43/5. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 2744 — Replying to Sneezes Three Times
What Has Been Related About How Much Response Is Given To The Sneezing Person
Hadith About Replying to a Sneezer Three Times
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 2744
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 2744
حَدَّثَنَا الْقَاسِمُ بْنُ دِينَارٍ الْكُوفِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ السَّلُولِيُّ الْكُوفِيُّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ السَّلاَمِ بْنِ حَرْبٍ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ أَبِي خَالِدٍ الدَّالاَنِيِّ، عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ أَبِي طَلْحَةَ، عَنْ أُمِّهِ، عَنْ أَبِيهَا، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يُشَمَّتُ الْعَاطِسُ ثَلاَثًا فَإِنْ زَادَ فَإِنْ شِئْتَ فَشَمِّتْهُ وَإِنْ شِئْتَ فَلاَ " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ وَإِسْنَادُهُ مَجْهُولٌ .
Narrated 'Umar bin Ishaq bin Abi Talhah: From His Mother, From Her Father, Who Said: "The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Said: 'Reply Three Times To The Sneezing Person. If He (Sneezes) More, Then If You Wish Reply And If You Do Not Then Do Not.'"
[1] Meaning it contains a narrator who is unknown, which is the case of ‘Umar bin Ishāq’s mother.Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2744In-book reference : Book 43, Hadith 14English translation : Vol. 5, Book 41, Hadith 2744
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 2744
This hadith focuses on the limit of replying to a sneezing person. The wording says that the sneezer is replied to three times. If he sneezes more than that, then the listener may reply if he wishes, and may leave it if he wishes. The main topic is sneezing etiquette, especially the question many people ask: do I say Yarhamukallah every time someone sneezes? Based on this text, the first three times are treated as the normal response, and after that the matter becomes optional. The hadith also includes At-Tirmidhi’s note about its chain, so the explanation should stay limited to the wording given. It teaches balanced manners without turning every repeated sneeze into pressure on others.
What we learn from this hadith
- Replying to a sneezer is mentioned for three times in this report.
- After more sneezes, the text gives a choice to reply or not.
- The hadith teaches balance in social manners.
- Do not make repeated sneezing difficult for the listener or the sneezer.
