Narrated 'Aishah:

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.

حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عُمَرَ، - قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَهَذَا لَفْظُ ابْنِ بَشَّارٍ - عَنْ أَبِي عَامِرٍ الْخَزَّازِ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ 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 " . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَهَذَا لَفْظُ ابْنِ بَشَّارٍ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ .