The Messenger of Allah ﷺ visited me while I was sick. He said: Be glad, Umm al-Ala' for Allah removes the sins of a Muslim for his illness as fire removes the dross of gold and silver.  

عَادَنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَنَا مَرِيضَةٌ فَقَالَ أَبْشِرِي يَا أُمَّ الْعَلاَءِ فَإِنَّ مَرَضَ الْمُسْلِمِ يُذْهِبُ اللَّهُ بِهِ خَطَايَاهُ كَمَا تُذْهِبُ النَّارُ خَبَثَ الذَّهَبِ وَالْفِضَّةِ  

I said: Messenger of Allah, I know the severest verse in the Qur'an. He asked: What is that verse. A'ishah? She replied: Allah's words: "If anyone does evil, he will be requited for it." He said: Do you know A'ishah, that when a believer is afflicted with a calamity or a thorn, it serves as an atonement for his evil deed. He who is called to account will be punished. She said: Does Allah not say: "He truly will recieve an easy reckoning." He said: This is the presentation, A'ishah. If anyone criticized in reckoning, he will be punished. Abu Dawud said: This is the version of Ibn Bashshar. He said: Ibn Abi Mulaikah narrated to us.  

قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي لأَعْلَمُ أَشَدَّ آيَةٍ فِي الْقُرْآنِ قَالَ أَيَّةُ آيَةٍ يَا عَائِشَةُ قَالَتْ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى { مَنْ يَعْمَلْ سُوءًا يُجْزَ بِهِ } قَالَ أَمَا عَلِمْتِ يَا عَائِشَةُ أَنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ تُصِيبُهُ النَّكْبَةُ أَوِ الشَّوْكَةُ فَيُكَافَأُ بِأَسْوَإِ عَمَلِهِ وَمَنْ حُوسِبَ عُذِّبَ قَالَتْ أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ يَقُولُ { فَسَوْفَ يُحَاسَبُ حِسَابًا يَسِيرًا } قَالَ ذَاكُمُ الْعَرْضُ يَا عَائِشَةُ مَنْ نُوقِشَ الْحِسَابَ عُذِّبَ