Uthman b. Abul ‘As said he complained to God’s messenger of a pain he had in his body, and he told him to put his hand on the part of his body which was sore and say three times “In the name of God,” and seven times, “I seek refuge in God’s might and power from the evil of what I am experiencing and trying to avert.” He said he did so, and God removed his trouble. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri said Gabriel came to the Prophet and asked, “Have you a complaint, Muhammad?” When he replied that he had, he said, “In the name of God I am applying a charm to you from everything which may harm you, from the evil of every evil eye, or eye of an envious one. God heals you. In the name of God I am applying a charm to you.” Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas said that God’s messenger used to commend al-Hasan and al-Husain to God’s protection, saying “With God’s perfect words I commend you to God’s protection from every devil and poisonous creature and from every evil eye.” And he would say, “Your ancestor used to commend Ishmael and Isaac with them to God’s protection.”(Abraham is here said to have done to his sons the same as the Prophet did to his grandsons.) Bukhari transmitted it. Most texts of al-Masabih have “with them” in the dual.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “Anyone for whom God intends good is made to suffer some affliction from Him.” Bukhari transmitted it.

He and Abu Sa'id reported the Prophet as saying, “No Muslim is afflicted by difficulty, continuous pain, anxiety, grief, injury, or care, or even by a thorn with which he is pierced, without God thereby making an atonement for his sins.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

I went in to visit the Prophet when he was jaded by fever, and touching him with my hand, I said, “You are seriously jaded by fever, messenger of God.” The Prophet replied, “Yes, I am twice as jaded as any of you.” I said, “That is because you have a double reward.” He replied that that was so and then said, “No Muslim is afflicted by injury, be it illness or something else, without God thereby causing his sins to drop away just as a tree sheds its leaves.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘A’isha said she never saw anyone suffering severer pain than God’s messenger. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

She said, “The Prophet died lying between my breast and my collarbone. I will never feel bad about anyone having a painful death after what I saw the Prophet suffer.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Ka‘b b. Malik reported God’s messenger as saying, “The believer is like a tender plant moved by the winds, sometimes being bent down and sometimes made to stand up straight, till his appointed time comes; but the hypocrite is like the cedar standing firmly, which is unaffected by anything, till it is completely cast down.”( The idea of this tradition is that believers have many troubles during their lifetime, whereas hypocrites escape them.) (Bukharl and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “The believer is like a plant which is continually swayed by the wind, for the believer is continually afflicted by trial; but the hypocrite is like a cedar tree which does not shake till it is cut down.” (Bukharl and Muslim.)

Jabir told of God’s messenger visiting Umm as-Sa’ib (Ibn 'Abd al-Barr (Isti'ab, p. 781) gives her name in this form, but says she is called by some Umm al-Musayyib) and asking, “What is the matter with you that you are trembling?” She replied, “Fever; may God not bless it.” He said, “Do not revile fever, for it removes the sins of the sons of Adam just as the bellows remove the dross of iron.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Musa reported God’s messenger as saying, “When a man is ill or on a journey, what he was accustomed to do when staying at home and well will be recorded for him.”(This refers to his observance of salat, etc., cf. the traditions of ‘Abdallah b. 'Amr and Anas on p. 326.) Bukhari transmitted it.

Anas reported God’s messenger as saying, “Every Muslim who dies of plague is credited with martyrdom.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

one who dies of plague, one who dies of an internal complaint, one who is drowned, one who is killed by his house falling on him, and the martyr in God’s path.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘A’isha said, “I asked God’s messenger about plague and he told me it is a punishment God sends upon whomsoever He wills, but God has made it a blessing to the believers. When plague comes, anyone who stays patiently in his town looking for his reward from God, knowing that only what God has decreed for him can happen to him, will have a reward like that of a martyr.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Usama b. Zaid reported God’s messenger as saying, “Plague is a punishment which was sent down on a section of the B. Isrs’il, or on people before your time. When you hear of it in a land do not go to it, and if it occurs in a land while you are in it do not go out fleeing from it. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas said he heard the Prophet declare that God who is glorious and exalted said, “When I afflict my servant in his two loved things (i.e. his eyes), and he endures patiently, I shall compensate him for them with paradise.” Bukhari transmitted it.

