15 Benefits of Illness in Islam for Muslims

Review by : Yuli SE., MM

Men fall sick easily. From the small illness like stomachache, losing the appetite to sever illness that endanger someone’s life. A Muslim should not see illness in a more positive light, since there are a lot of benefits of illness in Islam. Here are some of them:

1. Train Us to be Patient

Nobody wished to get sick. As sickness is not something that comes everyday, a sick people must accept his illness with patient and seek the medication to restore the health. Truly, all the efforts count as a good deed for the sick.

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2. Opportunity to Repent from Sins

Illness is also an opportunity for a person to repent from his sins. As we used to be so busy and occupied with life, we unconsciously commit sins and even worse, we don’t realize that we did. Since the prayer of the sick is easily accepted, repent as many as possible.

3. Take a Reflection of the Past

Someone has many spare time to reflect on his life and his past when he is sick. If he did so many wrong and commit many sins in the past, then the best time to make change and repent from the sins is when he is sick.

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4. Time to Sincerely Worship Allah SWT

Sincerely worship Allah SWT and do many more good deeds when you are sick. Never let go of your shalat, wet your lips with dhikr and many more. All the deeds will be accepted by Allah SWT. Ask for His forgiveness endlessly.

5. As a Warning in Our Lives

Instead of calamity, an illness should be treated as a warning. Maybe you have been too far from Allah, too focused on your worldly matters that Allah get jealous. It has to be taken seriously.

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6. Some of the Sins Got Erased

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,

“For any adversity a Muslim suffers, Allah erases some of his sins, even though it may be no more than a thorn pricking him.” – Bukhari

7. Gaining the Forgiveness from Allah SWT

Abu Saeed Al-Khudri and Abu Hurairah who quote him as saying:

“Whatever befalls a Muslim of exhaustion, illness, worry, grief, nuisance or trouble, even though it may be no more than a prick of a thorn, earns him forgiveness by Allah of some of his sins.” – Bukhari

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8. Given the Rewards on the Day of Resurrection

One more hadith: Jabir ibn Abdullah narrated that Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said,

“On the Day of Resurrection, when people who have suffered affliction are given their reward, those who are healthy will wish their skins had been cut to pieces with scissors when they were in the world.” – Tirmidhi

9. Showing Gratitude to Allah SWT

That’s why the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said,

“How amazing is the case of the believer; there is good for him in everything, and this is only so for the believer. If he experiences something pleasant, he is thankful, and that is good for him; and if he comes across adversity, he is patient, and that is good for him.” – Muslim

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10. Becoming a Good Muslim Through Illness

Be thankful of the illness, because it defines someone’s quality as a good Muslim.

“Indeed amazing are the affairs of a believer! They are all for his benefit. If he is granted ease then he is thankful, and this is good for him. And if he is afflicted with a hardship, he perseveres, and this is good for him.” – Muslim

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Manners When Visiting the Sick

Visiting a fellow Muslim brother who currently ill is one of the right of Muslim that should be fulfilled by another Muslim. It is one good way to maintain the ties of kinship and making the Muslim brotherhood stronger. Beside the benefits of illness in Islam for the sick, other people who visit them should also have good manners as listed below:

Showing mental support of the sick that they should never be giving up.
Ensure them that there are many good things behind the illness, and that Allah SWT loves them so much that He gave them illness.
Ask the sick person so supplicate for us, because the supplication of the sick is similar with one like the angels.
Put their heart at ease and give them hope of a perfect health in the future.
Leave a speedy recovery words both to the sick and the family. Encouraging the family of the sick is also important.

So those are all the benefits of illness in Islam and what manners should we show when we are visiting the sick. Indeed, health is one of the biggest blessing a human must never take for granted.