islamlover49
Junior Member
The purpose of human existence is affliction and trial. Allah says;
"..Who created death and life that He might try which of you is fairest in works, and He is the All mighty and the All forgiving." (67:1)
Man's life is but a series of afflictions, either be they painful or joyful. Allah says;
"We try you with evil and good for a testing, and unto Us you shall be returned." (21:35)
1. Contracting a disease is a Allah’s decreed act, and should be accepted by the Muslim as any other acts of fate, either be they good or evil. Allah says;
“..yet give thou good tidings unto the patients who, when visited by an affliction, say, 'Surely we belong to Allah, and to Him we return.'" ( 2:156)
2. Disease can be expiation for sins committed in life. Allah says;
"Whatever good visits thee, it is of Allah; whatever evil visits thee is of thyself." (4:79) But the Moslem should not consider disease as a revenge from Allah for his sins, he should rather accept it as purification in life to meet Allah while He is pleased with him. Allah's mercy is larger than His anger. Allah says;
"My chastisement- I smite with whom I will; and My mercy embraces all." (7:156)
On the authority of Abu Huraira, who said, the Prophet (r) 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 Allah expiates some of his sins for that." But forgiveness and expiation of sins are subject to the Muslim's patience, his hope of being rewarded in the Hereafter and the way he accepts disease. Therefore, the Prophet (r) advised the Muslim patient to have patience and hope for reward in the Hereafter.
3. Affliction with disease can be a means to enhance theMuslim's degree at the sight of Allah.
On the authority of Al Selmi who said, the Prophet (r) said; "If the Muslim was predestined a degree by Allah, up to which his work did not match, Allah would afflict him in his body, money or children and would make him forbear all these until he reaches the degree which Allah has predestined to him." To assure that the disease is not to be taken as wrath sent from Allah upon the Muslim, nor necessarily an expiation of sins, the Prophet (r) himself suffered so much of the severity of disease, though Allah had forgiven him his former and latter sins. The Lady Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated; "I never saw anybody suffering so much from sickness as Allah's Apostle." On the authority of Abdullah who said; "I visited the Prophet (r) during his ailments, and he was suffering from a high fever. I said, 'O, Messenger of Allah! You have a high fever. Is it because you will have a double reward for it?' He (r) said, 'Yes, it is so'."
4. Enhancing the Muslim's degree or expiating his sins depends upon the Moslem's behaviour during the experiment of affliction. If he is content, patient and seeking the reward from Allah, he will be successful in this test. But if he fails to accept it, or receives it with anger and uneasiness, it will be a cause of Allah's wrath over him instead of being a means for His gratification. It was narrated by Al Tirmizi, on the authority of Saad, who said, the Prophet (r) said; "Of the good fortune of the son of Adam is to be pleased with what Allah has decreed upon him, and of the misery of the son of Adam is to be annoyed with what Allah has decreed upon him." It was also narrated by Ahmed, on the authority of Mahmoud Bin Labid, who said, the Prophet (r) said; "When Allah loves some people, He will afflict them, and whosoever is patient, the reward of patience is his, but whosoever feels uneasy, the consequence of uneasiness is his."
5. Whether the affliction of disease is decreed to expiate sins or enhance man's degree, the diseased, during his sickness, becomes very close to Allah. It was narrated by Al Tirmizi and Ibn Abul Donia, on the authority of Ibn Abbas, that the Prophet (r) said; "The supplication of the patient will not be returned until he recovers." Al Tirmizi and Ibn Maga narrated, on the authority of Omar Ibn Al Khatab, that the Prophet (r) said; "When you visit a patient, ask him to pray for you, as his praying is like that of the angels." Al Tabarani narrated on the authority of Anas that the Prophet (r) said; "Visit patients and ask them to pray for you, as the patient's prayer is accepted and his sins are pardoned." It was narrated in the books of Tradition that Allah says; "O! my slave, good health brings together you and yourself, but disease brings Me and you together."
6. Of Allah's grace upon the Muslim patient, in the state of his illness, is that Allah recompenses him of what he has missed of good deeds due to his illness. It was narrated by Al Bukhari, Ahmed and Abu Dawood, on the authority of Abu Mousa, that the Prophet (r) said; "If the Moslem gets sick or is at travels, Allah decrees to him of the reward as much as he will get if he is healthy and domiciled." This Prophet (r) thus ensures that Allah's gratification and mercy are much more better in the Moslem’s asset of rewards than he could offer of good deeds. On the authority of Abu Huraira, who said that he heard the Prophet (r) saying; ‘None would enter paradise through his work.’ They asked; 'Not even you, Allah's Apostle?’ The Prophet (r) replied; 'No! Not even me, unless Allah encompasses me with his grace and merit'.
7. The fact that sickness is an approach to Allah, an expiation of sins and an enhancement of the Muslim's degrees should not mean that the Muslim, who loves good health and hates disease, will surrender himself to his disease and neglect the treatment. It was narrated by Muslim, on the authority of Abdullah Bin Omar, who said; "The Prophet (r) used to pray: 'O my Lord! I seek refuge with you of the vanishing of Your benefaction, the reverse of good health granted by You and the abrupt descent of Your retribution and all of Your wrath.'" It is a matter of fact that disease is Allah's decree, but as in any other experiment of affliction encountered by man, worldly means, which are provided by Allah, should be adopted
Source: islamic medicine forum