Al-Sha’bi reported: Shurayh, may Allah have mercy on him, said, “Verily, if I am afflicted by a calamity, then I praise Allah four times. I praise Him that it was not worse than it was. I praise Him as He provides me with the patience to bear it. I praise Him as He guides me to recall my hope for reward, and I praise Him as He did not make it a calamity in my religion.”
Source: Siyar A’lām al-Nubalā’ 4/105
عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ قَالَ شُرَيْحٌ رحمه الله إِنِّي لَأُصَابُ بِالْمُصِيبَةِ فَأَحْمَدُ اللَّهَ عَلَيْهَا أَرْبَعَ مَرَّاتٍ أَحْمَدُ إِذْ لَمْ يَكُنْ أَعْظَمَ مِنْهَا وَأَحْمَدُ إِذْ رَزَقَنِي الصَّبْرَ عَلَيْهَا وَأَحْمَدُ إِذْ وَفَّقَنِي لِلِاسْتِرْجَاعِ لِمَا أَرْجُو مِنَ الثَّوَابِ وَأَحْمَدُ إِذْ لَمْ يَجْعَلْهَا فِي دِينِي
4/105 سير أعلام النبلاء وممن أدرك زمان النبوة شريح القاضي
