The fifth right (duty) of a Muslim is that when his Muslim brother is sick he should visit him. The Arabic word for inquiring on the health of the sick is ‘Ayaadat which means to return. Due to the fact that a person returns time and again to visit the sick it is used in that context for visiting the sick.
Visiting the sick is a very important moral duty. When a friend, relative, neighbor or any acquaintance is sick, he should be visited and comforted as this earns the Pleasure of Allah Ta’ala. Visiting and comforting the sick is also a blessed Sunnah of the Beloved Prophet (Peace be upon him).
A number of Ahadith are being presented in relation to visiting the sick – act upon them and earn immense rewards.
Visit the Sick
Hazrat Abu Musa Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhu narrates that Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “Feed the poor, visit the sick and free the prisoner.” (Bukhari Shareef vol 2 page 843)
Method of Visiting the Sick
Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhuma narrates that Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “When you visit any sick person say the following, “O Allah! Grant health to this slave of Yours so that he can punish Your enemies or can walk with a funeral bier for Your Pleasure.” (Abu Dawood vol 2 page 443)
Hazrat Abu Sa’eed Khudri Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhu narrates that Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “When you visit any sick person, try and remove his grief and sadness. This will not alter his destiny (meaning death will occur at the appointed time), but it will make him feel better.” (Ibn Majah Shareef page 104)
Excellence of Visiting the Sick
Hazrat Abu Hurairah Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhu narrates that Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “When a person goes to one who is sick, a caller calls out from the heavens, ‘Glad tidings for you, your journey is excellent and you have obtained a great status in Paradise.’” (Ibn Majah Shareef page 104)
Hazrat ‘Ali Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhu reports that I heard Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) say, “If a person visits a sick person in the morning, seventy thousand Angels supplicate for him until the evening. And if he visits a sick person in the evening, seventy thousand Angels supplicate for him until the following morning. Additionally, an orchard is planted for him in Paradise.” (Tirmidhi vol 1 page 191, Abu Dawood vol 2
page 442)
A Great Method of Visiting the Sick
Hazrat Abu Hurairah Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhu narrates that Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “On the Day of Judgement, Allah Ta’ala will say, ‘O son of Adam! I was sick and you did not visit Me.’ The slave will say, ‘O my Lord! You are the Lord of all the worlds, how could I visit You?’ Upon hearing this Allah Ta’ala will say, ‘Did you not know that my (such and such) slave was ill? But you did not go and visit him.
Do you know that if you would have visited him you would definitely have found Me there?” (Muslim Shareef vol 2 page 318)
Obtain Mercy by Visiting the Sick
Hazrat Jaabir Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhu narrates that Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “When a person visits one who is sick, he takes a dip in the river of mercy. When he sits beside the sick person (to comfort him), he begins to bathe in that mercy.” (Masnad Imam Ahmed)
Far Away From Hell
Hazrat Anas Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhu narrates that Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “If a person performs ablution well and goes (with the intention of obtaining reward) to visit one who is sick, he is moved (a distance of) seventy years away from the fire of hell.” (Abu Dawood vol 2 page 441)
Gather Inspiration from Paradise
Hazrat Thaubaan Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhu narrates that Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “When a Muslim visits his sick Muslim brother, he is gathering inspiration from Paradise for as long as he is comforting his sick brother.” (Muslim Shareef vol 2 page 381)
Do Not Call Fever Evil
Hazrat Jaabir Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhu narrates that one time Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) went to Hazrat Umme Saa’ib Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anha and asked, “Why are you shivering?” She replied, “I have a fever, may it perish.” Upon hearing this Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “Do not call fever evil
because it cleans a person’s sins like fire cleans iron.” (Muslim Shareef vol 2 page 319)
Fulfil the Desires of the Sick
Hazrat Ibn ‘Abbas Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhuma reports that Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) went to visit a sick person and asked, “Do you desire anything?” He replied, “I want a wheat chapatti.” Upon hearing this
Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “Whichever one of you has a wheat chapatti, bring it for this brother of yours.” Then Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “When a sick person asks for something, give it to him.” (Ibn Majah page 104)
Ask the Sick to Supplicate for You
Hazrat ‘Umar bin Khattab Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhu narrates that Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “When you visit a sick person, ask him to supplicate for you as his supplication (in terms of acceptance) has the same status as the supplication of Angels.” (Mishkaat page 138)
Supplicate For the Sick like This
Hazrat Ibn ‘Abbas Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhuma reports that Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “If a person visits a sick person and says ‘As-alul Laahal Adheema Rabbil ‘Arshil Adheemi Ay Yash-Fiyaka’
then he will certainly be cured – unless it is the appointed time for his death.” (Abu Dawood vol 2 page 442)
There is Cure for All Illnesses
Hazrat Abu Hurairah Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhu narrates that Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “Allah Ta’ala has sent a cure for every illness that He has sent.” (Bukhari Shareef vol 2 page 848)
Hazrat Jaabir Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhu narrates that Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “There is cure for all illnesses and when a sick person receives the medicine he is cured (by the Will of Allah Ta’ala).” (Muslim Shareef vol 2 page 225)
Find a Cure, But...
