In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said:
“There are two blessings that many people are cheated out of: health and free time." (Bukhari)Ibn al-Jawzi said,
A person might be healthy but not have free time due to being busy with his livelihood, and might be well off but not healthy; so when these two are combined and the person is overcome by laziness from performing acts of obedience, he is truly cheated.When we are healthy, we should be grateful to Allah because this is a great blessing from Him. We show our gratitude by using the blessing to serve Him and not use it to disobey Him or waste the blessing. We do not procrastinate performing good deeds and reflect upon the words of Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam:
Take benefit of five before five: your youth before your old age, your health before your sickness, your wealth before your poverty, your free time before you are preoccupied, and your life before your death.[Bukhari]
A healthy person should have a state of fear of Allah that dominates his state of hope in Allah as this pushes him to good actions and repentance. This fear must not, however, take him to the extent of despair of Allah’s mercy.
قَالَ وَمَن يَقْنَطُ مِن رَّحْمَةِ رَبِّهِ إِلَّا الضَّالُّونَ
“He said, 'And who despairs of the mercy of his Lord, excepting those that are astray?'” (Qur’an Al-Hijr 15:56)
Patience and Gratitude in Sickness
Sickness is one of the toughest trials one could face as it not only causes discomfort and pain but it impairs one physically and at times even mentally.
Patience is indeed a keyword as the afflictions are numerous when one become sick: disruption in his/her daily activities and in case of a critical condition or admittance to hospital urgent help will be needed for any family member of minor or elder age in his/her guardianship. At times also finance becomes an issue with an extended hospital stay and/or surgery, or if expensive medications are required.
It goes without saying that it requires both strong faith and contentment to pass with the affliction of sickness from the stage of patience to the higher level of gratitude.
Keep in mind that the reward of sickness is bountiful:
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam said:
No fatigue, sickness, anxiety, sorrow, harm or sadness afflicts any Muslim, even to the extent of a thorn pricking him, without Allah wiping out his mistakes by it.[Bukhari]
No believer is afflicted with a thorn-prick or what is greater than that except that a higher degree is inscribed for him, or a sin removed from him[Muslim]
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhissallam), Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:
The people who were in well being in this life will wish on Judgment Day, when the people of tribulations are given their reward, that their skin would have been cut with blades.(Tirmidhi)
As Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) teaches us:
The greatest reward comes with the greatest trial. When Allah loves a people He tests them. Whoever accepts that wins His pleasure but whoever is discontent with that earns His wrath.[Tirmidhi]
He (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) exemplifies this condition, as Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
"I visited the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) during his ailments and he was suffering from high fever.[Bukhari]
I said, “You have a high fever. Is it because you will have a double reward for it?”
He said, “Yes, for no Muslim is afflicted with any harm but that Allah removes his/her sins as the leaves of a tree fall down.”
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam presents us with an excellent example of patience and perseverance for guidance: It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that a woman came to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam and said:
“I suffer from epilepsy and I become uncovered. Pray to Allah for me.” He said: (peace be upon him) “If you wish, you can be patient and Paradise will be yours, or if you wish I will pray to Allah to heal you.” She said:[Bukhari, Muslim]
“I will be patient.” Then she said: “But I become uncovered. Pray to Allah that I will not become uncovered.” So he prayed for her.
Masha’ Allah, what a role model; she chose to bear her sickness with patience, enduring the pain and discomfort, as she preferred the hereafter over dunya. While exemplifying too the modesty of a Muslim by praying to be covered while under the influence of an epileptic seizure.
In another hadith, Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) teaches us how we can reap the fruits of Paradise with the affliction of blindness, if we bear it with patience: Narrated Anas ibn Malik:
“I heard Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) saying:[Bukhari]
“Allah said, ‘If I deprive my slave of his two beloved things (i.e. his eyes) and he remains patient, I will let him enter Paradise in compensation for them.”
A person who is afflicted with an illness should realize that this is a tremendous opportunity to draw close to Allah. He should face the tribulation with a beautiful patience. This is by not complaining to visitors, missing prayers or having despair. He should repent sincerely from the sins he was committing before his sickness. For the most part, a sick person is relieved from his everyday chores and responsibilities. So, he should be grateful and make the most out of his down time.
