Illness results in increase of virtues

 

Illness results in increase of virtues

 

When Hadhrat Fudhail bin ‘Iyaaz or Hadhrat Bishr Haafi or Hadhrat Wahhb (May Allah shower His Mercy on them) would fall ill, they would shut the doors of their houses so that none got to know of their illness.  They would say:  We want to fall ill in such a manner that no one should call on us.

 

Hadhrat Imam Ghazali (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) says:  Hiding one’s sickness is a condition of reliance on Allah Most High.  Revealing it is Undesirable.  If one is relating it to a doctor or revealing it with the intention of weeding out pride and haughtiness, it is not Undesirable.  Revealing the sickness without any reason, by way of complaint, is Forbidden.

 

Hadhrat ‘Ali (May Allah be well pleased with him) was asked:  Are you fine?  He said:  No.  When People started looking at each other with astonishment, he said:  Should I boast of my bravery before Almighty Allah?  However, one should not scream or cry out during an illness as these will reveal the illness (to others).

 

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  If there is a place where an epidemic is raging, you should not go there.  If you are in such a place where an epidemic is raging, you should not run away from that place.

 

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) also said:  Running away from an epidemic is like running away from the disbelievers’ army out of fear.

 

Groaning due to the agony of the sickness is like glorification of Almighty Allah.  Tossing about restlessly is like recitation of La Ilaaha Illallah…..  The very breath of the patient is a charity.  His/her sleeping is also a form of worship.  Turning from one side to another is like fighting in the path of Allah Most High.

 

Hadhrat Abu Muhammad Ja’afar (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) says:  Once I went to visit Hadhrat Junaid Baghdadi (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) and found him down with fever.  I said:  O Shaykh!  Supplicate Allah Most High that He grant you good health.  Hadhrat Junaid (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) said: I did that yesterday.  I was answered:  Your body is owned by Me.  Hand it over to Me. I may keep you healthy or sick, as I wish.  Who are you to interfere in My dominion?  Break off your relations with your body so that you may be counted as a bondsman of the Lord.

 

[Excerpted from Mawaaiz-e-Hasana]