The act of standing up out of respect upon hearing the name of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ or mentioning the Milad is baseless and without origin. Its foundations are merely built on personal desires, and exaggeration has gripped it tightly. The proof of Shariah commands comes from the Quran and Hadith, the consensus of the Ummah, and the understanding of the Salaf, and in all these sources, there is no mention or indication of standing up during Milad. However:
❀ One person says:
Reciting salutations and peace upon the Prophet ﷺ while standing is the Sunnah of the noble Prophets.
Comments on their arguments will be made in the following lines; for now, observe the statements of the scholars on this matter.
❀ Allama Muhammad bin Yusuf Salihi Shami
states:
جرت عادة كثير من المحبين إذا سمعوا بذكر وصفه صلى الله عليه وسلم أن يقوموا تعظيما له صلى الله عليه وسلم، وهذا القيام بدعة، لا أصل له
Among many claimants of love for the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, this habit has become common that when they hear any attribute of the Prophet ﷺ mentioned, they stand up out of respect for him ﷺ. This standing is an innovation for which there is no evidence in the Shariah.
❀ Allama Abdul Hai Lakhnawi Hanafi
says:
منها أى من القصص المختلقة الموضوعة ما يذكرونه من أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم يحضر بنفسه فى مجالس وعظ عند ذكر مولده، فبنوا عليه القيام عند ذكر المولد تعظيما وإكراما، وهذا أيضا من الأباطيل، لم يثبت ذلك بدليل، ومجرد الاحتمال والإمكان خارج عن حد البيان
Among the fabricated stories narrated by the innovators is one that in gatherings where the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is mentioned, he ﷺ is physically present in those gatherings. Based on this, they have fabricated the tradition of standing during the mention of the Prophet’s ﷺ birth. These are falsehoods, and no evidence supports them. These acts are based on possibilities and conjectures, and there is no proof for them.
❀ Allama Ibn Hajar Haithami, may Allah have mercy on him
, says:
نظير ذلك فعل كثير عند ذكر مولده صلى الله عليه وسلم، ووضع أمه له من القيام، وهو أيضا بدعة، لم يرد فيه شيء على أن الناس إنما يفعلون ذلك تعظيما له صلى الله عليه وسلم، فالعوام معذورون لذلك بخلاف الخواص
Many people standing up out of respect while mentioning the birth of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is also an innovation. No evidence is found for this. People do this out of the intention of honoring the Messenger. The common people are poor and ignorant, while the learned will surely understand.
Furthermore, supporters of standing during Milad differ among themselves. Their statements are found, and the contradictions in their statements are neither acceptable nor worthy of consideration in the court of investigation, for example:
Some say that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is physically present in that gathering, while others say:
“However, it is among the possibilities that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ may spiritually attend the Milad gathering.”
❀ Some have said:
Such an occurrence is like a possible miraculous event.
The important point! These are all their own words. There is no basis for this in the Quran and Sunnah.
Similarly, some extremist Sufis claim that they see the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in a waking state or that the Prophet ﷺ attends their Milad gatherings, etc. This is explicitly against the Book, Sunnah, and consensus of the Ummah. Therefore, these statements hold the same status as falsehood. The Prophet ﷺ has passed away, has gone to Allah, and the deceased will only be resurrected on the Day of Judgment, not before.
❀ Allah Almighty says:
﴿ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ لَمَيِّتُونَ ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ تُبْعَثُونَ﴾
Then indeed, you are to die, and indeed on the Day of Resurrection you will be resurrected.
Allah informs that the deceased will be resurrected only on the Day of Judgment and will not return once they have left this world. Whoever says that a person can return after death commits a violation of the truth, the truth recognized by the Salaf and followed by the companions of the Messenger ﷺ and the great Tabi‘in.
Some Deobandi elders also permit the presence of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in Milad gatherings after his death and consider standing during his mention permissible.
❀ Haji Imdadullah Makki Sahib
says:
However, one should not believe in the time of standing during the birth. If the possibility of attendance is considered, there is no harm, because the created world is bound by time and place, but the world of command is free from both. Therefore, it is not far-fetched that the blessed presence may occur.
