What are the etiquettes of visiting the sick that Islam brought?
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The questioner : We conclude this session, O honorable Shaykh, with a question from this questioner. He asks: What are the etiquettes of visiting the sick that Islam brought?
The Shaykh : Visiting the sick is among the best acts of worship a person performs toward his Muslim brothers. For this reason, some scholars held that visiting the sick is a collective obligation (fard kifayah), and that it is not permissible for a Muslim to remain sick among his brothers without anyone visiting him. It is recommended for the one who visits the sick to ask about his condition, how he performs his ablution and prayer, and to remind him to repent from sins and to fulfill the rights of their owners. He should also console him regarding his lifespan, meaning he should not say, "Your illness is serious," or "So-and-so and so-and-so died from this illness." Rather, he should say, "You are in a good state, and you are better today than yesterday," intending by this that he is better than yesterday because he has increased in reward over the previous day, as he has passed another twenty-four hours. He should also not prolong his sitting with the patient.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you and your knowledge, and benefit the Muslims through you.
O dear brothers and listeners, the honorable Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymeen, the professor, has answered your questions.
The Shaykh : Visiting the sick is among the best acts of worship a person performs toward his Muslim brothers. For this reason, some scholars held that visiting the sick is a collective obligation (fard kifayah), and that it is not permissible for a Muslim to remain sick among his brothers without anyone visiting him. It is recommended for the one who visits the sick to ask about his condition, how he performs his ablution and prayer, and to remind him to repent from sins and to fulfill the rights of their owners. He should also console him regarding his lifespan, meaning he should not say, "Your illness is serious," or "So-and-so and so-and-so died from this illness." Rather, he should say, "You are in a good state, and you are better today than yesterday," intending by this that he is better than yesterday because he has increased in reward over the previous day, as he has passed another twenty-four hours. He should also not prolong his sitting with the patient.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you and your knowledge, and benefit the Muslims through you.
O dear brothers and listeners, the honorable Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymeen, the professor, has answered your questions.