The Beauty Of Illness

So, why do we get sick? What is the reason? Why is Subhana wa Ta'ala make us individuals, who go through these conditions in our lives? Could we be healthy all the time? What is the background behind sickness?

This is part of of an important discussion relating to the purpose of this existence and how you and I are able to excel ourselves and to rise into what Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala, wants us in order to attain reward and thawab.

You see, imagine this existence was one where we are told. Okay, just pray, fast, go to Hajj, give charity whenever you can. That's it. There's no other examinations, trials, hardships. If there was no such thing, then it would be very difficult for people to have different degrees of achievements in Jannah. Because here we have people are praying here. We have people are praying. Allah Tabaraka wa Ta'ala, places for us, so many avenues by which we can excel, by which we can attain more and more and more thawab.

There is a beautiful narration that says, in Jannah, there is a group of people are in paradise and they see their status. They ask the mala'ika, why are we in the status in paradise? Mala'ika say, you are sick and you were patient and because of your patient, because of your sabr, Allah has given you the status. And they said, but that means if we were more patient, you would have got higher status. And the mala'ika would say, that is your limit. Allah knows your limit. He only gave you what you can withstand.

When we come to this, some people ask, okay, very well. I have heard so many majorities tell us that sickness is a test, ibtila', examination. Yes. Very well. Not going to go through that repeating. But I will say this: there are much more, deeper reasons for these things happening into our lives.

Number one: it is for us to appreciate health. When something is taken away from you, you begin to appreciate it. Imagine if there is no sickness. We think everything is okay and we would not cherish those moments where we are not going through any ailments and hardships.

Number two: so that we are thankful to Allah for those moments of health, as well as, of course, sickness for those who understand what sickness is about. But this Shukr would not be expressed. Sometimes I remember Uwais al-Qarani, ridhwan Allahi Ta'ala alayh, outstanding companion of Amir Al-Mu'minin. One day he was covering covered with an illness, his lesions in his body, and he came, and he was praying in Masjid al-Kufa. He was companion of Imam and attained Shahada in Siffin. He was one of the Shuhada' fighting alongside Amir Al-Mu'minin, with Ammar Ibn Yasir, his shrine was demolished by Daesh in Raqqa.

Uwais al-Qarani would supplicate and say, Ya Allah, I want Shifa'. But please, I beg you one thing. Leave part of these legions all my life. They asked him why? He said so that I can look and remember this, lest I forget the mercy and the blessing of Allah. And this actually happened. He was cured, but some remained. Allah, Subhana wa Ta'ala, answered. Sometimes we are forgetful. Yes, we are forgetful. We have to go through sickness to appreciate the excellence and the value of health, isn't it?

The other thing is, we go through sins and hardships, and transgressions. We go through them. We disobey the Almighty, Subhana wa Ta'ala. Sometimes the sickness is as a result of our disobedience. And we would rather, Allah's mercy is that we would rather be going through illness in this world, rather than Akhira. It is better. Yes, because in Akhira, if we have to go through the repercussions of our deeds, it will be much more severe, much more painful.

So there is a cause and effect element. There is the element that we have done something. And then sometimes as a result of what we have done, we have to bear the consequences. At the same time, it humbles us.

Rasul Allah Muhammad, salla Allahu alayhi wa alihi wa sallam [Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa Aali Muhammad]. Beautiful narration, he says: "lawla thalath ma ta'ta' Ibnu Adam ra'sa", if it wasn't for three things, human beings would not humble themselves. What are these three things? "al-faqr, wa al-mardh, wa al-mawt", poverty, sickness and death. The most arrogant individual when they are sick, anyone trying to help them, or when they are poor. So the realisation, therefore, is it is a school that trains our souls to practise tawa'dhu and humility before Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala, and that is very important.