❀ In Allama Ashraf Ali Thanwi’s book, it is mentioned:
When the Masnavi Sharif was completed, after the completion, the order was given to prepare sherbet, and it was said that Maulana (Rome) would also be honored with it. Surah Al-Ikhlas was recited eleven times, and the sherbet was distributed. He said that there are two meanings of honor: one is humility and servitude, which is only for God and associating others is forbidden polytheism. The other is offering to God and conveying the reward to God’s servants, which is permissible. People deny this. What is wrong with it? If some acts have unlawful side effects, those side effects should be removed, not the original act denied. Denying such matters prevents great good, like standing during the noble birth. If someone stands out of respect when the name of the Prophet ﷺ is mentioned, what is wrong with that? When someone comes, people stand to honor him. If the noble name of this leader of the worlds (may my soul be sacrificed for him) is honored, what sin is there?
This is a false analogy to compare the world of spirits with the world of bodies, while the rulings for both are separate. None of the Salaf accepted these things, there is no mention of it in the Quran and Hadith, and later scholars have also declared it an innovation.
Is Qiyam-e-Ta’zeem a legitimate practice?
The respect for the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is an essential part of every believer’s faith, but who will define the limits of this respect? Certainly, this right belongs only to Allah Almighty and His beloved ﷺ.
❀ Allama Bashir Ahmad Sahaswani, may Allah have mercy on him
says:
نحن معاشر أهل الحديث نعظم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بكل تعظيم جاء فى الكتاب والسنة الثابتة، سواء كان ذلك التعظيم فعليا أو قوليا أو اعتقاديا، والوارد فى الكتاب العزيز والسنة المطهرة من ذلك الباب فى غاية الكثرة ، وأهل البدع؛ فمعظم تعظيمهم تعظيم محدث كشد الرحال إلى قبر الرسول، والفرح بليلة ولادته، وقراءة المولد، والقيام عند ذكر ولادته صلى الله عليه وسلم، وتقبيل الإبهام عند قول المؤذن: أشهد أن محمدا رسول الله، والتمثل بين يديه قياما، وطلب الحاجات منه صلى الله عليه وسلم، والنذر له، وما ضاهاها، وأما التعظيمات الثابتة، فهم عنها بمراحل
We, all Ahl al-Hadith, show every respect to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that is established in the Holy Quran and authentic Sunnah, whether that respect is through actions, words, or beliefs. There is abundant respect of this kind in the Noble Quran and the Pure Sunnah… But the limits of respect according to the innovators (Ahl al-Bid’ah) are that they introduce innovations, such as traveling specifically to the blessed grave of the Prophet ﷺ, celebrating the night of the Prophet’s birth, reciting the Mawlid, standing up when mentioning the birth of the Prophet ﷺ, kissing the thumb when the Mu’adhdhin says أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ in the call to prayer, standing like idols in front of the blessed grave of the Prophet ﷺ, asking needs from the Prophet ﷺ, and offering food in his name, etc. These people are far removed from the established teachings of the Quran and Sunnah.
❀ Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him
says:
إنما تعظيم الرسل بتصديقهم فيما أخبروا به عن الله، وطاعتهم فيما أمروا به، ومتابعتهم، ومحبتهم، وموالاتهم
The respect for the Prophets and Messengers depends on affirming the truth of the news they brought, following their commands, and loving and supporting them.
❀ Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan Naeemi writes:
There is no restriction on respect; rather, in whatever time and place, whatever manner of respect is appropriate, do it, provided that Shariah has not forbidden it, such as prostration or bowing as a form of respect. In our time, royal decrees were also read standing. Therefore, the mention of the Beloved should also be done standing. Look at ﴿كُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا﴾ — there is absolute permission to eat and drink, meaning eat and drink every lawful food, so biryani, zarda, and qorma are all lawful whether they existed in the early generations or not.
