From the Mimbar: Man and His Ailment (II)

Monday 10-Dec-2018, 8:21AM / 1524

Being the English Rendition of the Text of Khutbah Delivered by Al-Ustaadh Tawfeeq Olanrewaju (Aboo Hanoon) on Friday 29th Rabiul Awwal, 1440 (8th December, 2018) at Masjid Tawheed, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria. 

Translation and Transcription by Aboo Ubaydah Ridwan Sanyaolu

All praise is due to Allah, we praise Him, we seek His help and we seek His forgiveness, we seek refuge in Allah from the evils of ourselves, and from the sins of our actions. Whoever Allah guides (to the straight path), there’s none who can lead him astray, and whoever Allah leads astray, there’s none who can guide him (to the straight path). I bear witness that there’s none worthy of worship except Allah and that the Prophet Muhammad (Sallaahlaahu ‘alayhi was salaam) is Allah’s slave and messenger.

(Allaah the Mighty says (in the meanings of the original words): “Oh you who have believed, fear Allah as he ought to be feared, and do not die except as muslims. [in submission to Him]. ”

(Allaah the Mighty says (in the meanings of the original words): “Oh mankind, fear your Lord, who have created you from one soul and created from it its mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women. And fear Allah, through whom you ask one another and the womb. Indeed, Allah is ever, over you an observer. ”

(Allaah the Mighty says (in the meanings of the original words): “Oh you who have believed, fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice. He will [then] amend for you your deeds and forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly succeeded, a great success. ”

As for what follows, certainly the most truthful of words is the words of Allah, and the best of guidance is the guidance of the Prophet Muhammad (Sallaahlaahu ‘alayhi was salaam) and the worst of matters are the innovated matters, certainly every innovated matter is Bid’iah, and every Bid’iah is misguidance and every misguidance is in the hell. 

Oh you Slaves of Allah, fear Allah and push forward for your soul goodness (do righteous deeds), (Allah the Mighty says (in the meanings of the original words): 

And it is not for mankind (he won’t be rewarded in the hereafter) except (for) that which he has done (in this world), and certainly his actions he will see (in the hereafter).

Glad tidings for the soul that death reaches him while he is upon righteous actions, as for he who dies while he is upon the disobedience of Allah, or while he is negligent of those things Allah has made compulsory upon him, this is from the (signs of) a bad ending. 

Oh you slaves of Allah, how many from the sick Muslims dies while they had abandoned the compulsory daily prayers, ignorant of the rulings of the sick person? It is compulsory upon the slave of Allah to be steadfast upon the obedience of Allah in (the state of) hardship and ease, good health and sickness, just as Allah (the Mighty) has said (in the meanings of the original words) 

“Worship your Lord until Certainty (death) reaches you. ”

Oh you Slaves of Allah, there are Islamic rulings biding upon the sick person, compulsory upon all sick persons to abide by them, also compulsory upon the family of the sick to abide by them, from it is the adherence to the Islamic beliefs and he should never get angry on that which Allah has predestined upon him, for Allah predestines whatever He wishes and He does whatever He wants. 

This and from those things it is binding upon the sick person to guard strictly, the Islamic Purification, the sick person must continue to perform ablution and the spiritual bath (whenever he needs to perform acts of worship that requires purification), similar to that performed by the healthy people, the sick person should also perform at-tayamum (the purification with dust) if he’s unable to perform ablution or the spiritual bath (with water). (Allah the Mighty says (in the meanings of the original words): 

“When you stand to (perform) your prayers, wash your faces and forearms to your elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles. And if you are in a state of janabah (spiritual impurity), then purify yourselves. But if you are ill, or on a journey or one of you comes from a place of relieving himself or you have contact with women and do not find water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and hands with it”. 

At-Tayammum (purification with dust) is permissible for the sick perform if he is unable to perform ablution. Al-Imaam al-Bukhaari (raheemahullaah) reported in his Saheeh commenting on a hadeeth and it was also reported in the Sunan of al-Imaam Aboo Daawood (raheemahullaah): 

‘Amr ibn al-‘As said: I was in a military expedition and at that period there was extreme cold, then I fell into a state of janaaba (impurity due to coming out of the semen) after which I performed at-tayamum (the purification with dust), then when I came to Prophet Muhammad (Sallaahlaahu ‘alayhi was salaam), he said Oh, you ‘Amr, did you perform the prayers while you are in a state of janaabah? He (‘Amr) said, then I said Oh Messeneger of Allah, I remembered the statement of Allah: “And do not kill yourselves, Allah is upon you merciful”.

Whoever wants to perform at-Tayammum (the purification with dust), he would say “Bismillaah”, according to the most correct opinion of the Scholars of Islam, then he would place his two hands on the sand, dust, rock or whatever he wants to use, then he would rub his two hands on his face and hands up to the ankles. This is the summary of how to perform at-Tayammum (the purification with dust) according to the Shar’eeah for those who are permitted to do it. 

