With The Sick
Tuesday, 01 April 2008
Written by Islamstory
This is a sort of weakness that a lot of common people can suffer from regardless of their age, wealth, or whatever authority they have. There is absolutely no one who hasn't faced a crisis of being sick, someone they love getting sick, death of a close person, or being in great debt, and so on.
Since crises as such are a sort of weakness that usually comes by surprise, therefore the Prophet's mercy usually embraced patients.
Othman ibn-Affan (RA) recaps all this saying, “By Allah! The Messenger of Allah (SAWS) has accompanied us in travels and when we settle. He used to visit the sick among us, follow the biers (the funeral procession) of our dead, participate with us in military expeditions, and console us with (anything be it) little or plenty.”[1]
The Prophet as Othman described him, stood with his companions in all of their crises. Among the most important crises that all humans must face some time, is the crisis of disease. Every time the Prophet (SAWS) heard that someone was sick, he would hurry to look after him at his house. With all his worries and engagements the Prophet (SAWS) felt responsibility towards patients, and never made his visits pretentious or burdensome. Of course he would feel that it is a dear duty, for he was the one who said that visiting patients is among their rights.
The Prophet (SAWS) said, “Five are the rights of a Muslim over his brother; responding to salutation, visiting the sick, following the bier, accepting invitations, and saying Yarhamuk Allah (May Allah be merciful to you) when anybody sneezes and says al-Hamdulillah (Praise be to Allah).”[2]
The Prophet (SAWS) had many intentions behind visiting the patient that are all related to the patient's benefit. The Prophet (SAWS) showed, without any pretences, his sympathy, care, love and mercy. All of which made the patient and his family happy, and consoled the crises of sickness.
Abdullah ibn-Omar (RA) narrated that, “Saad ibn-Obada became sick and the Prophet came to visit him, along with abdur-Rahman ibn-Auf, Saad ibn-abi-Waqqas and Abdullah
ibn-Mas’oud (RA). When he came to him, he found him surrounded by his household[3] so he asked, ‘Has he died?’ They said, ‘No, O Allah's Messenger.’ The Prophet wept and when the people saw the weeping of the Prophet (SAWS) they all wept. He said, ‘Will you listen? Allah does not punish for shedding tears or for the grief of the heart but he punishes or bestows His Mercy[4] because of this.’ He pointed to his tongue.”[5]
One day the Prophet (SAWS) visited a sick Muslim, and found he had grown feeble, like a chicken, out of sickness. The Prophet (SAWS) said, “Did you supplicate for anything or beg anything of Allah?” The man said, ‘Yes. I used to utter (these words), ‘Impose punishment upon me earlier in this world, what Thou art going to impose upon me in the Hereafter.’’ Thereupon the Prophet (SAWS) said, ‘Glorified be Allah, you have neither the power nor forbearance to take upon yourself (the burden of His Punishment). Why did you not say this, ‘O Allah, grant us good in the world and good in the Hereafter, and save us from the torment of Fire.’ He (the Prophet) made this supplication (for him) and he was all right.’”[6]
Out of mercy, the Prophet (SAWS) also used to give good tidings for the sick that they will receive their reward and requital for being sick, which gave ease and content to the sick person.
Ummul-Alaa'[7] said, “The Prophet (SAWS) visited me while I was sick. He said, ‘Be glad, Ummul-Alaa' for Allah removes the sins of a Muslim for his illness as fire removes the dross of gold and silver.’”[8]
Jabir ibn-Abdullah reported that the Prophet (SAWS) visited Ummul-Sa'ib[9] and said, “Ummul-Sa'ib (or ummul-Musayyab), why is it that you are shivering?” She said, ‘It is fever and may it not be blessed by Allah,’ whereupon he (the Prophet (SAWS)) said, ‘Don't curse fever for it expiates the sin of the posterity of Adam just as furnace removes the alloy of iron.’”[10]
During his visit to a patient, the Prophet (SAWS) used to make ruqya[11] and supplicate for him to recover from his illness.
The Prophet's (SAWS) supplications for this matter are numerous and famous, from which Lady Aisha (RA) narrated, that whenever the Prophet (SAWS) paid a visit to a patient, or a patient was brought to him, he used to invoke Allah, saying, “Take away the disease, O Lord of the people! Cure him as You are the One Who cures. There is no cure but Yours, a cure that leaves no disease.”[12]
The Prophet (SAWS) was keen on consoling the patients and protecting them from danger or bigger crises. He showed a lot of rage if someone was strict about a provision with a patient. Jabir ibn-Abdullah narrated, “We set out on a journey. One of our people was hurt by a stone that injured his head. He then had a sexual dream. He asked his fellow travelers, do you find lawful permit for me to perform tayammum[13]? They said, ‘We do not find any permit for you while you can use water.’ He took a bath and died. When we came to the Prophet (SAWS), the incident was reported to him. He said, ‘They killed him, may Allah kill them! Could they not ask when they did not know? The cure of ignorance is inquiry. It was enough for him to perform tayammum and to pour some drops of water or to bind a bandage over the wound (the narrator Musa was doubtful); then he should have wiped over it and washed the rest of his body.’”[14]
The Prophet (SAWS) used to ask medication for his companions, and was lenient in so many matters that people nowadays are strict about. These people don't know about the Prophet (SAWS) or his mercy.