If standing during the mention of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is a form of respect for him ﷺ, then why were the Companions, the great Followers (Tabi‘in), the Followers of the Followers (Taba‘ al-Tabi‘in), the Imams of the religion, and the righteous predecessors deprived of this respect? Where is the respect for our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is a matter of religion and faith, and where are the worldly matters of eating and drinking? According to the Quran and Sunnah, the Muslim principle is that in religious matters, proof is required to do something, while in worldly matters, proof is required to forbid something.
Standing up in someone’s honor is not permissible:
① Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik رضي الله عنه says:
ما كان أحد من الناس أحب إليهم شخصا من رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، كانوا إذا رأوه لا يقوموا له أحد منهم، لما يعلمون من كراهيته لذلك
No one loved the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم more than the companions رضي الله عنہم, but no companion used to stand upon seeing the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم, as they knew that the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم did not like this.
Imam Tirmidhi graded this hadith as Hasan Sahih.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah
states:
لم تكن عادة السلف على عهد النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم وخلفائه الراشدين أن يعتادوا القيام كلما يرونه صلى الله عليه وسلم، كما يفعله كثير من الناس
In the time of the Noble Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and the Rightly Guided Caliphs, it was not customary for the companions رضي الله عنہم to stand out of respect upon seeing the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم, but now this custom has become common.
It is absolutely not proven from any companion that they stood out of respect for the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم or out of respect for his mention.
❀ Abu Mujaz Lahq bin Humaid رحمه الله narrates:
معاوية على ابن الزبير وابن عامر، فقام ابن عامر وجلس ابن الزبير، فقال معاوية لابن عامر: اجلس، فإني سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: من أحب أن يتمثل له الرجال قياما، فليتبوأ مقعده من النار
Sayyiduna Muawiyah رضي الله عنه came to Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله عنه and Abdullah bin Amir. Ibn Amir stood up, but Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله عنه did not stand. Sayyiduna Muawiyah رضي الله عنه said to Abdullah bin Amir: Sit down, I have heard the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم say that whoever likes people to stand for him like idols, let him prepare his place in Hellfire.
Imam Tirmidhi graded this hadith as Hasan.
❀
contains the words:
خرج معاوية ذات يوم، فوثبوا فى وجهه قياما، فقال: اجلسوا، اجلسوا فإني سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: من سره أن يستخم بنو آدم قياما؛ دخل النار
One day Sayyiduna Muawiyah رضي الله عنه came outside, and people quickly stood before him. He said: Sit down, sit down, for I have heard the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم say that whoever wants people to stand for him out of respect will enter the fire.
❀ Muhaddith al-Albani
says:
دلنا هذا الحديث على أمرين؛ الأول تحريم حب الداخل على الناس القيام منهم له، وهو صريح الدلالة بحيث أنه لا يحتاج إلى بيان، والآخر كراهة القيام من الجالسين للداخل، ولو كان لا يحب القيام، وذلك من باب التعاون على الخير، وعدم فتح باب الشر، وهذا معنى دقيق دلنا عليه راوي الحديث معاوية رضي الله عنه، وذلك بإنكاره على عبد الله بن عامر قيامه له، واحتج عليه بالحديث، وذلك من فقهه فى الدين، وعلمه بقواعد الشريعة التى منها سد الذرائع
From this hadith, we learn two things:
① The first is explicit: it is forbidden for a person to desire that people stand up out of respect for him.
② The second is that those present in the gathering should not stand up out of respect for the person; this is a disliked act. When people do not stand and the person does not like it, this will promote good and close the doors of evil. This subtle meaning was explained by the narrator of the hadith, Sayyiduna Muawiyah رضي الله عنه. He forbade Abdullah bin Amir from standing for him and gave the hadith as evidence. This shows Sayyiduna Muawiyah رضي الله عنه’s religious jurisprudence and his knowledge of the principles of Shariah; blocking means is also a principle of Shariah.
This warning relates to standing out of respect; standing up for reception is permissible.
