The Believer is Patient with the Affliction and thus gains a Reward

وَلَنَبۡلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىۡءٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡخَوۡفِ وَٱلۡجُوعِ وَنَقۡصٍ۬

مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡوَٲلِ وَٱلۡأَنفُسِ

وَٱلثَّمَرَٲتِ‌ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ  ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَـٰبَتۡهُم

مُّصِيبَةٌ۬ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيۡهِ رَٲجِعُونَ

أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ عَلَيۡہِمۡ صَلَوَٲتٌ۬ مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡ وَرَحۡمَةٌ۬‌ۖ وَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمُ

ٱلۡمُهۡتَدُونَ

And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As-Sabirin (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. (2:155-157)

Tafsir (Ibn Kathir)

The Believer is Patient with the Affliction and thus gains a Reward

Allah informs us that He tests and tries His servants, just as He said in another Ayah:

And surely, We shall try you till We test those who strive hard (for the cause of Allah) and As-Sabirin (the patient), and We shall test your facts (i.e., the one who is a liar, and the one who is truthful). (47:31)

Hence, He tests them with the bounty sometimes and sometimes with the afflictions of fear and hunger.

In the Ayat above, Allah used the words:

(with something of fear, hunger,) meaning, a little of each. Then (Allah said),

(loss of wealth,) meaning, some of the wealth will be destroyed,

(lives) meaning, losing friends, relatives and loved ones to death.

(and fruits,) meaning, the gardens and the farms will not produce the usual or expected amounts. This is why Allah said next:

(but give glad tidings to As-Sabirin (the patient).

He then explained whom He meant by `the patient’ whom He praised:

(Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: “Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.”) meaning, those who recite this statement to comfort themselves in the face of their loss, know that they belong to Allah and that He does what He wills with His servants. They also know that nothing and no deed, even if it was the weight of an atom, will be lost with Allah on the Day of Resurrection. These facts thus compel them to admit that they are Allah’s servants and that their return will be to Him in the Hereafter.

This is why Allah said:

(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,) meaning, Allah’s praise and mercy will be with them.

 (and it is they who are the guided ones.)

`Umar bin Al-Khattab commented: “What righteous things, and what are great heights. (They are those on whom are the Salawat from their Lord, and (they are those who) receive His mercy) are the two righteous things. (and it is they who are the guided ones) are the heights.”

The heights means more rewards, and these people will be awarded their rewards and more.

Further Reading:

Sahl Ozman Blessed by Allah
Benefical and Comprehensive Principles regarding Afflictions
Trials

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