An experiment with sickness

The one who hears is not like the one who sees.

 Suffering disease is different from reading about it or hearing the moans of sick people upon visiting them. When a person gets sick, he would take a lesson from what he sees and see the divine power over him. Tongues which used to shake pulpits with schooling and lecturing have kept silent and were not able to say anything only humming with intensive effort, and the hands which used to hold things powerfully have become heavy.

The sick person looked at himself helpless without being able of speaking.

He felt pity for himself because how long he did not appreciate the kindness of Allah. His health troubles were only light and short, after a while, he woke up to benefit from his case. So, the first thing that jumped into his mind was the weakness of his body which is an inherent quality of man no matter the factors of strength, health, and power he has. Does not he see that Allah's Saying: "and man was created weak (cannot be patient to leave sexual intercourse with woman)." [Surat An-Nisa': 28] is completely applicable to him? He pondered again over himself as his Lord commanded: "And on the earth are signs for those who have Faith with certainty, * And also in your ownselves. Will you not then see?" [Surat Az-Zariyat: 20 - 21].

Indeed, he has seen the power of Allah and his weakness and was sure of that fact then he could not say but: "Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose, glory to You! (Exalted be You above all that they associate with You as partners). Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire." [Surat Al `Imran: 191].

He knew all these because he studied the Qur'an and the Sunnah and examined the conditions of people, but today he is inside the state of sickness which turns speech to reality and theory to application; how truthful is the Creator (may He be Glorified and Exalted) when He said: "We will show them Our Signs in the universe, and in their ownselves, until it becomes manifest to them that this (the Quran) is the truth." [Surat Fussilat: 53].

The sick person knew all these things and used to teach them to the people but today he is a student who learns by certainty because he bypassed the stage of learning from books to see things with his naked eye. He realized how weak he is and how powerful and wise Allah is!

He woke from his inattentiveness and knew that his sickness is a chance to reduce his sins and draw nearer to the worshipped, so he entered the garden of the Sunnah to read: "A Muslim, male or female, continues to remain under trial in respect of his life, property and offspring until he faces Allah, the Exalted, with no sin record." [Reported by At-Tirmidhy].

"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." [Reported by Al Bukhari and Muslim].

"When a Muslim falls ill, his compensation is that his minor sins are obliterated just as leaves fall (in autumn)." [Reported by Al Bukhari and Muslim].

Jabir ibn `Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) visited Umm Sa'ib (or Umm Al Musayyab) and asked her: "What ails you O Umm Sa'ib (or Umm Al Musayyab)? You are shivering.'' She replied: "It is a fever, may Allah not bless it!'' He said to her: "Do not revile fever, for it cleanses out the sins of the sons of Adam in the same way that a furnace removes the dirt of iron.'' [Reported by Muslim]

From now on, leave people apart and take Allah as a companion; when shall you become remarkable if you are not remarkable today?

When you shall beseech your lord if you do not stand at His Door to seek His Forgiveness and complain about your weakness?

Do not you find pleasure in invoking Him in the middle of the night? It is a pleasure that is not known but to the people who tested pain and sickness, and showed sincerity, truthfulness, and humbleness to the Creator and modesty to the people. You should blame yourself and accuse it of bad-manners with Allah and rushing easiness after a normal affliction. Has not the person who complains watched hardships go or easiness comes after it?!

Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "Allah will grant after hardship, ease." [Surat At-Talaq: 7].

It is as if this Divine Promise did not comfort some troubled souls despite its faith and certainty, therefore Allah comforted them more by His Saying: "So verily, with the hardship, there is relief, * So verily, with the hardship, there is relief," [Surat Ash-Sharh: 4 - 5].

Easiness does not come after hardship but by the favor of Allah it comes with it, but the weak rushing eye does not catch it. Then the soul of the sick person got comfort and engaged in Adhkar, thinking about the time elapsed, and the future which he does not know whether it will be full of goodness or not. What is the worth of all pleasures he has seen in the world against the pain of death?

The Ayahs of the Qur'an come to remind the sick person of: "My wealth has not availed me, * My power and arguments (to defend myself) have gone from me!" [Surat Al Haqqah: 28 - 29].

And perhaps the rest of the Ayah does not apply to the person who is truthful in his love to Allah and the one who neglects the right of himself, Allah says: "For the like of this let the workers work." [Surat As-Saffat: 61].

"Lest a person should say: Alas, my grief that I was undutiful to Allah (i.e. I have not done what Allah has ordered me to do), and I was indeed among those who mocked [at the truth! i.e. La ilaha ill-Allah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah), the Quran, and Muhammad SAW and at the faithful believers, etc.]" [Surat Az-Zumar: 56].

If there is no benefit of sickness but this sincere and submissive returning to Allah, it will be enough. He is now sure of Allah's Promise more than the skillful doctor who will cure him. What will happen if that person gets recovered of his sickness with an ample credit of sincere faith or leaves the world while he is repentant and thinks well of Allah after he had seen the truth with his own eyes and knew his little status.

"And (remember) Ayub (Job), when he cried to his Lord: Verily, distress has seized me, and You are the Most Merciful of all those who show mercy." [Surat Al Anbiya': 83].

"And (remember) Dhan-Nun (Jonah), when he went off in anger, and imagined that We shall not punish him (i.e. the calamites which had befallen him)! But he cried through the darkness (saying): La ilaha illa Anta [none has the right to be worshipped but You (O Allah)], Glorified (and Exalted) are You [above all that (evil) they associate with You]. Truly, I have been of the wrong-doers." [Surat Al Anbiya': 87].

"O the Ever-Living, the self-Subsisting, to Your Mercy do I appeal."

You shall say to your Lord: If you are not upset with me, there is nothing I should care for, but Your Pardon is ample for me.

The sick person can benefit also from the invocations of his Muslim brothers who entertain him, and I wish also they would remember him in their Salah, for perhaps he had mentioned them in his Salah even once.