8 Sunnah Supplications to Recite When Visiting the Sick
When visiting a sick person, making dua for them according to the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ is a noble act. Many supplications are authentically narrated from the Prophet ﷺ for this occasion. Below are eight such supplications with explanations:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"Whoever visits his Muslim brother and sits by his head, then recites these words seven times, the patient will be cured — unless the time of his death has already arrived."
((أَسْأَلُ اللّٰهَ الْعَظِيمَ رَبَّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ أَنْ يَشْفِيَكَ))
"I ask Allah, the Magnificent, Lord of the Mighty Throne, to grant you healing."
(Abu Dawud, Kitab al-Jana’iz, Bab al-Du‘a lil-Marid ‘inda al-‘Iyadah: 3106)
Authenticated by Ibn Hibban, al-Hakim, and Imam al-Nawawi.
The Prophet ﷺ visited a Bedouin and said:
"لا بأس طَهور إن شاء الله"
"Do not worry, if Allah wills, it is a purification (from your sins)."
(Bukhari: al-Maridha, Bab ‘Iyadat al-A‘rab: 5656)
Umm al-Mu’minin ‘A’ishah (RA) said:
The Prophet ﷺ would place his right hand on the sick person and say:
اَذْهِبِ البَأْسَ رَبَّ النَّاسِ وَاشْفِ أَنْتَ الشَّافِي لَا شِفَاءَ إِلَّا شِفَاؤُكَ شِفَاءً لَا يُغَادِرُ سَقَمًا
"Remove the harm, Lord of mankind, and heal, for You are the Healer. There is no healing except Your healing, a healing that leaves behind no ailment."
(Bukhari: al-Tibb, Bab Mas-h al-Raqi al-Waja‘ bi-Yadihi al-Yumna: 5742; Muslim: al-Salam, Bab Istihbab al-Ruqyah lil-Marid: 2191)
Umm al-Mu’minin Umm Salamah (RA) narrated:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"Whoever, at the time of a calamity, says this supplication, Allah will grant him reward for his affliction and replace it with something better."
إِنَّا لِلّٰه وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ، اللّٰهُمَّ أْجُرْنِي فِي مُصِيبَتِي وَأَخْلِفْ لِي خَيْرًا مِنْهَا
"Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we shall return. O Allah, reward me in my affliction and replace it for me with something better."
(Muslim, Kitab al-Jana’iz, Bab Ma Yuqal ‘inda al-Musibah: 918)
‘A’ishah (RA) said:
The Prophet ﷺ would recite the Mu‘awwidhat (Surah al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq, al-Nas) over himself during illness and wipe his body with his hand. During his severe illness, I would recite them over him and wipe him with his own hand for its greater blessing.
(Bukhari, Fada’il al-Qur’an, Bab Fadl al-Mu‘awwidhat: 5017; Muslim, al-Salam, Bab Ruqyah al-Marid: 2192)
Sayyiduna ‘Uthman ibn Abi al-‘As (RA) reported:
He complained of pain, so the Prophet ﷺ said:
"Place your hand on the area that hurts, say ‘Bismillah’ three times, and then say this seven times:"
أَعُوذُ بِاللّٰه وَقُدْرَتِهِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا أَجِدُ وَأُحَاذِرُ
"I seek refuge in Allah and His Power from the evil of what I feel and what I fear."
(Muslim, al-Salam, Bab Istihbab Wadh‘ Yadihi ‘ala Mawdi‘ al-Alam ma‘ al-Du‘a: 2202)
The Prophet ﷺ would recite the following over Hasan and Husayn (RA):
أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللّٰه التَّامَّةِ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْطَانٍ وَهَامَّةٍ وَمِنْ كُلِّ عَيْنٍ لَامَّةٍ
"I seek protection for you in the perfect words of Allah from every devil, poisonous creature, and every evil eye."
He said:
"Your father (Ibrahim عليه السلام) used to recite these words for Isma‘il and Ishaq عليهما السلام."
(Bukhari: Kitab Ahadith al-Anbiya’: 3371)
Sayyiduna Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (RA) narrated:
Jibreel (AS) came to the Prophet ﷺ and asked if he was ill. When he replied “Yes,” Jibreel performed ruqyah, saying:
بِسْمِ اللّٰه أَرْقِيكَ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ يُؤْذِيكَ، مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ نَفْسٍ أَوْ عَيْنٍ حَاسِدٍ، اللّٰه يَشْفِيكَ، بِسْمِ اللّٰه أَرْقِيكَ
"In the name of Allah, I perform ruqyah for you from everything that harms you, from the evil of every soul or envious eye. May Allah heal you. In the name of Allah, I perform ruqyah for you."
(Muslim, al-Salam, Bab al-Tibb wal-Marad wal-Ruqyah: 2186)
From these ahadith, the following methods are proven:
❀ Performing ruqyah on oneself
❀ Teaching the dua to the sick person to recite
❀ Performing ruqyah without the patient’s prior permission
❀ Having someone else perform ruqyah
All are permissible. Sadly, today many rely only on others for ruqyah while neglecting self-ruqyah, even though it is a Sunnah.
Remember — directly asking Allah is an act of worship, and the dua of a sick person is readily accepted. Therefore, one should:
❀ Perform ruqyah on oneself
❀ Make istighfar regularly
❀ Make abundant dua to Allah
By Allah’s will, either the illness will be removed, or one’s ranks will be elevated.
Supplications for the Sick According to the Sunnah
When visiting a sick person, making dua for them according to the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ is a noble act. Many supplications are authentically narrated from the Prophet ﷺ for this occasion. Below are eight such supplications with explanations:
➊ Glad Tidings of Cure Upon Reciting a Specific Dua Seven Times
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"Whoever visits his Muslim brother and sits by his head, then recites these words seven times, the patient will be cured — unless the time of his death has already arrived."
