Friday 23 November 2012
Tuesday 6 November 2012
Sickness and expiation of sins
Source: http://www.ymsite.com/books/fiqhussunnah/fus4_59.html
There are many hadith which explain that sickness expiates evil deeds and wipes out sins. Of these, some are given below:
Abu Hurairah narrates that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "When Allah wants to be good to someone, He tries him with some hardship."
Abu Hurairah also reports that Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him, said: "For every misfortune, illness, anxiety, grief, or hurt that afflicts a Muslim -even the hurt caused by the pricking of a thorn - Allah removes some of his sins." Ibn Mas'ud said: "I visited the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, while he had a fever. I exclaimed: 'O Messenger of Allah! You have a high fever! ' He said: 'My fever is as much as two among you [might have]. ' I asked: 'Is it because you have a double reward?' He replied: 'Yes, that is right. No Muslim is afflicted with any hurt, even if it is no more than the pricking of a thorn, but Allah wipes off his sins because of it and his sins fall away from him as leaves fall from a tree'."
Abu Hurairah said: "The Prophet, peace be upon him, remarked: 'The example of a believer is like a fresh tender plant; from whichever direction the wind blows, it bends the plant. But when the wind dies down, it straightens up again. (Similarly a believer is tested by afflictions to strengthen his faith and heart, and he remains patient and firm). And an evil person is like a pine tree which remains hard and stiff until Allah breaks it whenever He wills."
Volume 4, Page 1a: Patience During IllnessAnyone suffering from an illness should remain patient, for there is no reward better or more enriching than that reserved for those who endure in patience.
Suhaib ibn Sinan narrated that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "How remarkable is the case of the believer! There is good for him in everything, but this is not the case for anyone except for the believer. When the believer receives any good, he is thankful to Allah, and gets a reward. And when some misfortune befalls him, he endures it patiently, for which he is (also) rewarded."
Anas narrates: "I heard the Prophet, peace be upon him, saying: 'Allah says: "When I afflict a servant of mine with respect to his two most beloved things (meaning his eyes), and he endures it patiently, I grant him paradise in return'."
'Ata ibn Rabah related that he heard Ibn 'Abbas say: "Shall I show you a woman of Paradise?"I said: "Yes, indeed." He said: "A black woman came to the Prophet, peace be upon him, and said: 'I suffer from epileptic fits, and because of these, (at times) my body becomes uncovered. Would you invoke Allah, the Exalted One, to cure me of this disease? ' The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: 'If you wish, you can be patient and you will attain Paradise (for this suffering). But if you prefer, I will pray to Allah, the Exalted, to cure you of it?' The woman said: 'I will be patient,' then added: 'I become uncovered (when I have fits), so invoke Allah for me that I do not become uncovered. ' So the Prophet, peace be upon him, prayed for her."
Volume 4, Page 2: To Complain of One's IllnessIt is permitted for a patient to complain of his pain and illness to a physician or a friend, provided he does not do so to express his or her anger or impatience. It was mentioned earlier that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "My fever is as severe as that of any two of you." Once 'Aisha complained to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, about her headache, lamenting: "O my head." He retorted: "Nay, rather (I should say) O my head!" Likewise it is reported that 'Abdullah ibn Al-Zubair asked his ailing mother, Asma bint Abi Bakr, "How are you feeling now?" She replied: "I am in pain."
A patient should thank and praise Allah, before talking about his distress and complaint
Ibn Mas'ud said: "If one thanks Allah before complaining about his pain or disease, then it is not considered impatience. Indeed, to refer one's complaint to Allah, is quite lawful." Jacob (the prophet), said: "I complain of my distraction and anguish only to Allah." The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, himself prayed: "O Allah! to You I complain of my weakness."
Volume 4, Page 2a: A Sick Person is Rewarded for All the Good Deeds that He Would (usually) Perform in a State of HealthAbu Musa al-Ash'ari reports that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "If a servant (of Allah) falls sick or goes on a journey, he (continues to be) rewarded for the good deeds that he used to do when he was healthy or at home."
Volume 4, Page 3: Visiting the SickIt is Islamic etiquette to visit a sick Muslim, to provide him moral support, and to make sure that he or she is well taken care of.
Ibn 'Abbas said: "The first visit to a sick person is sunnah, while any subsequent visit is a voluntary act (a good deed)." Abu Musa reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "Feed the hungry, visit the sick, and free the captives."
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "A Muslim has six obligations to another Muslim." "What are these?" they asked. He replied: "To greet another Muslim when you meet him; to respond when he invites you; to give him your (sincerest) advice when he seeks it; to say 'may Allah have mercy upon you' when he sneezes and says ' may Allah be praised '; to visit him when he falls ill; and when he dies, to attend his funeral."
Volume 4, Page 3a: Reward for Visiting the SickAbu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "A caller from heaven calls out to the person who visits a sick person, 'You are good and your path is good. May you enter your residence in Paradise'."
Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "Verily, Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, will say on the Day of Judgement: 'O Son of Adam! I fell ill, but you did not visit Me.' The human will ask, 'O my Sustainer! How could I visit You when You are the Sustainer of the Worlds? And how can You fall sick?' He, the Almighty, will say, 'Did you not know that such and such a servant of Mine was sick. But you did not visit him. Did you not know that, had you visited him, you would have found Me by his side? O Son of Adam! I asked you for food, but you fed Me not?' The man will say, 'O my Sustainer! How could I feed You when You are the Sustainer of the Worlds? And You are free from hunger?' He, the Almighty, will say: 'Such and such a servant of Mine asked you for food, but you refused to give him any. Did you not know that, had you fed him, you would have found it recorded here with Me? O Son of Adam! I asked you for a drink, but you did not give Me any.' The man will say, 'O my Sustainer! How could I give You a drink while You are the Sustainer of the Worlds and are free from thirst?' He, the Almighty will say, ' Such and such a servant of Mine asked you for a drink, but you did not give him any. Had you given him a drink, you would have surely found that recorded with Me."'
Thawban reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "Verily, when a Muslim visits his sick Muslim brother, he is, as it were, in one of the gardens of Paradise (enjoying its ripe fruits) until he returns to his home."
Ali said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, saying: 'When a Muslim visits a sick Muslim in the morning, seventy thousand angels pray for him, and they continue praying for him until that evening. When one visits the sick in the evening, the angels pray for him and continue praying for him until the next morning. Moreover, he will be rewarded with the choicest fruits of Paradise."
Volume 4, Page 4: Etiquette of Visiting the SickIt is recommended that the visitor pray for the recovery and health of the patient and that he should urge him to endure his trouble patiently. He should say nice words to cheer him up and keep his spirits high. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "When you visit a sick person, give him hope for a long life. This will not avert anything, but will please the patient and give him comfort." When the Prophet, peace be upon him, visited a sick person he used to say to him: "Do not worry! It is a means of cleansing (you) of sins, Allah willing."
It is preferred to shorten the visits and to make them less frequent as far as possible, lest they should become burdensome for the patient, except when the patient himself desires longer and more frequent visits.
Volume 4, Page 4a: Women Visiting (Sick) MenBukhari reports: "Umm ad-Darda went to visit one of the Ansar who used to come to the mosque.'' It is narrated from 'Aishah that she said: "When the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, migrated to Madinah, both Abu Bakr and Bilal fell sick. So I went to see them, and I said: 'O dear father! How are you (now)?' And, 'O Bilal! How are you now?' She (further) said: 'When Abu Bakr had high fever he would recite:
Every man is amongst his family, yet death is nearer to him than his shoe laces.
And when Bilal recovered from fever, he would recite: Would that I could stay overnight in a valley wherein I should be surrounded by izhkhir and jalil (kinds of fragrant grass). Would that one day I could drink of the water of Majinna, and would that (the two mountains) Shama and Tafil would appear to me.
