Hadiths Related to Health and Medicine

Last updated: 10th June 2022

This page will be updated regularly insha-Allah

The Islamic Perspective on Issues Related to Health and Medicine 

 

Zaid ibn Aslam relates from his father:

“I became ill during the time Umar ibn al-Khattaab with a severe illness. So Umar summoned a doctor for me. The doctor prevented me from food (so much) that I would suck on datestones due to the severeness of the prevention.”

(al-Haakim in his Saheeh)

زَيْدُ بْنُ أَسْلَمَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ: «مَرِضْتُ فِي زَمَانِ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ مَرَضًا شَدِيدًا فَدَعَا لِي عُمَرُ طَبِيبًا فَحَمَانِي حَتَّى كُنْتُ أَمُصُّ النَّوَاةَ مِنْ شِدَّةِ الْحِمْيَةِ»

صححه الحاكم واقره الذهبي

Rasulullah ﷺ would say:

“Verily, when Allah loves a servant, He protects him from the Dunya just as one of you denies water to his ill (patient) in order that he may be cured.”

(Musnad Ibn Abee Ya’laa)

رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم -، كان يقول: “إِنَّ اللَّهَ إِذَا أَحَبَّ عَبْدًا حَمَاهُ الدُّنيَا كَمَا يَحْمِى أَحَدُكُمْ مَرِيضَهُ المَاءَ لِيَشْفَى”

مسند ابي يعلى  صحيح

THE BLESSINGS AND BENEFITS OF FEVER

Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu anhu) said:

“There is no illness that afflicts me which is more beloved to me than fever, because it enters into every limb of mine, and Allah, Azza Wa Jal, grants every limb its share of reward.”

(Adab al-Mufrad of Imam Bukhari)

وَعَنْ عَطَاءٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: مَا مِنْ مَرَضٍ يُصِيبُنِي أَحَبَّ إِلَيَّ مِنَ الْحُمَّى، لِأَنَّهَا تَدْخُلُ فِي كُلِّ عُضْوٍ مِنِّي، وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يُعْطِي كُلَّ عُضْوٍ قِسْطَهُ مِنَ الْأَجْرِ ”
صحيح

Hadhrat Abu ad-Darda (radhiyallahu anhu) said:

“The fever of a night is expiation of a year (of sins)”

(Ibn Abī Dunyā)

قَالَ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ ” حُمَّى لَيْلَةٍ كَفَّارَةُ سَنَةٍ

Rasulullah ﷺ said:

“Verily, the example of the believing servant when illness or fever afflicts him is (like) the example of iron entering into fire. Its filth goes away, and its good (parts) remain.”

(Al-Mustadrak of Imaam al-Haakim)

رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، قَالَ: «إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ الْعَبْدِ الْمُؤْمِنِ حِينَ يُصِيبُهُ الْوَعْكُ، أَوِ الْحُمَّى كَمَثَلِ حَدِيدَةٍ تَدْخُلُ النَّارَ فَيَذْهَبُ خَبَثُهَا وَيَبْقَى طِيبُهَا» هَذَا حَدِيثٌ صَحِيحُ الْإِسْنَادِ

Hadhrat Hasan al-Basri (rahmatullahi alayh) said:

“They (i.e. the Sahabah radhiyallahu anhum) would hope from the fever of a night, the expiation of (all) sins in the past.”

(Shu’ab al-Imaan)

حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ خِدَاشٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ، قَالَ: كَانُوا يَرْجُونَ فِي حُمَّى لَيْلَةٍ كَفَّارَةً لِمَا مَضَى مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ
إسناده حسن

Rasulullah ﷺ said:

“Verily, Allah ﷻ says (regarding fever): ‘It is My fire which I impose upon my believing servant in the Dunya (this world), so it becomes his share of the fire from the Aakhirah (afterlife).'”

