Coronavirus Epidemic: Sick people may not always be unhappy, healthy people may not always be happy
January is definitely a hospital month for me, coming back and forth to
Columbia and PPUM to take care of my grandmother who went through operation a
few weeks ago. And now I have to include HKL in the list as well as my case got
transferred there. I’d never imagined my condition would turn out that bad
though.
Anyways, Hello February! I pray that everyone had a good start, if
January didn’t do you justice, it’s okay because every new day
brings with it another chance to change a life. It is never too
late to start all over again.
My question is have you ever overwhelmed with how life revolves for and
around you because I do. There are so many things can happen in a day, what
more for weeks, months and years. Throughout all, whatever happened and whoever
we bonded over the years or even for days will always teach us something.
Ever since I got sick on the early of January, I have got another Dr
whom I know the relationship won’t simply end right away. Dr Tee has been
making sure I am recovering as she put 200% in my progress, however, the
reality is contrary to what it should be. I have no choice but my case has to
be transferred to HKL which would be the first government hospital (GH) I would
seek medical help.
As my dad is a dentist, so every doctor that my family goes to if any of
us got sick is one of his friends or recommended by one of his friends. Perhaps
you could imagine how it works for us, we get treatment from the doctor who was
my father’s junior once let's say; or from his senior’s recommendation and
whatnot.
What I’ll be writing today portrays the fruitful conversation I had with
my Ophthalmologist last Friday. To make it short, Dr Gusa is an eye specialist
who has been treating my family and I since forever. My grandfather was the
first one who went to him, and our family relationship becomes closer ever
since.
As I grow up, Dr Gusa would gladly talk about life with me that never
failed to make me ponder. I remember, there was time I paid him a visit
somewhere in 2018 during GE 14, and we exchanged our humble thoughts upon our
political rule back then. I have always loved how he can talk about life,
science, health and even religion with me.
Do you have a non-Muslim friend that you could talk and share about
religion for the reason that we place our trust and have faith in God? Regardless
which religion we practice, be it Islam, Hinduism, Christianity or Buddhism –
I have learned that despite its diversity; our sole purpose of living is to
fully devote and worshipping God.
Due to the latest outbreak, little did he know, I had predicted he would
raise the topic to me and yes, he did. When I saw him last Friday he pointed
out – we, people thought we can outdo God’s works which can be
depicted with how politicians fight for supremacy, to have all the access to
control the world, and not to forget, abusing the power which will eventually
tear their own people apart.
He calmly continued; people are too engraved in accumulating wealth; the
idea of having a lot of money in bank accounts instructs people have the right
to do whatever they want to do and make it looks as if without money life
is meaningless and worthless.
“So, what is the fuss of Coronavirus is all about?” He asked my mother and I.
We fight among ourselves over money, we fight among ourselves to be the
ultimate front-runner, but then again, we forget that there is One who sees and
controls everything that we do.
Dr Gusa persisted, “Now that God send the virus in a blink of
an eye, and suddenly everyone is conscious and concerns about health. While
people don’t even bother about it previously.”
He has a good point over there. Don’t you think so?
Sick people may
not always be unhappy, healthy people may not always be happy.
I have always envied how he put his faith in God, how He believes that
God does His job in His own way and by what method he has confidence that only
God decides the whole thing. What makes it impressive is that he is Indian. He
once told me, doctors are not God, their abilities are limited, he
could only help in medication but God decides to cure or not.
When someone non-Muslim tells me that kind of stuff, it snaps my
heart. Not because he is Indian, but how his religion teaches him the same as
mine. We might have different beliefs and cultures but we all were taught to
devote ourselves to God. It was definitely one of the valuable insights I obtained
that day.
With numerous natural disasters occurred in January, I am positive that
God is trying to show something to us. In Islam, we are taught in al-Quran that
Good and evil whatever happens in this world happen by Allah’s Will. He runs
His universe the way He deems fit.
Allah says in the Quran:
“No calamity occurs, except by the leave of Allah; and whosoever
believes in Allah, He guides his heart. And Allah knows all things.”
Surah Al-Taghabun Verse 11
The famous Muslim philosopher, Imam Ghazali elaborates this very
clearly:
We believe that He is the Willer of things that are,
and of things that happen. There does not come about in the world, seen or
unseen, little or much, small or great, good or evil, advantage or
disadvantage, faith or unbelief, knowledge or ignorance, success or loss,
increase or decrease, obedience or rebellion, except by His will. What
He wills is, and what He wills not is not. Not a glance of one who
looks or a slip of one who thinks is outside His will. He is the Creator, the
Bringer back, the Doer of that which He wills. (A Short Creed of Imam
Ghazali)
As Muslims, we believe that Allah is Wise and everything that Allah does
is right, just, and fair. We must submit and surrender to His Will. He did not
make this world a permanent one yet we are living in a temporary world where
each one of us has a time limit. When the time comes, it dies and finishes.
Neither the good things of this world are forever, nor the bad things eternal.
How much did we appreciate our lives and all the blessings that God gave
us before disaster struck? Were we thankful for our health, our families, and
the sustenance that God has given us? Did we realize that every moment of life
is a gift, and an opportunity to draw closer to God?
Both of the amazing specialists who have been treating me had worked in
GH for years before they moved for private practice. They made me believed that
I would get the best treatment in HKL later on in shaa Allah. My prayers to
Allah SWT are to bless our medical officers, nurses and everyone who is working
in the healthcare industry. Saving people’s lives indeed is the noblest job on
earth and May Allah SWT grants them all the good things in life. Don't forget
to wear face mask when you go out, drink a lot of water and stay safe wherever
you are!
Believers face the sufferings with prayers,
repentance and good deeds. The non-believers face the sufferings with doubts
and confusions. They blame Allah or make arguments against Him. May Allah keep
us on the right path. - Dr Muzammil Hj Siddiqi, Former President of the Islamic
Society of North America
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