'Aishah added: "Then I went to Allah's Messenger and told him about it, whereupon the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: 'O Allah! Bestow on us the love of Madinah as we love Makkah, or even more than that. O Allah ! Make it healthy and bless its sa' and mudd (measures of food) for us, and divert its fever to (the place called) al-Juhfah."
Volume 4, Page 5: Muslim Visiting a Non-Muslim PatientIt is permissible for a Muslim to visit a sick non-Muslim person. In the chapter, "Visiting a Sick Polytheist," Bukhari says: It is narrated on the authority of Anas that "a Jewish boy, who used to serve the Prophet, peace be upon him, once fell ill. The Prophet, peace be upon him, visited him and invited him to Islam, saying: 'Submit to Allah's will.' So he accepted Islam." Similarly Bukhari narrates from Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab that he reported from his father that "when Abu Talib (the Prophet's uncle and an idolater) was on his deathbed, the Prophet, peace be upon him, visited him."
Volume 4, Page 5a: Visiting an Eye PatientAbu Daw'ud narrates that Zaid bin al-Arqam said: "I suffered from an eye disease and the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, came to visit me."
Volume 4, Page 5b: Asking the Sick for a PrayerIbn Majah narrates on the authority of Umar that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "When you visit a sick person, ask him to pray for you. Indeed, the prayer of a sick person is like the prayer of angels." According to the author of Az-Zawa' id, the chain of narrators of this hadith is broken, yet it is sound and trustworthy, because otherwise it is authentic and narrators are trustworthy.
Volume 4, Page 5c: Seeking Medical TreatmentThere are many hadith which encourage the Muslims to seek medical treatment.
Usamah ibn Shuraik narrated: "I came to the Prophet, peace be upon him, and found him with his companions. They were calm and serene as if there were birds over their heads. I greeted them and sat down. Then some bedouins came from various places. They askezhim: 'O Allah's Messenger! Should we seek medical treatment for our illnesses?' He replied: 'Yes, you should seek medical treatment, because Allah, the Exalted, has let no disease exist without providing for its cure, except for one ailment, namely, old age'." (Reported by Ahmad and the six sunnan. Tirmizhi considers it a sound hadith.)
Anas ibn Mas'ud reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "Verily, Allah has not let any malady occur without providing its remedy.
Therefore seek medical treatment for your illnesses.'' ( Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, and al-Hakim.)
Jabir narrated that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "There is a cure for every disease. Whenever an illness is treated with its right remedy, it will, by Allah's permission, be cured." (Muslim)
Volume 4, Page 6: Using Prohibited Things As MedicineThe majority of scholars hold that the use of wine and other prohibited things as medicine, is unlawful. They base their arguments on the following hadith:
Wa'il ibn Hujr al-Hadrami reported that, "Tariq ibn Suwaid asked the Prophet, peace be upon him, if he could use liquor as medicine. The Prophet replied: 'It is not a cure, but a disease'.'' (Muslim, Abu Daw'ud, and Tirmizhi.)
Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet, peace be upon him, reports that he once said: "Allah has not placed a cure for your diseases in things that He has forbidden for you.'' (Reported by Baihaqi; Ibn Hibban considers this hadith to be sound.Bukhari has also related it on the authority of Ibn Mas'ud.)
Abu ad-Darda reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "Allah has sent down both the malady and its remedy. For every disease He has created a cure. So seek medical treatment, but never with something the use of which Allah has prohibited.'' (Reported by Abu Daw'ud. Among the natrators of this hadith we find Isma'il ibn 'Aiyash, who is considered trustworthy by the Syrians, but regarded as a weak narrator by the scholars of Hijaz.)
Abu Hurairah narrated: "The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, prohibited the use of a harmful medicine, namely, poison."(Ahmad, Muslim, Tirmizhi, and Ibn Majah.)
Using a few, unnoticeable drops that cannot induce intoxication, is not prohibited, provided they are a part of a compound medicine. For example, the use of a small amount of pure natural silk in a woven fabric, as explained in al-Manar.
Volume 4, Page 6a: Treatment by a non-Muslim PhysicianIn his book, Al-Adab ash-Shar'iah, Ibn Muflih writes that Shaikh Taqiyyuddin Ibn Taymiyyah said: "A credible Jew or Christian who has medical expertise may treat a sick Muslim. Such a person may, likewise, be entrusted with funds or other financial transactions, for Allah, the Exalted, says: 'Among the People of the Book are some who, if entrusted with a hoard of gold, will (readily) pay it back; others, who, if entrusted with a single silver coin, will not repay it unless you constantly stand over them demanding it'.'' (Qur'an 3.75)
We find in a sound hadith that the Prophet, peace be upon him, hired a polytheist as a guide at the time of his migration to Madinah, so he entrusted him with his life and money. The people of the tribe of Khuza'ah, who were both Muslims and non-Muslims, acted as scouts for the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. It is also reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, ordered Muslims to seek treatment from Al-Harith ibn Kaldah, who was a disbeliever. But when a Muslim physician with the expertise is available, one should seek his or her treatment and not turn to anyone else. The same applies when one has to entrust a person with funds or deal with him in business. If a Muslim has to confide in or turn to someone from the people of the Book for medical treatment, he may do so. It is not prohibited to befriend Jews and Christians. And when the Muslim has an opportunity to talk to them, he should address them in ways that are polite and sincere. Indeed, Allah, the Exalted, says: "And do not argue with the people of the Book, except in ways that are best." Qur'an 29.46
In a hadith on the Treaty of Hudaibiyah, Abu Al-Khattab tells us that "the Prophet, peace be upon him, sent a man of the Khuza'ah tribe to gather intelligence, and the Prophet, peace be upon him, accepted his report despite the fact that he was a disbeliever." This proves, according to Abu Al-Khattab, that it is quite permissible to take the advice of a non-believing physician for diagnosis and treatment, provided he is not suspect and his fidelity is not doubtful."
Volume 4, Page 7: Permission for a Woman to Seek Medical Treatment from MenIn cases of necessity, it is permissible for a man to treat a woman, and for a woman to treat a man. Bukhari reports from Rubayyie' bint Mu'awwizh ibn 'Afra that she said: "We participated in battles with the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and we (women) provided the people with water, looked after them, and brought the wounded and the dead back to Madinah." (Bukhari, Chapter on "Can a Man Treat a Woman, or a Woman a Man?")
In his book, Al-Fath, Al-Hafiz writes: "When necessary, it is permissible to treat strangers with whom one is not related or not consanguine. Therefore, looking at, probing, and touching, etc., in such cases are also allowed."
In Al-Adab al-Shar'iah Ibn Muflih writes: "If a woman is sick and no female doctor is available, a male doctor may treat her. In such a case the doctor is permitted to examine her, including her genitals. The same applies to a male doctor treating a sick man. Ibn Hamdan says: "If a man is sick and there is no male doctor available to treat him, then he may be treated by a female doctor. She is permitted to examine him, including his genitals." AlQadi writes: "A physician is permitted to look at a woman and her private parts in case of necessity. Likewise, if need be, a woman or a man is permitted to look at the private parts of a man."
Volume 4, Page 8: Use of Incantation and Supplications in the TreatmentThe use of incantation and supplications is allowed for treatment, provided their content is the remembrance of Allah and they are written in a comprehensible language. Otherwise their content might well contain something polytheistic without one being aware of it. 'Awf ibn Malik reported: "We practiced incantation in the pre-lslamic days so we asked the Messenger of Allah, 'What is your opinion about it?' He said: 'Let me see your incantations.
There is nothing wrong with the incantation that does not contain any polytheistic statements'." (Muslim and Abu Daw-ud)
Ar-Rabi ' says: "I asked Ash-Shafi ' i about incantation. He replied: 'There is nothing wrong in using the Qur'an for incantation or any other words that contain Allah's remembrance.' Then I asked him: 'Is it permissible for Muslims to approach the Christians and the Jews for incantation? ' Ash-Shafi'i replied: 'Yes, provided they use the revelation from Allah and words that contain His remembrance'."
