Saying “The food made me ill”

23/10/2011| IslamWeb

Question

If any one says that he became ill after drinking milk or these foods are causes for his illness; is there any thing is wrong/'Shirk' in saying so? some we said that if take these medicine ypu will come round; is there anything wron/'Shirk' in saying so. Beacause we know Allah gives illness and wellness. Thanks

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

It is permissible for a sick person to say ‘I am sick’ if this was not due to being discontent with Allah's Decree. Al-Bukhari entitled a chapter in his Saheeh: “It is permissible for a patient to say: 'I am sick', or 'Oh my head', or 'I have become seriously ill', and the saying of Ayyub, may Allah exalt his mention: 'Verily, distress has seized me, and You are the Most Merciful of all those who show mercy.'” Then he quoted the Hadeeth of the Prophet whereby he said when he was sick: 'Oh my head'.

Also, it is permissible to say the expression “the food made him ill” and so forth as long as one has a strong belief that it is Allah Who created the cause. Indeed, the Prophet said about his uncle Abu Taalib: “…Yes, he is in a shallow place of fire, and had it not thanks to me, he would have been at the bottom of the Fire.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Also, ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said to his daughter while rebuking her: “…and had I not been (your father), the Prophet would have divorced you.” [Muslim] This is making the cause a means of the effect while believing that it is Allah Who created the cause. Rather, the good conduct for a sick person is not to say “Allah made me ill”. Look how the Prophet Ibraaheem (Abraham), may Allah exalt his mention, attributed the sickness to himself and he attributed the cure to Allah;  on the tongue of Ibraaheem, Allah Says (what means): {And when I am ill, it is He who cures me.}[Quran 26:80]

Allah Knows best.

Fatwa answered by: The Fatwa Center at Islamweb