In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Whoever Abandons What is Beneficial Will Be Put to Trial With What Is Harmful

Imaam Sadi [may Allaah have mercy upon him] stated: This is found in a number of verses, that when the polytheists shunned the worship of Ar-Rahmaan (Allaah), they were put to trial with the worship of images (idols).

And when they displayed haughtiness and claimed that the Messengers were (only) humans (i.e. therefore they will not follow the Messengers), they were put trial with submission to everything that made (their) intellect and religion unstable.

And when Eemaan was clearly shown to them (i.e. the disbelieving nations) at the first instance and they recognized it, but then turned away from it, Allaah (Glorified be He and free is He from all imperfections) averted, afflicted and sealed their hearts.  So, they did not believe until they perceived the painful punishment.

And after the straight path was clarified for them, but they deviated from it by choice and approved the path of deviation in opposition to the path of guidance, they were punished- Allaah allowed their hearts to stray (due to their own wrong doing) and became confounded in their path (of misguidance).

And when they belittled the signs of Allaah and His Messengers, Allaah belittled them with a humiliating punishment.  And when they displayed haughtiness, Allaah humiliated them in this life and the next.

And when they forbade that Allaah’s Name be glorified and mentioned in the Mosques of Allaah and strive for their ruin, then it was not fitting after that they should enter it except in fear.

وَمِنْهُم مَّنْ عَاهَدَ اللَّـهَ لَئِنْ آتَانَا مِن فَضْلِهِ لَنَصَّدَّقَنَّ وَلَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ
فَلَمَّا آتَاهُم مِّن فَضْلِهِ بَخِلُوا بِهِ وَتَوَلَّوا وَّهُم مُّعْرِ‌ضُونَ
فَأَعْقَبَهُمْ نِفَاقًا فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ يَلْقَوْنَهُ بِمَا أَخْلَفُوا اللَّـهَ مَا وَعَدُوهُ وَبِمَا كَانُوا يَكْذِبُونَ

And of them are some who made a covenant with Allaah (saying): ”If He bestowed on us of His Bounty, we will verily give Sadaqah (Zakat and voluntary charity in Allaah’s cause) and will be certainly among those who are righteous”.  ‘Then when He gave them of His Bounty, they became niggardly [refused to pay the Sadaqah (Zakat or voluntary charity)], and turned away, averse.  So He punished them by putting hypocrisy into their hearts till the Day whereon they shall meet him, because they broke that (covenant with Allaah) which they had promised to Him and because they used to tell lies”. [Surah At-Tawbah. Aayaat 75-77]

The Aayaat with this meaning are numerous and in them is that the servant was close to being guided and made to follow the straight path, but then he abandoned it after knowing it, or he renounced it after following it, so he is punished and has no right to guidance.  This is a recompense for his actions, as Allaah said about the Yahood (i.e. those who knew the truthfulness of Muhammad’s (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) Messengership, but turned away from it wilfully)]:

وَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ رَ‌سُولٌ مِّنْ عِندِ اللَّـهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ نَبَذَ فَرِ‌يقٌ مِّنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ كِتَابَ اللَّـهِ وَرَ‌اءَ ظُهُورِ‌هِمْ كَأَنَّهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
وَاتَّبَعُوا مَا تَتْلُو الشَّيَاطِينُ عَلَىٰ مُلْكِ سُلَيْمَانَ

And when there came to them a Messenger from Allaah (i.e Muhammad) confirming what was with them, a party of those who were given the Scripture threw away the Book of Allaah behind their backs as if they did not know!  They followed what the (devils) gave out (falsely of the magic) in the lifetime of Sulaymaan.  [Surah Al-Baqarah. Aayaat 101-102]

They abandoned the most sublime, the most beneficial and the most truthful of the Books (i.e. the Qur’aan), so Allaah put them to trial with following that which is the most debased, most untruthful, and most harmful. Those who wage war against Allaah and His Messenger abandon spending their wealth in obedience to Allaah, and (instead) spend it in obedience to shaytaan. (1)

Whoever Abandons Something For The Sake of Allaah, It Will Be Replaced With Something Better

Imaam As-Sadi [may Allaah have mercy upon him] stated:

This affair is found in many places in the Qur’aan. Allaah made a mention of it regarding the first immigrants who left behind their dwellings, wealth and beloved ones for the sake of Allaah, so Allaah substituted that for them with an enlarged provision, honour and authority in this worldly life.

And when Ibraaheem [peace be upon him] disassociated himself from his people and from his father and that which they worshipped besides Allaah (i.e. after his father threatened to stone him), Allah bestowed upon him Ishaaq, Yaqoob and Righteous Offspring.

And when Sulaymaan [peace be upon him] was distracted -by his horses- from the remembrance of Allaah, he got rid of them, so Allaah substituted them. [Allaah said]:

فَسَخَّرۡنَا لَهُ ٱلرِّيحَ تَجۡرِى بِأَمۡرِهِۦ رُخَآءً حَيۡثُ أَصَابَ
وَٱلشَّيَـٰطِينَ كُلَّ بَنَّآءٍ۬ وَغَوَّاصٍ۬

So, We subjected to him the wind; it blew gently by his order whithersoever he willed. And also the Shayaateen (devils) from the jinn (including) every kind of builder and diver.

And when the people of the cave [i.e. the young men mentioned in Surah Al-kahf] disassociated themselves from their people and that which they worshipped besides Allaah, Allaah bestowed upon them His Mercy, and facilitated for them means to success and tranquillity, and made them a guide for the misguided ones.

And (regarding) Maryam [peace be upon her] Allaah said:

[وَٱلَّتِىٓ أَحۡصَنَتۡ فَرۡجَهَا فَنَفَخۡنَا فِيهَا مِن رُّوحِنَا وَجَعَلۡنَـٰهَا وَٱبۡنَهَآ ءَايَةً۬ لِّلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ – And she who guarded her chastity (virgin maryam), We breathed into (the sleeves of) her (shirt or garment) (through our Ruh Jibraa-eel), and We made her and her son (Eesaa) a sign for the Aalameen (mankind and jinn)]

And whoever abandons what his nafs calls to -the vain desires, Allaah [Glorified be He] will substitute it for the person with love of Allaah and being repentant to Allaah, and with what is superior from that which is gathered for him (or her) of the pleasures of the worldly life.

[Ref 1: An Excerpt from ‘Al Qawaa-idul Hisaan Li-tafseer Al Qur’aan’ Pages 96-97]
[Ref 2: An Excerpt from ‘Qawaa-idul Hisaan Li-Tafseeril Quraan’ page 164]