‘All said he heard God’s messenger say, “No Muslim will pay a sick visit to another in the morning without seventy thousand angels invoking blessings on him till the evening, or visit him in the evening without seventy thousand angels invoking blessings on him till the morning, and he will have gathered fruits (the word used here is kharif, one of whose meanings is gathered or plucked fruits) in paradise.” Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Zaid b. Arqam said the Prophet visited him when he had a pain in his eyes. Ahmad and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

as saying, “If anyone performs ablution well and pays a sick visit to his brother Muslim seeking his reward from God, he will be removed a distance of sixty years (here kharif is used in another of its meanings) from jahannam.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s messenger as saying, "No Muslim will visit another and say seven times, ‘I ask God, the Mighty, the Lord of the mighty throne, to cure you’ without his being cured, unless his time has come.” Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

He said that the Prophet used to teach them to say when afflicted by fever or any pain, "In the name of God, the Great, I seek refuge in God, the Mighty, from the evil of every vein that bleeds and from the evil of the heat of hell.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, but said this was a gharib tradition which he knew only among the traditions of Ibrahim b. Isma'il who is declared to be weak in tradition.

Abud Darda’ said he heard God’s messenger say, "If one of you has any complaint, or if a brother of his complains of it, he should say, ‘Our Lord God who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy command is in the heaven and the earth. As Thy mercy is in the heaven so place Thy mercy in the earth. Forgive us our faults and sins. Thou art the Lord of the good ones. Send down some of Thy mercy and some of Thy healing on this pain’ and it will be cured.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported God’s messenger as saying, "When a man comes to visit an invalid he should say, ‘O God, cure Thy servant who may then wreak havoc on an enemy for Thy sake, or walk at a funeral for Thy sake’.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Ali b. Zaid quoted Umayya as saying that she asked ‘A’isha about the words of God who is great and glorious, "Whether you publish what is in your minds or conceal it, God will call you to account for it,” ( Qur’an, ii, 284) and His words, "If anyone does evil he will be requited for it.”(Qur’an, iv, 123). She replied that no one had asked her about them since she had asked God’s messenger and received the reply, "This is God’s rebuke of His servant, by means of fever or misfortune with which He afflicts him, even such a matter as something he puts in his sleeve and grieves for when he loses it. The result is that the servant comes out of his sins as the pure gold comes out of the crucible." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abu Musa reported the Prophet as saying, “No affliction great or small afflicts a man but for a sin, but there are more which God forgives.” Then he recited, “Whatever misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have done; but He forgives much.”(Qur’an, xlii, 30) Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Jabir b. ‘Atik reported God’s messenger as saying, “There are seven types of martyrdom apart from being killed in God’s path. Those who die of plague, those who are drowned, those who die of pleurisy, those who die of an internal complaint, those who are burnt to death, those who are killed by a building falling on them, and women who die while pregnant are martyrs.” Malik, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Sa'd said that when the Prophet was asked which people suffered the greatest affliction he replied, “The prophets, then those who come next to them, then those who come next to them. A man is afflicted in keeping with his religion; if he is firm in his religion his trial is severe, but if there is weakness in his religion it is made light for him, and it continues like that till he walks on the earth having no sin.” Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it, and Tirmidhi said this is a hasan sahih tradition.

‘A isha said, “I do not envy anyone an easy death after having seen the severity of the death of God’s messenger.” Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it.

I saw the Prophet when he was dying. He had a drinking-cup containing water, and he would put his hand into the cup, then wipe his face, then say, “O God, help me to bear the evils of death,” or, “the pangs of death.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Anas reported God’s messenger as saying, “When God has a good purpose towards His servant He gives him punishment beforehand in this world, but when He has an evil purpose towards His servant He refrains from dealing with his sin till He takes from him full payment for it on the day of resurrection.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

He reported God’s messenger as saying, “The magnitude of the reward goes along with the magnitude of the affliction. When God who is great and glorious loves people He afflicts them, and those who accept it gladly receive God’s good pleasure, but those who are displeased receive God’s displeasure. Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. [ash-] Shikhkhir reported God’s messenger as saying, “The son of Adam was created with ninety-nine trials at his side. If the trials miss him he falls into decrepitude till he dies.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying that this is a gharib tradition.

Abu Sa'id reported God’s messenger as saying, "When you go in to visit an invalid, express a hope that he will live long. That will not avert anything, but it will comfort him.” Tirmidhl and Ibn Majah transmitted it, and Tirmidhi said this is a gharib tradition.

Sulaiman b. Surad reported God’s messenger as saying, "He who dies of an internal trouble will not be punished in his grave.” Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it, the latter saying this is a gharib tradition.

