Muhammad's(PBUH) attitude towards the sick

Muhammad's(PBUH) attitude towards the sick

Muhammad's(PBUH) attitude towards the sick is an important aspect of the Sira of the Prophet (PBUH).By the grace of Allah, He has given us such a religion that it has taught us the rights of everyone and has instructed us to fulfill these rights. And the Prophet (PBUH) has instructed us to pay these dues.

In Islam, where there are the rights of other human beings, there are also the rights of those who get sick. Of Below we will describe Muhammad's(PBUH) attitude towards the sick

• Patient Visit:

Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has instructed us to visit the sick. Visiting a patient soothes the sick person and increases his chances of a speedy recovery. Visiting the sick eliminates moral evils such as jealousy, envy, hatred, and enmity from the society and creates an atmosphere of peace and tranquility in the society.

Just as visiting a patient brings worldly benefits to a person, so visiting a person adds virtues to one's record of deeds. This is the reason why our Prophet  Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) has instructed us to visit the sick. Rather, you have declared it a right of a Muslim.

Hazrat Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ( PBUH) say حَقُّ المُسْلِمِ عَلَى المُسْلِمِ خَمْسٌ: رَدُّ السَّلاَمِ، وَعِيَادَةُ المَرِيضِ، وَاتِّبَاعُ الجَنَائِزِ، وَإِجَابَةُ الدَّعْوَةِ، وَتَشْمِيتُ العَاطِسِ A Muslim has five rights over a Muslim: to respond to greetings, to visit the sick, to offer funeral prayers, to accept invitations, and to respond to the sneezes of the one who sneezes. (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 1240)

 From this hadith, it is clear to us that Muhammad's(PBUH) attitude towards the sick was very wonderful.

• Comforting a Muslim patient:

The wife of the Messenger of Allah,  Hazrat Ayesha(RA) said: The Messenger of Allah(PBUH)said: «مَا مِنْ مُصِيبَةٍ تُصِيبُ المُسْلِمَ إِلَّا كَفَّرَ اللَّهُ بِهَا عَنْهُ، حَتَّى الشَّوْكَةِ يُشَاكُهَا» Whatever misfortune befalls a Muslim, even if he is bitten by a thorn, Allah forgives his sins in return. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 5640)

In the same way, the Prophet (PBUH) comforted the sick in another way which is clear from the following hadeeth. Hazrat Abu Hurayrah (RA) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: «مَنْ يُرِدِ اللَّهُ بِهِ خَيْرًا يُصِبْ مِنْهُ» Whomever Allaah intends to do good, Allaah causes him to suffer. (Saheeh al-Bukhari, H: 5645)

In our society, first of all, people do not visit at all. If they do, instead of consoling the patient, they go to him and talk in such a way that he becomes more ill. If we went for a visit to sick, we would comfort him in the best way. The following hadith is the best proof that Muhammad had a great attitude towards the sick.

Hazrat Ibn Abbas (RA) narrates that when the Prophet (PBUH) visited a sick person, he would recite the following supplication: «لاَ بَأْسَ، طَهُورٌ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ» No worries, if Allah wills, this disease is to purify (you from sins). (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 3616)

• Praying for the sick:

When the Prophet (PBUH) went to the sick, he would pray for his speedy recovery. Praying for the sick:

When the Prophet (PBUH) went to the sick, he would pray for his speedy recovery. Umm Al-Mumineen Ayesha Siddiqah (RA) says that when the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) went to visit a sick person or a patient was brought to him, he would say: «أَذْهِبِ البَاسَ رَبَّ النَّاسِ، اشْفِ وَأَنْتَ الشَّافِي، لاَ شِفَاءَ إِلَّا شِفَاؤُكَ، شِفَاءً لاَ يُغَادِرُ سَقَمًا» O Lord of the peoples! Take away this disease, O Allah! So give healing and you are the healer. Healing is only for you (give this sick person) such a cure that does not leave even the mark of the disease. (Sahih Al-Bukhari, H: 5675)

• Touching the patient's body:

When our Prophet Muhammad visited a patient, he would spread his soft and delicate silken hands on his body and pray for him. Hazrat Saad (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that once I became very ill and the Prophet (PBUH) came to visit me ... Then he put his hand on my forehead. Then he put his hand on my face and belly and said: «اللَّهُمَّ اشْفِ سَعْدًا، وَأَتْمِمْ لَهُ هِجْرَتَهُ» O Allah! Give healing to Saad and complete his migration. (Hazrat Saad says that) I still feel the coolness of his hand in my chest. (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 5659)

• Sprinkling ablution water on the patient:

Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) came to visit me and I could not understand anything due to the severity of the disease. So he performed ablution and splashed his ablution water on me, then I regained consciousness. (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 194)

• The Prophet's visit to the Jewish child:

The religion brought by the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) teaches us to treat our enemies well. Our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was so kind to the sick that he used to visit non-Muslims. That is why you visited a Jewish child and invited him to Islam. See the incident.

Hazrat Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

A Jewish boy who used to serve the Prophet (PBUH) once fell ill. He(PBUH) visited him and asked him to accept Islam. The Jewish boy looked at his father. His father was standing over his head. His father told him to obey Abu al-Qasim. The boy immediately accepted Islam. Then the child died.

When He(PBUH) left their house, He said: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَنْقَذَهُ بِي مِنَ النَّارِ Thank God that he saved this child from the fire because of me. (Musnad Ahmad and the chain of its transmission is correct. Hadith No. 13978)

 From the above hadiths, it is clear to us that Muhammad's(PBUH) attitude towards the sick was very wonderful. He never differentiated between a Muslim and a non-Muslim in the matter of Visits.