Assalaamalaikum, Sometimes we hear people saying to one affected with trials Saying allaah is with you and he loves you. Doesn't this fall under things of unknown. Since we don't know whether allaah loves or hates him And we don't know whether its a trail or punishment. So is it correct to say that allaah loves you that is why he is testing you?? Since it can be a punishment also??

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

It is impermissible to make such a decisive statement; instead, one may say: “We hope that Allaah be with you (i.e. you have attained the special closeness of Allaah) or we hope that Allaah loves you”, and similar statements that are not decisive.

Abu Bakrah reported that a man praised another in the presence of the Prophet and he said: “Woe to you, you have cut off your companion's neck!” He repeated it several times and then added: “Whoever among you praises his brother should say, ‘I think he is so and so, and Allaah knows the truth about him, and I do not confirm anybody's goodness before Allaah, but I think him to be so and so,’ if he really knows what he says about him.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Imaam At-Tahaawi wrote: “We hope that Allaah would pardon the righteous and charitable believers and bless them with Paradise, yet we cannot guarantee it or affirm that they are among the people of Paradise.” [Al-'Aqeedah At-Tahaawiyyah]

Afflictions are good for believers even if they are punishment for their past sins for they expiate their sins and raise their rank (in Paradise). Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet said: “No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allaah expiates some of his sins for that.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Moreover, the Prophet said: “If Allaah wills good for His slave, He hastens his punishment in this world, and if He wills bad for His slave, He withholds from him (the punishment for) his sin, until He requites him for it on the Day of Resurrection.” [Ahmad and At-Tirmithi]

For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa questions 83577 and 98998.

Allaah Knows best.