Why Is My Treatment Taking So Long?
04 August, 2015
Question
A patient has been doing ruqyah for a long time, without getting rid of the problem. They are following all of the recommended steps. Why are they not being cured?
Answer
This is a common mistake that many people make. They think that because they are doing the right thing, the problem should go away within a certain time. This is essentially a problem in managing expectations. If the doctor told you that you had cancer, you wouldn't come back after your first chemotherapy treatment and say, "Why am I not cured now?" That's because you would expect that it would take a year, perhaps two years to go into full remission and get the all clear.
This is a war between you and an army of the shayaateen. This war will be made up of many many battles, some of which you will win, and some of which you will lose. All of this has a wisdom in it, that Allāh has chosen for you. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم fought his enemies for over 20 years until Allāh gave him victory over them, and yet he was the most complete of the people in faith, the one whose du'aa was answered, the one who was free of major sins, and the one whose past and future sins were forgiven. Despite this, Allāh chose to test him and the believers with over 20 years of battling their enemy before the people entered into Islam in crowds.
Allāh told us about this in the Qur'an:
"If a wound should touch you - there has already touched the [opposing] people a wound similar to it. And these days [of varying conditions] We alternate among the people so that Allah may make evident those who believe and [may] take to Himself from among you martyrs - and Allah does not like the wrongdoers" 3:140
In this aayah, Allāh explains why he gave a limited victory to the disbelievers on the Day of Uhud, even though they were fighting against the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and his companions (may Allāh be pleased with him). Allāh gives His enemies a respite for a time, so that he may test the faith of those who believe, and he may take some of them as martyrs. This is the wisdom of Allāh, and you have to learn to be patient with it.
Allāh said:
"Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while such [trial] has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on before you? They were touched by poverty and hardship and were shaken until [even their] messenger and those who believed with him said, "When is the help of Allah?" Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near." 2:214
Furthermore, it may be that the weapon is perfect, but the arm which holds the weapon is weak, or the arm is strong but the aim is poor. It is only when the weapon, and the arm that wields it, and the aim of the person is accurate that the weapon can be used to its true effect. For this reason, you should be self-critical, you should be asking yourself if your sins are the reason why the help of Allāh is delayed, and you should be pushing yourself to constantly improve. This self-reflection and self-criticism is healthy up to a certain point, but it's not healthy when it causes you to reach the level where you despair of the help of Allāh. As Allāh said, informing us of the statement of Ya'qoob:
"O my sons, go and find out about Yusuf and his brother and despair not of relief from Allah . Indeed, no one despairs of relief from Allah except the disbelieving people." 12:87
Check what you are doing against the recommended programme for ruqyah patients and make sure that you are either doing everything, or exceeding it, and then be patient, and expect that the help of Allāh will come.