Book of Healing - Qur'anic Healing - Medical Allusions in the Suratu'sh-Shifa' (al-Fatihah)
Medical Allusions in the Suratu'sh-Shifa' (al-Fatihah)
Tags: Suratu'l-Fatihah, Rububiyyat, Awliya', Nafs-i Mutma'innah, Rabb, Imam Ja`far as-Sadiq, Nawafil, Marbub, `Alamin, Vicegerent, Awliya, Ahsani Taqwim, Asfala Safilin, Suratush-Shifa, Sustainer of the worlds, Day of Judgement, `Ibadat, Shirk, Straight Path, Anbiya', Siddiqin, Shuhada', Salihin, Ya`qilun
1. Although everything, either with the spoken tongue or mute expression, glorifies and purifies God and no creature is exempt from this "universal law" (17:44), yet, the way and the sense in which He has glorified Himself in the many places of the wise Qur'an is supreme, unprecedented and full of wisdom. See particularly in the Suratu'l-Fatihah, He is praised due to His attribute of sustainership (rububiyyat). Thus, there is an extremely important allusion for the people of wisdom to reflect well on the laws of Divine sustainership that, although He is the Sustainer of each and every world, yet He is the Sustainer of the worlds of humanity in particular. Further, there is no doubt that even for human beings, there are degrees ordained for them, which depend on their obedience to God and His Messengers. Thus, the honour of the supreme heavenly sustenance or upbringing is conferred first of all upon the Prophets, may peace be on them, and then the awliya' (Friends of God) are honoured with the highest rank of heavenly upbringing.
As for the nature of the upbringing, since man is a compendium of three things: body, soul and intellect, therefore he always needs three kinds of upbringing:
- A physical upbringing, which being in accordance with the heavenly Book (the Qur'an) and the religion of nature (Islam), provides health and soundness of the human body and protects it from diseases and becomes a means of energy and strength for good deeds.
- A spiritual upbringing which protects the human soul from all kinds of ethical, ideological and spiritual diseases, so that it may attain the level of the satisfied soul (nafs-i mutma'innah) (89:27).
- An intellectual upbringing, which perfects the partial intellect, so that it may not suffer from any kind of mental diseases, be able to deduce results by reflecting on the signs of God, and ultimately, attain the pleasure of God and His Messenger.
2. A skilled physician or an expert doctor recommends foods which are both nutritious, as well as medicinal, not only for the ill but also for the healthy. Also, a wise father always takes care of the hygienic principles concerning the physical upbringing and nourishment of his dear children. The "Islamic concept of Divine Sustainership" rests on the apex of this example. That is to say that, the system of sustaining and nourishing which is ordained by God, the Lord of Honour, in the religion of nature, is so magnificent, perfect and complete, that it simultaneously sustains, cures and heals. Thus, here we can say with certainty that in the name "Rabb" of God, the Exalted, in addition to the meaning of sustainer, there is also the attribute of spiritual physician. Thus, this is the reason that, in the Suratu'sh-Shifa', the first allusion of medicine and healing is directed to the heavenly upbringing and God, the Exalted, is praised due to His best system of sustainership and upbringing.
3. In the Qamusu'l-Qur'an (by Qazi Zaynu'l-`Abidin), it is narrated from Imam Ja`far as-Sadiq, may peace be on him, that by "`alamin" (worlds) are meant only human beings. For, each of them is an independent world. There is no doubt that in true sense, God is the Sustainer of the personal worlds. For creatures such as minerals, vegetables and animals cannot duly draw to themselves and absorb the favours and blessings of the attribute (of sustainership) of the Benevolent Sustainer. But it is only man, who is not only able to do this, but also, according to the Hadith of nawafil (additional prayers), is able to attain the extreme proximity of God, the Exalted. (See Bukhari, VIII, 336-37). This is that desired destination, where the sustained (marbub) merges in the Sustainer (Rabb).
4. "Ar-Rabb" originally means "to bring up", that is, to make something grow and gradually evolve to the level of perfection (Mufradatu'l-Qur'an, p. 189). Thus, in true sense this act of God can be applicable only to man. For, among all the creatures, it is only man, who can be the vicegerent and deputy of God on earth. That is, due to (Divine) expediency and wisdom, man is initially created weak (4:28), so that, through the heavenly upbringing which is in the Qur'an and Islam, he may gradually progress, until he may attain the special closeness of God, the Sustainer and recognise that His bounties are foods as well as medicines.
5. Stone is solid and remains in the same state, namely, there is no progress in it. Also there is great narrowness in the existence of tree and animal. Therefore, the grand workshop of the acts of the Sustainer cannot be contained in such creatures. It is because of this, that the human being is granted great vastness so that, he may not only have room for the manifestations and acts of His attributive name "Rabb" (Sustainer), but also for those of His other attributive names. Thus it is only man who, in reality, is the field of the actions of all the names of God. Now think for a while about the vastness of man that, where he is soul and intellect, his ascension and progression extends over such ladders of God, in traversing the distance of which it takes the time of fifty thousand years (70:1-4). It may mean that between an absolute infidel and a Messenger Prophet, there are fifty thousand ranks of humanity. If this is true, then illness and health between these grades may be with respect to their rank. That is, in the lowest rank there may be infidels and hypocrites, who are absolutely ill (2:20) and on the highest rank, Prophets and awliya', who are entirely free from the disease of ignorance, for they have the sound heart (26:89; 37:84). Among the rest of the ranks, illness increases towards the lower ranks and health increases towards the higher ranks. For, without this law, there cannot be any ranks (6:132; 12:76; 43:32).
