Pain and Suffering in Life; Alhamdulillah

Bismillah..
Nak share sikit ilmu daripada buku 'The Prick of a Thorn - Coping with the Trials and Tribulations of Life' karangan Dr. Aisha Utz terbitan IIPH

Petikan daripada muka surat 112-113:

Expiation of sins
The pain and suffering that an individual faces in this life may result in the expiation of sins and evil deeds. The following are some of the many sayings of the Prophet (SAW) that confirm this fact:

#1
"For every fatigue, disease, sorrow, sadness, hurt, or distress that befalls a Muslim, including a prick that he receives from a thorn, Allah expiates some of his sins." (Bukhari)

#2
"No believer is pricked by a thorn or more, but Allah will erase some of his sins because of it." (Muslim)

#3
"For every calamity that befalls a believer, including a thorn (that pricks him), some of his sins are erased or some of his sins are expiated." (Bukhari and Muslim)

#4
"For every pain, hardship, sickness of grief that befalls a believer, including the worry that befalls him, some of his bad deeds will be expiated." (Muslim)

#5
"It was narrated that 'Abdullah said: I visited the Messenger of Allah (SAW), and he was running a fever. I touched him with my hand and said: O Messenger of Allah, you are running a high fever.
The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: Yes, I am running a fever like that of two of you.
I said: Then you will have two rewards.
The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: Yes.
Then the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: For every Muslim who is afflicted with sickness or anything else, Allah will make his bad deeds fall just as trees shed their leaves." (Bukhari and Muslim)

#6
"Jabir ibn 'Abdullah narrated that the Messenger of Allah visited Umm as-Sa'ib (or Umm al-Musayyab) and asked: What is the matter with you, Umm as-Sa'ib (or Umm al-Musayyab)? Why are you shivering?
She replied: I have a fever, may Allah not bless it.
He said: Do not revile fever, for it takes away the sins of the son of Adam just as the bellows take away the impurities of iron." (Muslim)

As part of His mercy, Allah brings forth into this life some of the punishment for sins. This is beneficial for us in the hereafter, because on the Day of Judgement, we will be judged according to our deeds. If our scale of good deeds is heavy, we will be successful, but if our scale of good deeds is light, we will be in despair. Tribulations serve to lighten the scale of bad deeds (through expiation of sins) and make heavy the scale of good deeds (with rewards and patience). Allah has overall purpose or plan for these tribulations; His main purpose is to elevate individuals in the next life, either by saving them from the hellfire or by raising their status in paradise.

The expiation of sins in this life should also be considered a blessing from Allah, since that suffering is less severe than what will be experienced in the hereafter. Punishment in the hellfire is beyond our imagination, and we must appreciate Allah's mercy in giving us the opportunity to expiate sins in this life before reaching that final stage.Vivid descriptions of hellfire are presented in the Qur'an in order to help us cultivate this appreciation. The Prophet (SAW) said: 
"When Allah wishes good for His slave, He hastens the punishment in this worl. When He wishes something bad for His slave, He withholds his sins from him until he appears before Him on the Day of Judgement." (A reliable hadith recorded by at-Tirmidhi)