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May Allah Ta'ala accept this humble effort of Daaru- Nashril Islaamiyyah who has
translated and compiled this booklet into English. Ameen.
Sickness and other difficulties that we undergo in this worldly life should not only
be seen as a misfortune or as an expression of the displeasure of Allah Ta'ala. For
those servants of Allah who enjoy a very special relationship with Him, it is a
means of great blessing and a mercy. Is there anyone in this world who is free
from sins and mistakes?
If every soul were to be fully recompensed for its every action, then apart from
the sinless Prophets of Allah, the Ambiyaa (Alaihimus salaam), nobody else would
be worthy of entering into Jannah. Man commits minor and major sins all the
time, but the difficulties and hardships that he undergoes in this world like illness,
grief and sorrow, etc. become the atonement for his sins and in this way he is
cleansed of his sins in this very world.
Allah Ta'ala is so relenting and lenient with the Ummah of His beloved Nabi
Muhammad (sallalaahu alaihi wasallam) . However, it has been observed that
because of a lack of proper Deeni knowledge, very often even when a Muslim
becomes ill, many incorrect statements are uttered by the sick person as well as
those who treat and take care of him.
To seek a cure for one's illness and to take treatment for it is certainly not
forbidden in Islam. In fact it is a Sun-nah.
There is also no harm if a person complains about pain in the body. However,
when a person becomes sick and then complains bitterly and objects to Allah
Ta'ala, showing disrespect and ingratitude to Him, this amounts to destroying his
own rewards.Whether we are healthy or sick, we should be thankful to Allah
Ta'ala in all conditions.
Life and death are in the hands of Allah Ta'ala alone.
A person who is sick should regard his sickness as a gift and a special sign of mercy
from Allah. When he realises this, then at every moment he will be thankful to
Allah Ta'ala. Furthermore, thosewho take care of the sick, like doctors and nurses,
should understand firstly, that the service they are rendering will certainly earn
them great sawaab (reward from Allah Ta'ala) and secondly, that they are fulfilling
a part of huqooqul ibaad (i.e. the rights of Allah's creation).
Every Muslim doctor, nurse and sick person should learn what our Beloved Nabi,
Muhammad (Sallallaahu alaiyhi wassallam) has said regarding illness and disease.
Our Nabi Muhammad (Sallallaahu alaiyhi wassallam) has taught us that a person
is tested according to the level of Deen present in his life. If he is firm on his Deen
then the test is correspondingly severe, and if he is weak on his Deen then the
hardship is made easy upon him. (Timizi, Ibn Maajah)
Aa'isha (Radiyalaahu anha) says, 'I have never seen anybody suffering from
sickness as much as Allah's Messenger (Sallallaahu alaiyhi wassallam).' (Sahih
Bukhari)
Hadrat Aa'isha (Radiyallahu anha) also narrates that Rasulullah(Sallallaahu alaiyhi
wassallam) said,'When the sins of a person become so much that his good deeds
are unable to wipe them out, then Allah Ta'ala lets grief overcome him in order to
forgive his sins.' (Musnad-Ahmad)
Hadrat Ataa bin Abi Rabaah(R.A.) relates, "Once Ibn Abbaas said to me, 'Shall I tell
you of a woman from amongst the People of Jannah?' I said, 'Yes.' He said, 'A
certain black lady came to Nabi(Sallallaahu alaiyhi wassallam) and said, 'I get
attacks of epilepsy and my body gets uncovered, so please invoke (i.e. make dua
to) Allah for me.'Nabi(Sallallaahu alaiyhi wassallam) told her,.'If you wish, you
could be patient and you will enter Jannah; or if you wish, I will make dua to Allah
to cure you.' She replied, 'I will remain patient,' and added, 'but I become
uncovered, so please make dua to Allah for me that I do not become uncovered.'
So he made dua for her." (Bukhaari and Muslim)
Hadrat Anas bin Maa (R.A.) reports that he heard Rasulullah(Sallallaahu alaiyhi
wassallam) saying that Allah Ta'ala said, 'If I deprive My slave of his two beloved
possessions (i.e. his eyes) and he bears it patiently, I will let him enter Jannah in
compensation for them. (Sahih Bukhaari)
Ka'b Ahbaar(R.A.) says, 'I have found (the following) in the Tauraah: Had it not
been for the fear that My believing servants would become aggrieved, I would
have sealed the head of a kaafir (disbeliever) with a bandage of steel so that he
would never get a headache. "
Do not curse sickness
Once Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alaiyhi wassallam) went to the home of Umm Saa-ib
(Radiyallaaha anha) and asked her, 'What is the matter? Why are you shivering?'
