Hadith 5652

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَخْلَدٌ ، عَنْ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ أَخْبَرَنِي عَطَاءٌ أَنَّهُ رَأَى أُمَّ زُفَرَ تِلْكَ امْرَأَةً طَوِيلَةً سَوْدَاءَ عَلَى سِتْرِ الْكَعْبَةِ .
Narrated 'Ata: That he had seen Um Zafar, the tall black lady, at (holding) the curtain of the Ka`ba.
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى ، عَنْ عِمْرَانَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ ، قَالَ : حَدَّثَنِي عَطَاءُ بْنُ أَبِي رَبَاحٍ ، قَالَ : قَالَ لِي ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ " أَلَا أُرِيكَ امْرَأَةً مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ ؟ ، قُلْتُ : بَلَى ، قَالَ : هَذِهِ الْمَرْأَةُ السَّوْدَاءُ أَتَتِ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، فَقَالَتْ : إِنِّي أُصْرَعُ ، وَإِنِّي أَتَكَشَّفُ فَادْعُ اللَّهَ لِي ، قَالَ : إِنْ شِئْتِ صَبَرْتِ وَلَكِ الْجَنَّةُ ، وَإِنْ شِئْتِ دَعَوْتُ اللَّهَ أَنْ يُعَافِيَكِ ، فَقَالَتْ : أَصْبِرُ ، فَقَالَتْ : إِنِّي أَتَكَشَّفُ ، فَادْعُ اللَّهَ لِي أَنْ لَا أَتَكَشَّفَ ، فَدَعَا لَهَا " .
Narrated 'Ata bin Abi Rabah: Ibn `Abbas said to me, "Shall I show you a woman of the people of Paradise?" I said, "Yes." He said, "This black lady came to the Prophet and said, 'I get attacks of epilepsy and my body becomes uncovered; please invoke Allah for me.' The Prophet said (to her), 'If you wish, be patient and you will have (enter) Paradise; and if you wish, I will invoke Allah to cure you.' She said, 'I will remain patient,' and added, 'but I become uncovered, so please invoke Allah for me that I may not become uncovered.' So he invoked Allah for her."
Hadith Reference صحيح البخاري / كتاب المرضى / 5652
Hadith Grading محدثین: أحاديث صحيح البخاريّ كلّها صحيحة
Related hadith on this topic
Explanation & Benefits
Maulana Dawood Raz
Hadith Commentary:
In the narration of al-Bazzar, it is mentioned that the woman said, "I fear the evil Shaytan, lest he should expose me naked."
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "If you have this fear, then hold on to the covering of the Ka'bah."
Whenever she felt afraid, she would cling to the covering of the Ka'bah, but this condition remained incurable.
Imam Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullah) has said that when epilepsy occurs at the age of twenty-five, it becomes incurable.
Maulana Abdul Hayy Marhoom Farangi Mahalli, who was a renowned scholar, passed away at the age of thirty-five due to epilepsy.
Rahimahullah (Wahidi)
Hafiz Sahib says: "And in it is evidence for the permissibility of abandoning medical treatment, and in it is that the treatment of all illnesses through supplication (du'a) and turning to Allah is more successful and beneficial than treatment with medicines, and that the effect of that and the body's response to it is greater than the effect of well-known physical medicines." (Fath al-Bari)
That is, in this hadith there is also evidence that abandoning treatment with medicines is permissible, and that the treatment of all illnesses by supplication (du'a) and turning to Allah is a more beneficial remedy than medicines, and the body accepts the effect of supplications more than that of medicines, and there is no doubt or uncertainty in this matter.
Therefore, supplications are the final weapon of the believer.
O Allah! With utmost sincerity of heart, I supplicate that You grant me complete healing from all diseases of the heart and body.
Ameen, thumma ameen.
Source: Sahih Bukhari: Commentary by Maulana Dawood Raz, Page: 5652
Shaykh Abdul Sattar al-Hammad
Hadith Commentary:
(1)
The name of this woman was Umm Zafar, and she would suffer epileptic seizures due to the intrusion of devils. Thus, in one narration, it is mentioned that she said:
I am afraid of the wicked devil, lest he should expose me naked.
So the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) supplicated for her.
Thereafter, whenever she sensed danger from the devil, she would cling to the covering of the Ka‘bah.
(Musnad al-Bazzar: 191/12, no. 5073)
This woman abandoned medical treatment and exercised patience over her illness. Also, from this hadith it is understood that all illnesses can be treated through supplications and turning to Allah, and indeed, this method of treatment is more beneficial than treatment with medicines.
The human body is more receptive to the effect of supplications than to medicines.
There is no doubt about this; rather, supplication is a very great weapon for the believer.
In any case, patience in the face of affliction is a means to attain Paradise, and choosing hardship instead of concession is a cause of great status, provided that one knows that, in the event of a prolonged affliction, he will remain patient and will act with patience in every circumstance.

(2)
Although in this hadith epilepsy is mentioned as being due to the intrusion of the devil, Imam al-Bukhari (rahimahullah) made an analogy to other forms of epilepsy as well.
The other type of epilepsy occurs due to wind (riyah) and the cessation of blood circulation, during which the vital organs lose their function, causing the person to lose consciousness.
Sometimes, harmful vapors ascend to the brain and affect it.
In any case, if a person endures both types of epilepsy with a cheerful countenance, he is given the glad tidings of Paradise with Allah.
Source: Hidayat al-Qari: Commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Urdu, Page: 5652
Shaykh Maulana Abdul Aziz Alvi
Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: This hadith establishes that if a person possesses a spirit of patience and steadfastness, and he is able to endure hardship and illness with patience, and there is no risk of weakness, then it is not necessary for him to seek treatment or medical care. However, if he cannot remain steadfast upon this, or if his affairs are affected by it, then he should seek treatment; for him, seeking treatment is better.
Source: Tuhfat al-Muslim: Commentary on Sahih Muslim, Page: 6571