if you know from his condition that he would prefer you not to stay long—for example, if you see him fidgeting and distressed—then leave and do not remain, because you know that he does not want you to stay with him. People differ in this regard, both the sick and those visiting them.

Therefore, I believe that the author did very well to leave the matter unrestricted, without specifying a time or length of stay.

Issue: A telephone call does not suffice in place of visiting the sick, especially in the case of relatives. But if the person is far away and visiting him would require travel, then it does suffice.

Reminding Him of Repentance and the Will

His statement, “Reminding him of repentance and the will”: that is, it is recommended to remind him of repentance and of making a will. Repentance is from sins and wrongs committed against others, whether they concern the right of Allah or the rights of His servants. Particular emphasis should be placed on the rights of others, and he should be made aware that if he does not settle them in this world and repent to Allah from them in this world, they will be taken from his good deeds on the Day of Resurrection—when he will be more in need of them than anyone else.

He should also be reminded that many heirs neither fear Allah nor show mercy to the deceased. You may find them squandering the wealth while the deceased remains held accountable for his debt. This is so that he will be keen to redress wrongs before he dies.

He should likewise be reminded to make a will. What is not meant by a will is what many ordinary people understand by it: a bequest for a funeral meal and a sacrificial animal, as is customary among us in Najd. Most wills among us are that a person bequeaths one-third of his wealth, or part of it as he determines, for a funeral meal and a sacrifice. They cite the weak hadith: “Choose fine