(Al-Mustadrak of al-Haakim)

وقال أبو هريرة وقد عاد مريضًا، فقال له: إن رسول اللَّه -صلى اللَّه عليه وسلم- قال: “إن اللَّه عز وجل يقول: هي ناري أسلطها على عبدي المؤمن في الدنيا، لتكون حظه من النار في الآخرة” صححه الحاكم واقره الذهبي

Ibn al-Qayyim states in “at-Tibb an-Nabawi” that the leading medical experts (in the Islamic world) would celebrate the occurrence of fever, since it was a clear indication of the body combating the disease. They would say:

“In (regard to) many diseases, we rejoice at (the onset of) fever in them, just as the ill person rejoices at good health. Fever during it (i.e. disease) is much more beneficial than consuming medicine, for it processes (for eventual ejection) the humours and toxic matter which harm the body.”

 إِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْأَمْرَاضِ نَسْتَبْشِرُ فِيهَا بِالْحُمَّى، كَمَا يَسْتَبْشِرُ الْمَرِيضُ بِالْعَافِيَةِ، فَتَكُونُ الْحُمَّى فِيهِ أَنْفَعَ مِنْ شُرْبِ الدَّوَاءِ بِكَثِيرٍ، فَإِنَّهَا تُنْضِجُ مِنَ الْأَخْلَاطِ وَالْمَوَادِّ الْفَاسِدَةِ مَا يَضُرُّ بِالْبَدَنِ

To suppress fever or interfere with the body’s natural healing process with toxic chemicals, as is common nowadays, is extremely harmful and, no doubt, often leads to fatalities.

DO NOT COERCE THE ILL PERSON TO EAT OR DRINK

Rasulullah ﷺ said:

“Do not coerce your ill patients to (have) food and drink. For indeed, Allah feeds them and quenches them.”

(Al-Haakim in his Saheeh)

قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا تُكْرِهُوا مَرْضَاكُمْ عَلَى الطَّعَامِ وَالشَّرَابِ، فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يُطْعِمُهُمْ وَيَسْقِيهِمْ»

صححه الحاكم ووافقه الذهبي

The Hakeems of the past – true Islamic doctors who would exclusively use natural substances and methods for healing – would religiously abide by such divine principles.

The famous Hakeem, Ibn Tarkhan al-Hamawi, quotes and expands on the statement of another giant in the field, Abdul Latif al-Baghdadi (629 AH), stating:

“How abundantly beneficial are these Prophetic words which contain divine wisdom, particularly for doctors and those who treat ill patients. That is, when the ill person is averse to food and drink, it is because the constitution is preoccupied with fighting the disease, or due to a drop or reduction in appetite, as a result of weakness or subsiding of natural heat – whatever the case may be, it is not permissible then to give food and drink in this state.

Know that hunger is simply the parts (of the body) seeking nutrition, due to the constitution replenishing them with it, as a replacement for what has been used up in them. Thus, the distant parts draw from the near parts until the drawing (effect) ends up at the stomach, and then the man feels hunger, so he seeks nutrition. However, when sickness is present, the constitution becomes distracted with its (toxic and waste) matter, processing and expelling it, away from seeking food or drink…”

مَا أَغْزَرَ فَوَائِدَ هَذِهِ الْكَلِمَةِ النَّبَوِيَّةِ الْمُشْتَمِلَةِ عَلَى حِكَمٍ إِلَهِيَّةٍ، لَا سِيَّمَا لِلْأَطِبَّاءِ، وَلِمَنْ يُعَالِجُ الْمَرْضَى، وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ الْمَرِيضَ إِذَا عَافَ الطَّعَامَ أَوِ الشَّرَابَ، فَذَلِكَ لِاشْتِغَالِ الطَّبِيعَةِ بِمُجَاهَدَةِ الْمَرَضِ، أَوْ لِسُقُوطِ شَهْوَتِهِ، أَوْ نُقْصَانِهَا لِضَعْفِ الْحَرَارَةِ الْغَرِيزِيَّةِ أَوْ خُمُودِهَا، وَكَيْفَمَا كَانَ، فَلَا يَجُوزُ حِينَئِذٍ إِعْطَاءُ الْغِذَاءِ فِي هَذِهِ الْحَالَةِ. وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ الْجُوعَ إِنَّمَا هُوَ طَلَبُ الْأَعْضَاءِ لِلْغِذَاءِ لِتَخَلُّفِ الطَّبِيعَةِ بِهِ عَلَيْهَا عِوَضَ مَا يَتَحَلَّلُ مِنْهَا، فَتَجْذِبُ الْأَعْضَاءَ الْقُصْوَى مِنَ الْأَعْضَاءِ الدُّنْيَا حَتَّى يَنْتَهِيَ الْجَذْبُ إِلَى الْمَعِدَةِ، فَيُحِسَّ الْإِنْسَانُ بِالْجَوْعِ، فَيَطْلُبُ الْغِذَاءَ، وَإِذَا وُجِدَ الْمَرَضُ، اشْتَغَلَتِ الطَّبِيعَةُ بِمَادَّتِهِ وَإِنْضَاجِهَا وَإِخْرَاجِهَا عَنْ طَلَبِ الْغِذَاءِ، أَوِ الشَّرَابِ،

