Question:
Is epilepsy caused by the Devil, or is it a medical problem?
Answer:
Wa ‘alaykum assalam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh.
I pray you are well.
Allah Controls Everything
As Muslims we believe that all matters are in the hands of Allah. Illnesses, cures, life, death, and everything else, are all His actions. He has, however, created conventional means that bring these effects about, in the way we perceive reality.
Evidence from the Hadith
There is evidence in various narrations from the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) that the jinn can possess people, and otherwise, cause various illnesses. For example, a child once had a mental illness and the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) addressed a jinn that was possessing him, ”Leave, O enemy of Allah. I am the Messenger of Allah.” Upon doing so, the child got better. [Ahmad]
This is something indicated in the Qur’an too. Please refer to this lesson for more on this matter.
Ultimately, epilepsy could be caused by rebellious jinns, who are all classed as devils, or it could just be a neurological condition brought about by physical matters. Perhaps the two are related. Allah knows best. It is also not necessary that the modern medically defined condition is the exact issue the hadiths discuss.
A believer takes physical means for healing from illness, and he fortifies himself with worship, slavehood to Allah, the supplications from the Qur’an and the Sunna, and trust in Allah. This is the application of the Prophet’s way, and the best protection (Allah bless him and give him peace).
May Allah grant you the best of both worlds.
[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani