The Reward of Sickness
Purification of sins
«No Muslim is afflicted with harm — even a thorn prick — except that Allah expiates sins by it.»
Bukhārī & Muslim
Raise in rank
«When Allah loves a people, He tries them; whoever is pleased has Allah's pleasure, and whoever is angry has Allah's anger.»
Tirmidhī
Nothing is wasted
«No fatigue, disease, sorrow, sadness, hurt, or distress befalls a Muslim — even the prick of a thorn — except that Allah expiates his sins by it.»
Bukhārī & Muslim
A believer's reward
«If a Muslim is sick, Allah records for him the best of what he used to do when he was healthy.»
Bukhārī
The reward continues
«No believer is seized by fever while sleeping or waking except that Allah makes it an expiation for him and a reminder of what is written for him of reward.»
Aḥmad
Allah erases the mistake of the sick
«Whoever is seized by fever, it is a fire from Hell; let him extinguish it with cold water» — and Allah erases the faults by the heat.
Tirmidhī
Etiquette of the Sick
Be patient, do not complain
Be patient with the trial; refrain from expressing displeasure with Allah's decree. Patience in illness raises rank and expiates sins.
Bukhārī & Muslim
Seek treatment
«O servants of Allah, seek treatment — Allah has not made a disease except He made its cure. Know it, you know it; ignorant of it, you are ignorant of it.»
Tirmidhī, Abū Dāwūd
Do not despair
Trust in Allah's mercy; ask for healing with hope. «I seek treatment and the One who heals is Allah.»
Bukhārī
Do not wish for death
«Let none of you wish for death because of a harm that has befallen him; if he must, let him say: O Allah, keep me alive as long as life is better for me, and take me if death is better for me.»
Bukhārī & Muslim
Praise Allah
«The best of His servants is the one who is tested and praises his Lord.»
Aḥmad
Visiting the Sick
A right of the Muslim
«The rights of a Muslim over another are five: answering the salam, visiting the sick, following the funeral, accepting the invitation, and responding to the sneezer.»
Bukhārī & Muslim
In the company of mercy
«No Muslim visits a sick Muslim in the morning except that seventy thousand angels pray for him until evening; and if he visits in the evening, seventy thousand angels pray for him until morning.»
Tirmidhī
Make duʿā for them
«O Allah, Lord of mankind, remove the harm, heal — You are the Healer; there is no healing but Yours, a healing that leaves no illness behind.»
Bukhārī & Muslim
Do not overstay
Visit briefly; do not burden the sick by staying too long — the Sunnah is short, compassionate visits.
General adab
Comfort and hope
«If you enter upon the sick, give him hope of life — it does not change destiny but it comforts his soul.»
Tirmidhī
Duʿās for Healing
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ النَّاسِ أَذْهِبِ الْبَأْسَ اشْفِ أَنْتَ الشَّافِي لَا شِفَاءَ إِلَّا شِفَاؤُكَ شِفَاءً لَا يُغَادِرُ سَقَمًا
For oneself when sick
O Allah, Lord of mankind, remove the harm and heal — You are the Healer; there is no healing except Yours, a healing that leaves no illness behind.
Bukhārī & Muslim
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ أَرْقِيكَ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ يُؤْذِيكَ مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ نَفْسٍ أَوْ عَيْنِ حَاسِدٍ اللَّهُ يَشْفِيكَ
Placing hand on the sick
In the name of Allah I perform ruqyah upon you, from every thing that harms you, from the evil of every soul or envious eye — may Allah heal you.
Muslim
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الْكَبِيرِ أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ عِرْقٍ نَارٍ
For fever
In the name of Allah the Great; I seek refuge in Allah the Exalted, the Mighty, from the evil of every burning vein (fever).
Ibn Mājah