He goes onto emphasize the fact that going against this prescription – as is the case with going against any Prophetic prescription – is bound to aggravate the disease and cause terrible consequences:

“So when the sick person is coerced into making use of some of that (i.e. food and drink), the constitution becomes hindered from its (natural course of) action, and it becomes distracted with digesting and disposing it, away from processing and averting the diseased matter. And that becomes a cause of harm for the sick person, especially during a suddenly critical juncture, or during weakness or deterioration of the innate heat. Thus it increases the affliction, and hastens the dreaded consequence (e.g. death).”

فَإِذَا أُكْرِهَ الْمَرِيضُ عَلَى اسْتِعْمَالِ شَيْءٍ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، تَعَطَّلَتْ بِهِ الطَّبِيعَةُ عَنْ فِعْلِهَا، وَاشْتَغَلَتْ بِهَضْمِهِ وَتَدْبِيرِهِ عَنْ إِنْضَاجِ مَادَّةِ الْمَرَضِ وَدَفْعِهِ، فَيَكُونُ ذَلِكَ سَبَبًا لِضَرَرِ الْمَرِيضِ، وَلَا سِيَّمَا فِي أَوْقَاتِ الْبُحْرَانِ ، أَوْ ضَعْفِ الْحَارِّ الْغَرِيزِيِّ أَوْ خُمُودِهِ، فَيَكُونُ ذَلِكَ زِيَادَةً فِي الْبَلِيَّةِ، وَتَعْجِيلِ النَّازِلَةِ الْمُتَوَقَّعَةِ،

Many naturopaths in the west have also observed the spectacular benefits that can be derived from applying the very same or similar principles. As an example, we reproduce a citation on the famous naturopath, Dr Trall:

“Dr Trall practiced medicine in the USA during the mid-19th century, a time when diseases like cholera, typhoid, typhus, measles, smallpox, scarlet fever, pneumonia and dysentry were epidemic. He practised conventional medicine until 1840, at which point he rebelled against the drugging and suppressive treatments because of their consistently high fatality rate.

From 1846-1862 Trall treated many hundreds of sick patients with not one drug or suppressive measure. Many were severely ill suffering from these “killer diseases”.

Trall used Natural Hygiene measures only. These consisted of water-only fasting, no drugs whatsoever, fresh air, complete bed rest and quiet.

He lost NOT ONE patient in those 16 years. They ALL recovered.

Trall believed that the human body was capable of recovery in the vast majority of cases provided it was NOT interfered with: no food, no drugs, no heat or hydropathic (water) treatments, no excitement, no exercise.

Let the fevers run their course, watch the vomiting or diarrhoea expel the noxious toxic load, and allow the skin to eliminate the internal putrescence, were Trall’s directives. Then slowly re-feed the patient on a vegetarian diet back to robust health.

Trall stated:

”The effect of drugging is to lock up the causes of disease within the system, and to induce chronic and worse diseases. The remedial struggle, the disease – should be aided so that it may successfully accomplish its work of purification, not subdued or thwarted with poisons which create new drug diseases, and thus embarrass and complicate the vital struggle…”

Another famous western naturopath, Dr Herbert Shelton, points out the fact that modern physicians with their unnatural treatments are themselves the cause of increased suffering and countless deaths:

“Physicians and patients rarely realise how much the treatment is responsible for increased and prolonged suffering and death. Physicians are unaware of their (often deadly) fallacy to ‘eat plenty of nourishing food to keep up your stength’…

Delirium, spasm, peritonitis, pneumonia, pleurisy, heart trouble, sleeping sickness etc are listed among the complications of influenza. These develop in those who are fed and drugged.

