5. Would you like to meet him outside the institution? (cont.)

I asked the doctor, “What is this?” Be content with what Allah has apportioned for you The doctor replied, “A crazy person!” I felt that he was not taking me seriously, so I said to him, “I know he is crazy, for if he was sane he wouldn’t be here. I want to know what his story is.” He replied, “If this man sees a wall, his limbs spring into action and he begins to hit the wall with his hands, or his feet and sometimes his head. One day his fingers are broken, another day his legs and yet another day he cracks his skull, etc.” The doctor then lowered his head in sorrow and said, “We weren’t able to treat him, so we’ve locked him up in a room as you can see. The walls and the floor are covered with sponge, so he can beat himself however he wishes.” The doctor was then silent and walked on ahead of us. As for my friend and I, we simply stood there saying, “Praise be to Allah who has saved us from what He has afflicted them with.” We then went ahead passing by many rooms on either side of us, until we passed by a room with no beds. There were more than thirty men inside, each on his own. One person was giving Adhan, another was singing, another was turning round and round, while another was dancing. There were three men amongst them who were made to sit on chairs with their hands and feet tied. They were looking around and trying to turn around but could not. I became shocked and asked the doctor, “What is wrong with these people? Why did you tie them up and not the others?” He replied, “The problem with these three is that when they see something in front of them, they strike it. They break the windows, air conditioners, doors, etc. We therefore tie them up Be content with what Allah has apportioned for you like this from morning till evening.” I said, “Since when have they been like this?” He replied, “This one for about ten years, that one for about seven and the other one is relatively new here; he has only been here for five years!” I left their room contemplating their state, and praising Allah who had saved me from what he had afflicted them with. I asked him, “Where is the hospital exit?” He said, “There is still one room left to see. Perhaps there is an additional lesson to be learnt from it. Come with me.” He took me by my hand to a large room. He opened the door, took my hand and entered the room. The scene in the room was similar to what I had seen in the previous room: a group of patients, every one of them alone, one dancing, another sleeping, etc. And to my surprise, what did I see? A man who was beyond fifty years of age, his hair grey, was squatting on the floor. He was squashed down low, staring at us and was visibly terrified. All of this was bearable, but the strangest thing that frightened me and nearly made me jump, was the fact that the man was completely naked and did not even have a piece of cloth to cover his private parts! My facial complexion changed and I immediately turned to the doctor. When he saw the redness in my eyes, he said, “Cool your anger. I will explain to you his condition. This man, whenever we make him wear a garment, he bites it with his teeth, tears it apart and tries to swallow it. In one day, we may give him more Be content with what Allah has apportioned for you than ten sets of clothes to wear, and they will all be torn apart. The man is unable to bear any piece of clothing on his skin, thus we leave him like this come summer or winter. All those around him are mentally ill, unable to comprehend his condition.” I left the room and was unable to bear any more. I said to the doctor, “Please take me to the exit.” I said, “Actually, some sections are still left to visit.” He said, “I think, what we have seen so far is sufficient.” The doctor walked on and I walked beside him. He was walking past many wards while we remained silent. Suddenly, he turned to me as if he had just remembered something and said, “Dear Shaykh, there is a person here who was a prominent businessman. He is a millionaire. He became mentally ill, so his children brought him here and left him two years ago. There is another person here who was an engineer. Another person here was…” The doctor began informing me of those who were degraded after being honourable, and others who became poor after being rich, and so on. I was walking through the patient rooms thinking, “Glory be to the One who apportioned provision amongst the slaves.