Allah Promised This Would Happen: Reflections on Surah al-Baqarah 2:155

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ مِنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِنَ الأمْوَالِ وَالأنْفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ

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 ones, etc.

One phone call can change everything.

A doctor’s diagnosis during a routine check-up. The loss of a job. The death of a loved one. A child going astray. News like this shakes the heart and leaves a person wondering, “Why is this happening to me?”

It is during moments like these that many people feel overwhelmed by the pressures of life. Stress increases, worries multiply, and the future seems uncertain. Yet the Qur’an teaches us that hardships are not unusual. Rather, they are part of the journey of every believer.[1]

Imam al-Tabari رحمه الله explained that Allah informs the believers that they will be tested with hardships and calamities, so that those who are sincere in faith may be distinguished from others.

Allah promises you and me that trials will come. He says, “We shall certainly test you.” This teaches us an important lesson: we cannot control everything that happens to us, but we can control how we respond. In the next verse, Allah teaches the believers what to say when calamity strikes.[2]

Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما said that this worldly life is a place of testing. In this verse, Allah mentions five types of tests. Let us reflect on each of them.

The First Test: Fear

Fear takes many forms in our daily lives. It includes anxiety about the future, fear of losing wealth, concerns about our health, and worries about the safety of our families.

With all of these fears surrounding us, we must remember that fear should drive us closer to Allah, not further away from Him. When fear enters the heart, it should increase our du’a, our dependence upon Allah, along our trust in His decree.

The Second Test: Hunger

The scholars of Tafsir explained that this refers to famine and scarcity.

In our times, we can see this test through inflation, rising food costs, unemployment, and poverty. Many people around the world are struggling financially despite working hard every day.

During such times, we must remind ourselves that provision comes from Allah alone. Jobs, businesses, and investments are merely means. The Provider is Allah.

The Third Test: Loss of Wealth

The loss of wealth comes in many forms. Business failures, investment losses, theft, debt, economic downturns, and unexpected expenses can all take away what a person has worked years to build.

As believers, we must remember that wealth is a trust from Allah, not a permanent possession. What Allah gives, He can take back, and what He takes back is never without wisdom.

The Fourth Test: Loss of Lives

Among the most painful tests is the loss of those we love.

This includes the death of parents, spouses, children, relatives, and friends.

Reflect for a moment on the trials faced by the Prophet ﷺ. He lost Khadijah رضي الله عنها. He buried several of his children. He witnessed the deaths of many of his beloved companions. Yet despite these losses, he remained patient and pleased with the decree of Allah.

The Fifth Test: Loss of Fruits

The scholars of Tafsir, such as Ibn Kathir and al-Qurtubi, explained that this refers to crops and harvests.

In a broader sense, we can also apply it to projects that fail, business plans that never materialize, career setbacks, and goals that seem forever out of reach.

Sometimes Allah tests us not by taking away what we already possess, but by withholding something we desperately hoped to obtain.

Many people think that Allah’s love is only shown through giving. However, there are times when His love is shown through withholding. The Prophet ﷺ said that when Allah loves a servant, He protects him from the worldly life just as one of you protects a sick person from harmful things.[3]

One beautiful point in this verse is that Allah says, “with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives, and fruits.” He did not say complete fear or total loss.

This teaches us that every trial is measured. Allah knows our limits better than we know ourselves. He never places upon a person more than he can bear.[4]

At the end of the verse, Allah gives a promise:

“But give glad tidings to the patient.”

What are these glad tidings?

Forgiveness of sins
Elevation in rank
Allah’s special companionship
Reward without measure[5]

True patience does not mean that a person never feels sadness. It does not mean suppressing emotions ,or pretending that pain does not exist.

Rather, patience means controlling the tongue, avoiding complaints against Allah, trusting His wisdom, and continuing in obedience despite hardship.

We were never promised a life free from trials. Instead, we were promised something greater: that every hardship has meaning, every trial contains wisdom, and every moment of patience is recorded with Allah.

When these tests come, we must also remember that patience is displayed at the very beginning of a calamity. Anyone can appear patient after months or years have passed. True patience is shown when the news first arrives and the heart is shaken.

In the following verse, Allah teaches us a powerful supplication to say during times of loss and hardship:

“Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we shall return.”[2]

Remember, the test is temporary, but the reward is eternal.

For those who meet Allah with patience, the glad tidings awaiting them are beyond imagination.

Footnotes

[1] Surah al-Baqarah 2:155: “And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to the patient.”

[2] Surah al-Baqarah 2:156: “Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we shall return.”

[3] Reported by al-Tirmidhi (2036). The hadith has supporting narrations that convey the meaning that Allah may withhold worldly matters from a believer out of mercy and concern for his ultimate welfare.

[4] Surah al-Baqarah 2:286: “Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity.”

[5] Surah al-Zumar 39:10: “Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without measure.”

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