Did the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) Say “Are You a Devil” to Someone Who Never Gets Sick?
Question: I once heard in a lecture that a person told the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that he never gets sick, to which the Prophet replied, “Are you a devil?” Is there any such hadith, and is it considered undesirable in our religion for people who rarely get sick?
Answer: To my knowledge, there is no such hadith, and this seems to be a false statement because the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) would never call any companion or any ordinary person a devil. Our Prophet never called anyone by a derogatory name and even forbade others from doing so.
Both illness and health are from Allah, but we cannot consider it bad or take it as an omen if someone does not get sick. Alhamdulillah, those who are granted well-being, it is from Allah, and those who fall ill, it is also from Allah. It can be a test or a result of one’s actions.
If someone is tested through illness or hardship and remains patient, they will surely receive the best reward. However, we should pray to Allah to protect us from illnesses, hardships, and trials and to grant us well-being, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) instructed us to seek well-being. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"Ask Allah for forgiveness and well-being, for no one is given anything after certainty that is better than well-being" (Sahih al-Tirmidhi: 3558).
The Prophet (peace be upon him) taught us various supplications to seek well-being, and he himself used to pray for well-being every morning and evening. Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) never failed to recite these supplications when he reached the morning and evening:
“O Allah, I ask You for well-being in this world and the Hereafter. O Allah, I ask You for forgiveness and well-being in my religion, my worldly affairs, my family, and my wealth. O Allah, cover my faults and set me at ease from my fears. O Allah, protect me from in front of me, from behind me, on my right, on my left, and from above me. I seek refuge in Your greatness from being struck down from beneath me” (Sahih Abi Dawood: 5074).
Sheikh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi (may Allah preserve him)
❪Jeddah Dawah Center, Hayy Al-Salamah – Saudi Arabia❫
Sheikh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi (may Allah preserve him)