Visiting the sick is one of the duties of a good muslim. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allaah (ﷺ) said, “Every Muslim has five rights over another Muslim: to return the greetings, to visit the sick, to accompany funeral processions, to accept an invitation, to respond to the sneezer [i.e., to say: ‘Yarhamuk-Allah (may Allah bestow His Mercy on you)’ when the sneezer says AlhamduliLlaah].” [Bukhari and Muslim].
Apart from being a highly rewarding Sunnah, it is also one of the best ways to reset your perspective about life, and renew your gratitude to Allaah for sound health.
I once visited a sister who was battling advanced breast cancer. Throughout my stay, she was calm, cheerful and positive. She was in a shared ward and it was obvious that everyone on that ward liked her. She joked with the nurses, smiled at the doctors, offered assistance to other patients and treated the ward maids with kindness.
I had prepared a short talk to admonish her and lift her spirit, but she was the one who admonished me to take advantage of my health before sickness, and my youth, before old age. I planned to pray for her, but I was dumbfounded when she started praying for me and thanking me for the visit. She literally touched my life more than I touched hers. May Allaah forgive her and admit her soul into Jannatul Firdaus. Aameen.
If you have a free hour or two, go to the hospital and visit a sick brother or sister. The benefits are mutual.
May Allaah grant all our ailing brethren shifaa’. Aameen.
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