LESSONS FROM BEING SICK

Alhamdulillah who is the giver of blessings, magnanimous and countless.

To those who are guided He increases them in guidance.

وَالَّذِينَ اهْتَدَوْا زَادَهُمْ هُدًى

And those who are guided - He increases them in guidance. (47:17)

And to those who fear Him, he magnifies for them their reward.

وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يُكَفِّرْ عَنْهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِ وَيُعْظِمْ لَهُ أَجْرًا

And whoever is cautious of Allah - He will expiate from him his misdeeds and make great for him his reward. (65:5)

Indeed the case of man is strange. He is ever under the care of His Guardian Lord, his every need taken care of by His mercy yet man turns away from his Lord, sets up equals to Him, and rivals unto God.

فَلَا تَجْعَلُوا لِلَّهِ أَندَادًا وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

So do not attribute to Allah equals while you know. (2:23)

Sickness, difficulties, worries are reminders to turn back to Allah, free oneself from joining partners with God, from the shackles of shirk, to turn one’s heart solely to Him and call out to Him.

وَادْعُوهُ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا ۚ إِنَّ رَحْمَتَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ مِّنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

And invoke Him in fear and longing. Indeed, the mercy of Allah is near to the doers of good. (7:56)

I was very sick yesterday. I had to drink saline water, which I did not like to have. Alhamdulillah who gave us drinkable water that is not bitter or salty.

لَوْ نَشَاءُ جَعَلْنَاهُ أُجَاجًا فَلَوْلَا تَشْكُرُونَ

If We willed, We could make it bitter, so why are you not grateful? (56:70)

I was also reminded of how weak man is. A small sickness and he is overpowered and overcome. His appetite, energy - all of it is gone.

وَخُلِقَ الْإِنسَانُ ضَعِيفًا

and mankind was created weak. (4:28)

Therefore let man be humble to God and fellow men, for if he humbles himself for Allah’s sake, he will be raised.

وَمَا تَوَاضَعَ أَحَدٌ لِلَّهِ إِلاَّ رَفَعَهُ اللَّهُ

​No one humbles himself for the sake of Allah except that Allah raises him. (Muslim, 2588)

May Allah make us people who understand and realize, who come close to Him, remember Him, who are connected to Him, and are truly successful.