6. Another example of how great is the capacity of man to use Divine bounties and medicines, or how far and long is the journey of his collective existence, can be seen in verses (95:4-8). In these verses, the concept of the spiritual creation and progress of man is like a tower which in elevation, passes beyond even the heavens and touches the Supreme Throne. This is the explanation of the best stature (ahsani taqwim, 95:4). God can make man to ascend to the top of this tower and also send him back to the lowest of the low (asfala safilin, 95:5).
7. There are also wisdom-filled allusions hidden in the order and context of Qur'anic words and verses. Thus the context of the medical exegesis of the Suratu'sh-Shifa' is as follows: All praises are due to God, Who is the Sustainer of the worlds (i.e worlds of humanity). It is He Who sustains the body, soul and intellect of man and it is He Who preserves and protects them from diseases and afflictions, for He is extremely kind and merciful. All this has to be from God, for He is the Master of the Day of Judgement, lest someone may have the excuse in His court of justice, that there was not nourishment and medicine of every kind available for the soul and intellect in His religion.
8. Then is mentioned the spiritual nourishment and medicine, which is an `ibadat, free from every kind of polytheism (shirk) and adorned and illumined with the light of the recognition of God and His unity. As it is said: (O God!) You alone we worship and from You alone we seek help. That is, only through such an acceptable `ibadat can Divine help be attained for every good deed.
9. Now, after the soul, comes the turn of the intellect to seek its nourishment and medicine from the Divine court, which are guidance and teachings of the straight path. There is no doubt that the fruits of paradise are in the form of Divine guidance and knowledge. Thus, this prayer is taught by God, may His glory be glorified, to say: Guide us on the straight path, the path of those upon whom You have bestowed (Your) bounty. The purpose of this prayer here is to walk on the straight path and reach the ultimate destination, the example of which is found in the pure lives of the Prophets (anbiya'), the truthful (siddiqin), the martyrs (shuhada') and the righteous (salihin) (4:69). For the straight path is their path and it is they upon whom, God, the Exalted, bestowed the bounty and health of soul and intellect. Thus those who obey them will also be in their companionship. In this prayer is also taught by God: Not the path of those who have earned Your wrath, nor of those who have gone astray.
10. It is also one of the wonders and marvels and unique beauties of the wise Qur'an that each of its essential and important subjects, which is a treasure of heavenly wisdoms, contains the entire Qur'an in its comprehensiveness. For example, take the subject of intellect, which comprises all the states of the people mentioned in the Qur'an in two words: "ya`qilun (they know)" and "la ya`qilun (they do not know)". That is, with respect to religion, the Qur'an divides people into two groups: those who know and those who do not know, or are ignorant. So this is the decision of the subject of intellect, or the law of intellect. And it is a clear fact that, knowing is the proof of the health of intellect and not-knowing is the symptom of its illness. Thus those who have earned the wrath of God suffer from the incurable disease of intellect, but those who have gone astray suffer from an intellectual disease which is curable.
When the diversity (tasrif) of the Qur'anic examples (17:89; 18:54) is directed towards the subject of healing (17:82), we come across many synonyms of health and sickness of the heart. Some of them are mentioned in the following:
| Health and Healthy | Illness and Ill |
|---|---|
| Submission, faith (2:10; 9:14) | Unbelief, hypocrisy (2:10) |
| Oneness of God (7:70) | Polytheism (31:13) |
| Light (7:157) | Darkness (13:16) |
| Intellect, knowledge, understanding (2:164; 3:18; 20:54) | Not-knowing, ignorance (30:9) |
| Guidance (7:30) | Deviation (2:16) |
| Justice (16:76) | Injustice (2:254) |
| Pure, purity (2:151) | Impure, impurity (10:100) |
| Remembrance of God (13:28) | Negligence (18:28; 43:36) |
| Good (21:35) | Evil (21:35) |
| Obedience (4:80) | Disobedience (33:36) |
| Closeness (56:11) | Remoteness (23:44) |
| Certitude (32:24) | Doubt (27:66) |
| Insight (12:108) | Blindness of heart (22:46) |
| Unity (3:103) | Disunity (3:103) |
| Truthfulness (39:32) | Falsehood (39:32) |
| Gratitude (2:56) | Ingratitude (14:7) |
| Worship of God (36:61) | Worship of Satan (36:60) |
Note: This book "Qur'anic Healing" is an attempt to serve Pakistan and the world of Islam in knowledge, therefore your prayers are necessary.
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