✍ Compiled by: Muhammad Nadeem Zaheer Baloch
بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
① One should never be distressed when afflicted by illness.
② Visiting the sick is a source of reward for a Muslim.
③ While visiting the sick, one should observe certain etiquettes.
Righteous servants of Allah do not become anxious when illness befalls them; rather, they rejoice due to the reward they will receive in return.
Narrated by Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī رضي الله عنه:
He visited the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while he had a fever, and the Prophet ﷺ was covered with a cloth. He placed his hand over the cloth and felt its heat, then said:
“O Messenger of Allah! How intense is your fever!”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied:
"We are afflicted with trials more severely, and the reward for us is also doubled."
He further asked:
“O Messenger of Allah! Who faces the most severe trials?”
The Prophet ﷺ replied:
"The Prophets, then the righteous. Among them, some were tested with such poverty that they had nothing but a torn cloak to wear. Some were afflicted with lice and fleas until they died. Yet they were as happy with trials as you are with gifts."
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Adab al-Mufrad, Ḥadīth 510
Arabic:
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ:
((إِذَا اشْتَكَى الْمُؤْمِنُ أَخْلَصَهُ اللَّهُ كَمَا يُخَلِّصُ الْكِيرُ خَبَثَ الْحَدِيدِ))
Translation:
Narrated by ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“When a believer falls ill, Allah purifies him from sins just as a furnace purifies iron from its impurities.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Adab al-Mufrad, Ḥadīth 497
Narrated by Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“A believing man or woman continues to be afflicted in their body, family, and wealth until, when they meet Allah, they are free of all sins.”
Adab al-Mufrad, Ḥadīth 494
✔ Graded Ṣaḥīḥ by Imām al-Albānī رحمه الله
Narrated by ʿAṭāʾ ibn Abī Rabāḥ رحمه الله:
Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما said to me:
“Shall I show you a woman from the people of Paradise?”
I replied: “Certainly.”
He said:
"This black woman came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: 'I suffer from epilepsy, and during the fits, I become exposed. Please supplicate to Allah for me.'"
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"If you wish, be patient and Paradise will be yours, or if you wish, I will pray to Allah to cure you."
She replied: "I choose patience, but please pray that I do not become exposed."
So he ﷺ prayed for her.
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim
Adab al-Mufrad, Ḥadīth 502–505
Narrated by Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه:
"There is no illness more beloved to me than fever, for it reaches every limb of my body. And Allah grants reward to each limb accordingly."
Ṣaḥīḥ Isnāduhū, Adab al-Mufrad, Ḥadīth 503
Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه narrated:
Fever came to the Prophet ﷺ and said:
“Send me to those most beloved to you.”
So the Prophet ﷺ sent it to the Anṣār.
They were afflicted with fever for six days and nights, and when it became unbearable, the Prophet ﷺ visited them and made duʿāʾ for their well-being house by house.
A woman from among them followed the Prophet ﷺ and said:
“By the One Who sent you with truth, I am also among the Anṣār; my father is an Anṣārī. So pray for me as you did for the others.”
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“If you wish, I will pray for your recovery, or if you wish, be patient and Paradise will be yours.”
She replied: “I will be patient. I will not risk losing Paradise.”
Adab al-Mufrad, Ḥadīth 502
✔ Graded Ṣaḥīḥ by al-Albānī رحمه الله
Arabic:
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ:
”ثَلَاثٌ كُلُّهُنَّ حَقٌّ عَلَى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ: عِيَادَةُ الْمَرِيضِ، وَشُهُودُ الْجَنَازَةِ، وَتَشْمِيتُ الْعَاطِسِ إِذَا حَمِدَ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ"
Translation:
Narrated by Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Three duties are upon every Muslim: visiting the sick, attending funerals, and responding to one who sneezes and praises Allah.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Adab al-Mufrad, Ḥadīth 519
Narrated by ʿAlī رضي الله عنه:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever visits a sick Muslim, he walks amidst the gardens of Paradise until he sits. When he sits, mercy covers him. If he visits in the morning, seventy thousand angels pray for him until evening; if he visits in the evening, seventy thousand angels pray for him until morning.”
