Tirmidhi Book 36, Hadith 2398

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ بَهْدَلَةَ، عَنْ مُصْعَبِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ قُلْتُ:‏‏‏‏ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ،‏‏‏‏ أَيُّ النَّاسِ أَشَدُّ بَلَاءً ؟ قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ الْأَنْبِيَاءُ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏ثُمَّ الْأَمْثَلُ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَالْأَمْثَلُ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَيُبْتَلَى الرَّجُلُ عَلَى حَسَبِ دِينِهِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَإِنْ كَانَ دِينُهُ صُلْبًا اشْتَدَّ بَلَاؤُهُ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏وَإِنْ كَانَ فِي دِينِهِ رِقَّةٌ ابْتُلِيَ عَلَى حَسَبِ دِينِهِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَمَا يَبْرَحُ الْبَلَاءُ بِالْعَبْدِ حَتَّى يَتْرُكَهُ يَمْشِي عَلَى الْأَرْضِ مَا عَلَيْهِ خَطِيئَةٌ ،‏‏‏‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى:‏‏‏‏ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏وفي الباب عن أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ،‏‏‏‏ وَأُخْتِ حُذَيْفَةَ بْنِ الْيَمَانِ،‏‏‏‏ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ سُئِلَ أَيُّ النَّاسِ أَشَدُّ بَلَاءً ؟ قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ الْأَنْبِيَاءُ ثُمَّ الْأَمْثَلُ فَالْأَمْثَلُ.

Mus'ab bin Sa'd narrated from his father that a man said: O Messenger of Allah(s.a.w)! Which of the people is tried most severely? He said: The Prophets, then those nearest to them, then those nearest to them. A man is tried according to his religion; if he is firm in his religion, then his trials are more severe, and if he is frail in his religion, then he is tried according to the strength of his religion. The servant shall continue to be tried until he is left walking upon the earth without any sins.