And when I am
ill, then He cures me, [Al-Quran 26:80]
Disease
& Cure - III
The
Qur'an narrates some specific cases of disease, and in each case some
action is taken or prescribed to cure the condition:
Jonah (Yunus)
The Quran informs us that a gourd plant was grown to cure Jonah:
وَإِنَّ يُونُسَ لَمِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ
إِذْ أَبَقَ إِلَى الْفُلْكِ الْمَشْحُونِ
فَسَاهَمَ فَكَانَ مِنَ الْمُدْحَضِينَ
فَالْتَقَمَهُ الْحُوتُ وَهُوَ مُلِيمٌ
فَلَوْلَا أَنَّهُ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُسَبِّحِينَ
لَلَبِثَ فِي بَطْنِهِ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ
فَنَبَذْنَاهُ بِالْعَرَاءِ وَهُوَ سَقِيمٌ
وَأَنبَتْنَا عَلَيْهِ شَجَرَةً مِّن يَقْطِينٍ
وَأَرْسَلْنَاهُ إِلَىٰ مِائَةِ أَلْفٍ أَوْ يَزِيدُونَ
فَآمَنُوا فَمَتَّعْنَاهُمْ إِلَىٰ حِينٍ
And indeed, Yunus
(was) surely of the Messengers. When he ran away to the ship laden. Then he
drew and was of the losers. Then
swallowed him the fish, while he (was) blameworthy. And if not that he
was of those who glorify Certainly, he (would have) remained in its belly until
the Day they are resurrected.
But We cast him onto the open shore while
he (was) ill.
And We caused to grow over him a plant of gourd.
And We sent him to a
hundred thousand or more. And they believed, so We gave them enjoyment for a
while.
Job (Ayub)
وَأَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُ أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الضُّرُّ وَأَنتَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ
فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ فَكَشَفْنَا مَا بِهِ مِن ضُرٍّ
وَآتَيْنَاهُ أَهْلَهُ وَمِثْلَهُم مَّعَهُمْ رَحْمَةً مِّنْ عِندِنَا وَذِكْرَىٰ لِلْعَابِدِينَ
And Ayub, when he called (to) his Lord, "Indeed, [I] has touched me the adversity, and You (are) Most
Merciful (of) the Merciful."
So We responded to him and We removed what (was) on him
of (the) adversity.
And We gave him his family and (the)
like thereof with them (as) Mercy from Ourselves, and a reminder for the
worshippers.
The Quran informs us that Job (Ayub) was provided with something
cool to drink and to bathe with. It does not specifically use the word water,
but translators assume it. Q38:41 also informs us that the distress and
suffering was caused by Satan. Ayub was cured, his family was returned to him
and also increased.
وَاذْكُرْ عَبْدَنَا أَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُ
أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الشَّيْطَانُ بِنُصْبٍ وَعَذَابٍ
ارْكُضْ بِرِجْلِكَ هَٰذَا مُغْتَسَلٌ بَارِدٌ وَشَرَابٌ
وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ أَهْلَهُ وَمِثْلَهُم مَّعَهُمْ رَحْمَةً مِّنَّا وَذِكْرَىٰ لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ
وَخُذْ بِيَدِكَ ضِغْثًا فَاضْرِب بِّهِ وَلَا تَحْنَثْ
إِنَّا وَجَدْنَاهُ صَابِرًا نِّعْمَ الْعَبْدُ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ
And
make mention (O Muhammad) of Our bondman Job, when he cried unto his Lord (saying):
Lo! the devil doth afflict me with distress and torment.
(And it was said
unto him): Strike the ground with thy foot. This (spring) is a
cool bath and a refreshing drink. And We bestowed on him (again) his household
and therewith the like thereof, a mercy from Us, and a memorial for men of
understanding. And (it was said unto him): Take in thine hand a branch and
smite therewith, and break not thine oath.
Lo! We found him steadfast, how excellent a slave! Lo! he was
ever turning in repentance (to his Lord).
[Al-Quran 38:41-44, Translator: Pickthall]
Mary (Maryam) Labour Pains & Childbirth
When
Mary was sufering the labour pains and delivering the baby Jesus (Isa), Q19:23-26
informs us that:
فَأَجَاءَهَا الْمَخَاضُ إِلَىٰ جِذْعِ النَّخْلَةِ
قَالَتْ يَا لَيْتَنِي مِتُّ قَبْلَ هَٰذَا وَكُنتُ نَسْيًا مَّنسِيًّا
فَنَادَاهَا مِن تَحْتِهَا أَلَّا تَحْزَنِي قَدْ جَعَلَ رَبُّكِ تَحْتَكِ سَرِيًّا
وَهُزِّي إِلَيْكِ بِجِذْعِ النَّخْلَةِ تُسَاقِطْ عَلَيْكِ رُطَبًا جَنِيًّا
فَكُلِي وَاشْرَبِي وَقَرِّي عَيْنًا
فَإِمَّا تَرَيِنَّ مِنَ الْبَشَرِ أَحَدًا فَقُولِي إِنِّي نَذَرْتُ لِلرَّحْمَٰنِ صَوْمًا فَلَنْ أُكَلِّمَ الْيَوْمَ إِنسِيًّا
Then drove her the pains of
childbirth to (the) trunk (of) the date-palm.
