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Hospitals in Islamic Civilization

Imagine a nation where every hospital is free of cost irrespective to your status, caste, gender, religion, nationality. A multi-speciality hospital providing you a clothes, well furnished wards, delicious food, specialized doctors, that too free of cost. Not just this even giving the patient money and food as a compensation for being out of work during his hospital stay. Isn't it mind-blowing?? This is what hospitals were in the Islamic Civilization. In early medieval where Europe belief that illness is supernatural, uncontrollable, incurable. Muslims took completely different approach because of the saying of prophet Muhammadﷺ, “God has sent down the disease and he has appointed cure for every disease, so treat yourself medically”(¹) Mobile Dispensaries The first known Islamic care center was set up in a tent by Rufaydah al-Aslamiyah r.a during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammadﷺ. Famously, during the Ghazwah Khandaq, she treated the wounded in a separ...

Sijjin And Illiyun

As I was reading Al-Quran, Chapter 83; Surah Al Mutaffiffin.
I came across verses where Allah SWT warns to people who cheat and fraud. How they will be treated in life after.
In Chapter 83 verse 1-9, Allah SWT says,
Woe to the defrauders!
Those who take full measure ˹when they buy˺ from people,
but give less when they measure or weigh for buyers.
Do such people not think that they will be resurrected
for a tremendous Day—
the Day ˹all˺ people will stand before the Lord of all worlds?
But no! The wicked are certainly bound for Sijjîn ˹in the depths of Hell˺—
and what will make you realize what Sijjîn is?—
a fate ˹already˺ sealed.
As we read the above verses, we can clearly understand how Allah SWT doesn't like people who cheat or fraud people, though it be a small business or something more than that.
But nowadays people have become very comfortable in cheating, defrauding or in today’s word SCAMMING. Maybe they can do it now and walk away without any consequences or punishment, But what will they do after we return to Allah?


In the above Verse, Allah SWT mentions the word “SIJJIN” In following verse,
But no! The wicked are certainly bound for Sijjîn ˹in the depths of Hell˺—
and what will make you realize what Sijjîn is?
And the answer is:
The place where the souls of unbelievers are kept until resurrection. Some traditions say that sijjin is the seventh earth, and that hell will be brought forward from there.

Ibn kathir has elaborated the above verse.
The word sijjin is derived from sajana which means to 'imprison in a narrow place'. According to Qamus, the word sijjin means 'eternal imprisonment'. Traditions indicate that sijjin is a special place where the souls of the non-believers are kept, and in the same place, the record of the evil deeds of every wicked person is kept separately. It is also possible that in here there is a consolidated book in which the deeds of all the non-believers of the world are recorded.
Where is this place? According to a lengthy hadith reported by Sayyidna Bara' Ibn ` Azib ؓ ، the Holy Prophet ﷺ has said that sijjin is beneath the seventh level of the earth.

But in the same Surah Allah SWT, the Ar-Rahman , the Ar- Rahim mentions about Illiyin.
Allah SWT says in verse 18 - 23.
But no! The virtuous are certainly bound for ’Illiyûn ˹in elevated Gardens˺—
and what will make you realize what ’Illiyûn is?—
a fate ˹already˺ sealed,
witnessed by those nearest ˹to Allah˺.
Surely the virtuous will be in bliss,
˹seated˺ on ˹canopied˺ couches, gazing around.
Illiyin or Illiyun is
The seventh heaven, where the souls of believers are kept. The word illiyin is the plural of the Arabic word ʿaliyy, which means "high, exalted, lofty, excellent".

In Tafseer by Ibn Kathir,
Holy Prophet ﷺ has said that illiyin is in the seventh heaven beneath the Divine Throne. [ Baghawi, and Ahmad etc., as quoted by Mazhari ].

According to certain Traditions, sijjin is the seventh earth which contains the souls of the disbelievers, and ` illiyin is the seventh heaven which contains the souls of the believers.
The Locale of Paradise and Hell.

Baihaqi has recorded a narration from Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Salam ؓ that Paradise is in the heaven, and Hell is in the earth. Ibn Jarir cites in his commentary on the authority of Sayyidna Mu'adh Ibn Jabal ؓ a narrative of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، according to which he was asked about the meaning of the following verse:
‎وَجِيءَ يَوْمَئِذٍ بِجَهَنَّمَ
'and Jahannam (Hell), on that day, will be brought forward, [ 89:23] '
The Holy Prophet ﷺ was asked from where the Hell be brought forward? He replied: "From the seventh earth." These narratives indicate that Hell will be brought forward from the seventh earth. It will suddenly flare up there, and all the oceans will join its blazing fire, and come forward in full view of all. This interpretation is reconcilable with narratives that define sijjin as the name of a place in Hell. [ Mahari ]. And Allah knows best!

May Allah SWT grant us Jannah and illiyin protect us from Sijjin and Jahannam.

@author
Faizan Atik Ahmed
Researcher in philosophy and theology, Bachelor of science in IT, Master in computer applications, Social worker
Ahmed.faizan45@gmail.com
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