بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
“Allah Almighty will say on the Day of Resurrection: O son of Adam, I was sick but you did not visit me. He will say: My Lord, how can I visit you when you are the Lord of the worlds? Allah will say: Did you not know that my servant was sick and you did not visit him, and had you visited him you would have found me with him?
O son of Adam, I asked you for food but you did not feed me. He will say: My Lord, how can I feed you when you are the Lord of the worlds? Allah will say: Did you not know that my servant asked you for food but you did not feed him, and had you fed him you would have found me with him?
O son of Adam, I asked you for drink but you did not provide for me. He will say: My Lord, how can I give you drink when you are the Lord of the worlds? Allah will say: My servant asked you for a drink but you did not provide for him, and had you given it to him you would have found me with him.” [Muslim]
This is a short reminder for those who fear of the mercy of Allah due to poverty or illness. Allah has not neglected those who are ill or suffering financially – in fact He is closer to them than others.
We must remind ourselves of Allah’s love towards His people. Umm al-Ala reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, visited me when I was sick, and he said, “Be cheerful, O mother of al-Ala. When a Muslim is sick, Allah takes away his sins just as fire takes away impurities in gold and silver.” [Abu Dawud authenticated by Al Albaani]
The most beloved person to Allah himself was in poverty, Aisha reported: “We in the household of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, used to live for a whole month without cooking anything over a fire. We would have nothing to eat but dates and water.” [Muslim]
Take illness and poverty as a blessing for the afterlife. If we are inflicted with it ourselves we must remember that Allah is with us. If it is inflicted on others we must take it as an opportunity to help them and gain some good deeds along the way.
May Allah help those in poverty and heal all those who are suffering of any illness.
Allah knows best.