Message for the Sick

Just as anxiety increases illness, it also amounts to an objection against the wisdom of the Compassionate Creator, a criticism of His mercy, and a complaint against Him. For this reason, contrary to his own wish, the anxious person suffers the opposite of what he intended, and his illness increases.

Indeed, just as gratitude increases the blessings of Allah, so too complaint increases illnesses and afflictions. Moreover, anxiety itself is an illness. Its remedy is to recognise the wisdom behind illness.

Since you have now seen its wisdom and benefit, apply that balm to your anxiety and free yourself from it. Instead of lamenting and crying out, be patient and content, and say:

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ عَلٰى كُلِّ حَالٍAll praise belongs to Allah in every circumstance.

The Eleventh Remedy

O sick brother who lacks patience! Although your illness causes you suffering at present, you experience a spiritual joy from the days of illness that have already passed, and a pleasure in your soul from the thawābThe rewards granted in the Hereafter for deeds performed in pursuit of Allah’s pleasure and acceptance. you have received.

As for your illness after today, or even after this hour, it is not being experienced at this moment. Surely, no suffering can arise from something that does not exist. And if there is no suffering, there can be no sorrow. You lose patience because you imagine things wrongly. For the entire period of illness that has passed has vanished together with its pain, while the thawābThe rewards granted in the Hereafter for deeds performed in pursuit of Allah’s pleasure and acceptance. it has produced and the joy arising from its passing remain. Although this should bring you benefit and happiness, it is foolish to think back on that past illness, distress yourself, and lose patience.

As for the days to come, they have not yet arrived. Is it not foolish to think about them now and cause yourself misery and impatience by treating a non-existent day, a non-existent illness, and a non-existent suffering as though they already existed?

Indeed, since all past periods of illness bring joy, and since all future periods in which illness and suffering may occur are not presently being experienced, do not scatter the patience Allah has given you across the past and the future. Direct your patience toward the suffering of the present hour, say Yā SabūrO Most Patient One, who grants patience., and endure.

The Twelfth Remedy

O sick person who, because of illness, cannot perform his acts of worship and daily awrādRegularly recited supplications and dhikr performed to attain closeness to Allah., and who is deeply saddened by this! It is stated in a hadithA report of the sayings, actions, or approvals of Prophet Muhammed (pbuh). that a God-fearing believer who, because of illness, cannot perform his regular awrādRegularly recited supplications and dhikr performed to attain closeness to Allah. will still receive their thawābThe rewards granted in the Hereafter for deeds performed in pursuit of Allah’s pleasure and acceptance. during the period of illness. When a sick person shows patience toward his illness, trusts in Allah, and performs the obligatory prayers as much as he is able, then during that severe illness the illness itself takes the place of voluntary sunnahThe sayings, actions, and approvals of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) that serve as a model for Muslims. prayers in a pure form.

Moreover, illness makes man aware of his helplessness and weakness. Through that helplessness and weakness, it causes him to supplicate both through his state and through his words. Allah, the All-Just, has given man boundless helplessness and infinite weakness so that he may constantly take refuge in Him and offer supplication.