4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from ibn Mahbub from Dawud al-Riqqiy from ‘Ubayda al-Hadhdha’ from abu Ja’far who has said the following:

“The Messenger of Allah has said that Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has said, ‘Among My believing servants there are those whose religious lives can only be at their best with wealth, comfort and good health. I try them by means of wealth, comfort and good health and this makes their religious affairs to be in the best condition. Also among My believing servants there are those whose religious lives are only at their best with poverty, destitution and ailing health. I try them by means of poverty, destitution and ailing health and this helps their religious lives to be in the best condition. I know what is good for the religious matters of my believing servants. Among My believing servants there are those who strive to worship Me. They wake up from sleep leaving their comfortable pillow for Tahajjud (special prayer at night). They experiences fatigue and I allow slumber overcome them on one or two nights, a trial from Me to see if he continues, he goes to sleep and wakes up upset and angry over his own self. If I allow him to do the way he wants to worship, he may develop a sense of conceit (unwanted pride) that can lead him to mischief in his deeds. This may bring about his destruction. It can so happen due to his happiness with whatever his soul desires. He may begin to feel as if he has excelled all worshippers and has surpassed the limits of defective worship. In so doing he moves away from Me even though he thinks that he is getting closer to Me. Therefore, they must not rely on their good deeds that they do to receive rewards from Me. Even if they strive hard, tire themselves and finish their lives worshipping Me they fall short, in worshipping Me truly, in their quest for My generous rewards, My bounties in paradise and high positions near Me. They must only trust in My mercy, be happy with My generosity and always be hopeful about Me. In such cases My mercy will reach them as well as my approval and forgiveness and my pardon will provide them cover; I am Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful, and thus I have taken such names.’”