CHAPTER 1. The saying that sickness is expiation for sins.

7:545 Narrated by Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri and Abu Huraira

The Prophet said, “No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that.”

7:547 Narrated by Abu Huraira

Allah’s Apostle said, “The example of a believer is that of a fresh tender plant; from whatever direction the wind comes, it bends it, but when the wind becomes quiet, it becomes straight again. Similarly, a believer is afflicted with calamities (but he remains patient till Allah removes his difficulties.) And an impious wicked person is like a pine tree which keeps hard and straight till Allah cuts (breaks) it down when He wishes.” (See Hadith No. 558, Vol. 9.)

7:548 Narrated by Abu Huraira

Allah’s Apostle said, “If Allah wants to do good to somebody, He afflicts him with trials.”

CHAPTER 2. The severity of disease

7:549 Narrated by Aisha

I never saw anybody suffering so much from sickness as Allah’s Apostle.

7:550 Narrated by ‘Abdullah

I visited the Prophet during his ailments and he was suffering from a high fever. I said, “You have a high fever. Is it because you will have a double reward for it?” He said, “Yes, for no Muslim is afflicted with any harm but that Allah will remove his sins as the leaves of a tree fall down.”

CHAPTER 3. The superiority of a person who is suffering from epilepsy.

7:555 Narrated by ‘Ata bin Abi Rabah

Ibn ‘Abbas said to me, “Shall I show you a woman of the people of Paradise?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “This black lady came to the Prophet and said, ‘I get attacks of epilepsy and my body becomes uncovered; please invoke Allah for me.’ The Prophet said (to her), ‘If you wish, be patient and you will have (enter) Paradise; and if you wish, I will invoke Allah to cure you.’ She said, ‘I will remain patient,’ and added, ‘but I become uncovered, so please invoke Allah for me that I may not become uncovered.’ So he invoked Allah for her.”

CHAPTER 4. The superiority of a person who has lost his sight.

7:557 Narrated by Anas bin Malik

I heard Allah’s Apostle saying, “Allah said, ‘If I deprive my slave of his two beloved things (i.e., his eyes) and he remains patient, I will let him enter Paradise in compensation for them.'”

CHAPTER 5.To visit a patient.

7:568 Narrated by Jabir

The Prophet came to visit me (while I was sick) and he was riding neither a mule, nor a horse.

CHAPTER 6. It is permissible for a patient to say: “I am sick,” or “Oh, my head!” or “My ailment has been aggravated.” And the saying of Ayyüb (Job) , “Verily, distress has seized me, and You are the Most Merciful of all those who show mercy.” (V.21:83)

7:570 Narrated by Al-Qasim bin Muhammad

‘Aisha, (complaining of headache) said, “Oh, my head”! Allah’s Apostle said, “I wish that had happened while I was still living, for then I would ask Allah’s Forgiveness for you and invoke Allah for you.” Aisha said, “Wa thuklayah! By Allah, I think you want me to die; and If this should happen, you would spend the last part of the day sleeping with one of your wives!” The Prophet said, “Nay, I should say, ‘Oh my head!’ I felt like sending for Abu Bakr and his son, and appoint him as my successor lest some people claimed something or some others wished something, but then I said (to myself), ‘Allah would not allow it to be otherwise, and the Muslims would prevent it to be otherwise”.

CHAPTER 7.The patient’s wish for death.

7:575 Narrated by Anas bin Malik

The Prophet said, “None of you should wish for death because of a calamity befalling him; but if he has to wish for death, he should say: “O Allah! Keep me alive as long as life is better for me, and let me die if death is better for me.’ “

7:576 Narrated by Qais bin Abi Hazim

We went to pay a visit to Khabbab (who was sick) and he had been branded (cauterized) at seven places in his body. He said, “Our companions who died (during the lifetime of the Prophet) left (this world) without having their rewards reduced through enjoying the pleasures of this life, but we have got (so much) wealth that we find no way to spend It except on the construction of buildings Had the Prophet not forbidden us to wish for death, I would have wished for it.’ We visited him for the second time while he was building a wall. He said, A Muslim is rewarded (in the Hereafter) for whatever he spends except for something that he spends on building.”

7:577 Narrated by Abu Huraira

I heard Allah’s Apostle saying, “The good deeds of any person will not make him enter Paradise.” (i.e., None can enter Paradise through his good deeds.) They (the Prophet’s companions) said, ‘Not even you, O Allah’s Apostle?’ He said, “Not even myself, unless Allah bestows His favor and mercy on me.” So be moderate in your religious deeds and do the deeds that are within your ability: and none of you should wish for death, for if he is a good doer, he may increase his good deeds, and if he is an evil doer, he may repent to Allah.”

CHAPTER 8. The invocation for the patient by the one who pays a visit to him.

7:579 Narrated by ‘Aisha

Whenever Allah’s Apostle paid a visit to a patient, or a patient was brought to him, he used to invoke Allah, saying, “Take away the disease, O the Lord of the people! Cure him as You are the One Who cures. There is no cure but Yours, a cure that leaves no disease.”