Revive a Sunnah

In the name of Allah

Revive a Sunnah: Visiting the sick

The Prophet  (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: “Feed the hungry, visit the sick, and set free the captives.” [Bukhari]

Visiting the sick does not involve only those whom you know, rather it is prescribed for those whom you know and those whom you do not know. This was stated by an-Nawawi in Sharh Muslim.

By visiting the sick, we demonstrate love towards one another and instantly tighten the bonds of kinship/friendship. Seeing someone who is unable to function as well as they normally can, is a strong reminder to us all of the blessing of health that we currently have and that we shouldn’t take our good health for granted.

It is our duty to visit the sick person whose sickness is preventing him/her from going out and mixing with people. If he/she is sick but he/she is still going out and seeing people, then it is not obligatory to visit him/her.  [Al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 5/171]

Virtues of visiting the sick

The Messenger of Allaah (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: “Whoever visits a sick person or visits a brother in Islam, a caller cries out to him: ‘May you be happy, may your walking be blessed, and may you occupy a dignified position in Paradise’.” [Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.]

The Messenger of Allaah (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: “Whoever visits a sick person is plunging into mercy until he sits down, and when he sits down he is submerged in it.” [Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 2504.]

‘Ali (radi Allahu anhu) said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (sallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) say: “There is no Muslim who visits a (sick) Muslim early in the morning but seventy thousand angels send blessings upon him until evening comes, and if he visits him in the evening, seventy thousand angels send blessings upon him until morning comes, and he will have a garden in Paradise.” [Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.]

The next time you hear of someone who is ill, try your best to go beyond sending them a ‘get well soon’ and practice a forgotten sunnah: make the effort to be physically present and comfort them.