Chapter: "The Chapter on Visiting." Explanation of the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)

The Shaykh : The author, may Allah have mercy on him, who is Imam al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, established a chapter on visiting in his book *Al-Adab al-Mufrad*, which we are currently studying with you. It is the fifty-ninth chapter after the one hundredth. He said:
"The Chapter on Visiting".
Then he narrated in it with a good chain of transmission.
From Abu Hurayrah, from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who said: .
This is a very great hadith in which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) clarifies two characteristics of Islam, namely: visiting the sick and visiting a brother for the sake of Allah, the Exalted. There are many hadiths regarding visiting the sick and visiting for the sake of Allah, encouraging both. Al-Hafiz al-Mundhiri collected them well in his book *Al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib*. The author will present some of these hadiths in the following chapters. Our hadith is among those encouraging visiting the Muslim sick person and visiting him as well. The specific virtue of this hadith is that it explicitly mentions a particular virtue among those virtues, which is that Allah, the Exalted, addresses His Muslim servant who went out to visit his Muslim brother or to check on him while he is healthy. Allah, the Exalted, addresses him by saying: . If there were no virtue in this visit and this checking on the sick other than that Allah, the Exalted, singled out this servant, how much more so is it that Allah, the Exalted, says: . And not only that, but: So, in both visiting the sick and visiting, there is this virtue which I do not recall finding for any good deed other than visiting and checking on the sick. It must be noted that this virtue is only realized for the visitor and the one checking on the sick if each of them is sincere to Allah, the Exalted. That is, the visit or checking on the sick mentioned in this hadith is not of the type of our visits today, this visit that is a matter of social courtesy, this courtesy which I call social hypocrisy, which has afflicted all societies, and unfortunately many Islamic societies. Rather, we must make the visit and the checking on the sick for the sake of Allah, because Allah, the Exalted, encouraged us to do so in this hadith and in others. Otherwise, we often hear: "Will you visit so-and-so?" "By Allah, we were sick and he did not visit us." "Will you visit so-and-so?" "By Allah, we came back from our trip and he did not visit us." All of this is mere formalities for which Allah has not sent down any authority. Because the Muslim does not want "the face of the Fire" nor does he want hypocrisy; rather, he seeks only the pleasure of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, behind his deeds, and that he secure a dwelling in Paradise. So, so-and-so did not visit me, therefore I visit him. He did not visit me, so he did not secure a dwelling, so I visit him to secure a dwelling for him. So-and-so did not check on me when I was sick, so he did not take this means, so I am better than him, so I check on him when he is sick. Therefore, the fruit of these hadiths is that we form within ourselves, in the true Muslim personality, and thereby realize the Islamic society, which has been troubled by the necessity of large Islamic groups today, including some women.
But many of these people do not pay attention to this reality which we draw attention to on the occasion of this hadith, which is that there must be a very large difference between a Muslim checking on a Muslim and a disbeliever checking on a disbeliever, meaning a Muslim checking on a Muslim and a disbeliever checking on a disbeliever. Likewise, there must be a large difference between a Muslim brother visiting his Muslim brother. What is the difference, do you think? Is it a practical difference or a heart difference? It is not a practical difference, but rather many disbelievers, practically speaking, check on the sick better than us and visit better than us. But what do they seek behind this visit which appears better than our visit, and what do they seek behind that checking on the sick which is better than our checking? That it be said, "So-and-so visited so-and-so." For example, my son so-and-so visited so-and-so; he was with him medically. Likewise, when he visits, he visits and brings gifts, each according to his status, so that it is said, "By Allah, when so-and-so visited so-and-so, he overwhelmed him with gifts and presents." All of this has no value with Allah, the Exalted, unless it is accompanied by a good intention. And a good intention is not absolutely good unless the one intending seeks the Face of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, with his good deed. And for the disbelievers, there is no reward for that. Allah, the Exalted, says regarding the good deeds of the disbelievers, meaning those good in appearance, as we gave the example of checking on the sick and visiting. He says regarding such good deeds whose source is the disbelievers: . Did this disbeliever secure a dwelling with Allah in Paradise with his beautiful checking on the sick and his noble visit? By no means, by no means, because the pure intention for the Face of Allah did not settle in his heart. Some may interpret that we see and know that some disbelievers intend the Face of Allah despite being disbelievers. We say it may be so, but this is also in appearance. But in reality, it is not so. That is because the Allah whom they worship, and the Allah whose Face they intend with their good deeds, is not the true Allah. The Allah with them, as we all know, is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one god with them. These three persons, as they call them, to whom they present good deeds. So they are those who associate partners with Allah. Here is another verse that says: . Therefore, the deed of the Muslim is never invalidated in any way. As for the first aspect, which is associating partners with Allah, he is a Muslim who submitted his face to Allah, Lord of all worlds, so he is a monotheist. But the deed may be invalidated by another way, from the Muslim himself, namely that he does not intend the Face of Allah, the Exalted, with the good deed.
Therefore, we Muslims must distinguish ourselves and be distinguished from the disbeliever when we check on a sick person or visit a brother. We make both the checking on the sick and the visit pure for the Face of Allah, the Exalted. We do not want any reward or gratitude behind it. We do not say, "He did not visit us, so we do not visit him." We may visit out of shyness and modesty, but this is not the visit in which our Lord, the Exalted, addresses His Muslim servant by saying: . We draw attention to this, that it is very important in all our good deeds, but especially in this checking on the sick and this visit, that we intend the Face of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, with it.