Visiting the sick – I

Introduction
No one is free from illness, it's something that is in our genes
passed through generations; or it's because of something as simple as
what we ate for lunch. Just when you think it could never happen to
you, there it is and now you're left to cope with it — the good, the
bad and the ugly.... and sometimes it can get really ugly; and
sometimes you are even left to cope with it all alone. Our illnesses
can range from the common cold to the more serious and sometimes
terminal diseases, such as cancer.
There is a broad range of hardships that our bodies must endure
through an illness, but one thing that minor afflictions and severe
diseases have in common is that they debilitate usin some form. They
prevent us from living our lives as we chooseby inhibiting our
families and ourselves from carrying on with our normal day-to-day
routines. It is hard enough to struggle with the physical aspects of
an illness, but add to that the toll that it takes on us emotionally.
While we cope with our sickness, many times our families also cope
with our care. When we're sick or caring for someone that is, it can
drain what little energy we have left — leaving us feeling hopeless
and empty. We have become so reliant on searching for the cure in the
form of a pill - and while it is a sound practice for us all to put
our physical bodies in the care of doctors and medicine to help cure
our sickness - we often fail to treat our souls. As many of us know
alltoo well, there are not always medicinal cures for the physical
body. However, in sharp contrast,there is always a remedy ready and
waiting for our soul. Relying upon our Creator and our deen (religion)
can help us all through those tough times, giving us a renewed energy
and an optimistic outlook for our future at the time when things seem
to be going all wrong. Allaah is there for us in our time of need, but
we must compel ourselves torely on Him and then on our community.
Putting our priorities in order
Who among us in this life has notbeen touched with this trial through
a beloved family member or friend? What action did we take? Did we sit
by and donothing while there was suffering, or did we fulfill the
rights of the ailing person? Some of us have realized their duty and
fulfilled it.
Still, there are others who do not care and leave their sick alone —
making them prisoners of their agony and sadness, leaving them to the
worry and concern of theirown healthcare and ailment. Howmany of us
who fell sick and ended up being disappointed by our friends, whom we
had trusted and with whom we wasted our time? Disappointed because
upon becoming ill, thosevery friends were absent, nowhere to be found
nor heard from again. Illness is a true test of love and friendship.
Illness invokes fear in us all, but it's evenscarier to endure it
alone. It is a critical time in our life when we all need someone by
our side to help us get through it, to reassure us and also to remind
usof our deen. Ailments may linger and some may become very painful;
some may even stay withthe sick until the end of their life's journey.
Yet if the friends donot fulfill their duty toward their fellow
Muslim, then they have neglected his rights upon them. It does no good
for them to shedvain tears over their shortcomings out of sorrow and
sadness after the person has passed away.
However, we are all procrastinators when time comes to carry out good
deeds, especially those that can be difficult to deal with. Visiting
andcaring for those that are ill makesus all take a harsh look at our
own lives and makes us realize just how easily we can fall into such
circumstances; so, we avoid looking at it or being around it. Allaah
tells us that, we may hate something that is good for us, and visiting
the sick is one of those things we dislike. It is goodfor us to
reacquaint ourselves with the temporary state of our life on this
earth. At the same time it is hard and it can be very depressing, but
it is an importantact that we should not be put off for "some other
time". There is no other time - only right now. We may never get
another opportunity for tomorrow . . . and not just to give our care
and support to those who are ailing, but also to say those things that
are in our hearts. We should make every effort to tell someonehow much
they mean to us and also to be the one that gets the reward of
reminding them about Islam at their most trying and painful time. We
will always be busy and have something else to do - there will never
be that perfect time so we must put our priorities in order. What is
most important to us — a few minutesof relaxation on the couch or our
brother or sister in Islam at their greatest time of need? It only
takes a few minutes to visit someone, yet our visit could leavea
long-lasting impression on them and on their family. We must look
outside of our own self-circle and place ourselves in the position of
those that are ill. Would we want to be left alone to suffer, or would
we rather see the smiling faces of our loved ones by our side,
reassuring us ofour recovery and of the Hereafter? Our priorities
determine our actions.
The obligation of visiting the sick
Obligation and responsibility as Muslims toward one another should
play a big role in the decisions we make and the actions we take.
As Muslims it is our duty to strive our best to help others and extend
a hand toward them, It is your brother's right upon us that we hate to
see him harmed and step forward to block that harm. If he is touched
by any harm, then we must share with him thepain and feel the sadness
with him. Yet, if our heart is dead and we are careless because the
affliction is not immediately uponus, then such behavior is cruel and
contrary to the brotherly feelings that Muslims should havein their
hearts. A believer suffers the pain that touches his brother,as
Allaah's Messenger said: " The example of believers is in their
affection, mercy among themselves is like one body; when a part of
this body complains, the whole body responds with sleeplessness and
fever." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
That true kinship and empathy for another's pain is what should push
us to find out what bothers our fellow Muslims and will not allow us
to rest until that affliction has been resolved. If wesucceed in
helping, then our face will shine with joy and our conscience will
become full of peacefulness.
In this life, man does not live a solitary existence. He lives within
a community that contains different types of people - both negative
and positive influences. As Muslims, we try our best to strive to be
positive and effective in our dealings with one another.This is true
even when we deal with people of different faiths. It is because Islam
calls for kindness and good conduct with others. Among these kind
dealings are the visitation and consolation of the sick.
Throughout the Sunnah, we read about visitation of the sick repeatedly
in the pages of ahadeeth. Al-Bukhaari narrated on the authority of Abu
Moosaa Al-Ash'ari that Allaah's Messenger said: "Feed the hungry,
visit the sick and free the captives." Also "The Prophet used to visit
his companions while they were sick." Again Al-Bukhaari narrated that
Jaabir Ibn 'Abdullaah said: "I became sick and both the Prophet and
Abu Bakr came walking to visit me." So, there is no doubt that
visiting thesick is from the Sunnah of the Prophet and has many
virtues, such as creating closer relationships. It is imperative that
the sick receive kind companionship, because often times they become
isolated and lonely due to their illness. A shortvisit from a friend
or relative makes them feel valued, loved and gets their mind off of
their pain. The family of the patient will also experience some of
those same feelings of isolation and loneliness if they are left with
the difficult job of caring forthose that are ill. Just an
acknowledgement from the Muslim community asking about their sick
family members shows compassion for our fellow Muslims, and softens
our hearts towards one another. Finally we are able to attain an
excellent reward from our Creator for visiting the sick.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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