A082
Surah: 017 - Ayah: 082
Click here to see the translations
17:82
The noble Qur’an, on the whole, is that single and unique medicine and healing (17:82) for physical, ethical, ideological, spiritual and intellectual diseases, whose precedent cannot be found in all other cycles.
One of the names of the holy Qur’an is “Shifa'” (17:82). You know that shifa' means to be healed from a disease, as is said in the Qur’an: “And when I sicken, then He heals me” (26:80). This means that humanity had become subject to severe illness of every kind and in every respect, seeing which, God, the Beneficent, the Merciful, showed mercy to it and sent the holy Prophet as a grand spiritual physician and the curative teachings of the wise Qur’an as the heavenly medicine. Thus where the entire holy Qur’an is called healing, it is healing in this sense.
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) |
In verse (17:82), the entire holy Qur’an is called medicine and healing, as it is said: “And We reveal in the Qur’an that which is (entirely) a healing and a mercy for the believers, but for the wrongdoers it increases nothing but loss”. According to this verse of healing, one of the names of the Qur’an became “Shifa' (Healing)”. This means that God, may His glory be glorified, is the Sustainer and in reality the Spiritual Doctor also, Who sent the holy Prophet adorned with the qualification of a spiritual doctor, together with other perfect qualities and made the wise Qur’an an enormously great (spiritual) hospital. This medical practice of the holy Prophet was taught to his representatives also, so that they may work in this hospital. Certainly the purpose of Qur'anic healing could be fulfilled only in this way.
The wise Qur'an, like the pond of Kawthar, is a great pond which abounds with the luminous water of knowledge and wisdom and the outlets of varied examples are made around it. Open whichever outlet of examples you like and the water of the entire pond will slowly start to come to you. It is in accordance with this principle that, in this book, I have discussed the example of healing through knowledge. For the mighty Qur'an has openly declared that it is revealed for the healing of mu'mins (17:82). Although I am not a doctor or a physician, I would like to do a very small and a very limited service of the Qur'an, Islam and humanity, provided there is God's pleasure and His help in it.
The holy Qur'an has many wisdom-filled names. Among them, one is Shifa' (Healing, 17:82) and the other is `Ilm (Knowledge, 3:61). Thus the Qur'an = Healing = Knowledge. That is, the Qur'an is healing in every respect and also in the form of knowledge. Therefore, whenever a wise mu'min will have recourse to Qur'anic medicine, namely Qur’anic knowledge and wisdom, he will certainly be enriched with the gems of the bright teachings and guidance of the inner and spiritual health and protection. Thus, whoever will recite ayatu'l-kursi (2:255) before going to sleep, (God willing) will be protected from black magic and other evils. For it is the greatest of the verses (See: al-Ittiqan, IV, 102-127, 137-144).
This verse has been referred 11 times.