This chapter opens the Book of Visiting the Sick, and it frames the visit not as a polite courtesy but as a duty one Muslim owes another. The Arabic word is 'iyadah, literally a returning, the idea that you keep coming back to check on someone who is unwell. Notice how the Prophet (peace be upon him) lists it alongside answering the sneezer, following the funeral, and spreading the greeting, ordinary acts that knit a community together.
The heart of the chapter is the astonishing hadith where Allah says, 'I was ill but you did not visit Me.' Read it slowly. The sick believer is so beloved to Allah that to neglect him is, in a sense, to neglect Allah Himself. The other narrations pile on the reward, gardens of Jannah, seventy thousand angels praying for you, until the simple act of sitting by a sickbed feels as weighty as it truly is.
Hadith 894
Al-Bara' bin `Azib (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:
عن البراء بن عازب رضي الله عنهما قال: أمرنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بعيادة المريض، واتباع الجنازة، وتشميت العاطس، وإبرار المقسم، ونصر المظلوم، وإجابة الداعى، وإفشاء السلام” ((متفق عليه))
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) has ordered us to visit the sick, to follow the funeral (of a dead believer), respond to the sneezer (i.e., by saying to him: Yarhamuk-Allah after he says: Al-hamdu lillah), to help those who vow to fulfill it, to help the oppressed, to accept the invitation extended by the inviter; and to promote greetings (i.e., saying As-Salamu `Alaikum). [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
The Prophet ordered visiting the sick, attending funerals, replying to the sneezer, helping the oppressed, accepting invitations, and spreading greetings. These ordinary acts of care knit believers together.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 894 In-book reference : Book 6, Hadith 1
Hadith 895
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: "حق المسلم علي المسلم خمس: رد السلام، وعيادة المريض، واتباع الجنائز، وإجابة الدعوة، وتشميت العاطس” ((متفق عليه)) .
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Every Muslim has five rights over another Muslim (i.e., he has to perform five duties for 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 praises Allah]." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
Every Muslim owes another five duties: returning greetings, visiting the sick, attending funerals, accepting invitations, and replying to the sneezer who praises Allah. A simple charter of mutual care among believers.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 895 In-book reference : Book 6, Hadith 2
Hadith 896
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعنه قالك قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : "عن الله عزو جل يقول يوم القيامة: "يا ابن آدم مرضت فلم تعدني! قال: يا رب كيف أعودك وأنت رب العالمين؟! قال: أما علمت أن عبدي فلاناً مرض فلم تعده؟ أما علمت أنك لو عدته لوجدتني عنده؟ يا ابن آدم استطعمتك فلم تطعمني! قال: يا رب كيف أطعمك وأنت رب العالمين؟! قال: أما علمت أنه استطعمك عبدي فلان فلم تطعمه، أما علمت أنك لو أطعمته لوجدت ذلك عندي؟ يا ابن آدم استسقيتك فلم تسقني! قال: يارب كيف أسقيك وأنت رب العالمين؟! قال: استسقاك عبدي فلان فلم تسقه! أما علمت أنك لو سقيته لوجدت ذلك عندي؟" ((رواه مسلم)).
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].
In plain words
On the Day of Resurrection Allah will say He was sick, hungry, and thirsty and was not tended, then explain that neglecting a sick, hungry, or thirsty servant is to neglect the reward found with Him. It shows how dearly Allah holds caring for those in need.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 896 In-book reference : Book 6, Hadith 3
Hadith 897
Abu Musa (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أبي موسي الأشعري رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ، “ عودوا المريض، وأطعموا الجائع، وفكوا العاني" ((رواه البخاري)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Visit the sick, feed the hungry, and (arrange for the) release of the captive.'' [Al-Bukhari].
In plain words
The Prophet urged visiting the sick, feeding the hungry, and freeing the captive. Three direct acts of mercy toward those in hardship.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 897 In-book reference : Book 6, Hadith 4
Hadith 898
Thauban (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن ثوبان، رضي الله عنه، عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم الله عليه وسلم الله عليه وسلم ، قال: "إن المسلم إذا عاد أخاه المسلم لم يزل في خرفة الجنة حتي يرجع" قيل: يا رسول الله وما خرفة الجنة؟ قال: "جناها” ((رواه مسلم)).
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "He who visits his brother in Faith, will remain engaged in picking the fresh fruits from the garden of Jannah till he returns." [Muslim].
In plain words
One who visits his sick brother in faith is, until he returns, as though gathering the fresh fruits of Paradise. It pictures the great reward in simply visiting the sick.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 898 In-book reference : Book 6, Hadith 5
Hadith 899
'Ali bin Abu Talib (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن علي رضي الله عنه قال: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: "ما من مسلم يعود مسلماً غدوة إلا صلى عليه سبعون ألف ملك حتي يمسي، وإن عاده عشية إلا صلى عليه سبعون ألف ملك حتي يصبح، وكان له خريف في الجنة” ((رواه الترمذي وقال: حديث حسن)).
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].
In plain words
Visiting a sick Muslim in the morning brings seventy thousand angels praying for the visitor till evening, and in the evening till morning, with a share of Paradise's fruits. It shows the abundant reward surrounding such a visit.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 899 In-book reference : Book 6, Hadith 6
Hadith 900
Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أنس رضي الله عنه قال: كان غلام يهودي يخدم النبي صلى الله عليه وسلمى الله عليه وسلم الله عليه وسلم فمرض فأتاه النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم الله عليه وسلم الله عليه وسلم يعوده، فقعد عند رأسه فقال له: "أسلم" فنظر إلي أبيه وهو عنده؟ فقال: أطع أبا القاسم، فأسلم، فخرج النبي صلى الله عليه وسلمى الله عليه وسلم الله عليه وسلم وهو يقول: “الحمد لله الذي أنقذه من النار” ((رواه البخاري)).
A young Jewish boy who was in the service of the Prophet (ﷺ) fell ill. The Prophet (ﷺ) went to visit him. He sat down by his head and said to him, "Embrace Islam." The little boy looked at his father who was sitting beside him. He said: "Obey Abul-Qasim (i.e., the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ))." So he embraced Islam and the Prophet (ﷺ) stepped out saying, "Praise be to Allah Who has saved him from Hell-fire." [Al-Bukhari].
In plain words
The Prophet visited a sick boy in his service and gently invited him to Islam; the boy accepted, and the Prophet praised Allah for saving him. It shows compassion in visiting and care for another's faith.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 900 In-book reference : Book 6, Hadith 7