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food or drink.” He will reply, “Did you not know that My servant-so-and-so was parched—or that he asked you for water—and you did not give him anything to drink? Did you not realize that had you given him water, you would have found its reward with Me?” This likewise attests to the merit of supplying drink to whoever requests it, and that you will find its recompense stored with Allah: a single good deed is multiplied tenfold, up to seven hundredfold, and even many times beyond.
The point of evidence in this ḥadith is its very first clause—“I was ill and you did not visit Me”—which establishes the recommendation of visiting the sick. Allah is the One who grants success.
- Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Visit the sick, feed the hungry, and free the captive.” Reported by al-Bukhārī. The word al-ʿānī refers to a prisoner of war.
طعام ولا شراب قال أما علمت أن عبدي فلانا ظمئ أو استسقاك فلم تسقه أما علمت أنك لو سقيته لوجدت ذلك عندي ففيه أيضا دليل على فضيلة إسقاء من طلب منك السقيا وأنك تجد ذلك عند الله مدخرا الحسنة بعشر أمثالها إلى سبعمائة ضعف إلى أضعاف كثيرة والشاهد من هذا الحديث الجملة الأولى منه وهي قوله مرضت فلم تعدني ففيه دليل على استحباب عيادة المريض والله الموفق
٨٩٧ - وعن أبي موسى ﵁ قال قال رسول الله ﷺ عودوا المريض وأطعموا الجائع وفكوا العاني رواه البخاري العاني الأسير