Among incidents that showed his (SAWS) mercy, that he asked Rufayda[15] to nurse Saad ibn-Mua’adh[16] when he was wounded in the battle of al-Ahzab[17] because she was the one most capable of treating him and the Prophet (SAWS) did not feel ashamed of having a woman treat one of the men.
Another incident is when the Prophet (SAWS) requested that Saad ibn-abi-Waqqas[18] (RA) would ask for treatment from al-Hareth ibn-Kelda al-Thaqafei[19] who was a polytheist[20], because he was more capable of treating him than Muslims.
In that manner, the Prophet (SAWS) used to be lenient to a very high extent with patients, and he stood by them during their crises, even more than their own family did.
[1] Ahmad (504). Shu’ayb al-Arna’ut said that it has a good chain of transmission.
[2] Authentic Hadeeth, narrated by al-Bukhary in the Book of “Funerals” no. 1183. Also by Muslim no. 2162, abu-Dawood no. 5030, ibn-Majah no. 1435, Ahmed no. 8378. Narrated by abu-Huraira.
[3] "Surrounded by his household", those who surround him to take care of him. Refer to "Fathul-Bary" by ibn-Hajar, part 3, page 175.
[4] "Punishes" because of saying bad things, "Bestows His mercy" because of saying good things.
[5] Authentic Hadeeth, narrated by al-Bukhary in the book of “Funerals” no. 1242. Also by Muslim no. 924.
[6] Authentic Hadeeth, narrated by Muslim in the book of “Remembrance of Allah, Supplication, Repentance and Seeking Forgiveness” no. 2688, Ahmad no. 12068 and abu-Ya’lei no. 3837.
[7] Ummul-Alaa': She embraced Islam and acknowledged the Prophet (SAWS). She is the mother of Kharja bint-Zayd ibn-Thabet. Usdul-Ghaba, page 382. Al-Isaba wal-Tarjama, 12168.
[8] Abu-Dawood no. 3092. Authenticated by al-Albany. Refer to Hadeeth no. 7851 in Sahih al-Jami'e.
[9] Ummul-Sa'ib is Aleyah bint-Sharih al-Hadramy. She narrated the Prophet's saying of Fever. Some called her Ummul-Musayyib. Al-Isaba wal-Tarjama, 12032. Usdul-Ghaba, part2, page 346.
[10] Authentic Hadeeth, narrated by Muslim in the book of “Virtue, Good Manners and Joining of the Ties of Relationship” no. 2575. Also ibn-Hebban no. 2938 and abu-Ya’lei no. 2083.
[11] Ruqya: Islamic treatment using Qur'an,
[12] Authentic Hadeeth, narrated by al-Bukhary in the book of “Patients” no. 5351. Also by Ahmad no. 25003.
[13] Tayammum: Dry ablution
[14] Abu-Dawood no. 336, ad-Dar Kutnei no. 3, al-Bayhakei no. 1016. Authenticated by al-Albany. Abu-Dawood no. 325.
[15] Rufayda: a woman from Aslam. When Saad ibn-Mu’adh got injured by an arrow during the battle of the trench (al-Khandaq), the Prophet (SAWS) had put him in a tent belonging to Rufayda inside his mosque. She used to nurse the wounded and see to those Muslims who needed care.
[16] Saad ibn-Mu’adh ibn-abdul-Ashhal embraced Islam at Madinah between the first Aqaba and the second, on the hands of Mosa'ab ibn-Umayr. He witnessed battle of Badr, Uhud, and al-Khandaq. He was wounded on the day of al-Khandaq by an arrow and lived for a month then his wound got more serious and killed him. Al-Isaba (translation), 3200. Usdul-Ghaba part 2, page 239.
[17] Tareekh al-Tabarei (History of at-Tabarei) part 2, page 100; Oyounul-Athar part 2, page 103; Biography of Ibn-Hisham part 4, page 198.
[18] His name is Saad ibn-Malek, and he was 17 when he embraced Islam, and he was one of those who were given good tidings about entering paradise, and one of the ten leaders of the companions of the Prophet (SAWS) and an opinion giver, and was known for his supplications being accepted. He died in the year 55 A.H.. Asadu- Ghaba part 2, page 232. Al-Isaba wal-Tarjama, 3190.
[19] Al-Hareth ibn-Kelda ibn-Amr ibn-abu-Alaj al-Thaqafei is the Arab's physician, and one of the most famous and wise men. He came from al-Ta'if and traveled to Persia twice learning medicine from its people. He died in the year 50 A.H., and it is not assured if he had embraced Islam. Al-Isaba wal-Tarjama, 1385. Usdul-Ghaba, part 1, page 437; al-‘Alam by az-Zakalei, part 2 page 157.
[20] Abu-Dawood no. 3875.
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