Ash-Shāfi (The Healer)
The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) went to visit a sick Bedouin who was suffering severe pain. Encouraging and consoling him, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “It is a purification.”
The Bedouin said: “Rather, it is a fever that boils in an old man and leads him to the grave.”
Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“Then, it is so.”
[Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
In most cases, a person recovers or continues to be ill due to himself. If we have joyful thoughts, we become happy. So, when we entertain hopeful thoughts about recovery and put our trust in Allah Almighty, we get actually cured, by Allah’s permission. On the contrary, if obsessions about illness overcome us, we will mostly remain sick.
Our Lord has opened the door of hope to every sick person. He says:
{...Call upon Me; I will respond to you...}
[Surat Ghāfir: 60]
He also says:
{Allah has the Most Beautiful Names, so call upon Him by them...}
[Surat al - A‘rāf:180]
{...Call upon Me; I will respond to you...}
[Surat Ghāfir: 60]
He also says:
{Allah has the Most Beautiful Names, so call upon Him by them...}
[Surat al - A‘rāf:180]
One of Allah’s beautiful names is “Ash-Shāfi”. So, let us seek closeness to Allah Almighty by this name so that we can draw close to our purpose and fulfill our needs.
Whenever the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) visited a sick person, or a sick
person was brought to him, he would say:
“Adh - hi b a l - bās Rabba n - nās, is hfiwaanta Ash - Shāfi la shifā’a illa shifā’uka shifā’an layughādiru saqama (O Allah, the Lord of the people, remove the trouble and heal, for You are the Healer. No healing is of any avail but Yours; healing that leaves no ailment). ”
[Narrated by Al - Bukhāri and Muslim]
Healing is cure and recovery from illness.
Our Lord, Exalted be He, is the One Who removes trouble and sickness, and cures the ill through the proper means as well as through hope. An ill person may recover without medicine, or he may recover by undergoing medical treatment, which leads to cure. Both are the same as far as the ability of Allah is concerned.
As Allah Almighty cures sick bodies, He also heals hearts, chests, and souls and purifies them from their sickness and discomfort. In the Qur’an, He says:
{O mankind, there has come to you an exhortation from your Lord, a cure for [illness] of the hearts, a guidance and mercy for the believers.}
[Surat Yūnus: 57]
Allah Almighty heals whomever He wills, and He may keep the methods of remedy out of the doctors’ reach, if He so decides
He alone can bring about healing. He has no partner and there is no true healing but His. Abraham (peace be upon him) is quoted in the Qur’an as saying:
{And when I am ill He heals me.}
[Surat ash - Shu‘arā’: 80]
Also, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“... There is no healer but You.”
[Narrated by Al - Bukhāri]
Out of Allah’s bounty, He does not send down a disease except with its remedy. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) is authentically reported to have said:
“O servants of Allah, make use of medical treatment for Allah has not created a disease without making a remedy for it, with the exception of one disease: old age.”
[Narrated by Al - Tirmidhi; Sahīh (authentic)]
{And when I am ill He heals me.}
[Surat ash - S hu‘arā’: 80]
Also, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“... There is no healer but You.”
[Narrated by Al - Bukhāri]
Out of Allah’s bounty, He does not send down a disease except with its remedy. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) is authentically reported to have said:
“O servants of Allah, make use of medical treatment for Allah has not created a disease without making a remedy for it, with the exception of one disease: old age.”
[Narrat ed by Al - Tirmidhi; Sa hīh (authentic)]
