Shaykh ‘Uthaymeen’s Advice to Doctors
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.
