SECTION OF THE DEAD · 1 – DISEASES THAT ATONE FOR SINS
Amir ar-Rami has stated: I was in my town when suddenly banners and flags were raised for us. I asked, "What is this?" They said, “This is the banner of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.” I approached it and then saw the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, sitting beneath a tree on a garment spread out for him, his companions gathered around him. I sat among them. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, brought up the topic of illnesses and said: “Indeed, when a believer is afflicted by illness and then recovers, it expiates his past sins and serves as counsel and advice for his future.” The hypocrite, when he falls ill and then recovers, is like a female camel that its owner ties and then releases. The camel does not know why it was tied or why it was released." A man among those sitting around him said, “O Messenger of Allah, what are these illnesses?” He replied, "I have never been sick while alive.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Depart from us, for you are not one of us.” While we were conversing with the Prophet in this manner, a man came holding a garment, and something else was wrapped within it. The man said: "O Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him: Whenever I see you, I turn towards you. (While coming) I passed by a place with dense trees, and I heard the sound of fledgling birds. I took them from their nests and placed them in my garment. Then their mother came and began circling around my head. I uncovered the young ones. She alighted upon them. I wrapped all of them within my garment; these are what I have with me.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Release them (to the ground).” I released the birds. The mother bird did not separate from her fledglings. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to his companions: "Are you amazed by the compassion of the mother bird for her young?" The companions said: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “I swear by Allah who sent me as a true Prophet that He is more merciful to His servants than this bird is to its young. Return these birds to the place from which you took them with their mother." The man returned them to where he had taken them.
Ibrahim bin Mahdi, from his grandfather who was a companion, narrated:
I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: "Indeed, a position is given to a servant by what is willed by Allah beforehand, and if the servant does not attain that position through his actions, then Allah tests him with trial in his body or in his wealth or in his children."
Abu Dawud said: Ibn Nufail added in his narration: “Then Allah directs him towards patience upon this calamity,” and they agreed. "Consequently, Allah brings him to the position which was willed for him beforehand by Allah.”