Surely We will try you with something of fear and hunger and diminu- tion of goods and lives and fruits; yet give good tidings to the patient; those who when they are struck by an affliction say “Surely we belong to God and to Him we will return.” He tried them with blessings in order to make their gratitude manifest and He tried them by tribulation in order to make their patience manifest. He caused that which was [already] known of their state to enter into exis- tence marked them with the record that He had decreed and established them with the attribute He [already] knew. He tried them with fear which cleared their breasts and by hunger which cleansed their bodies and by diminution of goods which purified their material blessings. Through the afflictions suffered by [their] lower selves their wages were magnified before God and through the blight of [their] fruits their compensation was doubled from God. Yet give good tidings to the patient meaning those who do not oppose His decree through what He brings to pass. It is said He asked them to fear in their seeking to avoid His punish- ment; then to suffer hunger in their desire for His nearness and generosity; then the dimunition of goods through almsgiving renouncing [the goods] in the hopes of something better which is obtaining knowledge of Him; and lives anfus through their submission to worship of Him; and fruits in abandoning their hope for abundant material blessings. Yet give good tidings to those who are patient in seeking the beautiful in His decree and yielding to the flow of His power. The demands of the unseen muṬālabāt al-ghayb will either be through wealth the self or near relations. Whoever devotes wealth to God will have salvation najāt. Whoever exerts [him]self for His decree will [be raised in] degrees darajāt. Whoever is patient with the misfortunes of near relations will have recompense and stations of nearness qurubāt. Whoever does not hoard the spirit from Him will have perpetual intimate communications muwāṣalāt. Those who when they are struck by an affliction face the matter with patience and even gratitude. Nay [they are] even exultant boastful. Whoever views things as property belonging to the Real sees himself as a stranger between Him and His decree for the One who brought forth creation has more right over created beings than they do themselves.