Etiquette During Sickness
1 - Prayers
As Muslims we should always turn to Allah with prayer, both in times of blessings and afflictions. Allah Almighty gives us the example of Prophet Ayub (Job) in his trial:
وَأَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُۥٓ أَنِّى مَسَّنِىَ ٱلضُّرُّ وَأَنتَ أَرْحَمُ ٱلرَّٰحِمِينَ ﴿٨٣﴾ فَٱسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُۥ فَكَشَفْنَا مَا بِهِۦ مِن ضُرٍّۢ ۖ وَءَاتَيْنَـٰهُ أَهْلَهُۥ وَمِثْلَهُم مَّعَهُمْ رَحْمَةً مِّنْ عِندِنَا وَذِكْرَىٰ لِلْعَـٰبِدِينَ ﴿٨٤Qur'an, 21:83-84]
And [mention] Job, when he called to his Lord, "Indeed, adversity has touched me, and you are the Most Merciful of the merciful." (83) So We responded to him and removed what afflicted him of adversity. And We gave him [back] his family and the like thereof with them as mercy from Us and a reminder for the worshipers [of Allah]. (84)
Start off by uttering the Prophetic “get well wishes”:
La ba'sa tahoorun inshaa-Allah.
{No need to worry. It (this sickness) is a means of cleansing from sins.}
Followed by the Prophet’s (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) prayers for the sick:
Allahuma rabbi-nas adhhibal ba'sa, eshfi wa entashafi, la shifa' illa shifa'uka shifa' la yughadiru saqama.
{Oh Allah! The Sustainer of Mankind! Remove the illness, cure the disease. You are the One Who cures. There is no cure except Your cure. Grant us a cure that leaves no illness. (Recommended to touch the area of pain with the right hand while reciting this supplication.)}
أَسْـأَلُ اللهَ العَـظيـم، رَبَّ العَـرْشِ العَـظيـم أَنْ يَشْفـيي
'As'alu Allah al 'azim rabbil 'arshil azim an yashifii.
{I ask Allah, the Mighty, the Lord of the Mighty Throne, to cure me. (Recommended to repeat seven times.}
Rabbana 'atinaa fid dunyaa hasanah wafil aakhirati hasanah wa qinaa azaaban naar.
{Oh Allah! Our Lord and Sustainer! Grant us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and save us from the Fire of Jahannam (Hell).}
A'oozu bi'izzatillaahi wa qudratihi min sharri maa ajidu wa uhaaziru.
{I seek protection in the might of Allah and His power from the evil of what I am experiencing and of what I fear. (Recommended for the sick person to place right hand on area of pain, say Bismillah three times, then recite this supplication seven times.}
2- Give Sadaqah (Charity):
Abu Umamah (may Allah reward him) said: the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said:
“Treat your sick by giving Sadaqah (charity).” (Authenticated by Al-Albani)
3 - Recite Lots of Qur'an
Qur’an has healing power for the believers. This includes healing the heart (mental or spiritual disease) and physical healing.
Allah says,
وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مَا هُوَ شِفَاءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۙ وَلَا يَزِيدُ الظَّالِمِينَ إِلَّا خَسَارًا ﴿٨٢﴾[Qur'an, al-Isra’ 17:82]
And We send down of the Qur'an that which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the wrongdoers except in loss. (82)
وَلَوْ جَعَلْنَاهُ قُرْآنًا أَعْجَمِيًّا لَّقَالُوا لَوْلَا فُصِّلَتْ آيَاتُهُ ۖ أَأَعْجَمِيٌّ وَعَرَبِيٌّ ۗ قُلْ هُوَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا هُدًى وَشِفَاءٌ ۖ وَالَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ فِي آذَانِهِمْ وَقْرٌ وَهُوَ عَلَيْهِمْ عَمًى ۚ أُولَـٰئِكَ يُنَادَوْنَ مِن مَّكَانٍ بَعِيدٍ ﴿٤٤[Qur'an, al-Fussilat 41:44]
And if We had made it a non-Arabic Qur'an, they would have said, "Why are its verses not explained in detail [in our language]? Is it a foreign [recitation] and an Arab [messenger]?" Say, "It is, for those who believe, a guidance and cure." And those who do not believe - in their ears is deafness, and it is upon them blindness. Those are being called from a distant place. (44)
وَيَشْفِ صُدُورَ قَوْمٍ مُؤْمِنِينَ[Qur'an, Tawbah 9:14]
..And [Allah] shall heal the breast of the believers.
