13 Sunan and Manners of Sneezing
Sneezing
is an important part of our lives and its Sunan and manners have also been
explained. However, majority of the Muslims these days, unfortunately, are
unaware of this due to not being religiously educated. When they feel the need
to sneeze, they just do it making loud noises and clean their nose afterwards.
There is more to it than that. We should try to learn its Sunan and manners as
well. Let’s learn a few of them today:
1. When you are about to
sneeze, put your head down, cover your face and try to do it as quietly as
possible. Sneezing loudly is a foolish act. Sayyiduna Ubada bin Samit, Shaddad
bin Aus and Sayyiduna Wasila رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُم
report that the Holy Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ
وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ said: If one burps or sneezes, he should not
do it loudly as Satan enjoys it when these are done loudly.
(Shu’ab -ul- Iman)
2. When
you sneeze and say “الحمد للہ”, the angels will
say “رب العٰلمین”. If you say “الحمد للہ رب
العٰلمین”, the infallible angels will pray, “یرحمک اللہ”
(May Allah have mercy on you!).
Sayyiduna
Abdullah Ibn Abbas رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُمَا
narrates that the Beloved and Blessed Messenger صَلَّی اللہُ
تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ said: When someone
sneezes and says, “الحمد للہ”, the angels say, “رب
العٰلمین” and if he says, “الحمد للہ رب
العٰلمین”, the angels say “یرحمک اللہ”
i.e. May Almighty Allah have mercy on you!
(Tabrani Awsat)
3. It is
a Sunnah to say “الحمد للہ” after sneezing.
Saying “الحمد للہ رب العٰلمین” is more preferable.
It is Wajib (compulsory) for the listener to instantly reply with “یرحمک
اللہ” (May Allah have mercy on you!) and he must say it in a way
that it can be heard by the sneezer.
4. Upon
hearing the reply, the sneezer should say, “یغفر اللہ لنا ولکم”
(May Allah grant forgiveness to you and me!) or he may say, “یھدیکم
اللہ ویصلح بالکم” (May Allah guide you and reform you!) as
well.
5. The
sneezer should utter the words of Hamd “الحمد للہ”
loudly so that someone hears it and replies to it. This way, they will both be
able to earn the reward.
6. Replying
to a sneeze is compulsory only once. If the person sneezes again and says “الحمد
للہ”, replying to it again is not compulsory, but it is Mustahab
(desirable). Sayyiduna Iyas bin Salamah رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی
عَنْہُمَا narrates from his father that:
عَطَسَ رَجُلٌ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم
وَأَنَا شَاهِدٌ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ " ثُمَّ عَطَسَ الثَّانِيَةَ وَالثَّالِثَةَ فَقَالَ
رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم هَذَا رَجُلٌ مَزْكُومٌ
“A
man sneezed in the presence of the Messenger of Allah صَلَّی
اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ while I was present,
so the Messenger of Allah صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی
عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ said: یرحمک
اللہ (May Allah have mercy on you!). Then he
sneezed a second and third time. So the Messenger of Allah صَلَّی
اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ said: This man is
suffering from a cold.”
(Jami Al-Tirmidhi)
7. Replying
will be compulsory only in the case that the sneezer says “الحمدللہ”and
if he does not pronounce Hamd, then replying is not compulsory. Sayyiduna Abu
Musa رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ states that I heard
the Holy Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ
وَسَلَّمَ as saying:
إِذَا عَطَسَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ فَشَمِّتُوهُ
فَإِنْ لَمْ يَحْمَدِ اللَّهَ فَلاَ تُشَمِّتُوهُ
“When
one of you sneezes and says “الحمد للہ”, then say “یرحمک
اللہ” to him and if he does not say “الحمد للہ”
then do not say “یرحمک اللہ” either.”
(Sahih Muslim)
8. A man
should reply loudly to the sneeze of an elderly woman whereas he should respond
under his breath to the sneeze of a young woman. (However, it must be uttered
in a way that he himself hears it.)
9. Reply
still has to be made if the sneezer is behind a wall.
10. If a
number of people are gathered and some of them replied to the sneeze, it will
suffice the others but it is preferable that all of them reply.
11. If
you sneeze during Salah, do not say “الحمد للہ”.
12. If
you are offering Salah and someone sneezes, if you respond to it, your Salah
will become invalid, as replying to the sneezer nullifies Salah.
13. If a
non-believer sneezes and says “الحمد للہ”, the reply should
be made in the following words: “یھدیک اللہ” (May Allah guide
you to the right path!).
May
Almighty Allah عزوجل enable us to follow and act upon the
above-mentioned Sunan and manners of sneezing!
