Virtue of Patience and the Option of Seeking Treatment
Written by: Imran Ayub Lahori
◈ Patience is Superior for Those Able to Bear It
For the one who has the strength to endure, patience is more virtuous, leaving the matter to Allah.
◈ Hadith of the Black Woman
Ibn ‘Abbās (رضي الله عنهما) narrated:
A black woman came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said:
“I suffer from epilepsy, and during the fits, my body becomes uncovered. Please supplicate to Allah for me.”
The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
«إن شئت صبرت ولك الجنة وإن شئت دعوت الله أن يعافيك»
“If you wish, be patient and Paradise will be yours; or if you wish, I can pray to Allah to cure you.”
She replied: “I will be patient, but pray to Allah that my body does not become uncovered.” So the Prophet (ﷺ) prayed for her.
[Bukhārī: 5652, Muslim: 2576, Aḥmad: 1/346]
◈ Seventy Thousand Entering Paradise Without Reckoning
Ibn ‘Abbās (رضي الله عنهما) narrated: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
“Seventy thousand of my Ummah will enter Paradise without reckoning.”
He described them as:
«هم الذين لا يسترقون ولا يتطيرون ولا يكتوون وعلى ربهم يتوكلون»
“They are those who do not seek ruqyah (from others), do not take omens, do not practice cauterization, but rely only upon their Lord.”
[Bukhārī: 5705, Muslim: 220, Tirmidhī: 2446]
◈ Reconciling the Aḥādīth
- The praise for abandoning ruqyah refers to ruqyah of the jāhiliyyah, containing unknown or shirk-related phrases, or non-Arabic incantations with suspicious meanings.
- Ruqyah with Qur’anic verses and authentic adhkār is not prohibited, rather it is Sunnah.
[Sharḥ Muslim by al-Nawawī: 7/425]
Shawkānī (رحمه الله): This is the preferred explanation.
[Nayl al-Awṭār: 5/286]
◈ Conclusion
It is established that according to the command of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), taking medicine is permissible and at times preferable, whether one has the strength to remain patient or not.