“Whether the condition is severe cold, influenza, or pneumonia, the first thing is to stop eating. Absolutely no food, but water, should be allowed until the acute symptoms have subsided. No drugs of any kind should be resorted to.

”Go to bed and rest. Keep warm. Rest, fasting, warmth – these are the needs. Have plenty of fresh air in your room. Under these conditions you may lie in bed and get well in a short time with no complications and no sequels.

” You don’t need treatment. The fever, inflammation, coughing etc constitute the healing process. Just get out of their way and permit them to complete their work. Don’t try to aid nature – she doesn’t need your puny aid – she only asks that you cease interfering”

For true Muslims who have Yaqeen (conviction) in the words of the Prophet ﷺ, this reality that modern physicians are responsible for increased suffering, is undeniable, based on the fact that much of the principles abided by modern physicians are based on a science (whose foundational cornerstones include such anti-Islamic concepts as evolution and contagion) which violently conflicts in many instances with the explicit words of the Prophet ﷺ, such as this particular advice not to make the sick person go against his natural loss of appetite – a loss of appetite (including loss of sense of smell and taste) which occurs for a perfectly designed and critically important reason.

IF THE SICK PERSON DESIRES SOMETHING THEN DO NOT PREVENT HIM FROM IT

Hadhrat Ibn Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) said:

“If one of your ill persons desires something (to eat or drink or anything else), then do not prevent him from it. For perhaps Allah may have made him desire it so that he makes in it a cure for him.”

عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ عُمَرَ، يَقُولُ: «إِنِ اشْتَهَى مَرِيضُكُمُ الشَّيْءَ فَلَا تَحْمُوهُ فَلَعَلَّ اللَّهَ إِنَّمَا شَهَّاهُ ذَلِكَ لِيَجْعَلَ شِفَاءَهُ فِيهِ»

اسناده حسن

Hadhrat Ibn Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) said:

“Let none of you prevent an ill person from a food that he desires. Perhaps Allah will cure him (through it). For indeed Allah makes his cure in whatever He wishes.”

(Musannaf Ibn Abee Shayba)

ابن أبي شيبة: حدثنا وكيع عن رِزام بن سعيد عن أبي المعارك عن ابن عمر قال: لا يمنعن أحدكم مريضا طعاما يشتهيه، لعل الله أن يشفيه، فإن الله يجعل شفاءه حيث شاء

Allamah as-Suyooti states in his Sharh:

إِذا اشْتهى مَرِيض أحدكُم الخ أَي اشتهاء صَادِقا فَإِنَّهُ عَلامَة الصِّحَّة وَقد لَا يضر لبَعض المرضى الْأكل مِمَّا يَشْتَهِي إِذا كَانَ قَلِيلا ويقوى الطبيعة ويفضي الى الصِّحَّة وَلَكِن فِيمَا لَا يكون ضَرَره غَالِبا وَبِالْجُمْلَةِ لَيْسَ هَذَا حكما كليا بل جزئيا وَقَالَ الطَّيِّبِيّ مَبْنِيّ على التَّوَكُّل أَو على الياس من حَيَاته وَقد جَاءَ فِي الحَدِيث لَا تكْرهُوا مرضاكم على الطَّعَام وَالشرَاب فَإِن الله يُطعمهُمْ ويسقيهم وَالْحكمَة فِيهِ ظَاهِرَة لِأَن طبيعة الْمَرِيض مَشْغُول بانضاج مادته واخراجه وَلَو أكره على الطَّعَام وَالشرَاب بِكُل الطبيعة من فعلهَا وتشغل بهضمها وَيبقى الْمَادَّة فجَاء لَا ينضج لمعات قَوْله

