Uthaymeen's Advice to Doctors

 

Shaykh ‘Uthaymeen’s Advice to Doctors

 This was given four months before he passed away رحمه الله  at the age of 72. 

Summarized points from the lecture:

There are two types of sickness:

1.     Sickness of the heart (abstract)

2.     Sickness of the body (physical)

Sickness of the heart is the first to be avoided as it will destroy you forever:

1.     Ignorance

2.     Desires

Pay attention to correcting the sickness of the heart with Qur’aan and Sunnah.

Physical sickness can be cured with the Qur’aan whether it is physical, psychological or mental sicknesses. The story of the scorpion bite that was cured by reciting Sooratul Faatihah.

Ruqiah is very beneficial for mental and psychological health.

A doctor should combine between ruqiah and medicine so that the heart of the patient is reliant upon Allah and it has a strong effect in removing or lightening the sickness.

Known physical medicines are of two types:

1.     From the sharee’ah (honey, blackseed, truffles etc.).

2.     From experience (some people have never studied medicine but they can be better than those made in labs).

Allaah did not send down a disease except that He sent down a cure. Everything is in Allaah’s decree. He is able to do everything even without a reason or cause.

Eleven Brief Pieces of Advice for Doctors:

1.     Make your intention pure when you work and do not do it for a wage, benefit or status. Do it to relieve the pain and sickness by Allaah’s Decree through your hands. Treat your patients well. With pure intentions it will have a good effect and vice versa.

2.     Be diligent in reminding the patient to repent and seek forgiveness and to increase in dhikr and reading Qur’aan. Especially:

سبحان الله وبحمده

سبحان الله وبحمده العظيم

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Two words are light on the tongue, weigh heavily in the balance, and are loved by the Most Merciful One:

SubḥaanAllaahi wa biḥamdih,

SubḥaanAllaahil `Adheem.

Al-Bukhari 7/168, Muslim 4/2072.

They are easy for the patient to say. Direct him to use his time wisely.

3.     If a patient comes to the end of his life, then you should prompt him to say لا إله إلا الله because the Prophet ﷺ said, “Prompt the ones who are dying to say لا إله إلا الله” Do it with gentleness. Do not say “O so and so, say لا إله إلا الله because you are about to die!!” No! You could remember Allaah near him and when you do that he may remember Allaah himself. If it is a disbeliever, say to him, “Say لا إله إلا الله” because the Prophet ﷺ said to his Uncle, Aboo Taalib, when he approached death, “O Uncle say لا إله إلا الله a phrase with which I can argue your case with Allaah for you.” The Prophet ﷺ presented Islaam to a Jewish boy who was nearing death in Madeenah when he visited him. The boy turned to his father as if asking his permission and he said to him, “Obey Abul Qaasim (the Prophet ﷺ).” He then became a Muslim and the Prophet ﷺ said, “All praises are for Allaah Who saved him from the Fire.”

4.     Ask the patient how he prays and purifies himself. Direct him to the best of your knowledge. This is because some patients do not purify themselves as they should. Some patients have some impurity on their clothes and they say, “When Allaah cures me, I will purify myself and pray.” Some patients shorten their salaah while they are resident (non-traveller). They think if you can combine prayers, then you can shorten them and that is incorrect. Shortening prayers is only for the traveller. If the patient is from Riyadh, for example, and we say to him that you can combine two prayers if it is difficult for you to pray them separately in their times, then it is not allowed for him to shorten them. However, if he is from a different country and he is being treated in Riyadh, we can say to him shorten and combine.

5.     If the patient is from the opposite sex and it is necessary for a man to treat a woman, then beware of fitnah (trials and temptation). Do not look at more than what is necessary and with the bare minimum of speech and action. This is because shaytaan runs through mankind like his blood does. It could be said in this situation that it is impossible for the desires to be awakened. However, normally it is true, but what do you think if shaytaan can course through you like your blood does. Isn’t he able to tempt this person? Of course, it is possible.