She said, "O! I
wish I (had) died before this and I was (in) oblivion, forgotten."
So cried to her from
beneath her, "That
(do) not grieve verily, (has) placed your Lord beneath you, a stream. And shake
towards you (the) trunk (of) the date-palm, it will drop upon you fresh dates
ripe. So eat and drink and cool (your) eyes.
And if you see from
human being anyone then say, "Indeed, I [I] have vowed to the Most
Gracious a fast, so not I will speak today (to any) human being."
Emerging
medical research recommends similar exercises during labour, and consumption of
similar food and drink post-labour.
Procreation
Both Abraham and Zechariah were given good news of a
child while they and their spouses had grown very old, well past the age of
procreating. No fertility treatment was prescribed, nor were they given any
details about how it would be made possible; they were simply informed that it is easy for God.
Abraham (Ibrahim) & his wife:
وَامْرَأَتُهُ قَائِمَةٌ فَضَحِكَتْ
فَبَشَّرْنَاهَا بِإِسْحَاقَ وَمِن وَرَاءِ إِسْحَاقَ يَعْقُوبَ
قَالَتْ يَا وَيْلَتَىٰ أَأَلِدُ وَأَنَا عَجُوزٌ وَهَٰذَا بَعْلِي شَيْخًا إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَشَيْءٌ عَجِيبٌ
قَالُوا أَتَعْجَبِينَ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ رَحْمَتُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ إِنَّهُ حَمِيدٌ مَّجِيدٌ
And his wife (was)
standing and she laughed.
Then We gave her glad tidings of
Ishaq, and after Ishaq (of) Yaqub.
She said, "Woe
to me! Shall I bear a child while I am an old woman and
this, my husband, (is) an old man? Indeed, this (is) surely a thing
amazing."
They said, "Are you amazed at (the) decree of Allah? The Mercy of Allah
and His blessings (be) upon you, people (of) the house. Indeed, He (is)
All-Praiseworthy, All-Glorious."
فَأَقْبَلَتِ امْرَأَتُهُ فِي صَرَّةٍ فَصَكَّتْ وَجْهَهَا وَقَالَتْ عَجُوزٌ عَقِيمٌ
قَالُوا كَذَٰلِكِ قَالَ رَبُّكِ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْحَكِيمُ الْعَلِيمُ
Then came forward
his wife with a loud voice, and struck her face and she said, "An old woman barren!"
They said, "Thus said your Lord.
Indeed,
He [He] (is) the All-Wise, the All-Knower."
Zechariah (Zakariya)
& his wife:
هُنَالِكَ دَعَا زَكَرِيَّا رَبَّهُ قَالَ رَبِّ هَبْ لِي مِن لَّدُنكَ ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ الدُّعَاءِ
فَنَادَتْهُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ يُصَلِّي فِي الْمِحْرَابِ
أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكَ بِيَحْيَىٰ مُصَدِّقًا بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَسَيِّدًا وَحَصُورًا وَنَبِيًّا مِّنَ الصَّالِحِينَ
قَالَ رَبِّ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لِي غُلَامٌ وَقَدْ بَلَغَنِيَ الْكِبَرُ وَامْرَأَتِي عَاقِرٌ
قَالَ كَذَٰلِكَ اللَّهُ يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشَاءُ
There only, Zakariya
invoked his Lord, he said, "My Lord grant [for] me from Yourself
offspring pure. Indeed, You (are) All-Hearer (of) the prayer
Then called him the Angels when he (was) standing - praying
in the prayer chamber.
"Indeed, Allah gives
you glad tidings of Yahya, confirming [of] a Word from Allah and a noble and
chaste and a Prophet among the righteous.
He said, "My Lord
how can (there) be for me a son, and verily has reached me [the] old age and my
wife (is) [a] barren?"
He said, "Thus;
Allah does what He wills."
كهيعص
ذِكْرُ رَحْمَتِ رَبِّكَ عَبْدَهُ زَكَرِيَّا
إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُ نِدَاءً خَفِيًّا
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي وَهَنَ الْعَظْمُ مِنِّي وَاشْتَعَلَ الرَّأْسُ شَيْبًا وَلَمْ أَكُن بِدُعَائِكَ رَبِّ شَقِيًّا
وَإِنِّي خِفْتُ الْمَوَالِيَ مِن وَرَائِي وَكَانَتِ امْرَأَتِي عَاقِرًا فَهَبْ لِي مِن لَّدُنكَ وَلِيًّا
يَرِثُنِي وَيَرِثُ مِنْ آلِ يَعْقُوبَ وَاجْعَلْهُ رَبِّ رَضِيًّا
يَا زَكَرِيَّا إِنَّا نُبَشِّرُكَ بِغُلَامٍ اسْمُهُ يَحْيَىٰ لَمْ نَجْعَل لَّهُ مِن قَبْلُ سَمِيًّا
قَالَ رَبِّ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لِي غُلَامٌ وَكَانَتِ امْرَأَتِي عَاقِرًا وَقَدْ بَلَغْتُ مِنَ الْكِبَرِ عِتِيًّا
قَالَ كَذَٰلِكَ قَالَ رَبُّكَ هُوَ عَلَيَّ هَيِّنٌ وَقَدْ خَلَقْتُكَ مِن قَبْلُ وَلَمْ تَكُ شَيْئًا
Kaaf Ha Ya Ain Sad.
