Understanding Salat — Page 160
Understanding S al A t 160 considered as proceeding from God; i. e. ] God’s defence of a man…from diseases and from trial: …or freedom from evil. ” ( Lane’s Lexicon , Root: عفو , Entry: ٌ عَافِيَة )’ The Holy Prophet sas would pray for health in the words ‘ ā fin ī , specifying different parts of his sas body, saying, O Allah! Grant me health ( ْ عَافِنِي ) in my body. O Allah! Grant me health ( ْ عَافِنِي ) in my hearing. O Allah! Grant me health ( ْ عَافِنِي ) in my eyesight. ( Ab u D ā w u d, Book 43, Chapter 110) When we say ‘grant me health’ ( ْ عَافِنِي ), our physical health is not our purpose in and of itself. Rather, we seek health so that we can use our capacities to achieve a greater purpose. Hadrat Khalīfatul Masīh IV rta said, ‘ A fin ī - Grant me health so that I can follow your guidance. ( Tadr ī s Nam ā z , pp. 40) To be able to benefit from the physical acts of worship Islam has taught, we need to be healthy. For example, if a person is unable to observe fasting, he can try to participate in Ramadan as much as he can, but he will still be deprived of many blessings. The only way to make up for this loss is to pray with the pain of what he is deprived of. The Promised Messiah as said,