The Qur’an is the complete healing for all mental, spiritual and physical diseases, all diseases of this world and the Hereafter. But not everyone is guided to use it for the purpose of healing. If the sick person uses the Qur’an for healing in the proper way, and applies it to his disease with sincerity, faith, complete acceptance and firm conviction, fulfilling all its conditions, then no disease can resist it.
4 - Do Lots of Salawat (sending peace and blessings upon the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam)
There are numerous benefits and rewards of salawat
Ubayy ibn Ka`b relates: I said, “O Messenger of Allah, I send much blessings on you. What proportion of my prayer should I devote to you?” He said, “As much as you like.” I said, “A quarter?” He said, “As much as you like, and if you increased it would only be better for you.” I said, “Then a half?” He said, “As much as you like and if you increased then it would only be better for you.” I said, “Then two thirds?” He said, “As much as you like and if you increased it would only be better for you.” I said, “I'll devote all of my prayers to sending blessings on you.” The Prophet ﷺ said, “In that case it will suffice you from your worries and your sins will be forgiven. “ [Reported by Tirmidhi who declared it well authenticated]
5 - Visit the Sick:
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) teaches us the beautiful empathetic Sunnah of visiting the sick.
Narrated Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari: The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said:
“Feed the hungry, visit the sick and set free the captives.” [Bukhari]
He, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, said, “The one who visits the sick is like a person who is in a fruit garden of Paradise until he returns.” [Sahih Muslim]
He, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, also taught us to make this du'a seven times when visiting the sick.
أَسْـأَلُ اللهَ العَـظيـم، رَبَّ العَـرْشِ العَـظيـم أَنْ يَشْفـيك
'As'alu Allah al 'azim rabbil 'arshil azim an yashifika. (I ask Allah, the Mighty, the Lord of the Mighty Throne, to cure you.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas: The Prophet, sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam, said,
If anyone visits a sick whose time (of death) has not come, and says with him seven times: I ask Allah, the Mighty, the Lord of the mighty Throne, to cure you, Allah will cure him from that disease.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said:
Allah (Mighty and Sublime be He) will say on the Day of Resurrection: O son of Adam, I fell ill and you visited Me not. He will say: O Lord, and how should I visit You when You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say: Did you not know that My servant So-and-so had fallen ill and you visited him not? Did you not know that had you visited him you would have found Me with him? O son of Adam, I asked you for food and you fed Me not. He will say: O Lord, and how should I feed You when You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say: Did you not know that My servant So-and-so asked you for food and you fed him not? Did you not know that had you fed him you would surely have found that (the reward for doing so) with Me? O son of Adam, I asked you to give Me to drink and you gave Me not to drink. He will say: O Lord, how should I give You to drink whin You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say: My servant So-and-so asked you to give him to drink and you gave him not to drink. Had you given him to drink you would have surely found that with Me. [Muslim]
Alternative Medicine
It is permissible to use medicine to treat oneself with the condition that one believes that the cure is only from Allah who has made the medicine an outer means to attain this, and if He wills he will cure without one taking medicine or not cure despite one taking medicine.
The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,
“Every ailment has a cure; if the cure meets the ailment he is cured with the leave of Allah.” (Muslim)Usamah ibn Sharik said, “Some Bedouins asked, “O Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him), shall we treat (our illness)?”
He said,
“Yes, O worshippers of Allah! Use remedies. For indeed Allah did not make a disease but made a cure for it, except for one disease.” They said, ‘O Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) what is it?’ He said, ‘Old age.” [Tirmidhi]
There are numerous “alternative medicines” that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) teaches us to use as a means for therapy. For example:
Narrated Ibn Abbas (may Allah rbe pleased with him): The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam)) said:
“Healing is in three things: cupping, a gulp of honey or cauterizing, but I forbid my followers to use cauterization.” [Bukhari]
Honey is mentioned in the Qur’an, and that it is a healing for mankind. Allah says:
ثُمَّ كُلِي مِن كُلِّ الثَّمَرَاتِ فَاسْلُكِي سُبُلَ رَبِّكِ ذُلُلًا ۚ يَخْرُجُ مِن بُطُونِهَا شَرَابٌ مُّخْتَلِفٌ أَلْوَانُهُ فِيهِ شِفَاءٌ لِّلنَّاسِ ۗ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ﴿٦٩[Qur'an, al-Nahl 16:69]
Then eat from all the fruits and follow the ways of your Lord laid down [for you]." There emerges from their bellies a drink, varying in colors, in which there is healing for people. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who give thought. (69)
A drink seasoned with ginger is served to the People of Paradise.