❀ Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah
explains these words:
إن ذلك أن يقوموا له وهو قاعد، ليس هو أن يقوموا لمجيئه إذا جاء، ولهذا فرقوا بين أن يقال: قمت إليه، وقمت له، والقائم للقادم ساواه فى القيام بخلاف القائم للقاعد
This warning relates to the situation where a person is sitting and people stand before him. Standing up to receive someone is not included in this warning. Therefore, scholars have distinguished between standing for someone and standing up for someone. In reception standing, the newcomer and those rushing to him stand on equal footing, whereas standing out of respect for a seated person removes this equality.
❀ Regarding Sayyidah Fatimah رضي الله عنها, Sayyidah Aisha رضي الله عنها narrates:
كانت إذا دخلت عليه قام إليها، فأخذ بيدها، فقبلها، وأجلسها فى مجلسه، وكان إذا دخل عليها، قامت إليه، فأخذت بيده فقبلته، وأجلسته فى مجلسها
When she came to the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم, he would stand to receive her, hold her hand, kiss it, and seat her in his place. Similarly, when the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم went to her house, she would stand to receive him, hold his hand, kiss it, and seat him in her place.
This narration was declared authentic by
. Hafiz Dhahabi agreed with their verdict.
Thus, standing for reception is permissible. Apparently, this narration conflicts with those hadiths forbidding standing, but reconciliation and application between them is possible:
❀ Allama Ibn Qayyim
says:
المنهي عنه القيام للرجل، وأما القيام إليه للتلقي إذا قدم؛ فلا بأس به، وبهذا تجتمع الأحاديث
Standing out of respect for a person is blameworthy, but standing up to receive someone is not blameworthy. This reconciles all the hadiths.
A clarification:
❀ Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah رضي الله عنهما narrates:
اشتكى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فصلينا ورائه وهو قاعد، وأبو بكر يسمع الناس تكبيره، فالتفت إلينا فرآنا قياما، فأشار إلينا، فقعدنا، فصلينا بصلاته قعودا، فلما سلم، قال: إن كدتم آنفا لتفعلون فعل فارس والروم، يقومون على ملوكهم، وهم قعود، فلا تفعلوا، اثتموا بأئمتكم إن صلى قائما فصلوا قياما، وإن صلى قاعدا؛ فصلوا قعودا
The Noble Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم became ill. We prayed behind him while he was sitting, and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه was loudly saying the Takbir so that people could hear. The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم looked at us and felt that we were standing, so he signaled for us to sit. We sat and prayed behind him while sitting. After finishing the prayer, he said: You have just acted like the Persians and Romans, who stand before their kings while the king sits. Do not treat your Imam like this. If he prays standing, you pray standing; if he prays sitting, you pray sitting.
❀ Hafiz Nawawi
says:
فيه النهي عن قيام العلمان والتباع على رأس متبوعهم الجالس لغير حاجة، وأما القيام للداخل إذا كان من أهل الفضل والخير؛ فليس من هذا، بل هو جائز، قد جاءت به أحاديث، وأطبق عليه السلف والخلف
The prohibition mentioned in the hadith refers to standing unnecessarily by small children and servants near their masters’ heads while the masters (kings, etc.) are sitting. Other standing that occurs upon the arrival of people of virtue and excellence is not included in this warning; it is permissible. There are hadiths about this, and the Salaf and Khalaf agreed on its permissibility.
❀ Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah
says:
في هذا الحديث أنه أمرهم بترك القيام الذى هو فرض فى الصلاة، وعلل ذلك بأن قيام المأمومين مع قعود الإمام يشبه فعل فارس والروم بعظمائهم، فى قيامهم وهم قعود، ومعلوم أن المأموم إنما نوى أن يقوم لله لا لإمامه، وهذا تشديد عظيم فى النهي عن القيام للرجل القاعد، ونهي أيضا عما يشبه ذلك، وإن لم يقصد به ذلك، ولهذا نهي عن السجود لله بين يدي الرجل، وعن الصلاة إلى ما قد عبد من دون الله، كالنار ونحوها، وفي هذا الحديث أيضا نهي عما يشبه فعل فارس والروم، وإن كانت نيتنا غير نيتهم لقوله: فلا تفعلوا
This hadith mentions that if the Imam is sitting, it is obligatory for the followers to sit as well, because standing while the Imam is sitting resembles the Persians and Romans, who stand out of respect for their dignitaries while their kings sit. This resemblance is the reason for prohibition, because the follower stands only for Allah, and his standing is for the Imam. This prohibition is an exaggeration; if standing out of respect is forbidden due to resemblance, then how much worse is standing out of respect itself? Just as prostrating to Allah is obligatory, but adopting a posture during prostration that might be mistaken for prostration to a servant is forbidden. Similarly, facing false deities during prayer is forbidden, like fire and similar things. Thus, the prohibition in this hadith is about standing resembling the Persians and Romans.
