32. THE SICK & OUR DUTY

God says:

And [remember] Job, when he cried out to his Sustainer, “Affliction has befallen me: but Thou art the most merciful of the merciful!” * – whereupon We responded unto him and removed all the affliction from which he suffered; and We gave him new offspring, doubling their number as an act of grace from Us, and as a reminder unto all who worship Us.-- Q.21: 83-84
The story of Job (Ayyub in Arabic), describing his erstwhile happiness and prosperity, his subsequent trials and tribulations, the loss of all his children and his property, his own loathsome illness and utter despair and, finally, God’s reward of his patience in adversity, is given in full in the Old Testament (The Book of Job). This Biblical, highly philosophical epic is most probably a Hebrew translation or paraphrase – still evident in the language employed – of an ancient Nabataean (i.e., North-Arabian) poem, for > > * “Job, the author of the finest piece of poetry that the ancient Semitic world produced, was an Arab, not a Jew, as the form of his name (Iyyob) and the scene of his book, North Arabia, indicate” (Philip K. Hitti, History of the Arabs, London 1937, pp.42-43). Since God “spoke” to him, Job ranks in the Qur’an among the prophets, personifying the supreme virtue of patience in adversity: (sabr).

[Abraham in his sermon to his people said:] and when I fall ill, (He) is the One who restores me to health -- Q26: 80

Nay – who it is that responds to the distressed when he calls out to Him, and who removes the ill [that caused the distress], … Q.27: 62



Prophet said

1. “When you visit the sick, remove his anxiety about his death. (Though) it cannot avert anything but it would comfort his soul’ – H: Ibn Majah. N: Abu Sa’yeed.

2. “When you visit the sick, ask him to pray for you. His prayer ranks same as the prayer of the angels” – H: Ibn Majah. N: Omer-b-alKhattab.

3. “When a Muslim visits his brother Muslim in sickness, he certainly continues to pluck fruits of paradise till he returns” – H: Muslim. N: Saoban.

4. Bibi Ayesha reported: When anyone complained of his illness to the Messenger of God, he used to pass his right hand over him and then say: “Take away the trouble, O lord of mankind, and heal O thou Healer! There is no cure except Thy cure – a cure that does not leave any ailment” – H: Bukhari and Muslim.

5. Bara`a-b-‘Azeb reported: A man complained to the Prophet of being usually depressed and restless and said he had no peace of mind. The Prophet advised him to recite much: “SUBHANAL MALIKAL QUDDOOS, RABBUL MALAIKATI WARROOH, JALALATAS SAMAWATI WAL ARD BIL ‘IZZATI WAL JABROOT.” He got completely cured of his ills and peace of mind returned to him. – H: Majma-ul-zawa’ed wa Makhzanul Fawa’ed.
Nursing and visiting the sick is “sunnat” in cases of general sickness when there is no risk to life. On the other hand it is ‘Farz kefayah’ (compulsory for the community as a whole) in case lack of attention endangers life of the sick. If one Muslim looks after the patient, the whole community is absolved of the responsibility, failing which the entire body of Muslims will be responsible. – (Al-Hadis, sec. 3 pg.281. Vol. 1. Quoting Ghazali`s ‘Ihya’.)

31. DUTY TOWARDS POOR AND DISTRESSED

God says:

And (the God-conscious would assign) in all that they possessed a due share unto such as might ask (for help) and such as might suffer privation* Q.51: 19
* ”but they could not beg” – and this applies to all living creatures, whether human beings or mute animals (Razi), irrespective of whether the need is of physical or an emotional nature.

(The truly virtuous are they) who give food *-- however great be their own want of it -- unto the needy, and the orphan, and the captive** -- Q76: 7,8
*It is to be noted that in this context the concept of “giving food” comprises every kind of help and care, both material and moral.
**The Arabic term asir denotes anyone who is “captive” either literally (e.g. a prisoner) or figuratively, i.e., a captive of circumstances which render him helpless. The injunction of kindness towards all those who need help -- and therefore “captive in one sense or another -- applies to believers and non-believers alike (Tabari, zarmakhshri), and apparently also to animals dependent on man.

And him that seeks (thy) help shalt thou never chide,* -- Q.93: 10
*The term sa’il denotes, literally, “one who seeks”, which signifies not only “beggar” but anyone who asks for help in a difficult situation, whether physical or moral, or even for enlightenment


Prophet said:

1. “One who strives for the widows and the poor is like one who fights in the way of God. I shall regard him as one who stands up (for prayer) without rest and as one who fasts without break.”-- H: Bukhari and Muslim. N: Abu Hurairah.
Home for widows, for elders and infirm; orphanages, medical clinics; schools, and institutions of technical as well as professional education etc., for the unprivileged are the kind of projects the affluent could pay attention to on a collective basis.

