Feed the Hungry, Visit the Sick, and Set Free the Captives
📖Sahih al-Bukhari 5649
Narrated Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari: The Prophet ﷺ said, “Feed the hungry, visit the sick, and set free the captives.”
This hadith encourages Muslims to perform three important acts of kindness:
- Feeding the hungry: This is a direct act of charity and compassion. Islam places great emphasis on taking care of the poor and needy, especially by providing food.
- Visiting the sick: Showing care for the ill uplifts their spirit and reflects a strong sense of brotherhood and humanity. It’s also a way to build stronger bonds in the community.
- Setting free the captives: Islam promotes justice and mercy. Freeing those who are wrongfully imprisoned or enslaved aligns with the values of human dignity and fairness.
These actions remind Muslims that their faith is not just about personal rituals, but also about active care and responsibility for others.
Quranic Context:
📖Quran 90:12–16
And what can make you know what is [breaking through] the difficult path? It is the freeing of a slave, or feeding on a day of severe hunger an orphan near of kin or a needy person in misery.
📖Quran 76:8–9
And they give food in spite of love for it to the needy, the orphan, and the captive, [saying], “We feed you only for the countenance of Allah. We wish not from you reward or gratitude.”