Muhammad: Seal of the Prophets — Page 432
MUHAMMAD : SEAL OF THE PROPHETS 432 Aisha’s apartment during the rest of his illness. He was now too weak to attend to any public business, yet the Syrian expedition occupied his mind and he kept saying to those around him, ‘Send off quickly the army of Usama. ’ He also inquired about the emb assies daily arriving at Medina, and enjoined for them the same hospitable treatment and gift of similar largesses as he had been won’t to bestow. His sickness had lasted nearly a fortnight when, on the night of Saturday, it began to assume a serious aspect. The fever rose to such a pitch that a hand could hardly be kept upon him from the burning heat. Observing his suffering, one of his wives exclai med, ‘You would surely have great reward. ’ ‘Yea,’ he answered, ‘I swear by Him in Whose hands is my life, that there is not upon the earth a believer, sore afflicted with calamity or disease, but the Lord thereby causeth his sins to fall off from him, even as the leaves from a tree in autumn. ’ At another time he said, ‘Suffering is an expiation for sin. If a believer suffer but the scratch of a thorn, the Lord raiseth his rank thereby, and wipeth away from him a sin. ’ And again, ‘Believers are tried accordi ng to their faith. If a man’s faith be strong, so are his sufferings; if he be weak, they are proportioned thereunto. ’ Umar, approaching the bed, placed his hand on his forehead, and suddenly withdrew it from the great heat. ‘Messenger of Allah,’ said he, ‘how fierce is the fever upon you. ’ ‘Yea, verily,’ replied the Holy Prophet, ‘but I have been during the night repeating in praise of the Lord, seventy Suras, among them the seven long ones. ’ Umar answered, ‘Why not rest and take your ease, for has not the Lord suppressed all your weaknesses?’ ‘Nay,’ replied the Holy Prophet, ‘wherefore should