Question:
Assalamualaikum Dato’ Seri SS Mufti. I want to ask regarding the ruling of visiting a sick person. Is it enough for us to video call an acquaintance or friend who is sick and is it considered the same as visiting the sick? Is the reward of visiting a sick person the same as video calling a sick person? Is it considered as fulfilling the right of a Muslim? Hope for an explanation from ustaz.
Answer:
Waalaikumussalam wrt. wbt.
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
All Muslims are brothers and it’s natural for every relationship to come with rights that should be fulfilled. This is mentioned in a hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah RA, he said, he heard the Prophet PBUH said:
حَقُّ الْمُسْلِمِ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِ خَمْسٌ رَدُّ السَّلَامِ وَعِيَادَةُ الْمَرِيضِ وَاتِّبَاعُ الْجَنَائِزِ وَإِجَابَةُ الدَّعْوَةِ وَتَشْمِيتُ الْعَاطِسِ
"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,”
Sahih al-Bukhari (1240) and Sahih Muslim (5778)
In another narration, the Prophet PBUH said:
لِلْمُؤْمِنِ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِ سِتُّ خِصَالٍ : يَعُودُهُ إِذَا مَرِضَ ، وَيَشْهَدُهُ إِذَا مَاتَ ، وَيُجِيبُهُ إِذَا دَعَاهُ ، وَيُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْهِ إِذَا لَقِيَهُ ، وَيُشَمِّتُهُ إِذَا عَطَسَ ، وَيَنْصَحُ لَهُ إِذَا غَابَ أَوْ شَهِدَ
"There are six things due from the believer to another believer: Visiting him when he is ill, attending (his funeral) to him when he dies, accepting his invitation when he invites, giving him Salam when he meets him, replying to him when he sneezes, and wishing him well when he is absent and when he is present."
Sunan al-Tirmizi (2737) and Sunan al-Nasaie (1938)
أَمَرَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِسَبْعٍ وَنَهَانَا عَنْ سَبْعٍ أَمَرَنَا بِعِيَادَةِ الْمَرِيضِ وَاتِّبَاعِ الْجِنَازَةِ وَتَشْمِيتِ الْعَاطِسِ وَإِجَابَةِ الدَّاعِي وَإِفْشَاءِ السَّلَامِ وَنَصْرِ الْمَظْلُومِ وَإِبْرَارِ الْمُقْسِمِ وَنَهَانَا عَنْ خَوَاتِيمِ الذَّهَبِ وَعَنْ الشُّرْبِ فِي الْفِضَّةِ أَوْ قَالَ آنِيَةِ الْفِضَّةِ وَعَنْ الْمَيَاثِرِ وَالْقَسِّيِّ وَعَنْ لُبْسِ الْحَرِيرِ وَالدِّيبَاجِ وَالْإِسْتَبْرَقِ
“Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ordered us to do seven things and forbade us from seven. He ordered us to visit the sick, to follow funeral processions, (to say) to a sneezer, (May Allah bestow His Mercy on you, if he says, Praise be to Allah), to accept invitations, to greet (everybody), to help the oppressed and to help others to fulfil their oaths. He forbade us to wear gold rings, to drink in silver (utensils), to use Mayathir (silken carpets placed on saddles), to wear Al-Qissi (a kind of silken cloth) [1], to wear silk, Dibaj or Istabraq (two kinds of silk).”
Sahih al-Bukhari (5635) and Sahih Muslim (5510)
According to the above hadiths, among the rights that should be fulfilled among Muslim is to visit him when he is sick. It should not be neglected by every Muslim nor should it be belittled.
Al-Munawi said that the hadith mentioned above is a general hadith. Therefore, it is obligatory to visit a sick person even if he is an ajnabi. (Refer Faidh Al-Qadir Syarh Al-Jami’ Al-Saghir, 2/532)
This means, visiting a sick person is not only limited to those who are close to us or specific to family members but also includes stranger with no family relations. In fact, the Prophet PBUH once said regarding the benefits of a person who are caring towards the sick and visit those who are sick. This is stated in a hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah RA. The Prophet PBUH said:
مَنْ عَادَ مَرِيضًا نَادَى مُنَادٍ مِنْ السَّمَاءِ طِبْتَ وَطَابَ مَمْشَاكَ وَتَبَوَّأْتَ مِنْ الْجَنَّةِ مَنْزِلًا
‘Whoever visits a sick person, a caller calls from heaven: ‘May you be happy, may your walking be blessed, and may you occupy a dignified position in Paradise.’”
Sunan Ibnu Majah (1433)
In another narration, it is stated:
مَنْ عَادَ مَرِيضًا لَمْ يَزَلْ فِي خُرْفَةِ الْجَنَّةِ حَتَّى يَرْجِعَ
“He who visits the sick continues to remain in the fruit garden of Paradise until he returns.”
Sahih Muslim (4658)
We could see how the Prophet PBUH encourages his ummah to visit the sick. It is among the methods to strengthen the bonds of silaturrahim among people, especially among Muslims.
Coming back to the question presented, if a person video calls a friend or acquaintance who is sick, then it is permissible and considered the same as actually visiting him. This is on the condition that there is a valid reason or hindrance that prevented him from actually visiting the sick person directly. The reason is, visiting the sick is among the means to bring joy and happiness to him when Allah is testing him with sickness.
Video calling a sick friend or acquaintance is one of the ways to make him happy. There are great rewards promised for those who make others happy. This is recorded in several hadiths. Among the hadith is a hadith from Aisyah R.Anha, where the Prophet PBUH said:
مَنْ أَدْخَلَ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَيْتٍ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ سُرُورًا لَمْ يَرْضَ لَهُ اللَّهُ ثَوَابًا دُونَ الْجَنَّةِ
“Whoever make any Muslims happy, then Allah will not reward him except by also rewarding him with Paradise. [2]”
Narrated by al-Tabarani (910) in Al-Mu’jam Al-Saghir
In another narration, the Prophet PBUH was asked regarding the best of worship. The Prophet PBUH said:
ادخالك السرور على مؤمن اشبعت جوعته او كسوت عريه او قضيت له حاجة
“(The best act of worship is) when you make another mukmin happy. Then you are considered as if you have satisfied his hunger, cover his aurah and fulfil his wishes.”
Narrated by al-Tabarani (5081) in Al-Mu’jam Al-Awsat
With just our presence, even if it is through video call, it is enough to make him forget about the sickness that he is experiencing. This is the effect of the ukhuwah that lighten the pain one is facing. Ibnu Hajar al-Haitami said:
“It is sunnah to visit those who are among our family members or friends, where our visit would calm them and they would feel anxious without us.” (Refer Tuhfah Al-Minhaj Bi Syarh Al-Minhaj, 3/91)
To conclude, it is permissible to video call a friend or acquaintance who is sick if there are valid reasons. As long as it makes the patient happy, then it is not an issue. Wallahua’lam.
End note:
[1] Clothing made from silk from Syria and Egypt
[2] Imam al-Tabarani said the hadith is not narrated except the chain of narration from Ibrahim bin Salim bin Rusyaid al-Basri. In the sanad of the hadith, there is a narrator named Umar bin Habib al-Qadhi. He is a weak narrator.