Visiting the Sick

It is a Sunnah of our Beloved Prophet Muhammad ‫ صلى ال عليه وسلم‬to visit the sick. We
should always visit those who are sick because it helps us to reflect and take heed, as
those who are ill are close to Allah Ta’ala. We have only to consider that the sick person
has no one to call but Allah, nothing to reflect on but Allah, and his condition reminds us
of the blessing of health.

Hadrat Abu Moosa ‫ رضى ال تعالى عنه‬reports that the Prophet ‫ صلى ال عليه وسلم‬said, ‘Visit
the sick, feed the hungry and free the one who is imprisoned (unjustly).’ [Sahih Bukhaari]

Hadrat Abu Hurairah ‫ رضى ال تعالى عنه‬reports that the Prophet ‫ صلى ال عليه وسلم‬said, “On
the Day of Qiyaamah, Allah Ta’ala will announce: O son of Aadam, I was sick yet you
did not visit me. He will reply, ‘O Allah, how could I have visited You since you are
Rabbul ‘aalameen? Allah Ta’ala will say: Did you not know that so and so slave of mine
was sick, and yet you did not visit him? Should you have visited him you would have
found Me by him.” [Sahih Muslim]

Hadrat Ali ‫ رضى ال تعالى عنه‬reports that the Prophet ‫ صلى ال عليه وسلم‬said, ‘When a Muslim
visits his sick Muslim brother in the morning, seventy thousand angels make dua for his
forgiveness till the evening. And when he visits him in the evening, seventy thousand
angels make dua for his forgiveness till the morning, and he will be granted a garden for
it in Jannah.’ [Timizi, Abu Dawood]

Hadrat Anas ‫ رضى ال تعالى عنه‬reports that the Prophet ‫ صلى ال عليه وسلم‬said, ‘When a
person performs a proper wudhu (observing all its etiquette) and then goes to visit his
sick Muslim brother with the intention of gaining sawaab, then he will be kept far away
from the Fire of Jahannam by a distance equivalent of Sixty years.’ [Abu Dawood]

Our Beloved Prophet ‫ صلى ال عليه وسلم‬also said, ‘Whoever visits a sick person (for the
pleasure of Allah), a Caller from the skies announces: You are indeed blessed and your
walking is blessed and you have (by this noble act) built yourself a home in Jannah.’ [Ibn
Maajah]

Hadrat Ibn Abbaas ‫ رضى ال تعالى عنه‬relates: It is part of the Sunnah that when you visit a
sick person, you should shorten your visit to him and make the least amount of noise by
him. [Mishkaat]

Once our Prophet ‫ صلى ال عليه وسلم‬said, ‘The best type of visit to a sick person is when the
visitor gets up to leave without delay.’ [Bayhaqi]

If we act upon these simple teachings, then the visitors to a hospital will no longer remain
a problem for those who are in charge of the administration of hospitals.
Hadrat Umm Salmah ‫ رضى ال عنها‬relates that the Prophet ‫ صلى ال عليه وسلم‬said, ‘When you
visit a sick person or (go to the home of) someone who has died, then speak only what is
good, for the angels say ‘aameen’ to whatever you will say.’ [Sahih Muslim]

Hadrat Abu Sa’eed Khudri ‫ رضى ال تعالى عنه‬reports that Rasulullah ‫ صلى ال عليه وسلم‬said,
‘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]

Source: Sickness- also a Mercy from Allah