She replied, 'I have a fever. May Allah not bless it! ' Rasulullah(Sallallaahu alaiyhi
wassallam) said, 'Do not curse fever since it wipes out the sins of the Children of
Aadam just as a furnace removes dirt from iron.' (Sahih Muslim)
Hadrat Abu Moosa(R.A.) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alaiyhi wassallam)
said, 'When a person becomes sick or goes on a journey, then those (good) deeds
are written down in his favour which he used to perform when he was at home
and in good health.' (Sahih Bukhari)
Once Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alaiyhi wassallam) went to the home of Umm Saa-ib
(Radiyallaaha anha) and asked her, 'What is the matter? Why are you shivering?'
She replied, 'I have a fever. May Allah not bless it! '
Rasulullah(Sallallaahu alaiyhi wassallam) said, 'Do not curse fever since it wipes
out the sins of the Children of Aadam just as a furnace removes dirt from iron.'
(Sahih Muslim)
Hadrat Abu Moosa(R.A.) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alaiyhi wassallam)
said, 'When a person becomes sick or goes on a journey, then those (good) deeds
are written down in his favour which he used to perform when he was at home
and in good health.' (Sahih Bukhari)
Rasulullah(Sallallaahu alaiyhi wassallam) has also said, 'The dua of a sick person is
not rejected until he recovers from his sickness.' (Ibn Abiddunyaa)
We should therefore not miss the opportunity to visit the sick and request them
to make dua on our behalf.
Once our Rasulullah(Sallallaahu alaiyhi wassallam) said, 'The best type of visit to a
sick person is when the visitor gets up to leave without delay.' (Bayhaqi) If we act
upon these simple teachings, then the visitors to a hospital will no longer remain
a problem for those who are in charge of the administration of hospitals.
To Blow over a sick person and make Dua for his recovery
Azhubil ba'sa rabban naas washfi. Antash shaafie. Laa shifaa-a illaa shifaa-uk.
Shifaa-al laa yughaa diru saqamaa
0 Allah, Lord and Sustainer of mankind, remove his difficulty and cure him You are
the only
One who cures. There is no cure but Yours.
Grant such (complete) cure that leaves no trace of illness. (Bukhaari and Muslim)
Rasulullah(Sallallaahu alaiyhi wassallam) once visited a Muslim man who was sick.
His voice was very feeble and he had become very thin and weak.
Seeing his condition, Rasulullah(Sallallaahu alaiyhi wassallam) asked him, 'What
dua have you been making to Allah?' He said, 'Yes, I used to say: 0 Allah!
Whatever punishment was in store for me in the Aakhirah, let it descend upon me
now.' Rasulullah(Sallallaahu alaiyhi wassallam) said, 'Subhaanallah! You do not
have the strength to bear it. Why do you not say this dua:
Rabbanaa aatinaa fid dunyaa hasana taw wafil aakhirati hasana taw wa qinaa
azaaban naar
O Allah, our Lord and Sustainer, grant us good in this world and good in the
Hereafter,and save us from the Fire of Jahannam.
The narrator, Hadrat Anas(R.A.), says that the man thereafter began to make this
dua (abundantly), and Allah Ta'ala cured him. (Musnad Ahmad)
May Allah remove your pain, forgive your sins, and grant you strength in your
Deen and your health until your death. (Tabaraani)
Another Hadith has it that whoever visits a sick person, not yet destined to die,
and he recites the following dua seven times, Allah Ta'ala will certainly cure him
of his sickness:
As-alul laahal azeem Rabbal arshil azeem Ay yashfi yak
I beg Allah the Almighty, the Owner of the Majestic Throne,
that He should cure you. (Abu Dawood)
Hadrat Usmaan bin abil-Aas(R.A.) says that he once complained about pain in his
body to Rasulullah(Sallallaahu alaiyhi wassallam). Rasulullah(Sallallaahu alaiyhi
wassallam) instructed him: Place your hand on the area of the pain and recite:
Our beloved Rasulullah(Sallallaahu alaiyhi wassallam) has also said, 'Whoever sees
somebody who is sick or in some hardship, and says the following dua will never
be afflicted by that sickness or difficulty:
However, it should be recited softly and in a manner that the afflicted person is
unable to hear it and does not get offended.