Sunan Abī Dāwūd (3098), Tirmidhī (969), Musnad Aḥmad
✔ Classified as Ṣaḥīḥ
Narrated by ʿUmar ibn Ḥakam:
When some people visited a sick man, they requested a ḥadīth from him. He narrated from Jābir ibn ʿAbdullāh رضي الله عنه that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever visits a sick person enters into Allah’s mercy. And when he sits beside him, he is fully immersed in mercy.”
Adab al-Mufrad, Ḥadīth 522
Narrated by Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“When a man visits his sick brother or goes to meet him, Allah says: 'You are blessed, your walk is blessed, and you have built a house in Paradise.'”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Adab al-Mufrad, Ḥadīth 345
Narrated by Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ visited a Bedouin who was sick and said:
“Do not worry, it is a purification from sins, if Allah wills.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Adab al-Mufrad, Ḥadīth 514
Narrated by ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه:
While visiting a sick man, he noticed someone looking at a woman present in the house. He said:
“If your eye were to burst and be destroyed, that would be better than casting such a glance.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Adab al-Mufrad, Ḥadīth 531
Narrated by Jābir رضي الله عنه:
The Prophet ﷺ visited Umm al-Sāʾib رضي الله عنها when she was trembling with fever. He asked:
“What is the matter with you?”
She replied: “Fever—may Allah curse it!”
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Do not curse fever, for it removes sins just as a furnace removes the impurities of iron.”
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Adab al-Mufrad, Ḥadīth 516
Narrated by Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما:
When the Prophet ﷺ would visit a sick person, he would sit near his head and say seven times:
"أَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ، رَبَّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ، أَنْ يَشْفِيَكَ"
"I ask Allah the Magnificent, the Lord of the Mighty Throne, to cure you."
If the person’s appointed time had not come, he would be healed.
Adab al-Mufrad, Ḥadīth 514
بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
❖ General Guidelines Regarding Illness
① One should never be distressed when afflicted by illness.
② Visiting the sick is a source of reward for a Muslim.
③ While visiting the sick, one should observe certain etiquettes.
Righteous servants of Allah do not become anxious when illness befalls them; rather, they rejoice due to the reward they will receive in return.
❖ Severe Trials for the Righteous
Narrated by Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī رضي الله عنه:
He visited the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while he had a fever, and the Prophet ﷺ was covered with a cloth. He placed his hand over the cloth and felt its heat, then said:
“O Messenger of Allah! How intense is your fever!”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied:
"We are afflicted with trials more severely, and the reward for us is also doubled."
He further asked:
“O Messenger of Allah! Who faces the most severe trials?”
The Prophet ﷺ replied:
"The Prophets, then the righteous. Among them, some were tested with such poverty that they had nothing but a torn cloak to wear. Some were afflicted with lice and fleas until they died. Yet they were as happy with trials as you are with gifts."
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Adab al-Mufrad, Ḥadīth 510❖ Illness Purifies the Believer from Sins
Arabic:
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ:
((إِذَا اشْتَكَى الْمُؤْمِنُ أَخْلَصَهُ اللَّهُ كَمَا يُخَلِّصُ الْكِيرُ خَبَثَ الْحَدِيدِ))
Translation:
Narrated by ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“When a believer falls ill, Allah purifies him from sins just as a furnace purifies iron from its impurities.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Adab al-Mufrad, Ḥadīth 497❖ The One Who Dies in Illness — Forgiven
Narrated by Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“A believing man or woman continues to be afflicted in their body, family, and wealth until, when they meet Allah, they are free of all sins.”
Adab al-Mufrad, Ḥadīth 494✔ Graded Ṣaḥīḥ by Imām al-Albānī رحمه الله
❖ Paradise for the One Who Endures Illness with Patience
Narrated by ʿAṭāʾ ibn Abī Rabāḥ رحمه الله:
Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما said to me:
“Shall I show you a woman from the people of Paradise?”
I replied: “Certainly.”
He said:
"This black woman came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: 'I suffer from epilepsy, and during the fits, I become exposed. Please supplicate to Allah for me.'"
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"If you wish, be patient and Paradise will be yours, or if you wish, I will pray to Allah to cure you."
She replied: "I choose patience, but please pray that I do not become exposed."
So he ﷺ prayed for her.
