Islamic Perspective On Diseases & Disabilities

20 Quotes: Islamic Perspective on Disabilities & Illnesses – حكمة الباري

It is absolutely heart-breaking for people to see their children or relatives with mental or physical disabilities/illnesses.

Share this post – so it may solace people who are trying to find meaning behind these trials…

This is the Islamic Perspective:

1- Realise that illnesses and disabilities are NOT a sign that God is displeased with you.
The Prophet Ayub (Job) suffered serious illnesses for 15 years.
It is narrated:
إنَّ أيوب نبي الله لبث به بلاؤه خمسة عشرة سنة، فرفضه القريب والبعيد، إلا رجلين من إخوانه، كانا من أخصِّ إخوانه، قد كانا يغدوان إليه، ويروحان
“The Prophet Ayub (Job) remained ill for 15 years, causing him to be rejected by the close and distant ones, with the exception of two people who were his closest friends, who would visit him in the mornings and evenings.”
[“Al-Mustadrak” of Hakim, 4174 – حديث صحيح ].
It is said that the flesh on his body started to decay and fall off, showing his bones beneath it.
If it was a bad thing, why would God afflict His Prophets with these things??

2- The Prophet Moses had a speech impediment, that’s why he said:
“وَاحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِّن لِّسَانِي . يَفْقَهُوا قَوْلِي”
“And remove the knot from my tongue, that they may understand my speech. ”[Qur’an 20:27-28].
Yet – it did not take away his worth in the sight of God!
God chose him as a Messenger.
This verse will be recited until the Day of Judgement.
So never feel ashamed of your disability or ill relatives – be proud of them.

3- It is Sunnah to cheer disadvantaged people up and make them feel valuable members of society.
There was a man named Zahir bin Hizam, he had a facial deformity and did not look appealing to people.
People kept their distance from him.
The Prophet once saw him in the market and wanted to make him happy.
The Prophet placed his hands on his eyes, so he could not see the Prophet, and said:
” مَنْ يَشْتَرِي هَذَا الْعَبْدَ ” ؟ !
“Who would want to buy this slave from me?”
Zahir said:
تَجِدُنِي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَاسِدًا
“You will find me to be a cheap sell, O messenger of God.”
So the Prophet said:
أَنْتَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ غَالٍ
“In the Sight of God, you are precious!!”
[“Takhrij Mishkat al-Masabih”, 4815 – رجاله رجال الصحيح].

4- The Prophet commanded everyone to respect people with disabilities
For example about the blind, the Prophet said:
مَلْعُونٌ مَنْ كَمَهَ أَعْمَى عَنْ طَرِيقٍ
“The one who misleads a blind person from the (correct) path is cursed.”
[“Musnad Ahmad”, 3/266 – إسناده صحيح ]

5- There was a blind man whose name was Abdullah Ibn Umm Maktum.
He came to the Prophet while the Prophet was busy, so the Prophet turned his focus away from him.
Upon this, God revealed:
عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّى
أَن جَاءَهُ الْأَعْمَى
وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّهُ يَزَّكَّى
أَوْ يَذَّكَّرُ فَتَنفَعَهُ الذِّكْرَى
“He frowned and turned away,
when the blind man approached him.
For all you know, he might be seeking to purify himself?
or to be reminded and be helped by being reminded?”
[Qur’an 80:1-4].
And it is narrated in in books of Tafsir that the Prophet always used to honour him after that, saying: “Welcome to the man, regarding whom, my Lord has reprimanded me.” And: “Do you need anything?”
قال الثوري : فكان النبي – صلى الله عليه وسلم – بعد ذلك إذا رأى ابن أم مكتوم يبسط له رداءه ويقول : ” مرحبا بمن عاتبني فيه ربي ” . ويقول : ” هل من حاجة ” ؟
It is narrated that he was honoured and appointed as the Mu’adhin:
كَانَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مُؤَذِّنَانِ بِلاَلٌ وَابْنُ أُمِّ مَكْتُومٍ الأَعْمَى ‏.‏
“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had two Mu’adhdhins, Bilal and ‘Abdullah b. Umm Maktum, who (latter) was blind.”
[“Sahih Muslim”, 380a].
https://sunnah.com/muslim:380a
This is how we should respect the blind & disabled, so they don’t feel unworthy.

