Sickness

Allah, the Wise, says:

وَ اِذاَ مَرِضْتُ فَهُو يشْفِينِ

 And when I am sick, then He restores me to health.

[Holy Qur'an, ch. Al-Shua'raa (26), vs. 80]

Ameeral Momineen (a.s.) has said:

 اَشَدُّ مِنَ الْفاَقَةِ مَرَضُ الْبَدَن

More calamitous than poverty is the sickness of the body.

[Nahjul Balaghah]

 

Short Explanation

One of the treasures of Paradise, which reaches a Mu'min in this world, is sickness.  If a Mu'min, occasionally and unintentionally, falters and commits sins, Allah does not like him to return to Him carrying the burden of his sins; He thus afflicts him with illness in order that his sins are forgiven.

A person who suffers from illness, beseeches and supplicates to Allah to restore his good health and Allah likes this state of a sick person, for He desires His servant to converse and communicate with Him.  At times, Allah afflicts a person with sickness in order to elevate him in spiritual rank and status.

The best amongst those who are ill is one who exercises patience in this suffering, conceals his pain and desists from complaining about his disease to others until he regains his health and acquires the maximum reward ordained for him.

 

The Rank of a Worshipper who Suffers from Illness

One day, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) raised his head towards the heavens and then laughed.  One of his companions asked him the reason for his laughter to which the Prophet (s.a.w.) replied saying:

"My laughter was out of my astonishment.  Two angels had descended from the heavens to record the deeds of a righteous Mu'min. They always found him on his prayer mat, engaged in worship, but this time, they noticed that he was not there.  He was in his bed, having been afflicted with sickness.  They ascended towards the heavens and said to Allah: "O' Lord! We did not find Your servant in his usual place of worship but instead, found him lying on his bed in a state of sickness."
 

Allah said to them:  "Until he regains his health, record for him all acts of worship and deeds of goodness that he used to perform when healthy.  It is necessary for Us, for as long as he remains in the captivity (of sickness), to grant him rewards of all the good deeds that he used to perform, when possessing soundness of health". 

Reference:

• Anecdotes for reflection, Vol 1, Sickness, Anecdote 1