Illness & Visiting the Sick

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضي الله عنه أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «حَقُّ الْمُسْلِمِ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِ سِتٌّ» قِيلَ: مَا هُنَّ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ؟، قَالَ: «إِذَا لَقِيتَهُ فَسَلِّمْ عَلَيْهِ، وَإِذَا دَعَاكَ فَأَجِبْهُ، وَإِذَا اسْتَنْصَحَكَ فَانْصَحْ لَهُ، وَإِذَا عَطَسَ فَحَمِدَ اللهَ فَسَمِّتْهُ، وَإِذَا مَرِضَ فَعُدْهُ وَإِذَا مَاتَ فَاتَّبِعْهُ».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified that a Muslim owes his fellow Muslim six things: First: To greet him with peace upon meeting him by saying: Peace be upon you, and he should return the greeting by saying: And may peace be upon you. Second: To accept his invitation when he invites you to a banquet or any other occasion. Third: To give him advice when he asks for it without flattering or cheating him. Fourth: When he sneezes and says: Alhamdu lillah (praise be to Allah), say Tashmīt to him by saying: Yarhamuka Allah (may Allah have mercy upon you); and he should reply by saying: Yahdīkum Allah was yuslih bālakum (may Allah guide you and set your affairs right). Fifth: To visit him and check on him when he is sick. Sixth: To pray over him when he dies and follow his funeral until he is buried.

• Ash-Shawkāni said: What is meant by (The Muslim's right) is that it should not be neglected, and fulfilling it is either obligatory or firmly recommended in such a way that makes it similar to the obligation that must not be neglected.
• Responding to a greeting of peace is an individual obligation if the greeting is directed at a single person, and if directed at a group, it suffices if one of them responds. As for initiating the greeting of peace, it is basically an act of Sunnah.
• One of the Muslim’s rights over his fellow Muslims is to visit him when he is sick, as it brings joy and comfort to his heart and is considered a communal obligation.
• It is obligatory to respond to an invitation unless it involves a sin. If the invitation is to a wedding banquet, the majority hold that it is obligatory to respond unless there is a valid excuse under the Shariah. However, if the invitation is for something other than a wedding banquet, the majority consider it recommended.
• Saying Tashmīt to the sneezer is obligatory upon whoever hears him praising Allah.
• The perfection of the Shariah and its emphasis on strengthening the bonds of society and faith, as well as the ties of love among its members.
• (Say Tasmīt to him) and in some versions "Tashmīt" with "s" and with "sh": a supplication for goodness and blessing. It was said that "Tashmīt" means: May Allah keep you away from gloating and protect you from what may cause your enemy to rejoice over you. "Tasmīt" means: may Allah guide you to the straight path.

صحيح مسلم (4/ 1705) (2162). منحة العلام في شرح بلوغ المرام، لعبد الله الفوزان (10/ 7). توضيح الأحكام من بلوغ المرام، للبسام (3/ 128). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (1/ 327).

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ أُمِّ المؤْمنينَ رَضيَ اللهُ عنها قَالَت: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا أَتَى الْمَرِيضَ يَدْعُو لَهُ قَالَ: «أَذْهِبِ الْبَاسَ، رَبَّ النَّاسِ، وَاشْفِ أَنْتَ الشَّافِي، لَا شِفَاءَ إِلَّا شِفَاؤُكَ، شِفَاءً لَا يُغَادِرُ سَقَمًا».

Whenever the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) visited a sick person, he would supplicate for him saying: O Allah, (remove) and eliminate (the harm) and severe sickness, (Lord of the people), their Creator, and their Sustainer, (and heal) this sick person, (for You), may You be exalted, (are the Healer). I implore You by Your name, the Healer. (There is no healing) that can occur to the sick (except Your healing) and Your well-being, (a healing) that completely (leaves behind) and retains (no illness) or any other sickness.

• The Healer is Allah Almighty while the doctor and medicine are merely means that neither benefit nor harm except by Allah's permission.
• Visiting the sick is one of the rights among Muslims, and it is even more deserving when it comes to family members.
• Encouraging those who visit a sick person to supplicate for him with this blessed and transmitted supplication.
• The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) practiced treatment through the Shariah-approved Ruqyah (faith-healing/incantation) with the Qur’an and good supplications. When he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) became ill, he would perform Ruqyah on himself, his family members, and others who were unwell.
• Ibn Hajar said: There is confusion in supplicating for the recovery of the sick even though illness contains expiation for sins and a source of reward, as affirmed by the Hadīths. The answer is: Supplication itself is an act of worship and does not contradict the reward and expiation of sins, for these are obtained at the onset of illness and through dealing patiently with it. The supplicator is in a win-win position: either he attains his goal or is compensated with some benefit or protection from harm—all are from the grace of Allah Almighty.

صحيح البخاري (7/ 134) (5750). صحيح مسلم (4/ 1721) (2191). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 162). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (4/ 477). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (11/ 539). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 687).

عن أبي موسى الأشعري رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: «إِذَا مَرِضَ الْعَبْدُ أَوْ سَافَرَ كُتِبَ لَهُ مِثْلُ مَا كَانَ يَعْمَلُ مُقِيمًا صَحِيحًا».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentions Allah's bounty and mercy, and that if a Muslim habitually performs a certain good deed while in good health and being at home, and then something occurs to him, such as an illness that makes him unable to do this deed, or a journey that keeps him too busy to do so, or any other excuse, he will get his reward in full, as he used to obtain it for performing this deed while in good health and at home.

• This shows Allah's great bounty upon His servants.
• It urges us to be diligent in doing good deeds and utilizing our time while we have good health and free time.

صحيح البخاري (4/ 57) (2996). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (1/ 36). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (1/ 211). بهجة قلوب الأبرار وقرة عيون الأخيار في شرح جوامع الأخبار، لعبد الرحمن السعدي (ص83).