THE MENTAL STATE AND ATTITUDE ADOPTED DURING ILLNESS HAS A DIRECT EFFECT ON ONE’S HEALTH

Rasulullah ﷺ said:

“No Muslim becomes ill except Allah appoints for him two angels from all the angels, who never part from him until Allah decrees in his matter with one of two good things whether it be with death or life. When his visitors ask him, ” How are you doing?” He replies, “I praise Allah, I am fine, and Allah is to be praised.” The angels then say to him, “Receive gladtidings of (fresh) blood which is better than your (current) blood, and good health which is better than your (current) health.” However, if he replies (complaining), “I am going through great affliction”, the angels say to him as they approach him, “Receive news of (new) blood which is worse than your (current) blood, and an affliction which is worse than your (current) affliction.”

(Shu’ab al-Imaan)

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ” مَا مَرِضَ مُسْلِمٌ إِلَّا وَكَّلَ اللَّهُ بِهِ مَلَكَيْنِ مِنْ مَلَائِكَتِهِ لَا يُفَارِقَانِهِ حَتَّى يَقْضِيَ اللَّهُ فِي أَمْرِهِ بِإِحْدَى الْحَسَنَتَيْنِ إِمَّا بِمَوْتٍ وَإِمَّا بِحَيَاةٍ فَإِذَا قَالَ لَهُ الْعُوَّادُ: كَيْفَ تَجِدُكَ؟ قَالَ: أَحْمَدُ اللَّهَ أَجِدُنِي وَاللَّهُ مَحْمُودٌ بِخَيْرٍ قَالَ لَهُ الْمَلَكَانِ: أَبْشِرْ بِدَمٍ هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنْ دَمِكَ وَصِحَّةٍ هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنْ صِحَّتِكَ فَإِنْ قَالَ: أَجِدُنِي فِي بَلَاءٍ شَدِيدٍ قَالَ لَهُ الْمَلَكَانِ مَجِيئَانِ لَهُ: أَبْشِرْ بِدَمٍ هُوَ شَرٌّ مِنْ دَمِكَ وَبِبَلَاءٍ هُوَ أَطْوَلُ مِنْ بَلَائِكَ

THE REALITY OF THE EVIL EYE

Rasulullah ﷺ said:

“The majority of my Ummah will die from the evil eye, after the decree and judgement of Allah.”

(Al-Bazzaar and others)

أكثر من يموت من أمتي بعد قضاء الله وقدره بالنفس” قال الراوي: يعني بالعين.

حسنه الحافظ في الفتح وصححه الهيثمي في مجمع

That is, evil eye will be the underlying cause of diseases, accidents, and other apparent reasons behind the death of the majority of the people in this Ummah.

Evil eye is, of course, part of Qadr – Allah’s Decree. However, due to its great impact it has been mentioned as a separate entity.

In another Hadith emphasizing the great impact of the evil eye, Rasulullah ﷺ said:

“The evil eye is real, and if anything were to overtake the divine decree (al-qadar) it would be the evil eye.”

(Saheeh Muslim)

عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه قال : (الْعَيْنُ حَقٌّ ، وَلَوْ كَانَ شَيْءٌ سَابَقَ الْقَدَرَ سَبَقَتْهُ الْعَيْنُ) .

Giving an example of one of many ways the evil eye can cause death, Rasulullah ﷺ said:

“Verily, the evil eye might attach itself to a man by the permission of Allah, until he climbs a tall mountain and then he falls from it.”

(Musnad Ahmad)

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إن العين لتولع بالرجل بإذن الله تعالى حتى يصعد حالقا ثم يتردى منه

There are many other authentic Hadiths demonstrating the reality of the evil eye.

It is thus extremely important to be careful about revealing one’s blessings openly to others, and to be punctual and regular in reciting the Duas of protection such as the following one:

“O Allah! I seek Refuge with Your Perfect Words from every devil and from poisonous pests and from every harmful (evil) eye.”

(Saheeh Bukhari)”

أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّةِ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْطَانٍ وَهَامَّةٍ، وَمِنْ كُلِّ عَيْنٍ لاَمَّةٍ

 

Much more to come here, insha-Allah.

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