Manners of visiting the sick (2)

Pictures from the life of the Predecessors

Guard Allah's favors to you: It was reported that one of the righteous had reached 70 years of age and his bodily organs were sound, and when he was asked about that, he said: We accustomed these bodily organs in young age to obey Allah, consequentially Allah preserved them for us in old age.

Patience is one of the traits of the pious:

Al Hasan reported on the authority of `Imran ibn Husayn that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) prohibited cauterization. `Imran said: We cauterized but cauterization did not benefit us nor proved useful for us. He used to hear the salutation of the angels during his sickness, but when he cauterized, salutation stopped then he heard it again. He had abdominal dropsy for many years while he was observing patience, his stomach was opened and fat was taken out of him, and the bed was pierced [for his defecation] and he remained on it for thirty years. A man came to him and said: O Abu Nujayd, by Allah I hate to visit you in this case. He said: O my nephew, do not sit. By Allah, the things which Allah loves for me is the dearest to me. [Usd Al Ghabah (1 / 869)].

Many narrators mentioned that when `Urwah ibn Az-Zubayr left Medina heading to Damascus to meet Al Walid, gangrene started to spread in his leg in a valley near Medina. He thought it will not affect his leg, so he continued to his destination. When he reached Damascus, gangrene had spread in half of his leg. Then he came to Al Walid who assembled all good doctors who can cure his disease, and they made up their minds to cut it off, otherwise it will reach his hip or it may spread in his entire body; so, he satisfied with cutting it off. They said to him: Shall we give you something to numb your body so that you would not feel the pain of cutting? He said: No, by Allah, I did not imagine that a person would drink or eat something to take away his mind, but if you have to do it, cut it while I am praying, for I do not feel anything [from the outer world] during Salah. He said: So, they cut his leg from above the infected part so that nothing of its effect will remain while he was offering Salah without feeling pain or screaming. When he finished Salah, Al Walid consoled him for his leg, but he said: O Allah, Praise be to You! I had four limbs, and You have taken one but left me the rest. And if You have afflicted, long time you made me sound, so praise be to You for what You have taken and what You have left. He said: He accompanied along with him some of his children including his son Muhammad who was more beloved to him. He entered the pen and a horse kicked him until he died. People came to console him and he said: Praise be to Allah, I have seven children and you took one and left six. So, if You have afflicted, long time you made me sound. And if You have taken, long time You kept. When he had fulfilled his needs from Damascus, he returned to Medina. He (the narrator) said: We have not heard him mentioning his leg or his son thereafter or complained to anyone until he reached the valley of Al Qura. When he was in the place where gangrene hit him, he said: "truly, we have suffered much fatigue in this, our journey." [Surat Al Kahf: 62].

When he entered Medina, people came to welcome him and console him for his leg and son. He heard that some people said: He only was afflicted because of a major sin he committed. So, `Urwah said the following verses:

By Allah, I did not put my hand on something doubtful or my leg walked to a fornication.

My hearing and sight did not lead me to it or even my mind and reason.

As long as I still alive, I shall not walk to a deniable matter because such a [pious] person does not go to these deniable matters.

I never preferred myself to one of my relatives and I always prefer my guests to my family.

I know that I have not been afflicted with a trial but it hit someone before me. [Al Bidayah wan-Nihayah (9/120)].