She also says that when anyone in his family was sick, he would recite the
Mu'awwizaat and blow onto the sick person's body. (Sahih Muslim).
The Mu'awwizaat are Surahs al-Falaq and an-Naas. According to some Ulama, it
also includes the Surahs al-Ikhlaas (Qul huwallahu ahad) and al-Kaafiroon.
We should also realise that not only is Salaah the most important pillar next to
Imaan, but it is also a means of deriving tremendous benefit and blessing in this
world and the Aakhirah. It is also a means of drawing the help of Allah Ta'ala and
a protection against all types of difficulty. Countless examples of this in the
lifetime of our beloved Nabi Muhammad (Sallallaahu alaiyhi wassallam) and his
illustrious Sahaabah (R.A.) bear testimony to this fact.
Hadrat Huzaifah(R.A.) says that whenever Rasulullah(Sallallaahu alaiyhi
wassallam) happened to face any difficulty, he would at once resort to salaah.
(Abu Dawood)
Salaah also has tremendous healing power.
The heart of every true Muslim is filled with love and admiration for Hadrat Umar
bin al-Khattaab(R.A.), the father-in-law of Rasulullah(Sallallaahu alaiyhi
wassallam) and the second Khalifah in Islaam. His name struck terror in the hearts
of the mightiest monarchs of his time. During his khilaafah (reign) he issued a
proclamation to all the governors and officials under him saying, 'I regard salaah
as the most important duty. A person who guards his salaah is likely to observe
other injunctions of Islaam as well; but if he discards his salaah, then the
remaining deeds are sure to be found wanting.' (Mu'atta Malik)
Sayyiduna Umar(R.A.) was stabbed at the close of his career, and this same
wound caused his death. He bled profusely and remained unconscious for long
intervals. But when he was informed of the time of salaah, he would perform it in
that very condition, and say, 'There is no share in Islam for a person who discards
his salaah.'
(Tabaraani)
Sayyidina lbn Abbaas(R.A.) was another great Sahaabi and a cousin of
Rasulullah(Sallallaahu alaiyhi wassallam). He suffered from cataract of the eye. A
doctor told him, 'A treatment is possible, provided you are willing to take
precaution. For a few days you must avoid performing salaah in the normal way.
You can however do so by making gestures.'He said, 'This cannot be so. I would
not say a single rak'ah like that. I have heard Rasulullah(Sallallaahu alaiyhi
wassallam) saying: A person who intentionally foregoes a single salaah shall have
to face Allah's wrath on the Day of Judgement.' (Tabarani)
After Imaan, Salaah is the first of all the pillars of Islaam. It was the first and
foremost practice ordained by Allah and shall also be the first thing to be
reckoned for on the Day of Qiyaamah. The importance of salaah in the life of a
Muslim cannot be over- emphasised. In the Qur'aan Shareef, the command to
establish salaah appears about six hundred times. According to the Hadith,
whoever establishes salaah has established the Deen (of Allah) and whoever
neglects salaah has destroyed the Deen.
Rasulullah(Sallallaahu alaiyhi wassallam) has said, 'Do not delay in three things:
salaah when its time has set in, burial when the bier is ready and marriage of a
solitary woman when her match is found' (Tirmizi).
Many people who consider themselves practical Muslims perform a number of
their salaahs in combination on returning home, on the very feeble excuses of
trade, travel or occupation. To put salaah off till after its set time without a strong
excuse like illness, etc. is a major sin."
If a person is so sick that he cannot even move his head, or he faints for a full
day and night or more, then the salaah for such time will be waived. Even when
he recovers, it will not be compulsory for him to make up for the missed salaahs.
However, if he faints for less than a full day and night and then regains the
strength to move his head, he must make qadhaa of the five or less salaahs
missed.
Generally when a person is sick and has the strength to stand, then he should
perform salaah standing. If he does not have the courage to stand, or if it is very
difficult or painful to stand, or if it is feared that standing might worsen his
sickness, he can perform his salaah sitting. When making ruku' while sitting, the
forehead should be lowered upto the knees.
