What Is The Good Life?

Question :

Allâh Almighty says:
"Whoever works righteousness, whether male or female, while he (or she) is a true believer verily, to him we will give a good life, and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e., Paradise in the Hereafter)."

And the Messenger of Allâh ﷺ said:
"The most tested of people are the Prophets, and then he who is most like them, then he who is most like them."

In another Hadith, the Messenger of Allâh ﷺ said:
"A person is tested to the degree of his religion."

How do we reconcile between the verse and the Hadith, between the meaning of a good life and the meaning of a life replete with trials and tribulations?

Answer:

The good life is not as some people think a life that is free from defects and problems, such as poverty, sickness, or worry; rather, the good life is the life of a person whose heart is pure, of a person who is at peace, of a person who is satisfied and pleased with Allah's Decree if something good happens to him, he is thankful, and that is better for him; if hardship befalls him, he is patient, and that is better for him.

On the other hand, riches and good health can at times be a cause of misery when one uses them for evil. When you understand this, you will see that there is no contradiction between the verse and the two Hadiths. A person may be afflicted with great hardships, yet his heart is calm and he is pleased with Allah's Decree, so the hardships have no real effect on his inner well-being.

Source:
Ibn 'Uthaimin
Fatawa Islamiyah, Vol. 7 Pages 101-102