How I look at illness

Assalamualaikum,

It had been said by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that "87% of illness come from the stomach." I'm not a doctor, but this is how I look at illness.

Diseases comes from everywhere, but in particular it comes from the food and drinks that we eat and drink respectively. The food or drinks may be infested with harmful germs or virus, or may contain harmful chemicals. Food that is infested with harmful germs may lead to the person consuming it to contract a disease. Diseases caused by virus are normally contagious and are contracted from the air that carries the virus. Food that contains harmful chemicals may consist of additives, which are used to make the food lasts longer; colorings, which are used to make the food looks better and flavourings ("perisa"), like monosodium glutamate, to make the food tastes better. Food that contains harmful chemicals may lead to the person consuming it to contract a disease, which is different from a disease caused by germs/virus.

Food and drinks that are infested with germs are normally due to uncleanliness or unhygienic handling of the food. The housefly from the rubbish heap carries with it harmful germs and viruses, which it deposits on the food as it lands on it. The food can also be infested with germs/viruses carried by cockroaches, rats and lizards if it is left exposed and unprotected. A mosquito secretes a fluid containing viruses from its body as it replaces the fluid with human blood. The germs or viruses soon
multiply quickly and if the person's immune system is weak, he soon finds himself suffering from the disease caused by the germs or viruses.

On the other hand a food containing harmful chemicals does not get a quick reaction (symptons) from the body as does the germs or viruses. These chemicals find their way into the body's organs and stay there and if not removed from the body, can cause damages on a long term basis. Suddenly and without warning the particular organs stop functioning or are infected with cancer cells.

Where diseases caused by germs or viruses can be treated fairly quickly if the person goes to see a doctor, diseases caused by chemicals are normally difficult to detect, until it has done some damages, as indicated by the symptons.

Illness is "good" in the sense that it is a "test" of our patience. If we can overcome the illness to become well again, we become a "better" person. A Muslim considers having a disease as a "dugaan" (a test) and if he gets better, he gains a "darjat" (a better Muslim).

An illness is also good in the eyes of a Muslim because it cleans sins from his soul. When he is awaken in the next world ("bangkit di hari kiamat") he carries less sin with him to face Allah SWT on judgement day at "Padang Masyar."

The problem is, how does a Muslim know that he is going to survive the disease? Is he going to die or live? He doesn't know, I'm afraid; only the Almighty knows.

The survival rate for a "normal" disease like cholera, typhoid, malaria and others caused by germs/viruses is high, but for chronic diseases like high blood pressure (which can lead to a stroke or heart attack), leukomia and cancer is considered as 50:50, as I was told by my doctor friends.

The dilemma comes when one is diagnosed with having a cancer. The success rate for treatment of cancer depends on how early one can detect a cancerous growth. If it is detected early, the growth can be removed. If it is detected later, when damage has been done, the chance of survival is very low indeed.

Therefore a Muslim must always think that death is fast approaching and he must prepare himself to face the day when his journey in this world is going to end for him to join another world. It has been advised by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that a Muslim should grab 5 things before 5 things happen to him, namely:-

1. When he's young, before he gets old
2. When he's healthy before he gets sick
3. When he has free time before he gets busy
4. When he's rich before he gets poor
5. When he lives before he dies.

He should "invest" himself as much as possible in the next world when he's still young, healthy, has the free time, is rich and alive. "Investing" in the next world means to carry out good deeds, which include donating money to the poor and avoid bad deeds, as are guided by the Al-Quran and "Sunnah Rasulullah s.a.w." (actions and words of Prophet Muhammad, PBUH). If he has done bad deeds, he should repent ("bertaubat") and ask for forgiveness from Allah SWT and never repeat the same thing.

For a person who has a chronic disease, who has gone through many medical treatment and seen many doctors and spends many thousands of ringgit, and yet the disease remains, I suggest, as a last resort, that he should do following:-

1.If he has not been a true Muslim, he should change his ways and start being one.

2.He should consider that death is unavoidable and therefore he should repent and ask for forgiveness from the Almighty, before it's too late, in the sense that the Almighty takes his life before he has the opportunity to repent.

3.As a last resort, and if he is still strong and capable, he should make a trip to Mecca to perform Umrah.

4.Whilst in Mecca, apart from performing the Umrah, he should also drink the holy Zam-Zam water, which has been known to have cured many diseases. Before sipping the holy Zam-Zam water, he should request ("berdoa") from Allah SWT to cure his disease because diseases cannot be cured without HIS consent. He should also take the opportunity at Masjidil Haram to prey, repent ("bertaubat") and repeatedly ask for forgiveness from Allah SWT.

Why I say he should be a true Muslim first is because if he wants to ask for a favour from Allah SWT, i.e. to cure his disease, he should first please Allah SWT (mendapat keredhaan Allah SWT). After Allah SWT is pleased with him, either Allah SWT lets him live longer or takes his life. Allah SWT knows best ("Maha Mengetahui") what is good for him and always does good to HIS "makhluk" (living things,
including humans).

Either way is good for him. If he lives, he should continue to remain a true Muslim, if not better. If he dies, he should die a true Muslim and the place for a true Muslim is in the heavens ("syurga"). And that's where we all finally want to go when we finally leave this world. Wallah'ualam.....