Manners of visiting the sick (4)

Manners of visiting the sick

The virtue of visiting the sick:

1- `Abdur-Rahman ibn `Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "The one who visits a sick person is in Makhrafah (an orchard) of Paradise and when he sits at the sick, mercy overwhelms him." [Reported by Al Bazzar, and Al Albany graded it as authentic].

When he walks until he returns:

2- Thawban reported: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said in the Hadith if Sa`id: "The one who visits the sick is in fact like one who is in the fruit garden of Paradise until he comes back." [Reported by Muslim].

3- Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saying: "When a Muslim visits a sick Muslim at dawn, seventy thousand angels keep on praying for him till dusk. If he visits him in the evening, seventy thousand angels keep on praying for him till the morning; and he will have (his share of) reaped fruits in Paradise." [Abu `Eisa said: This Hadith is Hassan Gharib (a good Hadith that is strange to come from this chain of narration), and Al Albany graded it as good].

4- Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Whosoever visits an ailing person or a brother of his to seek the Pleasure of Allah, an announcer calls, 'You have done well, may your walk be blessed. You have made a station for yourself in Paradise."

Abu `Eisa said: This Hadith is Hassan Gharib (a good Hadith that is strange to come from this chain of narration), and Al Albany graded it as good.

Treat yourself with Al Fatihah:

5- It was reported in Sahih Al Bukhari and Sahih Muslim on the authority of Abu Sa`id Al Khudry (may Allah be pleased with him) that a group of the Companions of Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) proceeded on a journey till they dismounted near one of the Arab tribes and requested them to entertain them as their guests, but they (the tribe people) refused to entertain them. Then the chief of that tribe was bitten by a snake (or stung by a scorpion) and he was given all sorts of treatment, but all in vain. Some of them said: "Will you go to the group (those travelers) who have dismounted near you and see if one of them has something useful?" They came to them and said: "O the group! Our leader has been bitten by a snake (or stung by a scorpion) and we have treated him with everything but nothing benefited him. Has anyone of you got anything useful?" One of them replied: "Yes, by Allah, I know how to treat with a Ruqya. But, by Allah, we wanted you to receive us as your guests but you refused. I will not treat your patient with a Ruqya till you fix for us something as wages." Consequently, they agreed to give those travelers a flock of sheep. The man went with them (the people of the tribe) and started spitting (on the bite) and reciting Surat Al Fatihah till the patient was healed and started walking as if he had not been sick. When the tribe people paid them their wages they had agreed upon, some of them (the Prophet's companions) said: "Distribute (the sheep)." But the one who treated with the Ruqya said: "Do not do that till we go to Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) and mention to him what has happened, and see what he will order us." So, they came to Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) and mentioned the story to him and he said: "How do you know that Surat Al Fatiha is a Ruqyah? You have done the right thing. Divide (what you have got) and assign for me a share with you."

Ibn Al Qayyim said in Al Jawab Al Kafy: The cure of that medicine affected the sickness and removed it as if it does not exist. It is the easiest medicine and if a person manages to use Al Fatihah as a cure, he will see an amazing impact. I have lived for a period in Makkah suffering some diseases without finding a doctor or a medicine, so I used to cure myself with Al Fatihah which had an amazing impact. So, I used to describe that medicine for those who find pain, and most of them used to recover fast.

Surat Al Ikhlas and Al Mu`awwidhatayn:

6- It was reported in Sahih Al Bukhari and Sahih Muslim on the authority of `A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her): "Whenever Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) became sick, he would recite Mu`awwidhat (Surat Al-Falaq and Surat An-Nas) and then blow his breath over his body. When he became seriously ill, I used to recite (these two Surahs) and rub his hands over his body hoping for its blessings."

7- It was reported in Sahih Muslim on the authority of `A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said: "When any of the members of the household fell ill Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) used to blow over him by reciting Mu`awwidhatayn."

