The Book of Visiting the Sick

كتاب عيادة المريض وتشييع الميت والصلاة عليه وحضور دفنه

Chapter 1: Visiting the Sick

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Verily, Allah, the Exalted, and Glorious will say on the Day of Resurrection: 'O son of Adam, I was ill but you did not visit Me.' He would say: 'O my Rubb, how could I visit you and You are the Rubb of the worlds?' Thereupon He would say: 'Did you not know that such and such a slave of Mine was ill but you did not visit him? Did you not realize that if you had visited him (you would have known that I was aware of your visit to him, for which I would reward you) you would have found Me with him? O son of Adam, I asked food from you but you did not feed Me.' He would submit: 'My Rubb, how could I feed You and You are the Rubb of the worlds?' He would say: 'Did you not know that such and such a slave of Mine asked you for food but you did not feed him? Did you not realize that if you had fed him, you would certainly have found (its reward) with Me? O son of Adam, I asked water from you but you did not give it to Me.' He would say: 'My Rubb, how could I give You (water) and You are the Rubb of the worlds?' Thereupon He would say: 'Such and such a slave of Mine asked you for water to drink but you did not give it to him. Did you not realize that if you had given him to drink you would have found (its reward) with Me?"'[Muslim].

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

him from Hell-fire."

[Al-Bukhari].

Chapter 2: Supplication for the Sick

'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported

When the Prophet (ﷺ) visited any ailing member of his family, he would touch the sick person with his right hand and would supplicate: "Allahumma Rabban-nasi, adhhibil-ba'sa, washfi, Antash-Shafi, la shifa'a illa shifa'uka, shifaan la yughadiru saqaman [O Allah! the Rubb of mankind! Remove this disease and cure (him or her)! You are the Great Curer. There is no cure but through You, which leaves behind no disease]."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

I said to Thabit (May Allah had Mercy upon him) Should I not perform Ruqyah (i.e., recite supplication or Quranic Ayat and blow) over you, such supplication as was practised by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)?" He said: "Please do so." Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) supplicated: "Allahumma Rabban-nasi, mudh-hibal-ba'si, ishfi Antash-Shafi, la shafiya illa Anta, shifa'an la yughadiru saqaman [O Allah! the Rubb of mankind! Take away this disease and cure (him or her). You are the Curer. There is no cure except through You. Cure (him or her), a cure that leaves no disease]."[Al-Bukhari].

Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

Jibril (Gabriel) came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: "O Muhammad (ﷺ)! Do you feel sick?" He (ﷺ) said, "Yes." Jibril supplicated thus (i.e., he performed Ruqyah): "Bismillahi arqika, min kulli shay'in yu'dhika, min sharri kulli nafsin aw 'ayni hasidi, Allahu yashfika, bismillahi arqika. [With the Name of Allah. I recite over you (to cleanse you) from all that troubles you, and from every harmful mischief and from the evil of the eyes of an envier. Allah will cure you; and with the Name of Allah, I recite over you]."[Muslim].

Chapter 4: Supplication when one is disappointed about his Life

`Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported

I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) when he was at the point of death. He had a drinking bowl with water in it. He would dip his hand into the bowl, and wipe his face. Then he would supplicate, "O Allah! Help me over pangs and agony of death."[At-Tirmidhi].

Chapter 7: Helping a dying Person to Pronounce 'La Ilaha Illahllah'

Mu`adh bin Jabal (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

[Abu Dawud].

Chapter 9: Good Words to be Uttered before a dying Person and his Family

Umm Salamah (May Allah be pleased with her)

[Muslim].

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Allah, the Exalted, says: 'I have no reward except Jannah for a believing slave of Mine who shows patience and anticipates My reward when I take away his favourite one from the inhabitants of the world."'[Al-Bukhari].

Chapter 12: Participation in Funeral Prayer and Procession and the dislike of Women Participating in the Funeral Procession

Umm Atiyyah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported

We (womenfolk) were prohibited from accompanying a funeral procession, but we were not compelled (not to do so).[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Chapter 13: Excellence of Participation in Funeral Prayers in Large Numbers and Formation of Three Rows or More

Ibn 'Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "If a Muslim dies and forty people, who do not associate anything with Allah in worship, participate in the funeral prayer over him, Allah will accept their intercession for him."[Muslim].

Chapter 14: Supplications in Funeral Prayers

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

The Prophet (ﷺ) supplicated in course of funeral prayer: "Allahumma Anta Rabbuha, wa Anta khalaqtaha, wa Anta hadaytaha lil-Islam, wa Anta qabadta ruhaha, wa Anta a'lamu bisirriha wa 'alaniyyatiha, ji'naka shufa'a'a lahu [if the dead person is a man, or laha if the dead person is a woman], faghfir lahu [or laha, if it is a woman] (O Allah, You are its Rubb; You created it; You guided it to Islam; You have taken its life back and You know best its insight and outer condition. We have come as intercessors, so forgive him)."[Abu Dawud].

'Abdullah bin Abu Aufa (May Allah be pleased with them) reported

While offering the funeral prayer of one of his daughters, he recited four Takbir, and after the fourth Takbir he continued standing for a time equal to an interval between two Takbir, praying for her and seeking Allah's forgiveness for her." Then he said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to do so."Another narration is: He (Abdullah) recited four Takbir and remained standing in prayer for some time till we thought that he would recite the fifth Takbir. Then he gave Salam on the right and on the left. When he turned aside, we asked him about it. He replied: "I would add nothing to what I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) doing," or he said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to do so."[Al-Hakim].

Chapter 15: Haste in Burial

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Chapter 19: Charity on behalf of the Deceased and Praying for him

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "When a man dies, his deeds come to an end, except for three: A continuous charity, knowledge by which people derive benefit, pious son who prays for him."[Muslim].

Chapter 20: Praising the Deceased

Abul-Aswad (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

I came to Al- Madinah, and while I was sitting beside 'Umar bin Al-Khattab, a funeral procession passed by. The people praised the deceased, and 'Umar bin Al-Khattab said: "He will certainly enter it." Then another funeral procession passed by and the people praised the deceased. 'Umar bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him) said: "He will certainly enter it." A third funeral procession passed by and the people spoke ill of the deceased. He said: "He will certainly enter it." I (Abul-Aswad) asked: "O Amir Al-Mu'minin (i.e., Leader of the Believers)! What do you mean by 'He will certainly enter it'?" He replied: "I said the same as was said by the Prophet (ﷺ). He (ﷺ) said, 'If four persons testify the righteousness of a Muslim, Allah will grant him Jannah.' We asked: 'If three persons testify his righteousness?' He (ﷺ) replied, 'Even three'. Then we asked: 'If two?' He (ﷺ) replied, 'Even two.' We did not ask him (regarding the testimony) of one."[Al-Bukhari].

Chapter 0

Chapter 1: Visiting the Sick

Al-Bara' bin `Azib (May Allah be pleased with them) reported

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

'Ali bin Abu Talib (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 Jannah."[At- Tirmidhi].