whoever is discontent with that earns His wrath.” (Narrated by At-Tirmidhi, 2396 and Ibn Majah, 4031)¹.

Are Calamities and Hardships Good for the Believer?

Calamities and Hardships of life are ultimately beneficial for the believer, as they become a means of accumulating reward for the Hereafter. Through them, a person’s rank is elevated and sins are erased. From this perspective, calamities are not a loss but a form of divine mercy that prepares a believer for eternal success. How could it be otherwise, when hardship results in purification and nearness to Allah?

The Prophet ﷺ explained this reality when he said: “When Allah wills good for His slave, He hastens the punishment for him in this world, and when Allah wills ill for His slave, he withholds the punishment for his sins from him until he comes with all his sins on the Day of Resurrection.” (Narrated by At-Tirmidhi, 2396) ²

The early scholars also emphasized this understanding. Al-Hasan Al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“Do not resent the calamities (and hardships of life) that come and the disasters that occur, for perhaps in something that you dislike will be your salvation, and perhaps in something that you prefer will be your doom.”

Similarly, Al-Fadl ibn Sahl (may Allah have mercy on him) described the wisdom behind calamities, saying:
“There is a blessing in calamity that the wise man should not ignore, for it erases sins, gives one the opportunity to attain the reward for patience, dispels negligence, reminds one of blessings at the time of health, calls one to repent and encourages one to give charity.”

A believer seeks reward through calamities and hardships of life, and this can only be achieved through patience—patience that is rooted in strong faith and inner resolve.

This concept is beautifully summarized in the words of the Prophet (ﷺ): “How wonderful is the affair of the believer, for his affairs are all good, and this applies to no one but the believer. If something good happens to him, he is thankful for it and that is good for him. If something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience and that is good for him.” (Narrated by Muslim, 2999).

What To Say When Calamity Strikes Us

When calamities and hardships befall a Muslim, Islam teaches a clear and faith-strengthening response. A believer should immediately affirm his return to Allah by saying “Inna Lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajiʿun (Verily to Allah we belong and unto Him is our return)”, and should also recite the supplications (duas) that have been authentically reported from the Prophet (ﷺ).

These moments of hardship are among the most profound times in a believer’s life—moments when the heart turns sincerely to its Lord, recognizing that only Allah has the power to remove distress. How magnificent is relief when it arrives after difficulty, and how comforting it is to know that ease follows hardship by Allah’s decree.

Allah gives glad tidings to those who respond to calamities with patience and faith. He says: {but give glad tidings to As- Sabirun (the patient). Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: ‘Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.’ They are those on whom are the Salawat (i.e. who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their Lord, and (they are those who) receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided ones.} [Al-Baqarah 2:155–157]

The Prophet (ﷺ) further clarified the immense reward attached to this response. Muslim (918) narrated that Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “There is no Muslim who is stricken with a calamity and says what Allah has enjoined – ‘Verily to Allah we belong and unto Him is our return. O Allah, reward me for my affliction and compensate me with something better’ – but Allah will compensate him with something better.”

She later described how she personally experienced the truth of this promise: She said: When Abu Salamah died, I said: Who among the Muslims is better than Abu Salamah, the first household to migrate to join the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)? Then I said it, and Allah compensated me with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).

This powerful example shows how patience during calamities leads to outcomes far beyond what a believer could ever imagine.

How to deal with Calamities and Hardships of Life

Islam teaches that reflecting on certain truths can greatly reduce the difficulty of calamities and hardships of life; and help a believer remain patient and steadfast. When a person understands the wisdom behind trials and reflects upon their benefits, the burden of hardship becomes lighter.

Ibn al-Qayyim mentioned in his valuable book ³ Zad al-Maad several matters, including the following:

1. That a person should look at what has afflicted him and realize that his Lord has left him something equal to it or better than it. And if he is patient and content, Allah has saved for him a reward far greater—many times over—than what he lost through that calamity. And if Allah had willed, He could have made the calamity much worse.

2. That he should cool the pain of his calamity by remembering others who are also afflicted. Let him look to the right—does he see anything except hardship? Then let him look to the left—does he see anything except loss? If he were to examine the people of the world, he would find that everyone is tested—either by losing something they love or by being struck with something they dislike. The troubles of this world are like dreams during sleep or like a passing shadow: if they make one laugh briefly, they cause long-lasting grief; if they bring happiness for one day, they bring sadness for many days; if they give enjoyment for a short time, they deprive for a long time. No joy comes without hiding future sorrow within it. Ibn Masud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “For every moment of joy there is a moment of sorrow, and no house is filled with joy but it will be filled with sorrow”. Ibn Sirin said: “There is never any laughter but there comes weeping after it”.

3. That he should know that panic and despair do not remove the calamity; rather, they make it worse. In reality, this reaction only increases the illness.

4. That he should understand that losing the reward of patience and submission—which includes Allah’s blessings, mercy, and guidance promised to those who are patient and say Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajiun—is in fact a greater loss than the calamity itself.

5. That he should realize that despair pleases his enemy, saddens his friend, angers his Lord, delights Satan, wipes out his reward, and weakens his soul. But if he is patient, seeks reward, pleases his Lord, comforts his friend, angers his enemy, carries the burden of others, and consoles them before they console him—this is true firmness and the highest level of excellence. Not slapping the cheeks, tearing clothes, crying out in despair, or objecting to Allah’s decree.

6. That he should know that the joy and comfort that come after patience and seeking reward are far greater than the pleasure he would have had if what he lost had remained with him. It is enough for him to know about the House of Praise that will be built for him in Paradise because of his praise of Allah and his saying Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajiun. Let him reflect: which loss is greater—the immediate calamity, or losing the House of Praise in the eternal Paradise? It is reported in At-Tirmidhī that the Prophet ﷺ said: “On the Day of Resurrection, some people will wish that their skins had been cut with scissors in the world when they see the reward given to those who were afflicted.” Some of the early scholars said: “If not for the calamities of this world, we would come to the Day of Judgment bankrupt.”

7. That he should know that the One who tested him is the Most Wise of judges and the Most Merciful of the merciful. Allah did not send this trial to destroy him, punish him, or wipe him out. Rather, He tested him to examine his patience, his contentment, and his faith; to hear his humble supplication and sincere prayers; and to see him humbled at His door, clinging to Him, broken-hearted before Him, raising his complaints only to Him.

8. That he should know that without the trials and calamities of this world (including hardships of life), a servant would be struck by diseases such as arrogance, self-admiration, tyranny, and hardness of the heart—diseases that would cause his destruction in this life and the next. Out of His mercy, Allah treats His servant at times with the medicine of calamities to protect him from these diseases, preserve the soundness of his servitude, and remove harmful corruption from his soul. Glory be to the One who shows mercy through trials and tests people through blessings, as it was said: Allah may grant blessings through hardship, and He may test some people through ease.

9. That he should know that the bitterness of this world is itself the sweetness of the Hereafter—Allah transforms it in this way. And the sweetness of this world is itself the bitterness of the Hereafter. To move from temporary bitterness to everlasting sweetness is far better than the opposite. If this is difficult to understand, then reflect on the words of the truthful and trustworthy Prophet ﷺ: “Paradise is surrounded by hardships, and Hell is surrounded by desires.”

Wallahualam (and Allah knows best)!

Footnotes:

1. Classed as sound by Al-Albani in Sahih At-Tirmidhi.
2. Classed as authentic by Al-Albani in Sahih At-Tirmidhi
3. Quote taken from “زاد المعاد لابن القيم” Zad al-Maad of Ibn ul Qayyim (4/174–179). (https://shamela.ws /book/21713/1685)