The Power of Sick, by: Imaam Yakhsyallah Mansur

Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala said:

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ ۗ وَنَبْلُوكُمْ بِالشَّرِّ وَالْخَيْرِ فِتْنَةً ۖ وَإِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ / الانبياء [٢١]: ٣٥

“Every soul must taste of death. We will try you with evil and with good, for ordeal (which is true). And only to Us you are returned. ” (Surah Al-Anbiya [21]: 35)

Ibn Jarir wrote in his commentary, the Companions of Ibn Abbas interpreted this verse with the statement: “We (Allah) will test you with difficulties and pleasures, health and disease, wealth and poverty, lawful and haram, obedience and immorality, guidance and error.”

Various kinds of diseases that afflict humans are essentially part of the trials given by Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala to His servants. Everyone must have felt pain. The cause are many things, ranging from a weak immune system (immunity) to bacteria and viruses to accidents and disasters.

Sick condition makes someone feel uncomfortable. Some of them complained about the pain they suffered. Pain sometimes makes some people give up with the disease. They ask for mercy from others as if his illness was the worst he had suffered.

Medication is one of efforts to recover from disease, as an endeavor as the Shari’a commands. However, healing does not only depend on medicine, but also our enthusiasm and willingness to recover. Therefore, for people who are sick, moral support to recover as soon as possible  are important things to do.

In the view of Islam, humans should not need to regret when they are sick, but it can be a means to take lessons (tadabur). The pain that befalls to a person is an evidence of how weak a human being who is unable to control and save himself.

He needs a help from The Most Life-Giving and Healing. Pain is also a sign of the closeness of humans to death, so that preparation for eternal life after death is a top priority in his life.

Besides that, illness also becomes a means for someone to take a rest from the busy of worldly activities. With the rest, he will have more time to reflect, contemplate and take lessons from his life journey. Then, he will get closer to Allah, the Almighty Substance over the universe and all of its contents.

For some people, pain can be enjoyed as a gift. Pain can be a source of goodness for someone if he is patient. This was expressed by the Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu alaihi wa salam: “Really for the believers, all matters are good. If he gets joy, then he is grateful and it is good for him, and if he gets trouble, then he is patient and this is good for him. ” (narrated by Muslim).

Pain can also be a means of washing away of all sins. As the Prophet sallallaahu alaihi wa salam said in another hadith narrated by Muslims: “For a believer who suffer, fatigue, and sadness, even to the distress that befell him, but will be wiped out his sins.”

Among the most effective prayers are those offered when someone in weak condition, desperate, and in dire need of Allah’s help. Therefore, their prayers are more effective than their prayers which are healthy and spacious.

Imam Nawawi in his book Al-Azkar quoted a hadith from Umar Ibn Khatab, Rasulullah Sallallahu alaihi wa salam said: “When you visit a sick person, ask him to pray for you, because in fact their prayers are the same as the prayers of angels.” (Narrated by Ibn Majah).

A person who is sick should keep and stay energized and should not lose energy. If we take a look at history, great people did great and phenomenal jobs when they were sick. Look at how Rasulullah Sallallahu alaihi wa salam when he was sick, he prepared an army against the Romans, and pointed Usama bin Zaid as a commander. Sayidina Umar bin Khattab formed the Shura Council, when he was in a pain and exhaustion. Saad bin Abi Waqash became the commander of the Qadisiyah war (636 AD) when he was suffering from hip pain and boils all over his body.

Meanwhile in Indonesia, General Sudirman led a guerrilla war against the Dutch colonialists when he was sick, so that he had to be stretched by his soldiers Likewise, Imaam Muhyiddin Hamidy (Allah Yarhamhu) for decades leading the ummah with big ideas, he was in a sick condition. Imaam Hamidy’s big ideas include; proclaimed the Liberation of Al-Aqsa (Al-Aqsa Haqquna), founded the MINA News Agency, Shuffah Al-Quran Abdullah Bin Masud (SQABM), built the An-Nubuwah mosque (in Lampung) as a center of worship, education and service for the people and other ideas sparked when he was sick.

A British scientist, Stephen Hawking (died: 2017) wrote 15 phenomenal books when he was paralyzed due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).The theory he found “Black Hole” became a reference for world scientists in research on cosmology.

The pandemic period is not an obstacle for Muslims to work. For da’wah fighters, activists, volunteers and people who are involved in serving the people, this is a challenge in itself to be able to provide the best for a better future.

Pandemic must not be as an excuse for not to be productive. Moslems must be able to adapt to innovation and digital transformation.

Never give away to the Covid-19 pandemic, Never give up by difficulties and challenges. Continue to deal it with full tawakal and endeavor perfection. Allah will give the best according to the efforts we do. Remember the adage that is mandatory memorization of Gontor students, “Man Jadda wa Jadda (whoever do the job seriously, will definitely get it).”

Finally, let us pray for brothers and sisters who are still sick, may Allah will heal them with complete healing. May Allah lift up the Covid-19 outbreak from the land of Indonesia and throughout the globe, so that mankind can return to activities and worship as ussual. (AT/RE1/P2)

(Written on Tuesday, 26 January 2021 at Fatmawati Hospital 6th floor, No. 22. The author is still in a Covid-19 disease condition)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)