وَيُسْقَوْنَ فِيهَا كَأْسًا كَانَ مِزَاجُهَا زَنجَبِيلًا ﴿١٧[Qur'an Al-Insan 76:17]
They will be served therein with a cup of a drink seasoned with Zanjabil (ginger).
We know now the health benefits of honey, ginger and ginger drink from the nutritional and health reports.
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he heard Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) say:
“In the black seed there is healing for every disease except death.” [Bukhari & Muslim]
Narrated Nafi: Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) said:
“The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: “Fever is from the heat of Hell, so abate fever with water.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim, 50)
One may not take medicine that is unlawful such as wine or products from unslaughtered animals unless a Muslim doctor tells one that no other cure is available. **
Remember Death Often
We should remember death often. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam), said:
“Remember often the terminator of pleasures.” (ibn Hibban)The benefits of this include purification from sins, abstinence in this life, making great tribulations manageable, making small worldly means seem much, removal of worry over this life and disdaining vain pleasures.
It is not lawful for one to wish for death on account of pain or difficulty that one is in; because life is Allah’s will for one, and desiring it to leave is not be satisfied with His will.
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said,
“Let none of you wish for death due to a harm that has reached him. If he is compelled to do so then let him say, “O Allah, give me life so long as life is better for me, and take my soul in death when death is better for me.” (Bukhari)
One should take means that promote a healthy life, while believing that these means cannot ward off the destiny of Allah. A long life full of service to Allah is of the greatest of ranks.
A man asked the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace,
“O Messenger of Allah, which people are the best?” He replied, “He whose life is long and works good.” "Which of people are worse? He replied, "He whose life is long and works bad." (Tirmidhi)
A person should not be sick for two nights without having his will prepared. It should contain a clear statement of his debts and who they are owed to (to Allah such as missed prayers, fasts, zakat, hajj, expiation, as well as debts to people). A person is entitled to make a bequest of up to a third of his remaining wealth after debts have been paid, the rest must be divided according to the Islamic rules of inheritance laid out clearly in the Qur’an and books of sacred law.
Someone on his deathbed should have a good opinion of Allah. This is by having more hope than fear; having the belief that Allah will overlook one’s sins; not letting his deeds come to mind, neither the good nor the bad, as they distract from having a good opinion of Allah and true hope in His bounty.
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said, three days before he died,
“Let none of you die except having a good opinion of Allah Mighty and Majestic.” (Muslim)
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said,
“Death is a gift for the believer.”
He should long for the meeting with Allah. The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,
“Whoever loves to meet Allah, Allah loves to meet him. Whoever dislikes to meet Allah, Allah dislikes to meet him.” Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) or one of his wives said, “But we dislike death,” he replied, “That’s is not the point; rather, the believer when death comes to him, he is given the great good news of Allah’s pleasure and generosity, and there is nothing more beloved to him that what is ahead of him, so he loves meeting Allah and Allah loves meeting him. The disbeliever when death comes to him is given the great news of Allah’s punishment and chastisement, and there is nothing more disliked to him that what is ahead of him so he dislikes meeting Allah, and Allah dislikes meeting him.” (Bukhari)
Don't let anything distract the dying person from remembrance of Allah. He should leave all thoughts and inclinations towards this life and other people, and free himself of his power and ability and relying solely on Allah’s generosity and protection. He should make sincere supplication for Allah to preserve his faith.
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) was asked,
“What is the best of works?” He replied, “That one of you should die and his tongue is moist with the remembrance of Allah.”
He (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) also said,
“Whoever’s last words are “La illaha illa Allah (There is no god but Allah),” will enter paradise.” (Abu Dawud)
One should not hate a painful death for oneself or anyone else, for Allah removes sins from a person through illness in his body, delay in provender, fear in life and severity at death.
Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said,
“The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, died while he was between my chest and my throat [in my arms], and I do not dislike for anyone to have a severe death after the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, ever.” (Bukhari)
“[when he, sallallahu alayhi wassallam, died] before him was a container of water, he placed his hands inside it and wiped his face and said, “There is no god but Allah; surely death has tremendous mind-numbing pain.” Then he raised his hand and started saying, “O Allah, in the highest company” until he died and his hand dropped.” (Bukhari)
May Allah grant us well being and cure those who are sick and grant them patience in their afflictions. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
** Hanafi ruling
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