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim Adab al-Mufrad, Ḥadīth 502–505❖ Fever – Reward for Every Joint
Narrated by Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه:
"There is no illness more beloved to me than fever, for it reaches every limb of my body. And Allah grants reward to each limb accordingly."
Ṣaḥīḥ Isnāduhū, Adab al-Mufrad, Ḥadīth 503❖ Example of Fever Among the Anṣār
Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه narrated:
Fever came to the Prophet ﷺ and said:
“Send me to those most beloved to you.”
So the Prophet ﷺ sent it to the Anṣār.
They were afflicted with fever for six days and nights, and when it became unbearable, the Prophet ﷺ visited them and made duʿāʾ for their well-being house by house.
A woman from among them followed the Prophet ﷺ and said:
“By the One Who sent you with truth, I am also among the Anṣār; my father is an Anṣārī. So pray for me as you did for the others.”
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“If you wish, I will pray for your recovery, or if you wish, be patient and Paradise will be yours.”
She replied: “I will be patient. I will not risk losing Paradise.”
Adab al-Mufrad, Ḥadīth 502✔ Graded Ṣaḥīḥ by al-Albānī رحمه الله
✦ Virtues of Visiting the Sick ✦
❖ Visiting the Sick is a Duty Upon Every Muslim
Arabic:
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ:
”ثَلَاثٌ كُلُّهُنَّ حَقٌّ عَلَى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ: عِيَادَةُ الْمَرِيضِ، وَشُهُودُ الْجَنَازَةِ، وَتَشْمِيتُ الْعَاطِسِ إِذَا حَمِدَ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ"
Translation:
Narrated by Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Three duties are upon every Muslim: visiting the sick, attending funerals, and responding to one who sneezes and praises Allah.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Adab al-Mufrad, Ḥadīth 519❖ Allah’s Mercy & Angels’ Prayers for the Visitor
Narrated by ʿAlī رضي الله عنه:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever visits a sick Muslim, he walks amidst the gardens of Paradise until he sits. When he sits, mercy covers him. If he visits in the morning, seventy thousand angels pray for him until evening; if he visits in the evening, seventy thousand angels pray for him until morning.”
Sunan Abī Dāwūd (3098), Tirmidhī (969), Musnad Aḥmad✔ Classified as Ṣaḥīḥ
Narrated by ʿUmar ibn Ḥakam:
When some people visited a sick man, they requested a ḥadīth from him. He narrated from Jābir ibn ʿAbdullāh رضي الله عنه that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever visits a sick person enters into Allah’s mercy. And when he sits beside him, he is fully immersed in mercy.”
Adab al-Mufrad, Ḥadīth 522❖ A House in Paradise for the Visitor
Narrated by Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“When a man visits his sick brother or goes to meet him, Allah says: 'You are blessed, your walk is blessed, and you have built a house in Paradise.'”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Adab al-Mufrad, Ḥadīth 345✦ Etiquettes of Visiting the Sick ✦
❖ Consoling the Sick
Narrated by Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ visited a Bedouin who was sick and said:
“Do not worry, it is a purification from sins, if Allah wills.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Adab al-Mufrad, Ḥadīth 514❖ Lowering the Gaze from Women or Their Belongings
Narrated by ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه:
While visiting a sick man, he noticed someone looking at a woman present in the house. He said:
“If your eye were to burst and be destroyed, that would be better than casting such a glance.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Adab al-Mufrad, Ḥadīth 531❖ Can a Non-Maḥram Visit an Opposite-Gender Patient?
Narrated by Jābir رضي الله عنه:
The Prophet ﷺ visited Umm al-Sāʾib رضي الله عنها when she was trembling with fever. He asked:
“What is the matter with you?”
She replied: “Fever—may Allah curse it!”
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Do not curse fever, for it removes sins just as a furnace removes the impurities of iron.”
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Adab al-Mufrad, Ḥadīth 516❖ Duʿāʾ for the Sick
Narrated by Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما:
When the Prophet ﷺ would visit a sick person, he would sit near his head and say seven times:
"أَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ، رَبَّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ، أَنْ يَشْفِيَكَ"
"I ask Allah the Magnificent, the Lord of the Mighty Throne, to cure you."
If the person’s appointed time had not come, he would be healed.
Adab al-Mufrad, Ḥadīth 514