Short answer
Yes. The Prophet ﷺ said that the greatest reward comes with the greatest trial, and that when Allah loves a people He tests them. Hardship is not a sign that Allah hates you; for a believer who stays patient it wipes away sins and raises rank. Ease is a test too, of gratitude.
Sunni belief holds that both good and hardship come by Allah's decree and with His wisdom. For a believer, trials are a means of expiation and higher rank, and the duty is sabr (patience) in hardship and shukr (gratitude) in ease.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
Allah says: "Do the people think that they will be left to say, We believe, and they will not be tried?" (29:2), and "We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient" (2:155). Trials are part of the deal of faith, not a sign that something has gone wrong.
The Prophet ﷺ said: "The size of the reward goes with the size of the trial, and when Allah loves a people He tests them. Whoever accepts it has His pleasure, and whoever is angry has His anger." Al-Tirmidhi graded it hasan. Asked who are tested most severely, he said the prophets, then the next best, then the next, and that a person is tested according to his religion. He also said whoever Allah wants good for, He afflicts him.
So how should you read your own hardship? Not every trial is a punishment, and not every comfort is a reward. The Prophet ﷺ said the affair of the believer is amazing, since all of it is good for him: if good comes he is grateful, and if harm comes he is patient, and both are good for him. Hardship can also be a wake-up call to repent, so check yourself without despair.
This does not mean you should wish for trials. The Sunnah teaches us to ask Allah for wellbeing (afiyah), to use every permitted means to remove harm, and to see a doctor when ill. See does sickness wipe away sins?, the dua for hardship and Quran verses on hardship and ease.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Ankaboot 29:2
أَحَسِبَ ٱلنَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوٓا۟ أَن يَقُولُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ ﴿٢﴾
Do the people think that they will be left to say, "We believe" and they will not be tried?
Shows that testing is part of faith.
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:155
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْخَوْفِ وَٱلْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ ﴿١٥٥﴾
And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient,
Lists the kinds of trials and gives good news to the patient.
Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2396
Grading to be checked... إِنَّ عِظَمَ الْجَزَاءِ مَعَ عِظَمِ الْبَلاَءِ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ إِذَا أَحَبَّ قَوْمًا ابْتَلاَهُمْ ...
"The size of the reward goes with the size of the trial, and when Allah loves a people He tests them."
The direct basis for the saying that Allah tests those He loves.
Sahih Muslim 2999
Sahih... عَجَبًا لأَمْرِ الْمُؤْمِنِ إِنَّ أَمْرَهُ كُلَّهُ خَيْرٌ ...
"How amazing is the affair of the believer: all of it is good for him."
Shows both ease and hardship are good for a believer who responds rightly.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Aqida al-Tahawiyya, Section on the decree. States that good and bad both happen by Allah's decree and will.
- Riyad al-Salihin (al-Nawawi), Chapter on patience. Gathers the verses and hadith on patience in trials.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.