❀ Allama Ibn Qayyim
says:
حمل أحاديث النهي عن القيام على مثل هذه الصورة ممتنع، فإن سياقها يدل على خلافه، وأنه صلى الله عليه وسلم كان ينهى عن القيام له إذا خرج عليهم، ولأن العرب لم يكونوا يعرفون هذا، وإنما هو من فعل فارس والروم، ولأن هذا لا يقال له قيام للرجل، إنما هو قيام عليهم ففرق بين القيام للشخص المنهي عنه، والقيام عليه المشبه لفعل فارس والروم، والقيام إليه عند قدومه الذى هو سنة العرب، وأحاديث الجواز تدل عليه فقط
It is not possible to apply the prohibitive hadiths to this situation because the context of this hadith contradicts it. Also, the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم forbade standing when he came out and this was not a known custom among the Arabs; it was only the practice of Persians and Romans. This is not called standing for a person, but standing near a person. Therefore, standing for a person which is forbidden and standing resembling the Persian and Roman practice are two different things, while standing upon the arrival of a person is an Arab custom, and the hadiths that prove the permissibility of standing refer only to this (second) type of standing.
Amr ibn Sa’ib’s Mursal Report:
Amr ibn Sa’ib narrates that he heard this hadith that one day the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was sitting when his foster father came. The Prophet, peace be upon him, spread a part of his cloak for him. He sat on it. Then the Prophet’s foster mother came, so the Prophet, peace be upon him, spread the other side of the cloak for her. She sat on it. Then the Prophet’s foster brother came. The Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, stood up and seated him in front of himself.
It is weak due to being a mursal chain.
Falsehood Attributed to Sayyida Umm Fadl, may Allah be pleased with her:
❀ It is narrated from Sayyida Umm Fadl رضي الله عنها:
أتى النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم، فلما رآه النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم قام إليه فقبل ما بين عينيه، ثم أقعده عن يمينه
Sayyiduna Abbas رضي الله عنه came to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. When the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم saw him coming, he stood up to welcome him, kissed his forehead, and seated him on his right side.
The narration is false. Hafiz Dhahabi has declared it fabricated.
❀ Hafiz Dhahabi says about Ahmad bin Rushdain Hilali:
هو الذى اختلقه بجهل
He fabricated it due to his ignorance.
Only Ibn Hibban mentioned him in Al-Thiqat
. This is his leniency.
Doubts and Their Refutation:
Some people say that the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ used to stand up out of respect for the Prophet ﷺ. In response, they have presented the mentioned evidences. The technical status of these evidences is as follows:
① Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrates:
كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلمح يجلس معنا فى المسجد يحدثنا، فإذا قام، قمنا قياما حتى نراه قد دخل بعض بيوت أزواجه
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to sit with us in the mosque and talk. When he ﷺ stood up, we also stood up and remained standing until we saw him enter the house of one of his pure wives.
This hadith cannot be used as evidence for standing out of respect for several reasons:
➊ The chain of narration is weak.
❀ About Hilal ibn Abi Hilal Al-Madani, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal says:
لا أعرفه
I do not recognize him.
❀ Imam Ibn Shahin رحمه الله says:
لا أعرفه
I do not know him.
❀ Hafiz Al-Dhahabi رحمه الله says:
لا يعرف
He is unknown.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar called him acceptable (majhool al-hal).
Only Imam Ibn Hibban mentioned him among the trustworthy
, so he is “majhool al-hal” (unknown status).
