When a Muslim is ill, Islam orders him to seek medical treatment along with making Du`a’, imploring Allah to cure the illness.

Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, an Islamic scholar mentions some supplications for healing illness, he said:

“Here are few of the supplications a Muslim  may use for the purpose of healing as mentioned in the Sunnah:

1) Allahumma rabba al-nnas adhhibi al-ba’sa ishfi anta al-sshafi la shifa’a illa shifa’ula shifa’an la yughadiru saqaman (O Allah, O Lord of Mankind, remove the affliction and send down cure and healing, for no one can cure but You; so cure in such a way that no trace of illness is left).

2) As’alu Allaha al-azem rabba al-‘arshi al-azem an yashfiyane (I beseech Allah, the Great, Lord of the Mighty Throne, to heal me).

3) A’udhu bi izzati Allahi wa qudratihi mimma ajidu wa uhadhiru (I seek refuge and protection in the august might and power of Allah from the pain and illness I am suffering from and I’m afraid of).

Furthermore, he may also repeat and meditate on some of the beautiful Names of Allah: i.e., ya rahamanu ya rahem; ya shafi, (O the most Merciful one, O the Healer and curer).”

With regard to supplicating for death, the Prophet forbade wishing for death. Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

No one of you should wish for death because of some harm that has befallen him, but if he must do that then let him say: ‘O Allah, keep me alive so long as life is good for me, and cause me to die when death is good for me.’” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

The hadith clarifies that a Muslim should never hope for death as this reveals one’s panic or impatience towards calamities. One should endure the inflections that befall him and keep patient. However, if he or she still have a desire for death, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) teaches us the aforementioned du`a that refers the matter to Allah; if life is good, keep alive or let them die, if death is better.