If he has the courage to make salaah sitting but cannot perform ruku' and
sajdah sitting, then the ruku' and sajdah should be performed by ishaarah
(nodding or gesturing with the head). For sajdah, he should bow the head more
than for ruku'.
If a person cannot even sit up, then he should lie down with a pillow, etc.
behind his back, with his head slightly raised and his legs towards the Qiblah.
However if he can, he should not stretch his legs towards the Qiblah but bend his
knees and perform his salaah by ishaarah. When making salaah by ishaarah, the
head should be bent for saj dah more than for ruku'.
If a person is unable to lie propped against a pillow, then he should lie on his
back with his head and chest slightly raised and hisg feet towards the Qiblah. He
should support his head with a high pillow so that he faces the Qiblah and does
not remain facing towards the sky. Then he should perform his salaah with
ishaarah, and the gesture of sajdah should be'a while longer than for ruku'. If he is
unable to lie on his back, he should perform salaah lying on his right or his left
side, with his face towards the Qiblah,
If it is feared that by using water to make wudhu, or to wash or make istinjaa
the sickness might worsen, then he should wipe his body with a cloth and make
tayammum. If he cannot make tayammum by himself, then he could take the help
of another person.
However, if he does not have the courage to even wipe himself, then he should
perform his salaah (before its time expires) after making tayammum only.
If the sick person's bedding is impure (najis or naapaak) and changing it would
cause him much inconvenience, then it will be permissible and correct for him to
perform salaah on the same bedding.
If a patient does have has the strength to move slightly, or for instance, he has
undergone eye surgery, but the doctor has ordered him not to move his head,
then he should perform his salaah lying down.
A paralysed person or someone who is so sick that he cannot use water for
istinjaa, should use toilet paper or something similarly absorbent like lumps of dry
clay to clean himself. If he cannot do even this, he should perform his salaah
without making istinjaa.
Sudden Death
Hadrat Abdullah bin Amr(R.A.) relates that a man passed away in Madinah
Munawwarah. He was also born there. Rasulullah (Sallallaahu alaiyhi
wassallam) performed his Janaazah salaah and said, 'How I wish he had died in a
place other than where he was born.' The Sahaabah(R.A.) asked, 'Why is that, O
Messenger of Allah?' Rasulullah(Sallallaahu alaiyhi wassallam) replied, 'When a
person dies (in some distant land) faraway from his birthplace, then the distance
between the place of his birth and the place of his death will be measured for him
in Jannah. (Ibn Maajah)
The Ulama have interpreted this Hadith to mean that his grave will be widened
for him as far as the distance between the place of his birth and the place where
he had died, and a door of Jannah will be opened for him into his grave.
Laa ilaaha illaa anta subhaa naka innee kuntu mi nazzaa limeen
forty times in the state of sickness, then if he recovers, all his sins will be forgiven,
but if he dies from it, he will be granted the reward; of a Shaheed
(martyr). (Haakim)
Allah Ta'ala has blessed every Muslim with the priceless gift of Imaan, the key to
our success in this world and the Hereafter. Indeed, true Imaan lies between hope
in the mercy and forgiveness of Allah, and the fear of His anger.
Rasulullah(Sallallaahu alaiyhi wassallam) once visited a young Sahaabi who was
breathing his last, and asked him how he was feeling. He replied, 'O Messenger of
Allah, I am hopeful of the mercy of Allah, and yet I am afraid of my sins.'
Thereupon Rasulullah(Sallallaahu alaiyhi wassallam) said, 'When the heart of a
believer is filled with these two feelings of hope and fear, Almighty Allah fulfils his
hope and saves him from what he fears.' (Ibn Maajah).
The Ulama explain that the fulfilment of expectations promised by Allah in this
Hadith is in its most general sense.
It carries assurance not only in respect of Allah's forgiveness, but also in respect of
our duas, health, wealth and safety.
Sayyidina Ibn Abbaas (R.A.) relates that once some people who had committed
many murders and involved themselves in adultery excessively, came to
Rasulullah(Sallallaahu alaiyhi wassallam) and said, 'O Muhammad! Whatever you
say and invite people to, is very good; but we have committed such serious sins. If
we become Muslim, will our repentance be accepted?'Alllah Ta'ala then revealed
the verse:
'Say, 0 My slaves who have wronged themselves (by committing evil deeds and
sin.)
Do not despair of the mercy of Allah!' (Sahih Bukhaari)
Hadrat Abdullah bin Mas'ood(R.A.) has described the above aayah as the most
hope-inspiring verse of the Qur'aan Shareef.' (Tabaraani)
Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattaab(R.A.) says: Once some prisoners of war were
brought before Rasulullah(Sallallaahu alaiyhi wassallam) Amongst them was a
woman running anxiously here and there in search of her missing child. When she
had found it, she hugged it and began to breastfeed it.
This means that he will be saved from being punished for his sins by virtue of this
kalimah, and that his sins will not be an obstacle to him entering Jannah, Insha-
Allah.
A special trait of the beloved friends of Allah is that they constantly remember
death and the life of the Aakhirah, and prepare for it by performing virtuous
deeds. When death comes to them, they receive it like someone receiving a gift,
as is mentioned in a Hadith: Death is a gift to a Mu'min. (Bayhaqi)
Another Hadith says that the Angel of death, lzraa'eel (Alayhis saaarn) visits
people during the hours of salaah, notices them and keeps track of them. When
the hour of death comes for anyone who had been particular about the timely
performance of salaah, lzraa'eel (Alayhis salaam) prompts him to recite the
kalimah and drives the shaitaan away from him.
On a Monday morning, Imaam Ghazaali (R.A.) who is famous for his book, lhyaa,
made wudhu and performed his Fajr salaah. Then he called for his shroud, kissed
it and put it to his eyes. After this he said, 'With pleasure do I appear before the
King of kings.' Saying this, he lay full length on his back, faced the Qiblah and
passed away into the infinite mercy of Allah Ta'ala.
Amrbin Ubaid (Rahim-mullah) says: When Sheikh Abu Shu'aib Saalih bin Ziyaad
(Rahim-mullah) took ill, I visited him and saw that he was in bed and in the throes
of death. He said to me, 'Happy news! I just saw a stranger with odd looks, and
when I asked him who he was, he replied that he was the Angel of Death. I asked
him to treat me gently, and he replied that he had been commanded to treat me
so.'
When the time drew near for Hadrat S a'd bin Abi Waqqaas(R.A.) to depart from
this world, he said to the people around him, 'Bring me my woollen cloak.' When
it was brought, he saw that it was old and wom out. Hadrat Sa'd(R.A.) said, 'When
I die, shroud me in this cloak, for I was wearing it in the Battle of B adr.'
When the hour of death drew near for Sayyidina Bilaal(R.A.) his wife cried, 'Alas!
Alas! You are departing.' But Bilaal(R.A.) said, 'What a pleasure to die, for
tomorrow we shall meet our beloved ones; Muhammad
(Sallallaahu alaiyhi wassallam) and his Companions!'
When the last hour came for the great Scholar of Hadith, Hadrat Abdullah bin
Mubaarak(R.A.) was smiling and said:
For the like of this, let the doers (of'good) strive. (Qur'aan 37:61)
(He must have glimpsed some of the bounties and joys of Jannah). It is also
reported that when he was at the point of death, he said to his servant Nasr, 'Lay
my head on the ground.' The servant began to cry. The Shaikh asked him, 'What
makes you cry?' He replied, 'It grieves me because you lived in comfort but today
you are dying like a beggar, with your head on the ground!' Hadrat Abdullah said,
'Say no more! For I had made dua to Allah to let me live as a rich man and cause
me to die like the poor.'
When Hadrat Shaikh Junaid Baghdaadi (R.A.) was at the point of death, someone
recited to him the kalimah Laa ilaaha illal laah. He said, 'I have never been
forgetful of this kalimah, so I certainly do not need to be reminded of it at this
hour!' Jariri (Rahimahullah), another pious person, was present when Shaikh
Junaid was in the throes of death and saw that he was reciting aayaat from the
Qur'aan. Someone said to him, '(You are so weak now!) Is this the time to recite
the Qur'aan?' The Shaikh replied, 'What time can be better for recitation of the
Qur'aan than this hour, when my Book of Deeds is about to be closed? (I would
like its last entry to be the aayaat of the Qur'aan Shareef).'
How fortunate indeed were these pious people who experienced death in such
circumstances! May Allah Ta'ala, out of His infinite grace and mercy, grant us
sound health, bless us all with His pleasure, and make the day we meet Him the
happiest occasion in our lives., Aameen.