➋ Hafiz Ibn Hajar says:
الذى يظهر لي فى الجواب أن يقال: لعل سبب تأخيرهم حتى يدخل لما يحتمل عندهم من أمر يحدث له حتى لا يحتاج إذا تفرقوا أن يتكلف استدعاتهم، ثم راجعت سنن أبى داود، فوجدت فى آخر الحديث ما يؤيد ما قلته، وهو قصة الأعرابي الذى جبذ رداءه صلى الله عليه وسلم، فدعا رجلا فأمره أن يحمل له على بعيره تمرا وشعيرا، وفي آخره، ثم التفت إلينا، فقال: انصرفوا رحمكم الله تعالى
In my opinion, the Companions رضي الله عنهم may have remained standing until the Prophet ﷺ entered his house so that if the Prophet ﷺ needed anything from us, he would not have to trouble himself by calling us. Then I referred to Sunan Abi Dawood, and at the end of this hadith, I found words that support my view. It is an incident involving a Bedouin who pulled the blessed cloak of the Prophet ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ called a man and ordered him to load dates and barley on the Bedouin’s camel. At the end of the hadith, it says that the Prophet ﷺ turned to us and said: “May Allah have mercy on you, now you may go.”
➌ Allama Mulla Ali Qari Hanafi
says:
لعلهم كانوا ينتظرون رجاء أن يظهر له حاجة إلى أحد منهم، أو يعرض له رجوع إلى الجلوس معهم، فإذا أيسوا؛ تفرقوا، ولم يقعدوا لعدم حلاوة الجلوس بعده عليه السلام
Perhaps they waited in hope that the Prophet ﷺ might need something from one of them or intend to come back to them. When they realized that the Prophet ﷺ would neither come back nor call them, they would leave. After the Prophet ﷺ, the pleasure of the gathering was no longer there.
Therefore, it is not correct to argue from this that the Companions رضي الله عنهم stood up out of respect for the Prophet ﷺ, and it is even more incorrect to base standing up while reciting salutations (salawat) on this.
② Sayyiduna Abu Jahfa رضي الله عنه narrates:
لما قدم جعفر من هجرة الحبشة؛ تلقاه النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم فعانقه، وقبل ما بين عينيه، وقال: ما أدري بأيهما أنا أسر؛ بفتح خيبر أو بقدوم جعفر؟
When Ja’far رضي الله عنه returned from the migration to Abyssinia, the Prophet ﷺ welcomed him, kissed him between the eyes, and said: I do not know which of two things brings me more joy, the victory of Khaybar or the arrival of Ja’far رضي الله عنه?
The chain is weak.
❀ About Ahmad ibn Khalid Harani, Imam Darqutni رحمه الله says:
ضعيف، ليس بشيء، ما رأيت أحدا أثنى عليه
He is weak, of no use; I have never seen anyone praise him.
❀ Hafiz Al-Dhahabi says:
واه
He is a weak narrator.
❀ About his follower Anas ibn Sulaym, Hafiz Haishmi says:
لم أعرفه
I could not recognize him.
❀ His following was also done by Uthman ibn Muhammad ibn Uthman.
No statement of authentication is established about him either. Therefore, this narration is also weak.
③ About Ukramah ibn Abi Jahl رضي الله عنه:
لما بلغ باب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم استبشر، ووثب له رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قائما على رجليه، فرحا بقدومه
When he reached the door of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, the Prophet ﷺ was very happy and quickly stood up on his feet out of joy for his arrival.
It is a fabrication. Muhammad ibn Umar Al-Waqidi is “weak” and “abandoned.” Also, his teacher Abu Bakr ibn Abdullah ibn Abu Subrah is a fabricator (one who invents false hadith) and a liar.
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal says:
يضع الحديث
He used to fabricate hadith.
④ Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنها narrates that when Sayyiduna Zaid ibn Harithah رضي الله عنه came to Medina, the Prophet ﷺ was in my chamber. He knocked on the door:
فقام إليه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عريانا يجر ثوبه، والله، ما رأيته عريانا قبله ولا بعده، فاعتنقه وقبله
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood up towards him, adjusting his clothes without being fully dressed. By Allah! I have never seen him meet anyone before or after without being fully dressed. The Prophet ﷺ embraced him and kissed him.
The chain is very weak.
❀ Ibrahim ibn Yahya ibn Muhammad is a weak narrator.
❀ Yahya ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Ibad Al-Madani is also weak.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar says:
كان ضريرا يتلقن
He was blind and accepted prompting.
❀ Muhammad ibn Ishaq Al-Madani is a mudallis (one who conceals the source).
❀ Al-Zuhri is also a mudallis.
Neither specified the hearing, so the narration is weak.
❀ In the chain of Tarikh Ibn Asakir
, Muhammad ibn Umar Al-Waqidi is abandoned.
⑤ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Uthman ibn Affan رضي الله عنه that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq رضي الله عنه told me a matter:
قمت إليه، فقلت له: بأبي أنت وأمي، أنت أحق بها
I stood towards you ﷺ and said: May my parents be sacrificed for you ﷺ! You have more right to it.
The chain is weak due to a “majhul rajul” (unknown man).
⑥ When Sayyiduna Sa’d ibn Mu’adh رضي الله عنه was called by the Prophet ﷺ, he came riding a donkey. When he approached the mosque, the Prophet ﷺ said to the Ansar:
قوموا إلى سيدكم
Stand up for your leader.
This does not mean to stand up out of respect for the leader, but rather to stand up and help him dismount because he was injured at that time. This is supported by the narration where the Prophet ﷺ said:
قوموا إلى سيدكم فأنزلوه، فقال عمر: سيدنا الله عز وجل، قال: أنزلوه، فأنزلوه
Run to your leader and help him down from the mount. Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه said: Our leader is Allah. The Prophet ﷺ said: Help Sa’d down. So the Companions رضي الله عنهم helped him down.
Imam Ibn Hibban
declared this hadith authentic. Hafiz Ibn Hajar graded its chain as “Hasan” and wrote:
هذه الرواية تخدش فى الاستدلال بقصة سعد على مشروعية القيام المتنازع فيه
These additional words invalidate the argument for standing up out of respect (mutanazi’ fih).
❀ Imam Muslim
says:
لا أعلم فى قيام الرجل للرجل حديثا أصح من هذا، وهذا القيام على وجه البر لا على وجه التعظيم، أمر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم الأنصار أن يقوموا إلى سيدهم
In my opinion, this hadith is the most authentic regarding standing up out of respect. However, this standing means standing out of good manners, not out of respect. The Prophet ﷺ ordered the Ansar to run to their leader.
Imam Bayhaqi
says:
هذا القيام يكون على وجه البر والإكرام، كما كان قيام الأنصار لسعد، وقيام طلحة لكعب بن مالك، ولا ينبغي للذي يقام له أن يريد ذلك من صاحبه، حتى إن لم يفعل يحقد عليه، أو شكاه، أو عاتبه
This standing means good conduct and standing out of respect, as is proven by the Ansar standing for Sayyiduna Sa’d رضي الله عنه and Sayyiduna Talhah رضي الله عنه standing for Sayyiduna Ka’b ibn Malik رضي الله عنه. However, if a person likes others to stand for him and expresses anger and complaint if they do not, then standing for him is not correct.
❀ Shah Waliullah Dehlawi
says:
عندي أنه لا اختلاف فيها فى الحقيقة، فإن المعاني التى يدور عليها الأمر والنهي مختلفة، فإن العجم كان من أمرهم أن تقوم الخدم بين أيدي سادتهم، والرعية بين أيدي ملوكهم، وهو من إفراطهم فى التعظيم، حتى كاد يتأخم الشرك، فنهوا عنه، وإلى هذا وقعت الإشارة فى قوله عليه السلام: كما يقوم الأعاجم
I believe there is no real disagreement in these hadith and narrations because the meanings and purposes on which the command and prohibition depend are different. The custom of non-Arabs was that servants stood before their masters and subjects stood before kings (not sitting but standing with hands tied). Doing so was an exaggeration in respect and linked to shirk. Therefore, the Companions رضي الله عنهم were prevented from such standing. This is also indicated in the Prophet’s ﷺ command not to stand like non-Arabs.