Volume 4, Page 8a: Some Supplications Found in Hadith'Aishah reports that the Prophet, peace be upon him, used to seek refuge in Allah for some of his family members. He used to touch them with his right hand, saying: Allahahuma Rabbin nas azhhabal ba'sa, ashfi wa antashafi, la shifa' illa shifa'uka shifa' la yughadiru saqma "O Allah! The Sustainer of mankind! Remove the illness, cure the disease. You are the One Who cures. There is no cure except Your cure. Grant (us) a cure that leaves no illness." (Bukhari and Muslim)
'Uthman ibn Abu Al-'As relates that "once he complained of pain in his body to Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: 'Put your hand where you feel pain in your body and say, "Bismillah (in the name of Allah)," and say, "A 'uzhu bi 'izzatillah wa qudratihi min sharri ma ajidu wa uhazhiru (I seek refuge in the might of Allah and in His Power from the evil that I find and that I fear)," seven times'." 'Uthman continued: "I did that a few times and Allah removed my pain. I always advised my family and others to do the same." (Muslim)
Muhammad ibn Salim reported: "Thabit Al-Banani said to me: 'O Muhammad ! When you have any pain, put your hand where you feel pain, then say: Bismallaha'uzhu bi'izatillah min shari ma ajidu min waj'i hazha
"In the Name of Allah! I seek refuge in Allah's might from the evil of this pain. " Then remove your hand, and repeat the same for an odd number of times. Then he said to me that Anas ibn Malik had told him that Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him, had taught this to him." (Tirmizhi)
'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "When someone visits a sick person whose time of death has not come, and says seven times: As'alu Allah al 'azim Rabbil 'arshil azim an yshfiaka 'I ask Allah, the Mighty, the Lord of the mighty throne, to cure you,'Allah will cure him of that illness." (Reported by Abu Daw'ud and Tirmizhi, who says it is a hasan (good) hadith. Al-Hakim says that it is sound according to Bukhari's criteria)
'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas also narrates that "the Prophet, peace be upon him, used to seek protection for Al-Hasan and Al-Hussain (his grandsons) with the words: A'uzhukuma bi kalamatillahi tamah min kulli shaitanin wa hamatin wa min kulli 'ainin lamatin 'I seek protection for you with Allah's perfect words from every satan and crawling creature and every evil eye.' He also added: 'Your father (Ibrahim) sought protection for Ismai'l and Ishaq with these same words'." (Bukhari)
Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas reports that "the Prophet, peace be upon him, visited him while he was sick and said: 'O Allah, make Sa'd well! O Allah, make Sa'd well! Make Sa'd well!"' (Muslim)
Volume 4, Page 9: Prohibition of Using AmuletsThe Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, prohibited the use of amulets. 'Uqbah ibn 'Amir narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "If anyone wears an amulet, may Allah not help him in fulfilling his wish. If anyone wears a sea-shell around his neck, may Allah give him no peace." (Narrated by Ahmad and Al-Hakim who consider it a sound hadith)
An amulet (tamimah) is a string of shells or beads that the Arabs used to put around their children ' s necks, believing that it would protect them from the evil eye. Islam abolished this superstitious practice. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, prayed against those who wore an amulet out of superstitious belief.
It is reported from Ibn Mas'ud that "once, when he entered his home, he noticed his wife wearing a knotted object round her neck. He took it away and broke it. Then he remarked: 'The family of 'Abdullah has become so arrogant that they now associate with Allah those for whom He has sent down no authority.' Then, he added: 'I have heard the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, saying: 'Verily, incantations, amulets, and love charms are acts of shirk (associating false gods with Allah).' The people said: 'O Abu Abdullah! We are familiar with incantations and amulets, but what is a love charm (altawlah)'?'He replied: 'It is a sort of magical formula by which women sought to gain their husbands' love'." (Related by Al-Hakim and Ibn Hibban, and both consider it a sahih hadith) 'Imran ibn Hasin reports that "the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, saw a man wearing a bracelet of copper on his arm. The Prophet, peace be upon him, exclaimed to him: 'Woe be to you' What is this? ' The man replied: 'I am suffering from weakness (al-wahinah).' (Al-wahinah is a disease that causes pain in the shoulders and hands. The man was wearing a copper bracelet believing it would relieve his pain and suffering. The Prophet, peace be upon him, prohibited him from wearing it because he regarded it as an amulet) The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: 'It will give you nothing but pain. Throw it away. Had you died while wearing it, you would never have achieved salvation'." (Narrated by Ahmad) 'Isa ibn Hamza said: "I went to see 'Abdullah ibn Hakim and his face was red due to high fever. I said to him: 'Why don't you use an amulet?' He said: 'We seek refuge with Allah from it. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "Whoever wears anything as an amulet will be entrusted to it"."' (Abu Daw'ud)
Volume 4, Page 10: Pendants with Words from the Qur'an or Hadith'Amr ibn Shu'aib relates from his father and from his grandfather, 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn Al-'Aas, that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "If one of you is frightened while sleeping, one should say: A'uzhu billah min hamazatish shayatin wa an yahdrun ' I seek refuge in Allah's perfect words from His anger, His chastisement, from the evil of His creatures, and from the suggestions and approach of devils.' Then one will never be harmed." 'Amr ibn Shu'aib related further that 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr "used to teach this prayer to his older sons who could comprehend and memorize. For those who were not able to do so, he wrote these words down, wrapped them as pendants, and made them wear these around their necks." (Narrated by Abu Daw'ud, Nasa'i, and Tirmihi, who says it is an acceptable but unknown hadith. Al-Hakim says it is sound)
'Aishah, Malik, and most of the scholars of the schools of Ash-Shafi'i and Ahmad ibn Hanbal also subscribe to this view. Nevertheless Ibn 'Abbas, Ibn Mas'ud, scholars of the Hanafi school, and some scholars of the Ash-Shafi'i and Hanbali schools, according to one study, are of the opinion that it is not permissible for a person to wear anything as an amulet in the light of the above mentioned general prohibition regarding amulets.
Volume 4, Page 11: Prohibition of Someone with a Contagious Disease Living Among the HealthyAnyone with a contagious disease may be prohibited from living among healthy people. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "A sick person must not be brought among the healthy." The Prophet, peace be upon him, prohibited the owner of sick camels from mixing them with the healthy ones of another owner, even though he also stated: "No contagious disease is transmitted without Allah's permission, nor is there any bad omen." It is also reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, accepted the oath of allegiance from a leper from outside Madinah and did not permit him to enter the city.
Volume 4, Page 11a: Prohibition of Entering Or Leaving a Plague-Stricken AreaThe Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, forbade people to leave or enter a land where there is a plague, in order to check the spread of the contagious disease and confine it to a limited area. In medical terminology this is known as "quarantine." Usamah ibn Zaid said: "The Prophet, peace be upon him, remarked in reference to the plague, 'It is a remnant of the chastisement inflicted upon the Israelites. If a plague breaks out in a place where you are, do not leave that place, and when you hear of its spread in another place, do not go there." (Narrated by Tirmizhi, who considers it a sound hadith)
Ibn 'Abbas reports: "'Umar ibn al-Khattab went to Al-Sham (Syria). When he reached Sargh, the army commanders, Abu Obaidah ibn al-Jarrah, and others received him. They informed him that a plague had broken out in Al-Sham."Ibn Abbas continued, "'Umar assembled the leaders from among the Muhajirin and sought their opinions. They offered conflicting opinions. Some said: 'We have come for a certain objective, and so we should not turn back from it.' Others said: 'With you are others, including some companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. We do not believe that you should expose them to this plague.' 'Umar said: 'You may leave.'Then he gathered together the Ansar and asked their opinion. They were unanimous in their advice to him. They said: 'We believe that you should return with the people and you should not expose them to the plague.' Then 'Umar addressed the people, announced that he was going back the next morning, and asked them to be prepared to leave in the morning. ' At this Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah said: 'O 'Umar! Are you running away from the decree of Allah!' 'Umar replied: 'O Abu Ubaidah! I wish someone else had said this. Yes, we do run from the decree of Allah to the decree of Allah. What if you had a herd of camels and you took them to a valley that had two slopes, one green pasturage and the other dry and barren. Would you not be fulfilling the decree of Allah if you let your herd graze on the green pasture rather than keeping them on the dry barren land?' Just then came Abdurrahman ibn 'Awf. He had been away on some errand. He said: 'I have some knowledge concerning this issue. I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, say: "If you hear that an epidemic has broken out in a land, do not approach it. If it attacks a land where you live, then do not leave that land in a bid to escape from it".' Hearing this 'Umar praised Allah and then he departed. This is reported by Bukhari.
