Allah says in Surah al-Baqarah, verse 214,
أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ خَلَوْا۟ مِن قَبْلِكُم ۖ مَّسَّتْهُمُ ٱلْبَأْسَآءُ وَٱلضَّرَّآءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَ ٱلرَّسُولُ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ مَتَىٰ نَصْرُ ٱللَّهِ ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّ نَصْرَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِيبٌۭ
Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while such [trial] has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on before you? They were touched by poverty and hardship and were shaken until [even their] messenger and those who believed with him said, “When is the help of Allāh?” Unquestionably, the help of Allāh is near.
There is an issue when trying to translate the phrase ٱلْبَأْسَآءُ وَٱلضَّرَّآءُ (translated here as ‘poverty and hardship’). Seven different translations of the Qur’an offered variations such as ‘suffering and adversity,’ ‘misery and tribulation,’ ‘misfortune and hardship,’ and ‘severe poverty and ailments.’ Despite their differences, these translations convey similar meanings. So, what sets them apart?
The word ٱلْبَأْسَآءُ originates from the root ب ء س , which signifies intensity and can be extended to encompass distress, misfortune, poverty, and war.
Similarly, ٱلضَّرَّآءُ stems from the root ض ر which implies harm, injury or personal difficulties. Taking these meanings together, we can deduce that ٱلْبَأْسَآءُ pertains to afflictions unrelated to one’s self, such as financial difficulties or displacement, while ٱلضَّرَّآءُ relates to personal afflictions, like illness, injury or inner turmoil.
Understanding these nuances allows us to appreciate the eloquence of the verse in describing the intensity of the suffering faced by those who came before us. They were tested both internally and externally, through personal and environmental challenges.
This knowledge should provide us with comfort and gratitude for the blessings we currently have, even when we feel tested by Allah.
And Allah knows best.