Contemplating the worst cases is a technique
generally used by psychiatrists, but Prophet
Muhammad
(salalahu walayhe wasalam) used it long before them. Khabbaab ibn al-Arat
narrated: "We complained to
the Messenger of Allah [of the persecution
infiction on us by the disbelievers] while
he was sitting in the shade
of the kabah, leaving over his covering sheet. We said to him, 'Would you
seek help for us? Would you pray to
Allah for us? He (saws) said, 'Among the
nations before you, a [believing] man would
be put in a ditch that was
dug for him, a saw would be put over his
head, and he would be cut into 2 pieces; yet
that [torture] would not
make him give up his religion. His body
would be dug with iron combs, removing flesh
from the bones, yet that
would not make him abandon his religion. By
Allah, this religion will prevail, till a
traveller from San'a to
Hadramaut fears none but Allah., or a wolf as regards his sheep; yet you
[people] are too hasty. (reported
by Bukhari 3/179-180).
accident for instance, one could tell him: there was a person who lost all his family members at once,
or there was a man who lost his wife and children as well as all his property.
another person's ordeal that is worse than his own, he will certainly belittle his own ordeal.
(salalahu walayhe wasalam) said, 'Look at those whose social status is lower than yours, and do
not look at those with a higher status than yours. Allah's favors upon you are not given to be despised by you.'
calamities are worse than his. This will help him realize that he is in a much better position than many people,
and consequently able to show gratitude to Allah that what happened to him could have been far worse.
This will help him realize the greatness of Allah's bounties bestowed upon him.