Fiqh-us-Sunnah, Volume 4: Sickness, Expiation of Sins
Introduction to Fiqh-us-SunnahThere are many hadith which explain that sickness expiates evil deeds and wipes out sins. Of these, some are given below:
Abu Hurairah narrates that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "When Allah wants to be good to someone, He tries him with some hardship."
Abu Hurairah also reports that Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him, said: "For every misfortune, illness, anxiety, grief, or hurt that afflicts a Muslim -even the hurt caused by the pricking of a thorn - Allah removes some of his sins." Ibn Mas'ud said: "I visited the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, while he had a fever. I exclaimed: 'O Messenger of Allah! You have a high fever! ' He said: 'My fever is as much as two among you [might have]. ' I asked: 'Is it because you have a double reward?' He replied: 'Yes, that is right. No Muslim is afflicted with any hurt, even if it is no more than the pricking of a thorn, but Allah wipes off his sins because of it and his sins fall away from him as leaves fall from a tree'."
Abu Hurairah said: "The Prophet, peace be upon him, remarked: 'The example of a believer is like a fresh tender plant; from whichever direction the wind blows, it bends the plant. But when the wind dies down, it straightens up again. (Similarly a believer is tested by afflictions to strengthen his faith and heart, and he remains patient and firm). And an evil person is like a pine tree which remains hard and stiff until Allah breaks it whenever He wills."
Volume 4, Page 1a: Patience During IllnessAnyone suffering from an illness should remain patient, for there is no reward better or more enriching than that reserved for those who endure in patience.
Suhaib ibn Sinan narrated that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "How remarkable is the case of the believer! There is good for him in everything, but this is not the case for anyone except for the believer. When the believer receives any good, he is thankful to Allah, and gets a reward. And when some misfortune befalls him, he endures it patiently, for which he is (also) rewarded."
Anas narrates: "I heard the Prophet, peace be upon him, saying: 'Allah says: "When I afflict a servant of mine with respect to his two most beloved things (meaning his eyes), and he endures it patiently, I grant him paradise in return'."
'Ata ibn Rabah related that he heard Ibn 'Abbas say: "Shall I show you a woman of Paradise?"I said: "Yes, indeed." He said: "A black woman came to the Prophet, peace be upon him, and said: 'I suffer from epileptic fits, and because of these, (at times) my body becomes uncovered. Would you invoke Allah, the Exalted One, to cure me of this disease? ' The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: 'If you wish, you can be patient and you will attain Paradise (for this suffering). But if you prefer, I will pray to Allah, the Exalted, to cure you of it?' The woman said: 'I will be patient,' then added: 'I become uncovered (when I have fits), so invoke Allah for me that I do not become uncovered. ' So the Prophet, peace be upon him, prayed for her."
Volume 4, Page 2: To Complain of One's IllnessIt is permitted for a patient to complain of his pain and illness to a physician or a friend, provided he does not do so to express his or her anger or impatience. It was mentioned earlier that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "My fever is as severe as that of any two of you." Once 'Aisha complained to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, about her headache, lamenting: "O my head." He retorted: "Nay, rather (I should say) O my head!" Likewise it is reported that 'Abdullah ibn Al-Zubair asked his ailing mother, Asma bint Abi Bakr, "How are you feeling now?" She replied: "I am in pain."
A patient should thank and praise Allah, before talking about his distress and complaint
Ibn Mas'ud said: "If one thanks Allah before complaining about his pain or disease, then it is not considered impatience. Indeed, to refer one's complaint to Allah, is quite lawful." Jacob (the prophet), said: "I complain of my distraction and anguish only to Allah." The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, himself prayed: "O Allah! to You I complain of my weakness."
Volume 4, Page 2a: A Sick Person is Rewarded for All the Good Deeds that He Would (usually) Perform in a State of HealthAbu Musa al-Ash'ari reports that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "If a servant (of Allah) falls sick or goes on a journey, he (continues to be) rewarded for the good deeds that he used to do when he was healthy or at home."
Volume 4, Page 3: Visiting the SickIt is Islamic etiquette to visit a sick Muslim, to provide him moral support, and to make sure that he or she is well taken care of.
Ibn 'Abbas said: "The first visit to a sick person is sunnah, while any subsequent visit is a voluntary act (a good deed)." Abu Musa reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "Feed the hungry, visit the sick, and free the captives."
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "A Muslim has six obligations to another Muslim." "What are these?" they asked. He replied: "To greet another Muslim when you meet him; to respond when he invites you; to give him your (sincerest) advice when he seeks it; to say 'may Allah have mercy upon you' when he sneezes and says ' may Allah be praised '; to visit him when he falls ill; and when he dies, to attend his funeral."
Volume 4, Page 3a: Reward for Visiting the SickAbu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "A caller from heaven calls out to the person who visits a sick person, 'You are good and your path is good. May you enter your residence in Paradise'."
Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "Verily, Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, will say on the Day of Judgement: 'O Son of Adam! I fell ill, but you did not visit Me.' The human will ask, 'O my Sustainer! How could I visit You when You are the Sustainer of the Worlds? And how can You fall sick?' He, the Almighty, will say, 'Did you not know that such and such a servant of Mine was sick. But you did not visit him. Did you not know that, had you visited him, you would have found Me by his side? O Son of Adam! I asked you for food, but you fed Me not?' The man will say, 'O my Sustainer! How could I feed You when You are the Sustainer of the Worlds? And You are free from hunger?' He, the Almighty, will say: 'Such and such a servant of Mine asked you for food, but you refused to give him any. Did you not know that, had you fed him, you would have found it recorded here with Me? O Son of Adam! I asked you for a drink, but you did not give Me any.' The man will say, 'O my Sustainer! How could I give You a drink while You are the Sustainer of the Worlds and are free from thirst?' He, the Almighty will say, ' Such and such a servant of Mine asked you for a drink, but you did not give him any. Had you given him a drink, you would have surely found that recorded with Me."'
Thawban reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "Verily, when a Muslim visits his sick Muslim brother, he is, as it were, in one of the gardens of Paradise (enjoying its ripe fruits) until he returns to his home."
Ali said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, saying: 'When a Muslim visits a sick Muslim in the morning, seventy thousand angels pray for him, and they continue praying for him until that evening. When one visits the sick in the evening, the angels pray for him and continue praying for him until the next morning. Moreover, he will be rewarded with the choicest fruits of Paradise."
Volume 4, Page 4: Etiquette of Visiting the SickIt is recommended that the visitor pray for the recovery and health of the patient and that he should urge him to endure his trouble patiently. He should say nice words to cheer him up and keep his spirits high. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "When you visit a sick person, give him hope for a long life. This will not avert anything, but will please the patient and give him comfort." When the Prophet, peace be upon him, visited a sick person he used to say to him: "Do not worry! It is a means of cleansing (you) of sins, Allah willing."
It is preferred to shorten the visits and to make them less frequent as far as possible, lest they should become burdensome for the patient, except when the patient himself desires longer and more frequent visits.
Volume 4, Page 4a: Women Visiting (Sick) MenBukhari reports: "Umm ad-Darda went to visit one of the Ansar who used to come to the mosque.'' It is narrated from 'Aishah that she said: "When the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, migrated to Madinah, both Abu Bakr and Bilal fell sick. So I went to see them, and I said: 'O dear father! How are you (now)?' And, 'O Bilal! How are you now?' She (further) said: 'When Abu Bakr had high fever he would recite:
Every man is amongst his family, yet death is nearer to him than his shoe laces.