2. “O Ayesha! Don’t turn away the poor (without giving) even though it is a piece of date. O Ayesha! Love the poor and let them come to you. For indeed, God will take you near Him on the Resurrection Day.”-- H: Tirmizi. N: Anas.

3. “Whoever wants that God should save him from the calamities of the Resurrection Day, should grant time to a debtor or grant remission” – H: Muslim. N: Abu Qatadah.

4. “God said: spend (in charity), O son of Adam! And I shall spend on you”-- H: Qudsi: Bukhari and Muslim. N: Abu Hurairah.

5. “The best charity is to satisfy a hungry belly” – H: Baihaqi. N: Anas.

30. DUTY TOWARDS ORPHANS

God says


Hence, render unto the orphans their possessions, and do not substitute bad things (of your own) for the good things (that belong to them) and do not consume their possessions together with your own: this verily, is a great crime. -- Q.4: 2

Behold, those who sinfully devour the possessions of orphans but fill their bellies with fire -- Q.4: 10

And do not touch the substance of an orphan- save to improve it -- before he comes to age*… Q.6: 152
*After the orphan in one’s charge has come to age, the former guardian may ”touch” his property, legally, by borrowing or utilizing it with the owner’s consent.

[The righteous] feed, for the love of God, the needy, the orphan and the captive* -- Q.76: 8
*Captive, apparently, includes the dumb animals dependent on man.



Prophet said

1. “The best house of a Muslim is one wherein there is an orphan who is treated well, and worst is one where there is an orphan who is treated badly” – H: Ibn Majah. N: Abu Hurairah

2. “Whoever gives shelter to an orphan and provides (him) with food and drink, to him God will guarantee paradise unless he has committed a sin which cannot be pardoned .…” --H: Baihaqi. N: Ibn Abbas.

3. “.…honour them as you honour your children, and give them food out of what you yourself eat…” – H: Ibn Majah. N: Abu Bakr Siddiq.

4. According to a Hadis reported by Bukhari on the authority of Sahal bin Sa’ad the Prophet had said that he and the caretaker of an orphan would be close to each other in paradise (like two fingers joined.)

29. DUTY TOWARDS NEIGHBOUR

God says:

….and do good to your parents, and near of kin, and unto orphans, and the needy, and the neighbour from among your own people, and the neighbor who is a stranger*… Q.4: 36
*i.e., “whether he belongs to your own or to another community.” That the expression “your own people” (dhu‘l - qurba) refers to the community and not to one’s actual relatives is obvious from the fact that “the near of kin” has already been mentioned earlier in this sentence. The Prophet often stressed a believer’s moral obligation towards his neighbours whatever their faith.

As for such [of the unbelievers] as do not fight against you on account of [your] faith, and neither drive you forth from your homelands, God does not forbid you to show them kindness and to behave towards them with full equity : for, verily, God loves those who act equitably.-- Q.60: 8

Woe, then, unto those praying ones whose hearts from their prayer are remote -- those who want only to be seen and praised, and, with all that, deny all assistance (to their fellow-men)! * -- Q.107: 4 -7
*The term al - ma -un (in the Arabic text) comprises many small items needed for one’s daily use, as well as the occasional acts of kindness consisting in helping out one’s fellow men (specially neighbours) with such items.

Making most of your Friday Post? It becomes just your ‘information’ when you read it. Apply mind to it and it becomes your ‘knowledge’. Knowledge strengthens faith!



Prophet said:

1. “Whoever believes in God and the Last Day, let him do good to his neighbour” *--H: Bukhari and Muslim. N: Abu Hurairah.
*This Tradition sums up a believer’s moral obligation towards his neighbours, whatever their faith.

2. “Gibraiel did not stop to advise me about neighbour till I thought he would soon be (declared) an heir” – H: Bukhari and Muslim. N: Bibi Ayesha and Ibn Omar.

3. “One whose neighbour is not safe from being troubled by him shall not enter paradise” – H: Muslim. N: Anas

4. “(While cooking) when you prepare broth increase its water content in order to share with your neighbours” --- H: Muslim. N: Abu Zarr.

5. Bibi Ayesha asked: O Messenger of God! I have two neighbors. Which of the two should I send a present? He replied, “To one whose door is nearer to you” – H: Bukhari. N: Bibi Ayesha.
Islamic law of Pre-emption for non- Muslims: (law of the neighbourhood applied to immovable property.) Generally speaking, a Muslim neighbour who is also related has greater right than a Muslim neighbour who is not related; and a Muslim neighbour has a greater right than a non Muslim neighbour. However, in matter of purchasing land or property in the neighbourhood, Islamic law of Pre-emption gives a non-Muslim neighbour greater right than a Muslim who is not a neighbour. (Al-Hadis: ref: notes 190 in vol. 1, and 870 in vol. 2)