The above verse also informs us that it is not only sickness that makes at-Tayammum (the purification with dust) permissible, the unavailability of water would also make at-Tayammum (the purification with dust) permissible. 

Also, the scholars of Islam have mentioned that if one is able to use water but he is not capable of applying water to all the parts of his body, they have said that such a person should wash all the part he is able to and leave those parts he is unable to apply water to or if he puts a bandage over those parts, he can wipe over the bandage, they said this is the most correct opinion from the statements of the scholars and this is the opinion of the majority of the scholars and this is the action of ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar (radiyallaah ‘anhumaa), one of the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad (Sallaahlaahu ‘alayhi was salaam).

From those things which are binding upon the sick person to guard strictly, Oh You Slaves of Allah, is performing the compulsory prayers at their legislated times, performing them in congregations, and performing them in their correct manners and descriptions. It is binding upon the sick person to perform the prayers in its legislated manner the evidence for this is the generality of the statement of Allah: 

“And perform the prayers. 

This (command) includes the sick and the healthy persons. The sick person must perform his prayers at their legislated times, in as much as the sickness is not extreme. But if sickness is very extreme, then Allah has lessened the difficulty (for the sick person) to combine between two prayers, making the five times of the prayers, three. The scholars of Islam have said that it is permissible for him (the sick person) to combine the two afternoon prayers (ad-dhur and al-asr) and the two evening prayers (al-magrib and al- ‘ishaa). And also, the sick person should pray in the congregation, but if he is unable to do that, then it is permissible for him to perform his prayers in his house. the Prophet Muhammad (Sallaahlaahu ‘alayhi was salaam) lessened the difficulty of ‘itbaan ibn Maalik (radiyahlaah ‘anhu) to perform the prayers in his house, even the Prophet Muhammad (Sallaahlaahu ‘alayhi was salaam) performed this prayer in his house, the Prophet Muhammad (Sallaahlaahu ‘alayhi was salaam) led him in the prayer in a particular space in his house.

Also, it is compulsory on the sick person to perform his prayers according to the legislated manners and descriptions. He should perform his prayer standing as the Prophet Muhammad (Sallaahlaahu ‘alayhi was salaam) used to do, if he is unable, he should perform the sitting, if he is unable, he should pray laying on his sides (the right side). The Prophet Muhammad (Sallaahlaahu ‘alayhi was salaam) was reported to have said to ‘Imraan ibn Hussayn (radiyahllaah ‘anhu) while he was unable to pray standing because of a boil he had: 

“Pray standing, if you are unable, then pray sitting and if you are unable, the praying on your sides”. 

A sick person who wants to perform his prayers, it is permissible for him to choose that which is easiest for him. But as for he who is capable to perform some of the actions of the prayer, he should not leave it because of his incapability just as the Scholars have said in their principles: 

“That which is easy is not left because of that which is difficult”.

All praise is due to Allah the Lord of the World, I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship in truth except Allah and the Prophet Muhammad (Sallaahlaahu ‘alayhi was salaam) is His slave and messenger. Oh, you slaves of Allah, from those things that are related to the rulings of the sick person, the issue of unconsciousness. Sometimes, it is possible for the sick person to go into unconsciousness, the correct opinion of the scholars is that he should leave behind all those prayers he missed (while he was unconscious) and he must continue to perform his prayers from the time he regains his consciousness. This is the opinion of the researchers from the scholars of Islam, but he should perform those prayers which he is cognizant of. 

From those things that are related to the rulings of the sick person, the issue of bandage, the correct opinion of the scholars is that he should wash those parts of the body that he is able to and wipe over the bandage. 

Also, from the rulings of the sick person is the Zakaat; the Zakaat is compulsory upon the wealth of the sick person even if he losses his mental consciousness, this is that which is correct. 

Also, the sick person that has the monetary capability to perform Hajj, must find someone to perform the compulsory Hajj on his behalf and if is he has the capability to perform it, he should perform it, and he should say “Oh, my Lord, if I am unable to complete this hajj due to a reason. Then (accept my hajj) up till the point I was able to”. 

Also, the sick person should fulfill all those rights Allah has made compulsory upon His slaves, this calls the attention to two issues:

The sick people have some rights upon us, the Prophet Muhammad (Sallaahlaahu ‘alayhi was salaam) mentioned them in a hadeeth, He (Sallaahlaahu ‘alayhi was salaam) said:

“The right of a Muslim on another Muslim is five, He (Sallaahlaahu ‘alayhi was salaam) said: to respond to his Tasleem when he says it upon another muslim, to visit the sick... ”.

To be concerned about the sick Muslims, the Prophet Muhammad (Sallaahlaahu ‘alayhi was salaam) had made it permissible for ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘affan to remain behind from taking part in a military expedition with the Prophet Muhammad (Sallaahlaahu ‘alayhi was salaam) in order for him to remain with his wife who was the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad (Sallaahlaahu ‘alayhi was salaam).

May Allah send His Blessings and Salutations to the Prophet Muhammad (Sallaahlaahu ‘alayhi was salaam). All Praise is due to the Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.