Visit the Sick
It's Sunnah
The work of mercy invites us to visit someone who is in the hospital or is housebound. The touch of a hand, a Prayer and real eye contact are great healers to the human spirit.
Visiting the sick is called 'iyaadah in Arabic (from a root word meaning return) because people come back time after time.
It is proven in al-Saheehaayn that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "There are five duties that the Muslim owes to his brother Muslim," one of which is visiting the sick.
According to another version: "The rights of one Muslim over another are..." Al-Bukhaari said: Chapter on the obligation of visiting the sick, and he narrated the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): “Feed the hungry, visit the sick and free the captives." The correct view is that it is a communal obligation, and the Muslims are obliged to visit their sick.
There are many ahaadeeth which speak of its virtue, such as the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him):
"When the Muslim visits his (sick) Muslim brother, he is harvesting the fruits of Paradise until he returns."
Narrated by Muslim, 2568.
The reward attained by the one who visits the sick is likened to the harvest reaped by one who gathers fruit.
Imam Ahmad narrated that Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever visits a sick person is plunging into mercy until he sits down, and when he sits down he is submerged in it."
Al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 2504.
Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: "There is no Muslim who visits a (sick) Muslim early in the morning but Seventy thousand angles send blessings upon him until evening comes and if he visits him in the evening, Seventy thousand angles send blessings upon him until morning comes and he will have a Garden in Paradise"
Al-Tirmidhi (969).
There is no sin in a man visiting a non-mahram woman, or a woman visiting a non-mahram man, so long as the following conditions are met: proper covering, no risk of fitnah, and no being alone together.
Imam al-Bukhaari narrated a hadeeth from 'Aa'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), who said that she visited Abu Bakr and Bilaal (may Allah be pleased with them both) when they fell sick when they first came to Madeenah.
There is no sin in visiting a mushrik kaafir who is sick, if that serves an interest.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) visited a Jewish boy and called him to Islam, and he became Muslim. Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1356). And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was present when his paternal uncle Abu Taalib was dying, and he called him to Islam but he refused. Agreed upon.
The visitor should not sit for too long with the sick person, rather the visit should be short so that it does not cause any hardship to him or his family.
The sick person may pass through periods when he suffers pain because of his sickness, or he may do something that he would not like anyone to see, so sitting with him for too long will cause him embarrassment.
However, it depends on the situation; the sick person may like some people to sit with him for a long time.
There is nothing in the Sunnah that suggests that there is a specific time for visiting the sick. Ibn al-Qayyim said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not specify any particular day or time for visiting the sick, rather he prescribed that for his ummah by night and by day, at all times.
Zaad al-Ma'aad, 1/497
Some of the salaf used to visit the sick at the beginning of the day or in the early evening, so that the angels would send blessings upon them for the longest time.
Dua should be made for the sick person in the manner narrated in the Sunnah: "La ba's, tuhoor in sha Allah (No worry, it is a purification, if Allah wills)."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari.
Dua for healing should be said three times. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) visited Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqaas and said: "O Allah, heal Sa'd," three times."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5659) and Muslim (1628).
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to place his right hand on the sick person and say: "Adhhib al-ba's Rabb an-naas, wa'shfi anta al-Shaafi, laa shifaa'a illa shifaa'uka shifaa'an laa yughaadir saqaman (Take away the pain, O Lord of mankind, and grant healing, for You are the Healer, and there is no healing but Your healing that leaves no trace of sickness)."
Narrated by Muslim, 2191.
Hazrat Abu Sa'eed Khudri (R.A.) reports that Rasulullah(Sallallaahu alaiyhi wassallam) said, "
When you visit a sick person, speak in a reassuring way to him (about his age and his life).' (For instance, tell him, 'Alhamdulillah, your health has improved' or 'Inshaa Allah you will get better soon.') Saying this will not delay what is predestined, but it will certainly make him feel happy.'
[Tirmizi, Ibn Maajah]
'Innaa lillaahi wa 'innaa 'ilayhi raaji'oon,
Allaahumma'-jurni fee museebatee wa 'akhliflee khayran minhaa.
We are from Allah and unto Him we return. O Allah take me out of my plight and bring to me after it something better.
(Muslim 2/632)
We pray to Allah to cure the sick amongst us and give us the ability to practice this sunnah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)..
Aameen