And when Bilal recovered from fever, he would recite: Would that I could stay overnight in a valley wherein I should be surrounded by izhkhir and jalil (kinds of fragrant grass). Would that one day I could drink of the water of Majinna, and would that (the two mountains) Shama and Tafil would appear to me.
'Aishah added: "Then I went to Allah's Messenger and told him about it, whereupon the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: 'O Allah! Bestow on us the love of Madinah as we love Makkah, or even more than that. O Allah ! Make it healthy and bless its sa' and mudd (measures of food) for us, and divert its fever to (the place called) al-Juhfah."
Volume 4, Page 5: Muslim Visiting a Non-Muslim PatientIt is permissible for a Muslim to visit a sick non-Muslim person. In the chapter, "Visiting a Sick Polytheist," Bukhari says: It is narrated on the authority of Anas that "a Jewish boy, who used to serve the Prophet, peace be upon him, once fell ill. The Prophet, peace be upon him, visited him and invited him to Islam, saying: 'Submit to Allah's will.' So he accepted Islam." Similarly Bukhari narrates from Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab that he reported from his father that "when Abu Talib (the Prophet's uncle and an idolater) was on his deathbed, the Prophet, peace be upon him, visited him."
Volume 4, Page 5a: Visiting an Eye PatientAbu Daw'ud narrates that Zaid bin al-Arqam said: "I suffered from an eye disease and the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, came to visit me."
Volume 4, Page 5b: Asking the Sick for a PrayerIbn Majah narrates on the authority of Umar that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "When you visit a sick person, ask him to pray for you. Indeed, the prayer of a sick person is like the prayer of angels." According to the author of Az-Zawa' id, the chain of narrators of this hadith is broken, yet it is sound and trustworthy, because otherwise it is authentic and narrators are trustworthy.
Volume 4, Page 5c: Seeking Medical TreatmentThere are many hadith which encourage the Muslims to seek medical treatment.
Usamah ibn Shuraik narrated: "I came to the Prophet, peace be upon him, and found him with his companions. They were calm and serene as if there were birds over their heads. I greeted them and sat down. Then some bedouins came from various places. They askezhim: 'O Allah's Messenger! Should we seek medical treatment for our illnesses?' He replied: 'Yes, you should seek medical treatment, because Allah, the Exalted, has let no disease exist without providing for its cure, except for one ailment, namely, old age'." (Reported by Ahmad and the six sunnan. Tirmizhi considers it a sound hadith.)
Anas ibn Mas'ud reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "Verily, Allah has not let any malady occur without providing its remedy.
Therefore seek medical treatment for your illnesses.'' ( Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, and al-Hakim.)
Jabir narrated that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "There is a cure for every disease. Whenever an illness is treated with its right remedy, it will, by Allah's permission, be cured." (Muslim)
Volume 4, Page 6: Using Prohibited Things As MedicineThe majority of scholars hold that the use of wine and other prohibited things as medicine, is unlawful. They base their arguments on the following hadith:
Wa'il ibn Hujr al-Hadrami reported that, "Tariq ibn Suwaid asked the Prophet, peace be upon him, if he could use liquor as medicine. The Prophet replied: 'It is not a cure, but a disease'.'' (Muslim, Abu Daw'ud, and Tirmizhi.)
Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet, peace be upon him, reports that he once said: "Allah has not placed a cure for your diseases in things that He has forbidden for you.'' (Reported by Baihaqi; Ibn Hibban considers this hadith to be sound.Bukhari has also related it on the authority of Ibn Mas'ud.)
Abu ad-Darda reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "Allah has sent down both the malady and its remedy. For every disease He has created a cure. So seek medical treatment, but never with something the use of which Allah has prohibited.'' (Reported by Abu Daw'ud. Among the natrators of this hadith we find Isma'il ibn 'Aiyash, who is considered trustworthy by the Syrians, but regarded as a weak narrator by the scholars of Hijaz.)
Abu Hurairah narrated: "The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, prohibited the use of a harmful medicine, namely, poison."(Ahmad, Muslim, Tirmizhi, and Ibn Majah.)
Using a few, unnoticeable drops that cannot induce intoxication, is not prohibited, provided they are a part of a compound medicine. For example, the use of a small amount of pure natural silk in a woven fabric, as explained in al-Manar.
Volume 4, Page 6a: Treatment by a non-Muslim PhysicianIn his book, Al-Adab ash-Shar'iah, Ibn Muflih writes that Shaikh Taqiyyuddin Ibn Taymiyyah said: "A credible Jew or Christian who has medical expertise may treat a sick Muslim. Such a person may, likewise, be entrusted with funds or other financial transactions, for Allah, the Exalted, says: 'Among the People of the Book are some who, if entrusted with a hoard of gold, will (readily) pay it back; others, who, if entrusted with a single silver coin, will not repay it unless you constantly stand over them demanding it'.'' (Qur'an 3.75)
We find in a sound hadith that the Prophet, peace be upon him, hired a polytheist as a guide at the time of his migration to Madinah, so he entrusted him with his life and money. The people of the tribe of Khuza'ah, who were both Muslims and non-Muslims, acted as scouts for the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. It is also reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, ordered Muslims to seek treatment from Al-Harith ibn Kaldah, who was a disbeliever. But when a Muslim physician with the expertise is available, one should seek his or her treatment and not turn to anyone else. The same applies when one has to entrust a person with funds or deal with him in business. If a Muslim has to confide in or turn to someone from the people of the Book for medical treatment, he may do so. It is not prohibited to befriend Jews and Christians. And when the Muslim has an opportunity to talk to them, he should address them in ways that are polite and sincere. Indeed, Allah, the Exalted, says: "And do not argue with the people of the Book, except in ways that are best." Qur'an 29.46
In a hadith on the Treaty of Hudaibiyah, Abu Al-Khattab tells us that "the Prophet, peace be upon him, sent a man of the Khuza'ah tribe to gather intelligence, and the Prophet, peace be upon him, accepted his report despite the fact that he was a disbeliever." This proves, according to Abu Al-Khattab, that it is quite permissible to take the advice of a non-believing physician for diagnosis and treatment, provided he is not suspect and his fidelity is not doubtful."
Volume 4, Page 7: Permission for a Woman to Seek Medical Treatment from MenIn cases of necessity, it is permissible for a man to treat a woman, and for a woman to treat a man. Bukhari reports from Rubayyie' bint Mu'awwizh ibn 'Afra that she said: "We participated in battles with the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and we (women) provided the people with water, looked after them, and brought the wounded and the dead back to Madinah." (Bukhari, Chapter on "Can a Man Treat a Woman, or a Woman a Man?")
In his book, Al-Fath, Al-Hafiz writes: "When necessary, it is permissible to treat strangers with whom one is not related or not consanguine. Therefore, looking at, probing, and touching, etc., in such cases are also allowed."
In Al-Adab al-Shar'iah Ibn Muflih writes: "If a woman is sick and no female doctor is available, a male doctor may treat her. In such a case the doctor is permitted to examine her, including her genitals. The same applies to a male doctor treating a sick man. Ibn Hamdan says: "If a man is sick and there is no male doctor available to treat him, then he may be treated by a female doctor. She is permitted to examine him, including his genitals." AlQadi writes: "A physician is permitted to look at a woman and her private parts in case of necessity. Likewise, if need be, a woman or a man is permitted to look at the private parts of a man."
Volume 4, Page 8: Use of Incantation and Supplications in the TreatmentThe use of incantation and supplications is allowed for treatment, provided their content is the remembrance of Allah and they are written in a comprehensible language. Otherwise their content might well contain something polytheistic without one being aware of it. 'Awf ibn Malik reported: "We practiced incantation in the pre-lslamic days so we asked the Messenger of Allah, 'What is your opinion about it?' He said: 'Let me see your incantations.
