Abu Hurairah may Allah be pleased with him (R) reported that the Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h. said: Every Muslim has five rights on other Muslims; returning his salutation, visiting the sick, following funerals, accepting invitations and blessing the sneezers (Agreed upon). It goes without saying that Islam encourages the greetings of peace, "al-Salamu 'Alaykum" and the response to it. Peace greetings should be reciprocated properly.
Let us emphasize in this context that Allah doubles his reward for those who wish mercy and blessing of Allah for other Muslims. We must also stress that reciprocating "peace" greetings is obligatory in Islam. Every single Muslim and every individual Muslim in any given group should respond to the peace greetings. Spreading "peace" is a principal factor that leads to the purification of hearts and cooperation. It leads to the spread of love among Muslims as well as to the elimination of rancor and hatred among them.
Also, allow us to further explain the rest of this prophetic saying and how the Messenger p.b.u.h. emphasizes, through other sayings, each and every one of the rights of Muslims. This time, we chose to discuss the right/obligation of 'visiting the sick'.
In the sight of Islam, illness purifies sins and eliminates them. This is supported by a Prophet's saying reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim. Abu Hurairah (R) quotes the Messenger p.b.u.h. saying: He for whom Allah decrees good Allah inflicts illness on him. In another context, the Prophet p.b.u.h. was quoted as saying: Whatever toil or fatigue or care or difficulty or harm a believer suffers from – even a thorn that pricks him – Allah will by it eliminate his sins.
The Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h. urges us to visit the sick because such visits console them and eliminate their pains. These visits bring comfort for the patient's soul and fulfill their rights to be visited.
Visiting them, we have to advise the sick to be patient as well as to thank Allah for the aspired continuity of sound health and peace.
Abu-Moosa (R) quotes the Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h. saying: Visit the sick, feed the hungry and liberate the prisoner. (Al-Bukhari)
According to Abu Hurairah (R), the Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h. says: "On the Day of Judgment Allah will say: O son of Adam, I was sick but you did not visit Me. The son of Adam will say: My Lord! How can I visit You when You are the Lord of the worlds? God will answer: Did you not know that my slave so and so fell sick and you never visited him? Don't you know that had you visited him, you would have found Me with him. O son of Adam: I asked you for food but you never fed Me. He will say: My Lord! How can I feed you when you are the Lord of the worlds? God will say: Did you not know that my slave so and so asked you for food but you never fed him, you would find the reward of this with Me. O son of Adam! I asked you for drink but you never gave Me drink. He will ask: My Lord! How can I give you a drink when You are the Lord of the worlds? God will then say: My slave so and so asked you for drink but you withheld drink from him. Don't you know that had you given him drink you would find its reward with Me."
Thus the Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h. advises us to visit the sick because of the right we owe the sick. We also seek reward from Allah. Allah Almighty promises delicious and fresh fruits from Paradise for those who visit the sick and that angels will pray for the one who visits his brother throughout the period he spends on his way to him. If the visit occurs in the evening angels prayers last until the morning; if it occurs in the morning their prayers continues until the evening. What a great gift a Muslim gets just as a reward for visiting his Muslim brother! Exerting very little effort by a Muslim brings about all this overwhelming reward and forgiveness.
On the authority of Ali (R), who said that he heard the Messenger p.b.u.h. saying: Every Muslim who goes in the early morning to visit his sick brother, then seventy thousand angles will pray for him until he reaches the evening; and if he visits him in the evening seventy thousand angels will pray for him till the morning, and he will also enjoy delicious fresh fruits in Paradise.
Ibn Majah also reported on the authority of Abu Hurairah (R) who said that the Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h. said: Whoever visits a sick person a caller from Heaven will exclaim: You will have a good position in Paradise.
Remember, that a part of the great reward a Muslim will get when he visits his sick brother is that he deserves to enter Paradise and get of its inexhaustible fruits as is clear from the following tradition.
On the authority of Thawban (R) the Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h. says: "When a Muslim visits his sick brother he will be in the "Kharfa" of Paradise until he returns. Some asked: "O Messenger of Allah, what is "Kharfat ul Jannah" he replied: its fresh fruits." (Muslim)
This was concerned the rights of a sick Muslim to be visited by other Muslims. Visitors of patients, however, should not stay long unless they know that their stay does not disturb them but conforms and pleases them. They should come close to them, put their hands gently on their bodies and ask them to give vent to their pains. They should say to their patients what pleases them and should pray to Allah to grant them healing. This is what the Prophet p.b.u.h. asks us to do.
Aisha (R) reported that the Prophet p.b.u.h. used to visit some of his sick relatives and would rub his hands and say: "O Allah! Lord of mankind! Remove the suffering and bring healing. You are the healer! No other healing exists except your healing, in a manner that leaves no weakness nor illness".
The Companions also did the same thing, just as the Prophet p.b.u.h. did. They were guided by his acts and sayings and thus, we are obliged to follow his path and his example, as is clear from the above tradition.
Anas (R) reported that he said to Thabet – may Allah have mercy on him – "Shall I pray for you with the prayer of the Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h.? "Yes please!" Thabet responded. Anas then responded with the Messenger's prayer: O Allah! Lord of the mankind! Remove the suffering and bring healing. You are the healer! No other healing exists except your healing, in a manner that leaves no weakness nor illness".
Dear muslims,
"Here is another saying by the Prophet p.b.u.h., a saying that we need to study carefully as well as follow it in practice. Ibn Abbas (R) quotes the Prophet p.b.u.h. saying: "Whoever visits a patient whose term has not come (meaning death) and prays in his presence seven times: I appeal to Allah the Glorious, Lord of the Glorious Throne to heal you. Allah will surely heal the visited patient from his illness".
