WHAT IS THE first thing we should do when we feel unwell? Our hearts should turn to Allah ﷻ.
Yet it is easy to forget this. In a time shaped by science and quick remedies, our hands often reach for the paracetamol or the phone to call the doctor, believing the cure rests with them. These are only means that Allah allows us to use. The true cure belongs to Him alone. How many times have we seen medicine bring no relief, or witnessed someone recover from an illness that seemed beyond hope?
One blessing that came from living through the pandemic is that my entire household learned many of the beautiful supplications related to illness.
Even now, I often see the children, when in pain, turning immediately to Allah. They follow the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, placing the right hand on the painful area. They say “Bismillah” three times, then recite seven times:
أَعُوذُ بِعِزَّةِ اللَّهِ وَقُدْرَتِهِ مِن شَرِّ مَا أَجِدُ وَأُحاذِرُ
“I seek protection in the might of Allah and His power from the evil of what I am experiencing and of what I fear.” (Muslim)
And the supplication made 7 times on visiting the ill:
أَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ رَبَّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ أَنْ يَشْفِيَكَ
“I ask Allah, the Mighty, the Lord of the Mighty Throne, to cure you.” (Abu Dawud)
Any illness should draw us closer to Allah ﷻ and deepen our trust in Him. When our bodies weaken, we are very clearly reminded of our complete dependence on the One who created us. Yet this spiritual turning does not mean we avoid seeking medical treatment. Islam encourages us to take the means that Allah has provided.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Allah has sent down the disease and the cure, and has made for every disease a cure. So treat sickness, but do not use anything unlawful.” (Abu Dawud)
A Bedouin once asked: “O Messenger of Allah, should we not treat sickness?” He ﷺ replied: “Treat sickness, for Allah has not created a disease without also creating its cure, except for one.” They asked, “What is it?” He said: “Old age.” (Ibn Majah)
Some people wonder whether seeking treatment weakens tawakkul and whether it reflects weak faith.
Ibn al-Qayyim offers a beautiful clarification: “Seeking treatment does not contradict tawakkul, just as protecting oneself from hunger, thirst, heat, or cold does not contradict tawakkul. True tawakkul cannot be complete unless a person also uses the means that Allah has placed in creation to bring about results through His decree and His laws. Neglecting these means weakens tawakkul and goes against Allah’s wisdom and command, even if a person imagines that avoiding them increases his trust in Allah. Refusing to take the means is a form of helplessness that opposes the reality of tawakkul. Real tawakkul is when the heart relies fully on Allah to bring benefit and protect from harm in this life and the next, while the person still takes the steps that Allah has allowed and encouraged. Helplessness is not a sign of tawakkul, and true tawakkul does not lead to helplessness.” (Zaad al-Ma’aad)
Living For Islam 