There is nothing wrong with the incantation that does not contain any polytheistic statements'." (Muslim and Abu Daw-ud)
Ar-Rabi ' says: "I asked Ash-Shafi ' i about incantation. He replied: 'There is nothing wrong in using the Qur'an for incantation or any other words that contain Allah's remembrance.' Then I asked him: 'Is it permissible for Muslims to approach the Christians and the Jews for incantation? ' Ash-Shafi'i replied: 'Yes, provided they use the revelation from Allah and words that contain His remembrance'."
Volume 4, Page 8a: Some Supplications Found in Hadith'Aishah reports that the Prophet, peace be upon him, used to seek refuge in Allah for some of his family members. He used to touch them with his right hand, saying: Allahahuma Rabbin nas azhhabal ba'sa, ashfi wa antashafi, la shifa' illa shifa'uka shifa' la yughadiru saqma "O Allah! The Sustainer of mankind! Remove the illness, cure the disease. You are the One Who cures. There is no cure except Your cure. Grant (us) a cure that leaves no illness." (Bukhari and Muslim)
'Uthman ibn Abu Al-'As relates that "once he complained of pain in his body to Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: 'Put your hand where you feel pain in your body and say, "Bismillah (in the name of Allah)," and say, "A 'uzhu bi 'izzatillah wa qudratihi min sharri ma ajidu wa uhazhiru (I seek refuge in the might of Allah and in His Power from the evil that I find and that I fear)," seven times'." 'Uthman continued: "I did that a few times and Allah removed my pain. I always advised my family and others to do the same." (Muslim)
Muhammad ibn Salim reported: "Thabit Al-Banani said to me: 'O Muhammad ! When you have any pain, put your hand where you feel pain, then say: Bismallaha'uzhu bi'izatillah min shari ma ajidu min waj'i hazha
"In the Name of Allah! I seek refuge in Allah's might from the evil of this pain. " Then remove your hand, and repeat the same for an odd number of times. Then he said to me that Anas ibn Malik had told him that Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him, had taught this to him." (Tirmizhi)
'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "When someone visits a sick person whose time of death has not come, and says seven times: As'alu Allah al 'azim Rabbil 'arshil azim an yshfiaka 'I ask Allah, the Mighty, the Lord of the mighty throne, to cure you,'Allah will cure him of that illness." (Reported by Abu Daw'ud and Tirmizhi, who says it is a hasan (good) hadith. Al-Hakim says that it is sound according to Bukhari's criteria)
'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas also narrates that "the Prophet, peace be upon him, used to seek protection for Al-Hasan and Al-Hussain (his grandsons) with the words: A'uzhukuma bi kalamatillahi tamah min kulli shaitanin wa hamatin wa min kulli 'ainin lamatin 'I seek protection for you with Allah's perfect words from every satan and crawling creature and every evil eye.' He also added: 'Your father (Ibrahim) sought protection for Ismai'l and Ishaq with these same words'." (Bukhari)
Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas reports that "the Prophet, peace be upon him, visited him while he was sick and said: 'O Allah, make Sa'd well! O Allah, make Sa'd well! Make Sa'd well!"' (Muslim)
Volume 4, Page 9: Prohibition of Using AmuletsThe Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, prohibited the use of amulets. 'Uqbah ibn 'Amir narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "If anyone wears an amulet, may Allah not help him in fulfilling his wish. If anyone wears a sea-shell around his neck, may Allah give him no peace." (Narrated by Ahmad and Al-Hakim who consider it a sound hadith)
An amulet (tamimah) is a string of shells or beads that the Arabs used to put around their children ' s necks, believing that it would protect them from the evil eye. Islam abolished this superstitious practice. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, prayed against those who wore an amulet out of superstitious belief.
It is reported from Ibn Mas'ud that "once, when he entered his home, he noticed his wife wearing a knotted object round her neck. He took it away and broke it. Then he remarked: 'The family of 'Abdullah has become so arrogant that they now associate with Allah those for whom He has sent down no authority.' Then, he added: 'I have heard the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, saying: 'Verily, incantations, amulets, and love charms are acts of shirk (associating false gods with Allah).' The people said: 'O Abu Abdullah! We are familiar with incantations and amulets, but what is a love charm (altawlah)'?'He replied: 'It is a sort of magical formula by which women sought to gain their husbands' love'." (Related by Al-Hakim and Ibn Hibban, and both consider it a sahih hadith) 'Imran ibn Hasin reports that "the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, saw a man wearing a bracelet of copper on his arm. The Prophet, peace be upon him, exclaimed to him: 'Woe be to you' What is this? ' The man replied: 'I am suffering from weakness (al-wahinah).' (Al-wahinah is a disease that causes pain in the shoulders and hands. The man was wearing a copper bracelet believing it would relieve his pain and suffering. The Prophet, peace be upon him, prohibited him from wearing it because he regarded it as an amulet) The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: 'It will give you nothing but pain. Throw it away. Had you died while wearing it, you would never have achieved salvation'." (Narrated by Ahmad) 'Isa ibn Hamza said: "I went to see 'Abdullah ibn Hakim and his face was red due to high fever. I said to him: 'Why don't you use an amulet?' He said: 'We seek refuge with Allah from it. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "Whoever wears anything as an amulet will be entrusted to it"."' (Abu Daw'ud)
Volume 4, Page 10: Pendants with Words from the Qur'an or Hadith'Amr ibn Shu'aib relates from his father and from his grandfather, 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn Al-'Aas, that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "If one of you is frightened while sleeping, one should say: A'uzhu billah min hamazatish shayatin wa an yahdrun ' I seek refuge in Allah's perfect words from His anger, His chastisement, from the evil of His creatures, and from the suggestions and approach of devils.' Then one will never be harmed." 'Amr ibn Shu'aib related further that 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr "used to teach this prayer to his older sons who could comprehend and memorize. For those who were not able to do so, he wrote these words down, wrapped them as pendants, and made them wear these around their necks." (Narrated by Abu Daw'ud, Nasa'i, and Tirmihi, who says it is an acceptable but unknown hadith. Al-Hakim says it is sound)
'Aishah, Malik, and most of the scholars of the schools of Ash-Shafi'i and Ahmad ibn Hanbal also subscribe to this view. Nevertheless Ibn 'Abbas, Ibn Mas'ud, scholars of the Hanafi school, and some scholars of the Ash-Shafi'i and Hanbali schools, according to one study, are of the opinion that it is not permissible for a person to wear anything as an amulet in the light of the above mentioned general prohibition regarding amulets.
Volume 4, Page 11: Prohibition of Someone with a Contagious Disease Living Among the HealthyAnyone with a contagious disease may be prohibited from living among healthy people. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "A sick person must not be brought among the healthy." The Prophet, peace be upon him, prohibited the owner of sick camels from mixing them with the healthy ones of another owner, even though he also stated: "No contagious disease is transmitted without Allah's permission, nor is there any bad omen." It is also reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, accepted the oath of allegiance from a leper from outside Madinah and did not permit him to enter the city.
