Social Etiquettes of Visiting the Sick

Presented by: Sister Winnie

The following are general thoughts, ie, things to consider when visiting the sick. Please feel free to add your own thoughts and ideas to this article.

Before visiting

• Call the sister and express your desire to visit and enquire when would be a good time

• Ask if she needs anything.

• Think of a simple gift to take to the sister.  Consider the sister’s age, health condition, dietary restrictions etc. Something as simple as a card  would suffice.

• Other options could be flowers, fruit,  a small plant, baked good, hand cream.  Use your imagination and keep it simple.

• Don’t visit if you are sick yourself with a cold.

Visiting

• Knock before entering in on the sister, wait to be acknowledged

• Don’t plan on staying long.  Of course each sister will have her unique circumstances, and some might require a longer visit, but according to the sunnah of our Prophet, peace be upon Him, keep in short in the majority of cases.

• Be cheerful.  Your visit is meant to raise their spirits.

• Keep the conversation upbeat. Humor can help.

• If you are familiar with the sister, try to think of the visit as something you would do whether she is sick or not.  Try to listen more than talk if needed. Don’t pry in to her medical condition; you should not offer medical advice or stories of others.

• Stay positive, if you don’t find anything to talk about, look around the room for items, that could start a conversation.

• Make physical contact, touch her hand or forehead at the least.

Post-visit

• keep the sister in your prayers

• if possible try to visit again