6- Don’t look at the world from a materialistic perspective, look at it from a spiritual angle.
For example, the black-death plague: from a materialistic perspective: it is total destruction.
But the Prophet called it: “a mercy for the believers”.
The Prophet said:
انَ عَذَابًا يَبْعَثُهُ اللَّهُ عَلَى مَنْ يَشَاءُ، فَجَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ رَحْمَةً لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ، مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ يَكُونُ فِي بَلَدٍ يَكُونُ فِيهِ، وَيَمْكُثُ فِيهِ، لاَ يَخْرُجُ مِنَ الْبَلَدِ، صَابِرًا مُحْتَسِبًا، يَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ لاَ يُصِيبُهُ إِلاَّ مَا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَهُ، إِلاَّ كَانَ لَهُ مِثْلُ أَجْرِ شَهِيدٍ
“That was a means of torture which Allah used to send upon whom-so-ever He wished, BUT HE MADE IT A SOURCE OF MERCY FOR THE BELIEVERS, for anyone who is residing in a town in which this disease is present, and remains there and does not leave that town, but has patience and hopes for Allah’s reward, and knows that nothing will befall him except what Allah has written for him, then he will get such reward as that of a martyr.”
[“Sahih Bukhari”, 6619].
https://sunnah.com/bukhari:6619
The plague of Amwas (طاعون عمواس‎), was a Bubonic Plague epidemic that afflicted Syria-Palestine in 638–639 and some Sahaba were present.
It is reported:
وطعن معاذ في كفه، فجعل يقلبها، ويقول: هي أحب إلي من حمر النعم
Signs of this plague appeared in the hand-palm of Mu’adh [Ibn Jabal]. He turned it over and said: “THIS IS MORE BELOVED TO ME THAN OWNING RED [EXPENSIVE] CAMELS!”
[Siyar A’lam al-Nubala”, (1/458].
But remember: it will be whatever you make of it.
A Bedouin was suffering an illness, so the Prophet came to him and said:
لاَ بَأْسَ طَهُورٌ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ‏.‏ فَقَالَ لَهُ ‏”‏ لاَ بَأْسَ طَهُورٌ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ ‏”‏‏.‏ قَالَ قُلْتَ طَهُورٌ كَلاَّ بَلْ هِيَ حُمَّى تَفُورُ ـ أَوْ تَثُورُ ـ عَلَى شَيْخٍ كَبِيرٍ، تُزِيرُهُ الْقُبُورَ‏.‏ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏”‏ فَنَعَمْ إِذًا
“No issue, it will purify you, God willing!” The Bedouin said, “You say, it will purify me? No, for it is a fever which boils in (the body of) an old man, and will lead him to the grave.” The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Yes, then may it be as you say.”
[“Sahih al-Bukhari”, 3616].
https://sunnah.com/bukhari:3616
So if you consider it a blessing in disguise, hoping for God’s reward – it will be that.
If you consider it a curse, it will be that.
Always think positive.

7- There were a group of people, who lit a big fire and burned a group of believers (People of the Ditch)
The Qur’an mentioned their story and then commented on this as follows:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ ذَٰلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْكَبِير
“Indeed, those who believed and did good deeds will have Gardens with rivers flowing through them. THAT IS A GREAT VICTORY.” [Qur’an 85:11].
Imam Tabari says:
وهم هؤلاء القوم الذين حرّقهم أصحاب الأخدود وغيرهم من سائر أهل التوحيد
“This refers to the people that were burned by the People of the Ditch and other monotheists.”
[“Tafsir Tabari”, 30/172].
Did you notice how God said:
ذَٰلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْكَبِير – That is a great victory?
If you look at it from a materialistic perspective, its total destruction.
Yet – God called it a GREAT VICTORY (al-fawzul-kabir)
The real victory is salvation in hereafter, not this material world.
So look at the disabilities and illnesses with a spiritual eye, not the materialistic eye.