Anas told that when a young Jew who was a servant of the Prophet became ill the Prophet went to visit him and, sitting down by his head, said to him, “Accept Islam.” He looked at his father who was beside him, and he said, "Obey Abul Qasim.” So he accepted Islam, and the Prophet went out saying, "Praise be to God who has saved him from hell.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, '"If anyone visits an invalid, one cries out from heaven, ‘May you be good, may your walk be good, and may you come to an abode in paradise!”’ Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas said that when ‘Ali came out after visiting the Prophet during the painful illness of which he died, the people asked, “How is God's messenger this morning, Abul Hasan?” He replied, “Praise be to God, he is getting better.” Bukhari transmitted it.

This black woman came to the Prophet and said, “Messenger of God, I am subject to fits and become uncovered, so make supplication to God for me.” He replied, “If you wish you may endure it and be rewarded with paradise, but if your wish I shall make supplication to God to cure you.” She said, “I shall endure it.” Then she added, “But since I become uncovered, make supplication to God that that may not happen.” He then made supplication for her. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Yahya b. Sa'id said that when a certain man died in the time of God’s messenger another said, “Congratulations to him! He has died without being afflicted by illness.” God’s messenger then said, “I’m sorry for you. What do you know about it? (literally, ‘What makes you know?’ After this one understands some such words as, ‘that lack of illness is a mark of honour.’) Would that God had afflicted him with illness, and it had atoned for his evil deeds!” Malik transmitted it in mursal form.

Shaddad b. Aus and as-Sunabihi told how, when they went to visit an invalid, they said to him, “How are you this morning?” He replied, “I am quite comfortable this morning.” Shaddad told him to rejoice that his evil deeds had been atoned for and his sins remitted, for he had heard God’s messenger declare that God who is great and glorious says, “When I afflict a servant of mine who is a believer and he praises me for the affliction I have brought upon him, he will rise from that couch of his as sinless as he was the day his mother gave birth to him.” The Lord who is blessed and exalted will say, “I fettered and afflicted my servant, so record for him what you were recording for him when he was well.” Ahmad transmitted it.

‘A’isha reported God’s messenger as saying, “When a man’s sins are numerous and he has no good deeds wherewith to atone for them, God afflicts him with sorrow to remove them from him.” Ahmad transmitted it.

Jabir reported God’s messenger as saying, "When one visits an invalid he continues to plunge into mercy till he sits down, and when he sits down he is immersed in it.” Malik and Ahmad transmitted it.

Thauban reported God’s messenger as saying, "When one of you has an attack of fever the fever is a portion of hell, so he should quench it with water, bathing in a flowing stream facing the direction of the current and saying, ‘In the name of God. O God, heal Thy servant and varify Thy messenger’ after the morning prayer before sunrise. He should dip himself in it three times a day for three days, and if he is not cured in three days, then for five days, and if he is not cured in five days, then for seven, and if he is not cured in seven days, then for nine, for it will hardly last more than nine days by the permission of God who is great and glorious.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition.

Abu Huraira said that fever was mentioned in the presence of God’s messenger, and when a man reviled it the Prophet said, "Do not revile it, for it removes sins as fire removes the dross of iron.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Shaqiq said he visited ‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud when he was ill, and he began to weep. On being reproved by someone he said, "I am not weeping because of the illness, because I heard God’s messenger say that illness is an atonement; I am weeping simply because it has come to me when my powers are weakened and did not come when I was active, because a servant of God has recorded for him such reward when he is ill as was being recorded for him before he became ill and the illness prevented him from doing [good deeds].” Razln transmitted it.

Anas said the Prophet was not accustomed to visit an invalid till he had been ill for three days. Ibn Majah and Baihaqi, in Shu'ab al- iman, transmitted it.

‘Umar b. al-Khattab reported God’s messenger as saying, “When you visit an invalid tell him to make supplication for you, for his supplication is like that of the angels.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas said that staying for a short time and making little noise when visiting an invalid is part of the sunna. He reported God’s messenger as saying, when their clamour and disagreement became excessive, ‘‘Get up and leave me.”(This was during the Prophet's last illness, the disagreement taking place regarding the advisability of the Prophet giving them further written instructions.) Razin transmitted it.

Anas reported God's messenger as saying, “A visit should last as long as the time between the two milkings of a she-camel.”(The reference is to the practice of drawing some milk from the camel, then leaving her for a little for her young to suck milk. When she then let her milk flow copiously she was milked again.) In the version of Sa'id b. al-Musayyib in mursal form it says, “The best type of sick visit is when one gets up and departs soon.”(While this is more explicit to one who is not familiar with the milking of camels, the meaning is the same as in the form given by Anas.) Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-iman.