43/3. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 2740 — Sneezing Etiquette in Islam
What Has Been Related About How To Reply To The Sneezing Person
Hadith About Sneezing Etiquette in Islam
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 2740
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 2740
حَدَّثَنَا مَحْمُودُ بْنُ غَيْلاَنَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أَحْمَدَ الزُّبَيْرِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، عَنْ هِلاَلِ بْنِ يِسَافٍ، عَنْ سَالِمِ بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ، أَنَّهُ كَانَ مَعَ الْقَوْمِ فِي سَفَرٍ فَعَطَسَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ فَقَالَ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ . فَقَالَ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَى أُمِّكَ فَكَأَنَّ الرَّجُلَ وَجِدَ فِي نَفْسِهِ فَقَالَ أَمَا إِنِّي لَمْ أَقُلْ إِلاَّ مَا قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَطَسَ رَجُلٌ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ . فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَى أُمِّكَ إِذَا عَطَسَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَقُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ وَلْيَقُلْ لَهُ مَنْ يَرُدُّ عَلَيْهِ يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ وَلْيَقُلْ يَغْفِرُ اللَّهُ لَنَا وَلَكُمْ " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ اخْتَلَفُوا فِي رِوَايَتِهِ عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ وَقَدْ أَدْخَلُوا بَيْنَ هِلاَلِ بْنِ يِسَافٍ وَسَالِمٍ رَجُلاً .
Salim bin 'Ubaid Narrated from:
Narrated Salim bin 'Ubaid: That He Was With Some People On A Journey, And A Man Among The People Sneezed And He Said: "As-Salamu Alaikum (Peace Be Upon You)." So He (Salim) Said: "'Alaika Wa 'Ala Ummik (Upon You And Upon Your Mother)." It Seemed As If That Bothered The Man, So He Said: "Indeed I Have Not Said Except What The Prophet (ﷺ) Said; A Man Sneezed In The Presence Of The Prophet (ﷺ) And Said: 'As-Salamu 'Alaikum (Peace Be Upon You)' So The Prophet (ﷺ) Said: ''Alaika Wa 'Ala Ummik (Upon You And Upon Your Mother).When One Of You Sneezes Let Him Say: "Al-Hamdulillahi Rabbil-'Alamin (All Praise Is Due To The Lord Of All That Exists)" And Let The One Responding To Him Say: Yarhamukallah (May Allah Have Mercy Upon You)" And Let Him Reply: Yaghfirullah Li Walakum (May Allah Forgive Me And You Both)."
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2740In-book reference : Book 43, Hadith 5English translation : Vol. 5, Book 41, Hadith 2740
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 2740
This Hadith gives a fuller form of sneezing etiquette. A man sneezed and said As-Salamu Alaikum. Salim replied with the wording he had heard from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in a similar case. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم taught that when one of you sneezes, he should say Al-Hamdulillahi Rabbil-Alamin. The person responding should say Yarhamukallah. Then the one who sneezed should reply Yaghfirullah Lana Wa Lakum, asking Allah to forgive us and you. This Hadith about sneezing in Islam shows that sneezing has its own taught words. It also shows a gentle exchange of praise, mercy, and forgiveness among Muslims.
What we learn from this hadith
- The sneezer should praise Allah with the taught wording in this narration.
- The one who hears should respond with Yarhamukallah.
- The sneezer then replies by asking Allah for forgiveness.
- Sneezing etiquette is different from the ordinary salam greeting.
