Hadith Text & Reference

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "The believer is not afflicted by the prick of a thorn or what is worse (or greater) than that, except that by it Allah raises him in rank and removes sin from him."

Source: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 965, The Book on Jana'iz (Funerals)

Meaning & Significance

This noble hadith establishes a fundamental principle of Islamic creed: that every hardship, no matter how small, that befalls a believer carries immense spiritual benefit. The "prick of a thorn" serves as a metaphor for the smallest conceivable discomfort. The phrase "or what is worse" encompasses all greater afflictions, including illness, loss, and ultimately death.

The wisdom behind this is twofold: expiation of sins and elevation of spiritual rank. Hardships serve to purify the believer from minor transgressions, while simultaneously elevating their status in the Hereafter. This transforms the believer's entire perspective on suffering, viewing it not as a punishment but as a divine mercy and a means of drawing closer to Allah.

Scholarly Commentary

Imam at-Tirmidhi classified this hadith as hasan sahih (good and authentic). Scholars explain that this applies specifically to believers who meet their trials with patience and acceptance (as-sabr). The affliction itself is not the cause of the reward; rather, the reward is granted for the patient perseverance and correct belief with which the trial is endured.

Al-Mubarakfuri, in his commentary Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi, notes that this hadith offers profound consolation to the afflicted. It teaches that no suffering in a believer's life is ever wasted or meaningless. Even the slightest discomfort is recorded as a good deed and becomes a cause for divine forgiveness and spiritual advancement.

Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali elaborates that this principle extends even to the agonies of death, which is the ultimate "prick" that completely erases sins and elevates the believer to the highest ranks of Paradise, making this teaching particularly relevant within the context of the "Book of Funerals."

Practical Implications

This teaching cultivates patience (sabr) and gratitude (shukr) in all circumstances. A believer learns to welcome hardships as opportunities for spiritual growth.

It provides comfort to those who are ill, grieving, or facing any difficulty, reminding them of the immense, unseen reward that accompanies their struggle.

It fosters a positive Islamic worldview where every event, pleasant or painful, is perceived as a means to attain Allah's pleasure and eternal reward in the Hereafter.