This is how the Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h. guides us to visit our patients and how to pray for their recovery and healing from their illness. Our confidence in Allah should be the greatest confidence. For it is He who causes illness and it is He who brings about recovery and healing.
Let us emphasize in this context that Allah doubles his reward for those who wish mercy and blessing of Allah for other Muslims. We must also stress that reciprocating "peace" greetings is obligatory in Islam. Every single Muslim and every individual Muslim in any given group should respond to the peace greetings. Spreading "peace" is a principal factor that leads to the purification of hearts and cooperation. It leads to the spread of love among Muslims as well as to the elimination of rancor and hatred among them.
Also, allow us to further explain the rest of this prophetic saying and how the Messenger p.b.u.h. emphasizes, through other sayings, each and every one of the rights of Muslims. This time, we chose to discuss the right/obligation of 'visiting the sick'.
In the sight of Islam, illness purifies sins and eliminates them. This is supported by a Prophet's saying reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim. Abu Hurairah (R) quotes the Messenger p.b.u.h. saying: He for whom Allah decrees good Allah inflicts illness on him. In another context, the Prophet p.b.u.h. was quoted as saying: Whatever toil or fatigue or care or difficulty or harm a believer suffers from – even a thorn that pricks him – Allah will by it eliminate his sins.
The Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h. urges us to visit the sick because such visits console them and eliminate their pains. These visits bring comfort for the patient's soul and fulfill their rights to be visited.
Visiting them, we have to advise the sick to be patient as well as to thank Allah for the aspired continuity of sound health and peace.
Abu-Moosa (R) quotes the Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h. saying: Visit the sick, feed the hungry and liberate the prisoner. (Al-Bukhari)
According to Abu Hurairah (R), the Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h. says: "On the Day of Judgment Allah will say: O son of Adam, I was sick but you did not visit Me. The son of Adam will say: My Lord! How can I visit You when You are the Lord of the worlds? God will answer: Did you not know that my slave so and so fell sick and you never visited him? Don't you know that had you visited him, you would have found Me with him. O son of Adam: I asked you for food but you never fed Me. He will say: My Lord! How can I feed you when you are the Lord of the worlds? God will say: Did you not know that my slave so and so asked you for food but you never fed him, you would find the reward of this with Me. O son of Adam! I asked you for drink but you never gave Me drink. He will ask: My Lord! How can I give you a drink when You are the Lord of the worlds? God will then say: My slave so and so asked you for drink but you withheld drink from him. Don't you know that had you given him drink you would find its reward with Me."
Thus the Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h. advises us to visit the sick because of the right we owe the sick. We also seek reward from Allah. Allah Almighty promises delicious and fresh fruits from Paradise for those who visit the sick and that angels will pray for the one who visits his brother throughout the period he spends on his way to him. If the visit occurs in the evening angels prayers last until the morning; if it occurs in the morning their prayers continues until the evening. What a great gift a Muslim gets just as a reward for visiting his Muslim brother! Exerting very little effort by a Muslim brings about all this overwhelming reward and forgiveness.
On the authority of Ali (R), who said that he heard the Messenger p.b.u.h. saying: Every Muslim who goes in the early morning to visit his sick brother, then seventy thousand angles will pray for him until he reaches the evening; and if he visits him in the evening seventy thousand angels will pray for him till the morning, and he will also enjoy delicious fresh fruits in Paradise.
Ibn Majah also reported on the authority of Abu Hurairah (R) who said that the Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h. said: Whoever visits a sick person a caller from Heaven will exclaim: You will have a good position in Paradise.
Remember, that a part of the great reward a Muslim will get when he visits his sick brother is that he deserves to enter Paradise and get of its inexhaustible fruits as is clear from the following tradition.
On the authority of Thawban (R) the Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h. says: "When a Muslim visits his sick brother he will be in the "Kharfa" of Paradise until he returns. Some asked: "O Messenger of Allah, what is "Kharfat ul Jannah" he replied: its fresh fruits." (Muslim)
This was concerned the rights of a sick Muslim to be visited by other Muslims. Visitors of patients, however, should not stay long unless they know that their stay does not disturb them but conforms and pleases them. They should come close to them, put their hands gently on their bodies and ask them to give vent to their pains. They should say to their patients what pleases them and should pray to Allah to grant them healing. This is what the Prophet p.b.u.h. asks us to do.
Aisha (R) reported that the Prophet p.b.u.h. used to visit some of his sick relatives and would rub his hands and say: "O Allah! Lord of mankind! Remove the suffering and bring healing. You are the healer! No other healing exists except your healing, in a manner that leaves no weakness nor illness".
The Companions also did the same thing, just as the Prophet p.b.u.h. did. They were guided by his acts and sayings and thus, we are obliged to follow his path and his example, as is clear from the above tradition.
Anas (R) reported that he said to Thabet – may Allah have mercy on him – "Shall I pray for you with the prayer of the Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h.? "Yes please!" Thabet responded. Anas then responded with the Messenger's prayer: O Allah! Lord of the mankind! Remove the suffering and bring healing. You are the healer! No other healing exists except your healing, in a manner that leaves no weakness nor illness".
Dear muslims,
"Here is another saying by the Prophet p.b.u.h., a saying that we need to study carefully as well as follow it in practice. Ibn Abbas (R) quotes the Prophet p.b.u.h. saying: "Whoever visits a patient whose term has not come (meaning death) and prays in his presence seven times: I appeal to Allah the Glorious, Lord of the Glorious Throne to heal you. Allah will surely heal the visited patient from his illness".
This is how the Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h. guides us to visit our patients and how to pray for their recovery and healing from their illness. Our confidence in Allah should be the greatest confidence. For it is He who causes illness and it is He who brings about recovery and healing.