Complete Contentment with Allah {SWT}

“If Allah {SWT} loves some people He tests them with calamities, he who accepts earns Allah’s pleasure, and he who objects earns Allah’s rage.”—At-Tirmidhi

Jabir Ibn Abdullah {RA}, who had been of the companions of the Noble Prophet {SAW} had remained alive till the time of imam Baqir {RA} but had become old and blind by then.

Once, when he had arrived in the presence of Al-Baqir, he inquired from Jabir Ibn Abdullah {RA} after his health, whereupon he said:

“I find myself in a state such that I give preference to old age over youth, to sickness over soundness of health and to death over life!”

Al-Baqir responded by saying: 

“(On the contrary) If Allah {SWT} makes me old, I prefer old age; if He desires to give me youth, I prefer youth; if He afflicts me with sickness, I desire sickness, and if He desires to favour me with sound health, I prefer soundness of health. If Allah {SWT} wishes to give me death, I prefer death, and if He wills to keep me alive, I desire to live.”

As soon as Jabir heard the imam’s speech he kissed his face and said:

“The Noble Prophet {SAW} had spoken the truth.”

He had said: O Jabir! You shall continue to live till you meet one of my (grand) children whose name shall be Baqir. He shall split open knowledge just as cow splits open the earth.”

Reference:

Pand-e-Tarikh, vol. 5, pg. 186

PS:

Mind you, I have written and referenced this story exactly as I read it, knowing the content is good based on validated Islamic knowledge that I am already sure of. But due diligence still needs to be made from authentic books of ahadith for complete reliance on the content. Almighty Allah knows best!