8- It has been said:
مر عامر بن بهدلة برجل قد صلبه الحجاج
فقال: يا رب إن حلمك على الظالمين قد أضر بالمظلومين.
فرأى في منامه أن القيامة قد قامت وكأنه قد دخل الجنة، فرأى المصلوب فيها في أعلى عليين،
وإذا مناد ينادي: حلمي على الظالمين أحل المظلومين في أعلى عليين
Amir bin Bahdalah passed by the body of a righteous man who had been crucified by the tyrant al-Hajjaj 1,300 years ago.
He said: “Lord, Your patience with the oppressors has caused a lot of harm to the oppressed!”
That night, as he slept, he had a dream.
It was as if Judgement Day had come to pass, and he had been entered into Paradise.
There, he saw the man who had been crucified and found him in the Highest Peaks of Heaven (A’la ’Illiyyiiin).
And suddenly, a caller proclaimed:
“My patience with the oppressors has landed the oppressed in the Highest Peaks of Heaven!!!”
[“Rabi al-Abrar”, 1/272].
NOTE: Physically, it is total loss & destruction – but in the Sight of God, it is a big victory.

9- Aisha – رضي اللَّه عنها – said that they slaughtered a sheep.
Most of it was given away to feed poor people.
The Prophet asked: “What remains of it?”
Aisha said:
مَا بَقِيَ مِنْهَا إِلاَّ كَتِفُهَا
“Nothing remains of it except its shoulder.”
The Prophet said:
بَقِيَ كُلُّهَا غَيْرَ كَتِفِهَا
“All of it remains except its shoulder.”
[Tirmidhi, 2470 – it is authentic].
Meaning: what we give for the sake of God remains, what we eat goes away. Don’t look at things from a materialistic perspective.

10- On the Day of Judgement, other people will be jealous of your Reward
The Prophet said:
يَوَدُّ أَهْلُ الْعَافِيَةِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ حِينَ يُعْطَى أَهْلُ الْبَلاَءِ الثَّوَابَ لَوْ أَنَّ جُلُودَهُمْ كَانَتْ قُرِضَتْ فِي الدُّنْيَا بِالْمَقَارِيضِ
“On the Day of Judgement, when the people who were tried (in this world) are given their rewards, the people who were pardoned (in life), will wish that their skins had been cut off with scissors while they were in the world.”
[“Tirmidhi”, 2402]
https://sunnah.com/tirmidhi:2402

12- Disability is NOT due to the sin of the parents or a punishment for the child
The Qur’an says:
وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ
“No bearer of burdens will bear the burdens of another.”
[Qur’an 35:18].

13- The Prophet Jesus used to cure the leper and the blind:
وَأُبْرِئُ الْأَكْمَهَ وَالْأَبْرَصَ
“And I heal the blind and the leper.” (Quran 3:49).
The Qur’an recognised these things and they will be recited until the Day of Judgement.

14- Dealing with disabled relatives is a Fitnah
Don’t allow the devil to whisper evil thoughts into your mind, making you question the Wisdom of God
When a child passes away, the following Du’a is recited:
رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَٰذَا بَاطِلًا
“O Lord, You have not created this without purpose.”
[Qur’an 3:191].
Everything has a purpose & wisdom behind it, even when we don’t see it sometimes.
Be patient & your reward is with God … the Qur’an says:
وَجَعَلْنَا بَعْضَكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ فِتْنَةً أَتَصْبِرُونَ وَكَانَ رَبُّكَ بَصِيرً
“And We have made some of you a trial (Fitnah) for others; will you bear patiently? And your Lord is ever Seeing.”
[Qur’an 25:20].

15- If you take care of disabled or ill people: 70,000 Angels Supplicate for you.
The Prophet said:
فَإِنْ كَانَ غُدْوَةً صَلَّى عَلَيْهِ سَبْعُونَ أَلْفَ مَلَكٍ حَتَّى يُمْسِيَ
وَإِنْ كَانَ مَسَاءً صَلَّى عَلَيْهِ سَبْعُونَ أَلْفَ مَلَكٍ حَتَّى يُصْبِحَ ‏
“No Muslim will pay a sick visit to another in the morning without 70,000 Angels invoking blessings on him till the evening, or visit him in the evening without 70,000 Angels invoking blessings on him till the morning.”
[“Mishkat al-Masabih”, 1550 – صَحِيح ].
https://sunnah.com/mishkat/5/28
This is about the visitors – so how about the one who takes care of them continously?!

