Is the sick person rewarded for his illness merely by its occurrence, or is it incumbent upon him to have the intention to receive the reward?

Scholars have differed concerning the reward for calamities. Some hold that reward is only granted for patience and contentment, and that the calamity itself is not rewarded. Others believe that calamities are expiations for sins, absolutely, whether accompanied by contentment or not, and that contentment increases the expiation.

Some scholars reconciled these two views by stating that a calamity is an expiation for sins or an elevation of ranks, and that patience and contentment with it are deeds for which the Muslim is rewarded in addition to mere expiation.