Similarly, we have a beautiful narration that tells us: "Idha habba Allahu 'abdan, ibtala'", when Allah loves an individual, He will make them go through hardship, in order for that individual to earn their degrees in paradise. And for this, I would like to draw your attention about the benefits of sickness in this world. Please pay attention to this narrations. Beautiful narrations from the Holy Prophet and the Ahl Al-Bayt about what happens when somebody is sick. Remember this next time you are sick, please.

Remember this the next time you go through illness. And may Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala, help us to recall these beautiful words of Aali Muhammad to give us encouragement and enthusiasm to deal with the pains and the suffering of illness. One is the benefit and the reward when sick, when it comes to forgiveness of the sins. The Holy Prophet peace and blessings be upon him and family, says: "fa in maridha al-Muslim, when a Muslim goes through illness, "yadhaba Allahu bihi qata'ya", all the sins are forgiven, just like how when you place metal, the Prophet of Islam says, when you place metal and silver on fire, it removes all the impurities and makes it clean.

The Prophet of Islam says, in another nation, the sins fall from the human being, just like leaves fall from a tree in autumn, which means that when somebody is suffering, this is a blessing from Allah, because they are getting their sins forgiven. With a condition, and that is, they do not turn against Allah and do not necessarily abuse this Na'ma of Allah. This is a na'ma. Yes, it's suffering, but it is a hidden blessing.

Second, very interesting ruwaya from the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings be upon my family. This is outstanding ruwaya. It says, if a believer knew the extent of Allah's mercy upon them when they are sick, they would have prayed and asked Allah earnestly to remain sick all their lives.

We are very short-term creations. We just want benefit for ourselves now. But if only we knew how much Allah is encapsulating us with His blessings, we would be what? We would be wishing that we would remain sick all along. The 7th Holy Imam Imam Musa Ibn Ja'far al-Kadhim salawat Allahi wa as-salamu alayh [Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa Aali Muhammad], gives you a wonderful response to the question that some people have asked me and that is, okay, very well, I am getting reward. But Mawlana, I want to do Salat ul-Layl. I want to go Ziyarah. I want to attend Majalis. I am sick. I can't. So sickness is stopping me from doing recommended deeds. I want to get closer to Allah. Want to do more namaz, but I am sick. I am bedridden. I can't do it.

Look at the answer of the 7th Holy Imam. He says, "Idha maridha al-Mu'min", when the believer goes through sickness, "aw Allahu ila sahib ash-shimal", Allah reveals to the angel that is sitting on the right-hand side. To the left-hand side first. Do not write anything that they do as far as sin. "La taktub 'ala 'abid ma dhanab fi afsi danba". Don't write any sins as long as they are sick. And then reveals to the angel on the right and says, Write on the book of deeds for my servant, any good deeds they used to do when they were healthy, without them doing it. Subhana Allah!

Look at the nature of the mercy of Allah. Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala says, You are sick, you can't do Ziyarah, but you have the intention of Ziyarah. I will give you the reward of Ziyarah. I will give you the reward of majlis. I will give you the reward of Salah. Just don't complain. Just take the sickness as a mercy from Me. Yes. In Al-Kafi, a narration from the fifth or the 6th Imam says that one night of somebody who is sick, but does not complain, is greater than the worship of an entire year. One night, yes.

And these narrations, one after the other, highlight to us the importance of understanding holistically what illness means in the religion of Islam. I tell you, I don't think you will find any other school coming forward and talking about this, and therefore what is required from the human being? Submission. Taslim. And in order for me to submit to Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala, I need to rely on Him, tawakkul. I need to trust Him. Do we trust Him? He knows what is best for us. I am going through an illness. Has He allowed it to happen? Yes.

It means it is for a purpose. It means I can take it. Yes, I need to trust Him. And when I trust Him, I need to surrender to Him. When I surrender to Him, I need to be pleased with Him, and whatever He decrees. And these will formulate a strategy in my life to deal. I know this is theory, and it takes time to place it into practise. But it is very, very important for us to recognise this.