16- If you take care of ill/disabled people, God is with you
The Prophet said that God will say on the Day of Judgement:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَقُولُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ مَرِضْتُ فَلَمْ تَعُدْنِي ‏.‏ قَالَ يَا رَبِّ كَيْفَ أَعُودُكَ وَأَنْتَ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَمَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّ عَبْدِي فُلاَنًا مَرِضَ فَلَمْ تَعُدْهُ أَمَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّكَ لَوْ عُدْتَهُ لَوَجَدْتَنِي عِنْدَهُ
“O son of Adam, I was sick but you did not visit Me.”
He would say: “O my Lord; how could I visit You when You are the Lord of the worlds?”
God will say: “Didn’t you know that such and such servant of Mine was sick but you did not visit him and were you not aware of this that if you had visited him, you would have found Me by him?”
[“Sahih Muslim”, 2569].
https://sunnah.com/muslim:2569

17- Being patient will illnesses will enter you into Paradise
Narrated ‘Ata bin Abi Rabah:
أَلاَ أُرِيكَ امْرَأَةً مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ قُلْتُ بَلَى‏.‏ قَالَ هَذِهِ الْمَرْأَةُ السَّوْدَاءُ أَتَتِ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم 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 أَنْ لاَ أَتَكَشَّفَ، فَدَعَا لَهَا‏.‏
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 (ﷺ) and said, ‘I get attacks of epilepsy and my body becomes uncovered; please invoke Allah for me.’ The Prophet (ﷺ) 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.”
[“Sahih Bukhari”, 5652].
https://sunnah.com/bukhari:5652

18- The companion Ibn Mas’oud had very thin legs and people used to laugh at them – but the Prophet reprimended them.
It is narrated:
أَمَرَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ابْنَ مَسْعُودٍ فَصَعِدَ عَلَى شَجَرَةٍ أَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَأْتِيَهُ مِنْهَا بِشَيْءٍ فَنَظَرَ أَصْحَابُهُ إِلَى سَاقِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ حِينَ صَعِدَ الشَّجَرَةَ فَضَحِكُوا مِنْ حُمُوشَةِ سَاقَيْهِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَا تَضْحَكُونَ لَرِجْلُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَثْقَلُ فِي الْمِيزَانِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مِنْ أُحُدٍ
The Prophet (ﷺ) instructed lbn Mas’ood to climb up a tree and he told him to bring him something from it, and his Companions looked at the shins of ‘Abdullah bin Masood when he climbed the tree and laughed at how thin his shins were, The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Why are you laughing? The leg of ‘Abdullah will be heavier in the Scales of the Day of Resurrection than (Mount) Uhud.”
[“Musnad Ahmad”, 920].
https://sunnah.com/ahmad:920

19- The real “disability” in the Sight of God is the one who is blind and deaf spiritually
The Qur’an says:
وَلَهُمْ أَعْيُنٌ لَّا يُبْصِرُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ آذَانٌ لَّا يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا
“And they have eyes with which they do not see, and they have ears with which they do not hear.”
[Qur’an 7:179].
A person who is blind of eye-sight, but can see the truth of Islam, such a person is not really blind, he/she is seeing.

20- This life is an exam/test – the harder the test, the bigger the reward.
God is not unaware of anything, no leaf falls from a tree without His knowledge and permission.
Seek community support, there are many good people out there, who can help/support you.
May God make you among those, to whom it will be said on the Day of Judgement:
سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُم بِمَا صَبَرْتُمْ فَنِعْمَ عُقْبَى الدَّار
“Peace be to you, for what you endured patiently.
How excellent is the Ultimate Abode!”
[Qur’an 13:24].