21. THE CAUSE AND THE CAUSER
If I experienced unpleasant conditions and so I turned, with all my heart, to Allah, Most High, alone, all the while, knowing that none can bring forth a benefit to me and cast away harm from me except Him.
I then searched for the means in resolving my condition, which made mv certainty [in Allah] stand in objection claiming that this behaviour indicates my reliance upon Allah is defected.
To which I said, ‘this is not the case, because Allah creates the means and the causes for a reason. In other words, it was as if the state of my condition intended to suggest that the existence of means and causes that Allah created, equals their non-existence [i.e. if I abandon the means then it will be as if I there is no divine wisdom behind creating them].’
Notwithstanding, seeking the means is always advocated in religion; for example, Allah said,
“And when you [i.e., the commander of an army] are among them and lead them in prayer, let a group of them stand [in prayer] with you and let them carry their arms. And when they have prostrated, let them be [in position] behind you and have the other group come forward which has not [yet] prayed and let them pray with you, taking precaution and carrying their arms.” [ai-Nisa (4): 102]
And
“[Yusuf] said, “You will plant for seven years consecutively; and what you harvest leave in its spikes, except a little from which you will eat…” [ Yusuf (12): 47]
The Prophet wore two armours [when he fought in the battle of Uhud], consulted two doctors [when he was sick], and sought the protection of Al-Mut’im Ibn ‘Adi when he could not enter Makkah and after he left for Ta’if. Though he could enter it without seeking such means.
Therefore, since religion made the outcome linked to its cause, overlooking the means and causes will dismiss the reason for which such means are created.
For this reason, I consider that seeking medical treatment is preferable, though the founder of the madhhab I follow61 adopted the view that not seeking medical treatment is better, but knowing the evidence [contrary to his adopted view] prevented me from following his view.
It has been authentically proven that the Prophet said: “There is no disease that Allah has created, except that He has also created its cure. Thus, seek medical treatment.”
This order indicates either obligation or encouragement and it is known that such a command was not preceded by prevention; it is thus concluded to indicate permissibility.
‘A’ishah {radiy Allahu ‘anha) used to say, “1 learned medicine from the many illnesses the Prophet used to suffer and what doctors used to prescribe for him”
And the Prophet said to ‘All Ibn Abi Talib, “Eat from this [food] for it is better for you than the other types of food.”
On the other hand, those who said leaving medical treatment is better relied on the statement of the Prophet “Seventy thousand will enter Paradise without being brought to account; they are those who neither treated themselves with branding (cauterization) or sought ruqyah, or saw evil omens in things (i.e. they were not superstitious), and they put their trust only in their Lord.”
However, this hadith does not negate the concept of seeking medical treatment because it refers to the practice of the people before who used to cauterize themselves in order to protect against sickness from occurring, and used to seek ruqyah in advance to protect against suffering a calamity.
We know that the Prophet cauterized [Asad] Ibn Zararah (radiy Allahu ‘anhu), and allowed the treatment of ruqyah as proven in the authentic hadith. Therefore, I came to understand that what I have mentioned is what was intended.
Should 1 suffer indigestion problems, my knowledge advises me to abstain from eating oak and to drink tamarind, which is a form of medical treatment. However, if I drink what may harm my health then I invoke Allah to cure me—wisdom and sense of reason would admonish me saying, “Have you not heard the statement of the Prophet, ‘Tie it [the camel] and then put your reliance on Allah.”
Thus you should drink what suits your health and then ask Allah to grant your health, and do not be like a person whose garden is separated from the river by a handful of mud that he was too lazy to remove by his hand, and then started to pray seeking Allah to send down rain. In fact, the state of such a person is like he who travels without taking any provisions, testing his Lord to see if He will provide him provision or not during his journey, though Allah told him in the Qur’an,
“And take provisions.” [al-Baqarah (2): 197]
But still insist on refusing to take provisions, which makes him ruined even before he travels.
Similarly, if the time for prayer (salah) commenced and he was short of water, he would be admonished for slacking and it would be said to him, “You should have ensured having sufficient water before travelling.’
Beware of being fooled by the actions of some people who deviated from the religious commandments and wrongly assumed that perfection is achieved through opposing the norms and innate nature of humans.
Were it not for the profound knowledge, none of the above could have been explained or even been made aware of. Understand therefore, what I have mentioned for it is more beneficial for you than reading lots of texts.
Be with the people who heed the meanings of words and stay away from the long winded speakers.
(source: al-Hafiz Abu’l-Faraj ibn al-jawzl [d. 597AH] “CAPTURED THOUGHTS being” a translation of his masterpiece ‘Sayd al-K hatir)
Comments
John Doe
23/3/2019Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
John Doe
23/3/2019Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
John Doe
23/3/2019Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.