A Muslim differs from all other types of people on earth; they worship and prostrate to other than Allah; some of them worship the sun, the moon, stars, cows, and idols, such as those who worship Buddha. Conversely, a Muslim worships only Allah and believes that He is All-Capable; He is the All-Powerful; the Almighty; the Omnipotent; the Holy; the All-Dominant; the Sustainer; the Creator; the Causer of Death and the Granter of life. All these things reflect on the life of the believer and make him different to all other types of people on earth.
People usually attribute being cured to the doctor who treated them; they believe that he is the one who causes the sick to be cured, but a Muslim firmly believes that it is Allah who cures, and that the medical treatment is only to be used as a way of utilising the worldly means that Allah has commanded us to utilise.
Indeed Allah has ordered us to use all lawful means along with having the firm belief that they are only means, and that He is the One who actually causes these means to be effective, or stops their effect. Even in the case of those who go to pious people for them to recite the Quran over them as a means of treatment against an evil eye, envy or being possessed by a Jinn, a Muslim does not and should not believe that these pious people are the ones who have the ability to cure; rather, this lies solely with Allah.
The story of the People of the Trench is a clear evidence to prove this point; Allah honoured the boy in the story and gave him the ability to treat and cure people by His will.
The story is as follows: There once lived a king who had a court magician. As the magician grew old, he said to the disbelieving king: “I have grown old, send a boy to me so that I can teach him magic.” This magician wanted to make certain of having a successor who would also trick the people - so that the king could continue deceiving the people and forcing them to worship him. The king sent a boy to him so that he could train him in magic.
This story occurred in the interval between the era of the message of the Prophet Muhammad and that of ‘Eesaa, may Allah exalt his mention. The message of ‘Eesaa, may Allah exalt his mention, had been distorted and altered through time, and many people diverted from what ‘Eesaa, may Allah exalt his mention, came with.
Going back to the story: On his way to the magician, the boy found a monk sitting on the path. The boy listened to the monk's words and was impressed. He asked the monk about what he was saying and was informed that the words were from the message of monotheism with which ‘Eesaa, may Allah exalt his mention, came. Therefore, it became the habit of the boy to visit the monk on the way to each of his visits to the magician. This caused him to be late for the magician and so the magician would beat him. He complained about this to the monk and so the monk said to him: "When you feel afraid of the magician, say to him: Members of my family detained me, and when you feel afraid of your family, you should say: The magician detained me."
One day, it so happened that a huge beast of prey blocked the way of the people, and so the boy said: "I will come to know today whether it is the magician who is superior or the monk." He picked up a stone and said: “O Allah! If the affair of the monk is dearer to You than the affair of the magician, cause death to this animal so that the people would be able to move about freely.” He threw the stone towards the beast and killed it, and so the people could move along the path freely. This boy was then enabled by Allah to perform supernatural acts, such as bringing back the senses to the blind, deaf, and mute; he could also cure people afflicted with leprosy and all other types of sicknesses. The monk then said to him: “Son! Today you are superior to me. Your affair has reached a stage where I find that you will soon be put to a trial, and in case you are put to a trial, don't give any clue regarding myself.” A companion of the king who had gone blind heard about the boy, and so he came to him with numerous gifts and said: “If you cure all these problems, then everything that is collected here (i.e., the gifts) are yours.” The boy replied: “I myself do not cure anyone. It is Allah who cures, and if you affirm faith in Allah, I shall supplicate to Him to cure you.” The king’s companion affirmed his faith in Allah and Allah cured him.
Some people go to doctors, believing that the cure lies in their hands, which is a contradiction of sound belief; some of them say to the doctor whilst a relative of theirs is dying: ‘Doctor! Try harder to rescue him!’ This reflects weakness in faith and can lead to them associating with Allah; people ought to pay attention to this issue and must have it firm in their minds and hearts.
When one firmly believes that Allah is the Sustainer and Provider, he will never humble himself to anyone thinking that his sustenance lies in that person's hands, or that that person can deprive him from his provisions. Allah is the only One who can stop provisions, or decrease or increase them, and people are nothing but a means. Some people address their managers or company owners in a tone that reflects their belief that they are the ones who control their provisions, and if they (i.e., the owners or managers) were to dismiss them, they would rush to them, begging them not to prevent his provisions; but the fact is that Allah is the One in whose Hands lie the people’s provisions.
Similarly, ruling and legislating exclusively belong to Allah, because He Says (what means): “…The decision is only for Allah…” [Quran 6:57] Thus, one who resorts to other than Islamic rulings in order to solve his problems or disputes, while accepting such man made rulings, has exited from the fold of Islam. His eminence Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez ibn Baaz said: “One who believes that it is lawful to use legislation other than that set by Allah, or believes that other legislations are better than that of Allah, or who even believes that they are equally good, is a disbeliever."
One of the apostates said: “French law is part of the four schools of Islamic law.” This is a mockery of Islamic legislation.
Many people have committed prohibitions after having accepted resorting to other than Islamic legislation; this is why we see some people giving Fatwas that Ribaa (interest or usury) is permissible and that the interest rate is a form of profit; these people began naming things with other than their real names in order to pass such rulings. Many people were confused when some of these rulings were passed with such unfamiliar names given to the prohibitions in order to make them lawful, such as the name 'profit' for Ribaa, 'talent' for singing and music, 'art' for making statues and idols, 'spiritual drinks' for intoxicants, and so on. Those who pass these rulings, and those who propagate them, have sold their faith for worldly gains, whether these gains are in terms of wealth or positions. They have forgotten the Day in which they will stand before Allah for reckoning. What will their situation be then, after having misguided millions by their words and Fatwas?Not all people can differentiate between the truth and misguidance; some follow others simply based on trust, and such people, who misguide others, will therefore shoulder the responsibility of their sins, as Allah Says (what means): “That they may bear their own burdens [i.e., sins] in full on the Day of Resurrection and some of the burdens of those whom they misguide without [i.e., by lack of] knowledge. Unquestionably, evil is that which they bear.” [Quran 16: 25]
Resorting to the Quran and the Sunnah is not an optional matter; one has no choice in this matter. Under no circumstances can any Muslim take his legislation and rulings from any other sources, otherwise, he cannot even be called a Muslim.
Another issue that is related to faith is bowing down to other than Allah, such as what some people do during their martial arts training where they bow down to their instructor. This is prohibited because it reflects submission to other than Allah.