Understanding the Prophet's Precious Advice on Patience in Losing Sight

How should one understand this precious advice from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)? Imam Bukhari narrated in his Sahih collection from Anas bin Malik that the Prophet said: “Allah the Almighty said: If I test My servant by taking away his two beloved things—meaning his two eyes—and he remains patient, I will compensate him with Paradise in their place.”

For this reason, when righteous people lost their sight, they would say, “O Allah, replace this loss with a reward from You.”

Ibn Abbas once lost both his eyes. When those who disliked him came to console him, while those who loved him came to express their sorrow, he said: “If Allah has taken the light from my two eyes, He has still granted light in my heart and my mind. My heart remains sharp and my thoughts remain clear, while my tongue is as keen as a drawn sword.”

Likewise, Yazid bin Harun, a devoted worshipper and scholar of hadith, suffered blindness in both eyes. When asked, “Where have your beautiful eyes gone?” he replied, “They were lost through weeping in the pre-dawn hours. And their reward lies with Allah.”

This is the conviction a believer must hold: whatever is lost through Allah’s trial should never make him forget that Allah’s reward is far greater.

In a hadith narrated by At-Tirmidzi, it is mentioned that Allah said to His angels—He is All-Knowing, All-Wise, and Most Just—when they took the soul of a child who was the beloved of His servant.