((أَسْأَلُ اللّٰهَ الْعَظِيمَ رَبَّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ أَنْ يَشْفِيَكَ))
"I ask Allah, the Magnificent, Lord of the Mighty Throne, to grant you healing."
(Abu Dawud, Kitab al-Jana’iz, Bab al-Du‘a lil-Marid ‘inda al-‘Iyadah: 3106)
Authenticated by Ibn Hibban, al-Hakim, and Imam al-Nawawi.
➋ Considering Illness a Purification from Sins
The Prophet ﷺ visited a Bedouin and said:
"لا بأس طَهور إن شاء الله"
"Do not worry, if Allah wills, it is a purification (from your sins)."
(Bukhari: al-Maridha, Bab ‘Iyadat al-A‘rab: 5656)
➌ Placing the Right Hand and Reciting a Special Dua
Umm al-Mu’minin ‘A’ishah (RA) said:
The Prophet ﷺ would place his right hand on the sick person and say:
اَذْهِبِ البَأْسَ رَبَّ النَّاسِ وَاشْفِ أَنْتَ الشَّافِي لَا شِفَاءَ إِلَّا شِفَاؤُكَ شِفَاءً لَا يُغَادِرُ سَقَمًا
"Remove the harm, Lord of mankind, and heal, for You are the Healer. There is no healing except Your healing, a healing that leaves behind no ailment."
(Bukhari: al-Tibb, Bab Mas-h al-Raqi al-Waja‘ bi-Yadihi al-Yumna: 5742; Muslim: al-Salam, Bab Istihbab al-Ruqyah lil-Marid: 2191)
➍ Supplication at the Time of Calamity and Its Reward
Umm al-Mu’minin Umm Salamah (RA) narrated:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"Whoever, at the time of a calamity, says this supplication, Allah will grant him reward for his affliction and replace it with something better."
إِنَّا لِلّٰه وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ، اللّٰهُمَّ أْجُرْنِي فِي مُصِيبَتِي وَأَخْلِفْ لِي خَيْرًا مِنْهَا
"Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we shall return. O Allah, reward me in my affliction and replace it for me with something better."
(Muslim, Kitab al-Jana’iz, Bab Ma Yuqal ‘inda al-Musibah: 918)
➎ Reciting the Mu‘awwidhat for Ruqyah
‘A’ishah (RA) said:
The Prophet ﷺ would recite the Mu‘awwidhat (Surah al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq, al-Nas) over himself during illness and wipe his body with his hand. During his severe illness, I would recite them over him and wipe him with his own hand for its greater blessing.
(Bukhari, Fada’il al-Qur’an, Bab Fadl al-Mu‘awwidhat: 5017; Muslim, al-Salam, Bab Ruqyah al-Marid: 2192)
➏ Dua for Pain in the Body
Sayyiduna ‘Uthman ibn Abi al-‘As (RA) reported:
He complained of pain, so the Prophet ﷺ said:
"Place your hand on the area that hurts, say ‘Bismillah’ three times, and then say this seven times:"
أَعُوذُ بِاللّٰه وَقُدْرَتِهِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا أَجِدُ وَأُحَاذِرُ
"I seek refuge in Allah and His Power from the evil of what I feel and what I fear."
(Muslim, al-Salam, Bab Istihbab Wadh‘ Yadihi ‘ala Mawdi‘ al-Alam ma‘ al-Du‘a: 2202)
➐ Dua for Hasan and Husayn (RA)
The Prophet ﷺ would recite the following over Hasan and Husayn (RA):
أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللّٰه التَّامَّةِ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْطَانٍ وَهَامَّةٍ وَمِنْ كُلِّ عَيْنٍ لَامَّةٍ
"I seek protection for you in the perfect words of Allah from every devil, poisonous creature, and every evil eye."
He said:
"Your father (Ibrahim عليه السلام) used to recite these words for Isma‘il and Ishaq عليهما السلام."
(Bukhari: Kitab Ahadith al-Anbiya’: 3371)
➑ Ruqyah by Jibreel (AS)
Sayyiduna Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (RA) narrated:
Jibreel (AS) came to the Prophet ﷺ and asked if he was ill. When he replied “Yes,” Jibreel performed ruqyah, saying:
بِسْمِ اللّٰه أَرْقِيكَ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ يُؤْذِيكَ، مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ نَفْسٍ أَوْ عَيْنٍ حَاسِدٍ، اللّٰه يَشْفِيكَ، بِسْمِ اللّٰه أَرْقِيكَ
"In the name of Allah, I perform ruqyah for you from everything that harms you, from the evil of every soul or envious eye. May Allah heal you. In the name of Allah, I perform ruqyah for you."
(Muslim, al-Salam, Bab al-Tibb wal-Marad wal-Ruqyah: 2186)
Practical Notes on Ruqyah
From these ahadith, the following methods are proven:
❀ Performing ruqyah on oneself
❀ Teaching the dua to the sick person to recite
❀ Performing ruqyah without the patient’s prior permission
❀ Having someone else perform ruqyah
All are permissible. Sadly, today many rely only on others for ruqyah while neglecting self-ruqyah, even though it is a Sunnah.
Remember — directly asking Allah is an act of worship, and the dua of a sick person is readily accepted. Therefore, one should:
❀ Perform ruqyah on oneself
❀ Make istighfar regularly
❀ Make abundant dua to Allah
By Allah’s will, either the illness will be removed, or one’s ranks will be elevated.