(A) mention (of the) Mercy (of) your
Lord (to) His servant Zakariya
When he called (to) his Lord a call - secret.
He said, "My Lord! Indeed, [I] (have) weakened my bones,
and flared (my) head (with) white, and not I have been in (my) supplication
(to) You my Lord unblessed. And indeed, I [I] fear the successors after me, and
is my wife barren. So give [to] me from Yourself an heir Who will inherit me
and inherit from (the) family (of) Yaqub. And make him my Lord, pleasing."
"O
Zakariya! Indeed, We [We] give you glad tidings of a boy his name (will be)
Yahya, not We (have) assigned [for] it before (this) name."
He said, "My
Lord! How can I have a boy, while is my wife barren,
and indeed, I have reached of the old age extreme?"
He said, "Thus, said your Lord, 'It (is) easy for Me and certainly I
(have) created you before, while not you were anything.'"
[Al-Quran 19:1-11]
Mary (Maryam) &
the conception of Jesus(Isa):
Mary's virgin body became pregnant with a male child upon
receiving a command from God. When she was given the news, she wondered:
إِذْ قَالَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ يَا مَرْيَمُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكِ بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنْهُ اسْمُهُ الْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَجِيهًا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَمِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ
وَيُكَلِّمُ النَّاسَ فِي الْمَهْدِ وَكَهْلًا وَمِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ
قَالَتْ رَبِّ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لِي وَلَدٌ وَلَمْ يَمْسَسْنِي بَشَرٌ
قَالَ كَذَٰلِكِ اللَّهُ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ إِذَا قَضَىٰ أَمْرًا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ
When said the Angels, "O Maryam!
Indeed, Allah gives you glad tidings of a word from Him, his name (is) the
Messiah, Isa, son (of) Maryam, honored in the world and (in) the Hereafter, and
of those brought near (to Allah). And he will speak (to) the people in the cradle and (in) maturity;
and (he will be) of the righteous."
She said, "My Lord how is [it] for me a boy, and (has) not touch(ed) me
any man?"
He said, "Thus Allah creates what He wills. When He decrees a matter
then only He says to it, "Be," and it becomes.
قَالَتْ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِالرَّحْمَٰنِ مِنكَ إِن كُنتَ تَقِيًّا
قَالَ إِنَّمَا أَنَا رَسُولُ رَبِّكِ لِأَهَبَ لَكِ غُلَامًا زَكِيًّا
قَالَتْ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لِي غُلَامٌ وَلَمْ يَمْسَسْنِي بَشَرٌ وَلَمْ أَكُ بَغِيًّا
قَالَ كَذَٰلِكِ قَالَ رَبُّكِ هُوَ عَلَيَّ هَيِّنٌ وَلِنَجْعَلَهُ آيَةً لِّلنَّاسِ وَرَحْمَةً مِّنَّا وَكَانَ أَمْرًا مَّقْضِيًّا
فَحَمَلَتْهُ فَانتَبَذَتْ بِهِ مَكَانًا قَصِيًّا
She said,
"Indeed, I [I] seek refuge with the Most Gracious from you if you are God
fearing."
He said, "Only I am a Messenger
(from) your Lord, that I (may) bestow on you a son pure."
She said, "How can be for me a son, when not has touched me a man, and
not I am unchaste?"
He said, "Thus; said your
Lord, 'It (is) for Me easy, and so that We will make him a sign for the mankind
and a Mercy from Us. And (it) is a matter decreed.'"
So she conceived and
she withdrew with him (to) a place remote.
What is noteworthy in all three cases is that they were
not asked to have any fertility treatment. In fact Q4:1 warns us to guard the
womb:
In fact, the people who are surprised to see Mary
carrying a baby are quoted as saying that:
فَأَتَتْ بِهِ قَوْمَهَا تَحْمِلُهُ
قَالُوا يَا مَرْيَمُ لَقَدْ جِئْتِ شَيْئًا فَرِيًّا
يَا أُخْتَ هَارُونَ مَا كَانَ أَبُوكِ امْرَأَ سَوْءٍ وَمَا كَانَتْ أُمُّكِ بَغِيًّا
Then she came to her
people carrying him (Isa).
They (her people) said, "O Maryam !you have come with a
strange thing. O sister of Harun ! your father was not a bad man nor your mother was one who
exceeded the limits."
[Al-Quran 19:27-28, Translator: Mir Aneesuddin]