Hazrat Abu Darda Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhu narrates that Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “Allah Ta’ala has created both illnesses and cures and has appointed a cure for each and every illness. Therefore, search for a cure but not with forbidden (Haram) things.” (Abu Dawood Shareef vol 2 page 541)
Visiting the sick is a very important moral duty. When a friend, relative, neighbor or any acquaintance is sick, he should be visited and comforted as this earns the Pleasure of Allah Ta’ala. Visiting and comforting the sick is also a blessed Sunnah of the Beloved Prophet (Peace be upon him).
A number of Ahadith are being presented in relation to visiting the sick – act upon them and earn immense rewards.
Visit the Sick
Hazrat Abu Musa Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhu narrates that Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “Feed the poor, visit the sick and free the prisoner.” (Bukhari Shareef vol 2 page 843)
Method of Visiting the Sick
Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhuma narrates that Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “When you visit any sick person say the following, “O Allah! Grant health to this slave of Yours so that he can punish Your enemies or can walk with a funeral bier for Your Pleasure.” (Abu Dawood vol 2 page 443)
Hazrat Abu Sa’eed Khudri Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhu narrates that Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “When you visit any sick person, try and remove his grief and sadness. This will not alter his destiny (meaning death will occur at the appointed time), but it will make him feel better.” (Ibn Majah Shareef page 104)
Excellence of Visiting the Sick
Hazrat Abu Hurairah Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhu narrates that Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “When a person goes to one who is sick, a caller calls out from the heavens, ‘Glad tidings for you, your journey is excellent and you have obtained a great status in Paradise.’” (Ibn Majah Shareef page 104)
Hazrat ‘Ali Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhu reports that I heard Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) say, “If a person visits a sick person in the morning, seventy thousand Angels supplicate for him until the evening. And if he visits a sick person in the evening, seventy thousand Angels supplicate for him until the following morning. Additionally, an orchard is planted for him in Paradise.” (Tirmidhi vol 1 page 191, Abu Dawood vol 2
page 442)
A Great Method of Visiting the Sick
Hazrat Abu Hurairah Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhu narrates that Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “On the Day of Judgement, Allah Ta’ala will say, ‘O son of Adam! I was sick and you did not visit Me.’ The slave will say, ‘O my Lord! You are the Lord of all the worlds, how could I visit You?’ Upon hearing this Allah Ta’ala will say, ‘Did you not know that my (such and such) slave was ill? But you did not go and visit him.
Do you know that if you would have visited him you would definitely have found Me there?” (Muslim Shareef vol 2 page 318)
Obtain Mercy by Visiting the Sick
Hazrat Jaabir Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhu narrates that Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “When a person visits one who is sick, he takes a dip in the river of mercy. When he sits beside the sick person (to comfort him), he begins to bathe in that mercy.” (Masnad Imam Ahmed)
Far Away From Hell
Hazrat Anas Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhu narrates that Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “If a person performs ablution well and goes (with the intention of obtaining reward) to visit one who is sick, he is moved (a distance of) seventy years away from the fire of hell.” (Abu Dawood vol 2 page 441)
Gather Inspiration from Paradise
Hazrat Thaubaan Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhu narrates that Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “When a Muslim visits his sick Muslim brother, he is gathering inspiration from Paradise for as long as he is comforting his sick brother.” (Muslim Shareef vol 2 page 381)
Do Not Call Fever Evil
Hazrat Jaabir Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhu narrates that one time Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) went to Hazrat Umme Saa’ib Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anha and asked, “Why are you shivering?” She replied, “I have a fever, may it perish.” Upon hearing this Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “Do not call fever evil
because it cleans a person’s sins like fire cleans iron.” (Muslim Shareef vol 2 page 319)
Fulfil the Desires of the Sick
Hazrat Ibn ‘Abbas Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhuma reports that Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) went to visit a sick person and asked, “Do you desire anything?” He replied, “I want a wheat chapatti.” Upon hearing this
Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “Whichever one of you has a wheat chapatti, bring it for this brother of yours.” Then Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “When a sick person asks for something, give it to him.” (Ibn Majah page 104)
Ask the Sick to Supplicate for You
Hazrat ‘Umar bin Khattab Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhu narrates that Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “When you visit a sick person, ask him to supplicate for you as his supplication (in terms of acceptance) has the same status as the supplication of Angels.” (Mishkaat page 138)
Supplicate For the Sick like This
Hazrat Ibn ‘Abbas Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhuma reports that Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “If a person visits a sick person and says ‘As-alul Laahal Adheema Rabbil ‘Arshil Adheemi Ay Yash-Fiyaka’
then he will certainly be cured – unless it is the appointed time for his death.” (Abu Dawood vol 2 page 442)
There is Cure for All Illnesses
Hazrat Abu Hurairah Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhu narrates that Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “Allah Ta’ala has sent a cure for every illness that He has sent.” (Bukhari Shareef vol 2 page 848)
Hazrat Jaabir Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhu narrates that Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “There is cure for all illnesses and when a sick person receives the medicine he is cured (by the Will of Allah Ta’ala).” (Muslim Shareef vol 2 page 225)
Find a Cure, But...
Hazrat Abu Darda Radiallaho Ta’ala ‘Anhu narrates that Rasool Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “Allah Ta’ala has created both illnesses and cures and has appointed a cure for each and every illness. Therefore, search for a cure but not with forbidden (Haram) things.” (Abu Dawood Shareef vol 2 page 541)
Also Read
- First Right of a Muslim
- Second Right of a Muslim
- Third Right of a Muslim
- Fourth Right of a Muslim
- Fifth Right of a Muslim
- Sixth Right of a Muslim