Volume 4, Page 11a: Prohibition of Entering Or Leaving a Plague-Stricken AreaThe Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, forbade people to leave or enter a land where there is a plague, in order to check the spread of the contagious disease and confine it to a limited area. In medical terminology this is known as "quarantine." Usamah ibn Zaid said: "The Prophet, peace be upon him, remarked in reference to the plague, 'It is a remnant of the chastisement inflicted upon the Israelites. If a plague breaks out in a place where you are, do not leave that place, and when you hear of its spread in another place, do not go there." (Narrated by Tirmizhi, who considers it a sound hadith)
Ibn 'Abbas reports: "'Umar ibn al-Khattab went to Al-Sham (Syria). When he reached Sargh, the army commanders, Abu Obaidah ibn al-Jarrah, and others received him. They informed him that a plague had broken out in Al-Sham."Ibn Abbas continued, "'Umar assembled the leaders from among the Muhajirin and sought their opinions. They offered conflicting opinions. Some said: 'We have come for a certain objective, and so we should not turn back from it.' Others said: 'With you are others, including some companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. We do not believe that you should expose them to this plague.' 'Umar said: 'You may leave.'Then he gathered together the Ansar and asked their opinion. They were unanimous in their advice to him. They said: 'We believe that you should return with the people and you should not expose them to the plague.' Then 'Umar addressed the people, announced that he was going back the next morning, and asked them to be prepared to leave in the morning. ' At this Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah said: 'O 'Umar! Are you running away from the decree of Allah!' 'Umar replied: 'O Abu Ubaidah! I wish someone else had said this. Yes, we do run from the decree of Allah to the decree of Allah. What if you had a herd of camels and you took them to a valley that had two slopes, one green pasturage and the other dry and barren. Would you not be fulfilling the decree of Allah if you let your herd graze on the green pasture rather than keeping them on the dry barren land?' Just then came Abdurrahman ibn 'Awf. He had been away on some errand. He said: 'I have some knowledge concerning this issue. I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, say: "If you hear that an epidemic has broken out in a land, do not approach it. If it attacks a land where you live, then do not leave that land in a bid to escape from it".' Hearing this 'Umar praised Allah and then he departed. This is reported by Bukhari.
Monday 5 November 2012
Sunday 4 November 2012
Are we becoming less deserving of Allah’s blessings?
Are we becoming less deserving of Allah’s blessings?
When we look at the clouds of misery casting their shadows around us in terms of hunger, wars, killings, and the many injustices, it raises many questions. What did we do to deserve this? Where are we heading? And what can we do to prevent this free fall? As we ponder and assess whether we have lived up to our responsibilities in terms of following Allah’s word – the Quran – and what the prophet (s) instructed us, the answers can become quite obvious. We live in times when many of us have put Quran and Sunnah (prophet’s traditions) on the backburner. The Quran has been left to rest on our shelves and barely makes it to our hearts. The sunnah is something that rarely shows in our behaviors and lives.
We seem to be living during times, which was accurately portrayed by ibn Al-Qayyim many centuries ago as follows:
The earth trembles, the heavens have darkened, evil has appeared on land and on sea because of the injustices of the wicked, and evil doers. Blessings have disappeared, good deeds are less, and life has become corrupted because of the wickedness of the wrong-doers. The morning light and the night’s darkness shed tears, because of the awful deeds that are committed. Honorable writers among the angels and others from among them have complained to their Lord because of the prevalence of misdeeds and the supremacy of atrocities.
Why have we reached such a state? Here is what he had to say further to explain this phenomenon:
When the Glorious Quran, and the Sunnah are abandoned, because it is thought that they are insufficient, and when humanopinions, analogy, discretion, and the words of (other so called) scholars are sought, people’s natures are corrupted, their hearts become dark, their understandings become confused, and their minds become distorted.
Specifically, he mentions that we have reached this state because of the following:
- Inclination has replaced wisdom.
- Vain desires have replaced reason.
- Going astray has replaced guidance.
- The wrong has replaced the good.
- Ignorance has replaced knowledge.
- Hypocrisy has replaced devotion.
- The unlawful has replaced the lawful.
- Lying has substituted truthfulness.
- Flattery has substituted (sincere) advice,
- and injustice has replaced justice.
If you see the superiority of such evils, and their slogans are set up where their armies are invading, surely the bottom of the earth would be much more desirable than its surface, the peaks of mountains would be more preferable than the plains, and accompanying beasts would be better than accompanying people.
What can we learn from such a situation?
He states that:
By Allah! This is a warning of approaching torment, and forthcoming afflictions, so you have no resort except sincere repentance as long as repentance is still available.
Let’s, therefore, not wait until there is no escape, as Allah says,
which means, “And those who do wrong will come to know by what overturning they will be overturned.” (Quran: Ash-Shu’ara, 26:227)
As a lesson, he recommends:
Buy success for yourself today, for the market still exists, and the price is affordable, and goods are low-priced, and do not wait until the market and the goods are inaccessible, as Allah says,which means, “(And remember) the Day when He will gather you (all) on the Day of gathering – that will be the Day of mutual loss and gain.” (Quran, At-Taghabun, 64:9)
For those, who take Allah’s message lightly, they will be sorry one day for the opportunity they had but instead missed. As Allah states about those people:
which means, “when the Zalim (wrong-doer, oppressor, etc.) will bite at his hands (with remorse), he will say: “Oh! Would that I had taken a path with the Messenger.” (Quran: Al-Furqan, 25:27)
Before we complain to Allah about our plight, let’s pick the Quran from the shelves and get it in the depth our hearts. Let’s study the noble life of the prophet (s) who was sent as a mercy for the entire humanity, and fashion our lives according to his teachings. Once we do that, we can expect a change in our lives – both at a personal level and overall. Allah says in the Quran:
The verse means, “Say: Obey Allah and the messenger…” Quran (Surah Aal-e-Imran:32)
– End
Reference: AL-FAWA’ID: A Collection of Wise Sayings – By ibn Al-Qayyim
Source:
Definition of the Word Deen & the Word Islam
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. 
Definition of the Word Deen & the Word Islam
(Friday speech was delivered by Imam Mohamed Baianonie at the Islamic Center of Raleigh, N. C., on December 27,1996)
Allah (S.W.T.) says in surat Al-Imran, (Verse 19), what can be translated as, "The deen before Allah (accepted by Allah) is Islam". He also says in surat Al-Mae’dah, (Verse 3), what can be translated as, "Today, I have completed your deen, and have completed my bliss upon you and accepted for you Islam as a deen." He also says in surat Al-Imran, (Verse 85), what can be translated as, "Whosoever seeks, other than Islam, a deen, it will not be accepted from him and he, in the Hereafter, is among the losers."
The word deen and the word Islam were mentioned in these verses and in many others in the Qur’an. These two words are two of the most important words in the life of the Muslims, because the guidance, success in this life and in the Hereafter depends on two things: Understanding the meaning of these two words (deen and Islam), and applying this meaning in life.
Our understanding for these two words got weak because of our weakness in the Arabic language with which Qur’an was revealed. As a result, we repeat these two words (deen and Islam) with the tongues without understanding them except for a few people who could understand them as they should be understood. So, it is impossible to apply their meanings in our lives, despite our insistence on belonging to the deen and specifically to Islam.
What is the meaning of the word deen and the word Islam?
To answer this question, it is a must that we refer to the Arabic language dictionaries which still keep the meaning of how the Arabs used to understand the word deen and the word Islam when Qur’an was being revealed. In that period of time, there was no problem with understanding these two words by the Arabs from whom the companions of the prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) came. That generation that transformed the understanding for these two words into reality in their individual and collective lives. As a result, this understanding led them to the guidance, the guidance of Islam. This change was the greatest change in the long history of mankind.
The concept of deen: The word deen is used in the Arabic language to give different meanings, most importantly are:
- Subjugation, Authority, Ruling and Having Charge
A. He subjugated people to obey. Subjugated here is a literal translation of the verb of the word deen.
B. He has authority over him. Has authority here is a literal translation of the verb of the word deen. In this context, the saying of the prophet (S.A.W.) reveals this meaning, "The intelligent person is the one who has authority over himself and works for the Hereafter" This means that the intelligent person is the one who has subjugated himself and made himself obedient to Allah. In this context, also, the past participle would be subjugated, ruled and submitted. For example, Allah (S.W.T.) says in surat Al-Waqe’ah, (Verse 86 & 87), what can be translated as, "If you are not subjugated, then return it if you are truthful". This means, if you are not forced by the will of Allah in the issues of death and life, then return the soul to the body after it has left it due to death.
- Obedience and Submission due to Subjugation:
- The Method and the Habit:
- Punishment, Reward and Judgment: The Arabs had a saying, which implies the following: you are treated the same way you treat others.
