Question 1288: How is the time interval between visiting the sick recommended?
Answer
✅Answer: Please refer to the following narrations:
1 عَنْ عِدَّةٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِیَادٍ عَنْ عَلِیِّ بْنِ أَسْبَاطٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ :... لَا تَکُونُ عِیَادَةٌ فِی أَقَلَّ مِنْ ثَلَاثَةِ أَیَّامٍ فَإِذَا وَجَبَتْ فَیَوْمٌ وَ یَوْمٌ لَا فَإِذَا طَالَتِ الْعِلَّةُ تُرِکَ الْمَرِیضُ وَ عِیَالَهُ.
📚Al-Kafi vol. 3, p. 117
Imam al-Sadiq, blessings of God be upon him, said in a hadith: There is no visit in less than three days, so when (the illness) is confirmed, one day (is for visiting) and one day not (i.e., every other day). So when the illness prolongs, the patient is left with his family!
2 عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ قَالَ: الْعِيَادَةُ بَعْدَ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ
📚Al-Ja'fariyat p. 200
The Commander of the Faithful, blessings of God be upon him, said: Visiting is after three days (from the beginning of the illness)!
3 عَنْ هَارُونَ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ مَسْعَدَةَ بْنِ صَدَقَةَ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِیهِ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَمَرَهُمْ بِسَبْعٍ وَ نَهَاهُمْ عَنْ سَبْعٍ أَمَرَهُمْ بِعِیَادَةِ الْمَرِیضِ وَ ذَکَرَ الْحَدِیثَ.
📚Qurb al-Isnad p. 34
Imam al-Sadiq, blessings of God be upon him, narrated from his father that the Messenger of God, peace be upon him and his family, commanded them (i.e., his companions) with seven things and forbade them from seven things: He commanded them to visit the sick....
4 عَنْ عَلِیِّ بْنِ عُقْبَةَ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ لِلْمُسْلِمِ عَلَی الْمُسْلِمِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ أَنْ یُسَلِّمَ عَلَیْهِ إِذَا لَقِیَهُ وَ یَعُودَهُ إِذَا مَرِضَ وَ یَنْصَحَ لَهُ إِذَا غَابَ وَ یُسَمِّتَهُ إِذَا عَطَسَ وَ یُجِیبَهُ إِذَا دَعَاهُ وَ یَتْبَعَهُ إِذَا مَاتَ.
📚Al-Kafi vol. 2, p. 171
Imam al-Sadiq, blessings of God be upon him, said: The right of a Muslim upon a Muslim is: when he meets him, he greets him, and when he falls ill, he visits him, and when he is absent, he wishes him well, and when he sneezes, he says 'May Allah have mercy on you' to him, and when he invites him, he accepts his invitation, and when he dies, he attends his funeral!
✅According to the above narrations and others, one of the rights of a believer and a Muslim is to visit him during his illness.
Visiting begins after three days from the onset of the illness, and a person can go to visit the patient every other day. However, if the illness becomes chronic and prolonged, visiting is dropped, and if necessary, the person goes to the patient under other legal titles such as visiting, seeing, connecting with, fulfilling a need, and solving problems, etc., at the necessary and appropriate times, to perform duties and show kindness.
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَجِّلْ لِوَلِیِّکَ الْفَرَجَ وَ الْعَافِیَةَ وَ النَّصْر