"Allah, Mighty and Sublime is He, said: 'For whomever I take his sight, and he is patient and seeking a reward, I shall not be satisfied with any reward for him less than Paradise.'"
Hadith Commentary: The Divine Promise for Patience in Loss of Sight
This sacred tradition (hadith qudsi) from "Chapters On Zuhd" in Jami' at-Tirmidhi (reference: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2401) presents a profound divine assurance regarding the virtue of patience (sabr) when faced with the trial of blindness.
The Nature of This Trial
The loss of sight represents one of the most severe worldly afflictions, as it deprives a person of one of the primary means of experiencing Allah's creation. Scholars note that such a trial tests both outward submission and inner conviction.
Imam al-Ghazali comments that blindness particularly tests one's reliance (tawakkul) upon Allah, as the blind person must constantly depend on others and develop heightened spiritual perception to compensate for physical limitation.
Conditions for the Divine Reward
The tradition specifies two essential conditions: patience (sabr) and seeking reward (ibtigha' al-ajr). Patience here means restraining complaint to creation while maintaining contentment with divine decree.
Seeking reward indicates maintaining proper intention - not merely enduring hardship, but consciously offering this trial as worship directed toward Allah alone.
The Magnitude of the Promise
Allah's declaration that He "shall not be satisfied with any reward for him less than Paradise" demonstrates the extraordinary value Allah places on such patience. Ibn al-Qayyim explains that when Allah Himself becomes the guarantor of a reward, its magnitude transcends human comprehension.
This assurance reflects the principle of divine justice and generosity - that Allah never wastes the reward of those who do good, and indeed multiplies it beyond measure.
Spiritual Implications
This hadith teaches that what appears as loss in worldly terms becomes immense spiritual gain when met with righteous patience. The blind believer who accepts divine decree transforms physical limitation into eternal treasure.
Scholars emphasize that this principle extends by analogy to other severe trials, encouraging believers to perceive hardships as opportunities for extraordinary divine recompense when approached with proper spiritual orientation.