Have you ever thought about sickness or illness? What does the Quran have to say about illnesses and diseases? Is it a good or bad thing?

Sickness is something people would avoid, and no one likes to get ill. However, illness can sometimes have certain benefits for our body and soul.

Is Sickness Something Good or Bad?

Allah is the creator of both good and evil. Allah says in the Quran in this regard:

وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ حَسَنَةٌ يَقُولُوا۟ هَـٰذِهِۦ مِنْ عِندِ ٱللَّـهِ ۖ وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَقُولُوا۟ هَـٰذِهِۦ مِنْ عِندِكَ ۚ قُلْ كُلٌّ مِّنْ عِندِ ٱللَّـهِ فَمَالِ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ ٱلْقَوْمِ لَا يَكَادُونَ يَفْقَهُونَ حَدِيثًا

And if good things happen to them, they say, “It is from Allah,” but if evil things happen to them, they say, “It comes from you.” Say [to all of them], “Everything comes from Allah.” What is wrong with these people that they do not understand words [of Allah]? [Nisaa 4: 78]

Therefore, anything good or evil that happens to an individual comes from Allah, yet he is to be blamed, not Allah. In other words, it is owing to his evil deeds that evil comes to him. Nevertheless, this seemingly evil phenomenon that comes to an individual is for his own good and in his interest, but most of us do not perceive it that way. For example, if an illness befalls a believer, it may have various reasons:

• He may have sinned greatly, and Allah wants to compensate for and forgive his sins by making him ill
• Allah wants to test him to see whether he still thanks Him or not
• Allah wants him to humble himself before Allah, as stated in a verse of the Quran

Let us now analyse these three reasons.

Sickness as a Compensation for Sins

السقم یمحوا الذنوب

Sickness effaces sins [Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 64, p. 244]

Of course, this would be the case only if the person thanks Allah and exercises patience until he is cured and regains his health. Now, what about other kinds of illnesses, such as psychological ones? In Islam, conditions such as depression, sadness, anxiety, and so on are illnesses of the soul, which may well affect the body in tandem.

One should not purposely place himself in such situations under the pretext of receiving a reward or being forgiven of one’s sins. Instead, one should always try to be healthy, ask Allah for one’s own and the health and well-being of others, and give thanks for being well and healthy.

Sickness Is Considered as a Means for Testing Man

The Quran says:

وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىْءٍ مِّنَ ٱلْخَوْفِ وَٱلْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ

We shall surely test your steadfastness with fear and famine, with loss of property, life and produce. Give good news to those who endure with patience; [Baqarah 2: 155]

These are all sufferings and grievances that Allah may cause to befall everyone. Sickness damages our lives, but if we as believers are patient and do not complain to Allah but rather give thanks to Him, He will certainly reward us and forgive our sins. Further, the Quran says that Allah has placed good and evil in this world to test human beings in the following verse:

Of course, Allah is pure goodness and He does not want people to suffer for no reason, but rather to test them and separate the wheat from the chaff, so to speak.

Allah Wants Us to Humble Ourselves to Him by Causing Sickness

Allah says in the Quran:

وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَآ إِلَىٰٓ أُمَمٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَأَخَذْنَـٰهُم بِٱلْبَأْسَآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَضَرَّعُونَ

And indeed, We sent [many messengers] to the people before you, and afflicted them with suffering and adversities so that they may be humble [to God and repent]. [Al Anam 6: 42]

It truly pleases Allah for us to communicate with Him, speak to Him, and request our needs from Him. When believers distance themselves from Allah and stray from the straight path or even plunge into sins, Allah makes them ill so that they may return to Him, plead with Him, humble themselves, and ask Allah to cure them. For example, a person might be healthy by following a balanced diet and exercising regularly. No one, even himself, would expect him to fall ill. However, he suddenly contracts a life-threatening illness, such that he begins to lose hope of living. This is when that person has no choice but to turn to Allah and ask Him to cure him.