6.     Try and direct the patient to face the qiblah as much as possible when he prays. Even by moving the bed if that is possible. If that is not possible, then say to the patient “Have taqwa (fear) of Allaah as much as you are able.” Allaah says,

 

And to Allaah belong the east and the west, so wherever you turn (yourselves or your faces) there is the Face of Allaah (and He is High above, over His Throne). Surely! Allaah is All-Sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All-Knowing. [Baqarah 2:115]

Allaah burdens not a person beyond his scope. [Baqarah 2:286]

Fear Allaah as much as you are able. [Taghaabun 64:16].

Console him by saying that if you usually pray towards the qiblah, then Allaah will write your reward in full due to the saying of the Prophet ﷺ, “If a servant becomes ill or travels, Allaah will write for him the deeds that he used to do when he was well, able and resident.”

7.     Advice the patients if they are sharing a room, not to harm each other. Some patients harm others by listening to a recording or the radio and if that is not allowed they harm others by reading Qur’aan in a loud voice. The Prophet ﷺ said to his companions when some of them raised their voices in salaah, “Do not harm one another with your recitation.”

8.     Do not talk unnecessarily with the nurses. Only talk what is needed along with lowering the gaze because the situation is very dangerous. Speech can lead to worse than that. There is no harm in talking as much as is needed and lowering the gaze as much as possible.

9.     Preserve your working hours. Be on time and do not leave early. This working time is not yours. You take a wage for it so every minute of it you take your wages. It is not allowed to be late or go early. It is a trust.

10.  Believe and be certain that your job is only a means and that the matter is in Allaah’s Hands. A person my take the complete means but nothing happens because the matter is in Allaah’s Hands. If we take the hadeeth, “Black seed is a cure for everything except death” then that would mean no one would get sick but that is not the case. It is a means no doubt but this means would have different effects due to obstacles. So you, even if you are skilled and sincere, the effects of your work will differ from what you intend. So know that the matter is in Allaah’s Hands.

11.  I advise you to use the basmalah when you begin treatment and act upon it. Anything that does not start with bismillaah is cut off from blessings.

 

That is the advice that I remember for now. I ask Allaah that He makes you of benefit and that you work is sincere for Allaah and that it helps people.

Source: https://binothaimeen.net/content/16109

Takhassusi Hospital 14/6/1421 AH (4 months before he passed away رحمه الله)

 

Summarized and translated by Umm ‘AbdirRahmaan Tara Hashim October 2022/1444

www.quraanteacherresources.blogspot.com             instagram@utrujjah_press

11 Points in brief:

1.      Make your intention pure to benefit the people (not wages or status). Treat your patients well. With pure intentions it will have a good effect.

2.      Remind patients to repent and seek forgiveness and to increase in dhikr and reading Qur’aan.

سبحان الله وبحمده

سبحان الله وبحمده العظيم

3.      “Prompt the ones who are dying to say لا إله إلا الله” (Muslim and non-Muslim). Do it with gentleness.

4.      Remind the patient to purify himself and pray. Shortening prayers is only for the traveller. He can combine if praying on time is difficult for him.

5.      Beware of fitnah (trials and temptation) regarding the opposite sex. Do not look at more than what is necessary and with the bare minimum of speech and action. 

6.       Direct the patient to face the qiblah as much as possible when he prays. Even by moving the bed. “Have taqwa (fear) of Allaah as much as you are able.” Allaah burdens not a person beyond his scope. [Baqarah 2:286]

Fear Allaah as much as you are able. [Taghaabun 64:16].

“If a servant becomes ill or travels, Allaah will write for him the deeds that he used to do when he was well, able and resident.”

7.      Do not let patients harm their roommates by listening to lectures, the radio or reading Qur’aan in a loud voice.

8.      Do not talk unnecessarily with the nurses and lower your gaze.

9.      Preserve your working hours. Be on time and do not leave early. You take a wage for every minute. It is a trust.

10.   Believe and be certain that your job is only a means and that the matter is in Allaah’s Hands. A person may take the complete means but nothing happens because the matter is in Allaah’s Hands.

11.   I advise you to use the basmalah when you begin treatment and act upon it. Anything that does not start with bismillaah is cut off from blessings.