8- Al Aghar Abu Muslim said: I bear witness against Abu Sa`id and Abu Hurayrah that they bore witness that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "If a person says: `La ilaha illallahu wallahu Akbar (There is no true god except Allah and Allah is Greatest)', his Rabb responds to him and affirms: `(Yes!) There is no true god except I, and I am the Greatest.' When he says: `La ilaha illallahu Wahdahu la sharika Lahu (There is no true god except Allah, the One, He has no partner).' Allah (SWT) affirms: `(Yes!) There is no true god except I. I have no partner.' When he says: `La ilaha illallahu Lahul mulku wa Lahul-hamdu (the sovereignty belongs to Him and all the praise is due to Him).' He (Glory be to Him) affirms: `(Yes!) There is no true god except I, Mine is the praise and to Me belongs the sovereignty.' When he says: `La ilaha illallahu wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa Billah (There is no true god except Allah, and there is no might and power but with Allah).' He (Glory be to Him) affirms: `(Yes!) There is no true god except I, and there is no might and power but with Me.''' The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) added, "He who recites this during his illness and dies, will not be touched by the Fire (Hell)." [Reported by At-Tirmidhy and Ibn Majah, and Al Albany graded it as authentic].

9- `Uthman ibn Abu Al `As Ath-Thaqafy narrated that he complained to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) about some pain that he had felt in his body since he became Muslim. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to him: "Put your hand on the part of your body that hurts and say: 'Bismillah (in the Name of Allah)' three times, then say seven times: 'I seek refuge in Allah and His Power from the evil of what I find and I fear.'' [Reported by Muslim].

In another narration: He said: "Place your right hand on the spot of which you complain then wipe over it seven times and say: I seek refuge with the glory and power of Allah from the evil which I find; and that should be after each time." [Reported by Ahmad, At-Tabarany, and Al Hakim, Al Albany graded it as authentic].

10- Seeking assistance through Salah:

Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "And seek help in patience and As-Salât (the prayers)." [Surat Al Baqarah: 45]. "When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was sad about something, he resorted to Salah." [Reported by Ahmad].

11- Paying frequent charities:

Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Cure your patients with charities." [Sahih Al Jami`].

12- Charitable deeds:

Abu Sa`id Al Khudry (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Giving in charity secretly extinguishes the wrath of the Lord, establishing the ties of kinship increases one's lifespan, and doing of good deeds protects a person from bad deaths."

13- Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Offering good deeds to people avert bad deaths, diseases, and afflictions. The people of good actions in the world shall receive good treatment in the Hereafter."

14- Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Good deeds avert bad deaths, charity of the secret extinguishes the wrath of the Lord, establishing the ties of kinship increases one's lifespan." [Al Albany graded it as authentic].

Using known cures such as honey, the black caraway, the water of Zamzam, and cupping; using lawful cures.

Offering Voluntary Night Salah averts sickness:

15- Bilal, Jabir, and Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "You should perform the Late Night Prayer because it is the practice of our righteous predecessors. The prayer in the night brings near to Allah protects you against committing of sins, atoning sins, and averts diseases from the body." [Al Albany graded it as authentic].

The entire matters of a believer is full of goodness:

16- Suhayb (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "How wonderful is the case of a believer; there is good for him in everything and this applies only to a believer. If prosperity attends him, he expresses gratitude to Allah and that is good for him; and if adversity befalls him, he endures it patiently and that is good for him." [Reported by Muslim].

17- `Umar ibn Sa`d ibn Abu Waqqas reported from his father that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "I wondered at the matter of a believer: When he finds goodness, he praises and thanks Allah and if a distress befalls on his, he praises Allah and observes patience. A believer is rewarded in all his affairs even the morsel of food which he puts in the mouth of his wife." [Reported by Ahmad].

18- `Umar ibn Sa`d reported on the authority of his father that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "I wondered at the matter of a believer: When he finds goodness, he praises and thanks Allah and when a distress befalls on his, he seeks the reward from Allah and observes patience. A believer is rewarded in every thing, even the morsel of food which he lifts to the mouth of his wife." [Reported by Ahmad, Al Albany graded it as authentic].

19- Anas narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "I wondered at the matter of a believer: Allah does not destine something for a believer but it contains goodness for him." [Reported by Ahmad, and Al Albany graded it as authentic].