- The rulership and the authority belong to Allah (S.W.T.).
- The obedience and submission to this rulership and authority by those who embraced this deen.
- The comprehensive system (intellectual and practical) established by this authority (Allah).
- The reward given by this authority (Allah) to those that followed the system and submitted to it and the punishment inflicted upon those who rebel against it and disobey it.
After understanding this definition of the Arabic word deen, we realize that it is wrong to translate it to the English with the word "religion". Furthermore we do not need anyone to come up with a definition for the word deen for us- like many of the enemies of Islam do today- But, we should take precaution and warn Muslims against these conspiracies that are plotted against Muslims to keep them away from the reality of their deen and distort the concept of deen or restrict it to one aspect of life-like they (None Muslim) did with there religion and church after the French Revolution.
It is obligatory for us to clarify to the people the reality of deen in the Islamic perspective, also obligatory for us to implant this reality in our youth’s mind so that they will not confuse the concept of deen with all these wrongful and distorting definitions.
This is about the definition of the word deen, what about the meaning of the word Islam?
Islam in the Arabic language and in Qur’an means total submission and obedience. Allah (S.W.T.) says in surat Al-Imran, (Verse 83), what can be translated as, "Do they seek a deen other than the deen of Allah and to Him all what is in the skies and in the earth have submitted willingly or forcefully and to Him they shall return"
This word Islam had been used in the Qur’an as a symbol for the deen that was revealed to Muhammad (S.A.W.) and Allah clarified that He will not accept from man otherdeen even if it was from the previous divine deens. Allah (S.W.T.) says in surat Al-Imran, (Verse 85), what can be translated as, "He who chooses other than Islam adeen, it will not be accepted from him and he, in the Hereafter, is among the losers." This meaning is emphasized by the saying of the prophet (S.A.W.) when he said,"By whom my soul is in His hand, if one, Jew or Christian, heard of me, then died and he/she did not believe in that which I was sent with, then they are from the dwellers of Hell fire." (Reported by Imam Muslim)
Islam is a divine system, with it Allah (S.W.T.) sealed all other deens, and made it a comprehensive system that deals with all aspects of human life (Belief, intellectual, moral and practical) and this system is based on total submission to Allah (S.W.T.) alone and no one else and purifying worship to Him, and adopting all that is authentic from the prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.).
Copyright © 1996 - 2001 IAR All rights reserved.
The Compilation of the Qur'an
The Compilation of the Qur'an
The Qur'an was written down from the earliest time.
The Qur'an is the Holy Book of Islam. It is the word of God revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, over a period of 23 years (from 610 to 633 CE) through the angel Jibreel (Gabriel). The Qur'an is still in its original form as it was revealed to Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam.
During the time of Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, the Qur'an was mainly preserved through memorization. Hundreds of Companions of the Prophet, were huffaz, or memorizers of the whole Qur'an and had memorized the Qur'an without any mistakes. But the Qur'an was also preserved through writing.
Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, made special arrangements to have it written down. When Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, used to receive a revelation, he dictated it to a Companion, who wrote it down on anything that was available: bark, stone, bones, leaves, etc. The companion then read, what he had written, to the Prophet. If there were any mistakes, Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, would correct it and then let it be brought before everyone. Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, also told the order of the verses, etc, and they were written accordingly.
So, in the days of the Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, one copy of the Qur’an existed of what he had gotten written under his personal supervision. It was not in book form but in different parchments. Other Companions also had collections of the Qur'an for their personal record but no standard copy of the Qur'an in book form existed.
Hadith About Reading From a Transcript
Some people argue that the Qur'an was not written at all during the time of Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam. This is not true as there are many Hadith, or sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, that indicate that the Qur'an did exist in written form during the time of Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam. For example, the Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, has said:
“If anyone recites the Qur'an without seeing the transcription, the reward is one thousand times, and if he reads it from the transcription, the reward is two thousand times.”
This Hadith shows that Companions did possess written copies of the Quran during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam.
Compilation in the Khilafah of Abu Bakr
After Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, died in 633 CE, Sayyidna Abu Bakr, Radi-Allahu anhu, became the Khalifah (caliph). The need of the compilation of the whole Qur’an in the form of a Book was seen. In the battle of Yamamah and other battles, many huffaz were martyred. Sayyidna Umar, Radi-Allahu anhu, noticed this and went to the Khalifah, and told him about this matter. At first Sayyidna Abu Bakr, Radi-Allahu anhu, hesitated in doing something that the Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, hadn’t done but then, seeing the importance of this, he agreed.
Then Sayyidna Zayd bin Thabit, Radi-Allahu anhu, was called. Hazrat Zayd bin Thabit, Radi-Allahu anhu, used to write the Qur'an for the Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, during his time. At first, Sayyidna Zayd, Radi-Allahu anhu, refused to do so but then, he, too, agreed.
The compilation of the Qur'an started, with Sayyidna Zayd bin Thabit, Radi-Allahu anhu, in charge. Lots of companions, including himself had memorized the whole Qur'an and so the Qur'an could have easily been written down from memory. There were also complete collections of the verses of the Holy Qur'an available with many companions. But Sayyidna Zayd bin Thabit, Radi-Allahu anhu, knew he had to be careful. He used both methods by collecting verses that were written during the time of Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam and also using memory. He followed four steps.
- First he verified the verse with his own memory.
- Sayyidna Umar, Radi-Allahu anhu, who was a Hafiz, was also in charge of the project and he verified it, too.
- Then, before the verse could be accepted, the two reliable witnesses had to testify that it was written in the presence of Prophet Muhammad Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam.
- After that, written verses were collated with the collections of different Companions.
The purpose of this method was so that the utmost care be taken in the transcription of the Qur'an, and rather then rely on memory, it should be transcribed from verses that were written in the presence of the Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam.
It was this way that the Qur'an was compiled. In this copy, all Surahs were written separately. The purpose of this transcription was to prepare an organized document with the endorsement of the whole Ummah so that reference could be made to it when required. The transcripts stayed with Sayyidna Abu Bakr, Radi-Allahu anhu. After his death in 634 CE they were passed on to the second Khalifah Sayyidna Umar, Radi-Allahu anhu. And after Sayyidna Umar, Radi-Allahu anhu, they were given to his daughter, Hazrat Hafsah, Radi-Allahu anha.
When Sayyidna Uthman, Radi-Allahu anhu, became Khalifah in 644 CE, Islam had spread to far areas such as Iran and Byzantine. People who accepted Islam learned how to read the Qur'an from Muslim soldiers, traders and other Muslims. There are seven different ways to recite the Qur'an and different Companions had learned it from the Holy Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, in different recitals. People though that only their way of reciting was correct and started disputing with other people. Sayyidna Uthman, Radi-Allahu anhu, accomplished the feat of making the Qur'an’s recitation standard.
First, Sayyidna Uthman, Radi-Allahu anhu, borrowed the first copy of the Holy Qur'an from Hafsah, Radi-Allahu anha. He then formed a group of four companions, Sayyidna Zayd bin Thabit, Abdullah bin Zubayr, Saeed ibn al Aas, and Abdur Rahman bin Harith Radi-Allahu anhuma. The group had the task of making transcripts of the original copy and also to put the Surahs in sequence. Other companions were also called upon to help them.
After having these standard transcripts prepared, all other transcripts were burnt, so that all copies of the Qur'an become uniform in script and the sequence of Surahs, leaving no room for differences. The copy produced by Sayyidna Uthman, Radi-Allahu anhu, is still extant. All copies of the Qur'an available today in the world are exactly identical to the Uthmani Version, which was completed less than twenty years after the death of Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam.
Later some improvements were made in the Arabic script, like the adding of dots and diacritical marks, to make it easier for non-Arabs to read, but of course, the text of the Qur'an has remained, and will remain the same forever.
Source:
http://www.albalagh.net/kids/history/quran_compilation.shtml
Posted: 16 Muharram 1423, 31 March 2002
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