❀ Allama Shams al-Haq Azimabadi
says:
قد أورد المؤلف فى هذا الباب حديثين دالين على جواز القيام، ثم ترجم بعد عدة أبواب بلفظ: باب الرجل يقوم للرجل يعظمه بذلك، وأورد فيه حديثين يدلان على النهي عن القيام، فكأنه أراد بصنيعه هذا الجمع بين الأحاديث المختلفة فى جواز القيام وعدمه، بأن القيام إذا كان للتعظيم مثل صنيع الأعاجم؛ فهو منهي عنه، وإذا كان لأجل العلم، والفضل، والصلاح، والشرف، والود، والمحبة؛ فهو جائز
Imam Abu Dawood brought two hadiths under this chapter that indicate the permissibility of standing. Then after several chapters, he established a chapter with similar words about standing out of respect for a person and narrated two hadiths that prove the prohibition of such standing. It seems that the Imam wanted to reconcile the hadiths about permissibility and impermissibility of standing by stating that standing out of respect as done by non-Arabs is prohibited, but standing due to knowledge, virtue, nobility, and love is permissible.
❀ Allama Ghazali
says:
القيام مكروه على سبيل الإعظام، لا على سبيل الإكرام
Standing out of respect is disliked, not standing out of honor and respect.
❀ Hafiz Nawawi
says:
أما إكرام الداخل بالقيام؛ فالذي نختاره أنه مستحب لمن كان فيه فضيلة ظاهرة من علم أو صلاح أو شرف أو ولاية مصحوبة بصيانة، أو له ولادة أو رحم مع سن ونحو ذلك، ويكون هذا القيام للبر والإكرام والاحترام، لا للرياء والإعظام، وعلى هذا الذى اخترناه استمر عمل السلف والخلف
Our preferred approach regarding standing out of respect is that it should be based on apparent virtue and excellence, such as knowledge, piety, honor, nobility, long life, seniority, kinship, etc. Standing for such reasons is recommended, provided it is due to kindness, connection, respect, and honor, not for show or mere respect. This approach was followed by the predecessors.
❀ Allama Ibn al-Hajj
says under this hadith:
لو كان القيام المأمور به لسعد هو المتنازع فيه؛ لما خص به الأنصار، فإن الأصل فى أفعال القرب التعميم، ولو كان القيام لسعد على سبيل البر والإكرام؛ لكان هو صلى الله عليه وسلم أول من فعله، وأمر به من حضر من أكابر الصحابة، فلما لم يأمر به، ولا فعله، ولا فعلوه؛ دل ذلك على أن الأمر بالقيام لغير ما وقع فيه النزاع، وإنما هو لينزلوه عن دابته لما كان فيه من المرض، كما جاء فى بعض الروايات، ولأن عادة العرب أن القبيلة تخدم كبيرها، فلذلك خص الأنصار بذلك دون المهاجرين، مع أن المراد بعض الأنصار لا كلهم، وهم الأوس منهم، لأن سعد بن معاذ كان سيدهم دون الخزرج، وعلى تقدير تسليم أن القيام المأمور به حينئذ لم يكن للإعانة، فليس هو المتنازع فيه، بل لأنه غائب قدم، والقيام للغائب إذا قدم؛ مشروع
If the command to stand for Sa’d رضي الله عنه was for standing out of respect (mutanazi’ fih), then the Prophet ﷺ would not have specifically ordered only the Ansar because good deeds are generally for all. If standing for Sa’d رضي الله عنه was for honor and virtue, the Prophet ﷺ would have done it himself first and ordered the senior Companions رضي الله عنهم present to do so. Since the Prophet ﷺ did not order the senior Companions nor did he stand himself, nor did the Companions stand, it is clear that this command was not for the disputed purpose (not for respect). The command was only to help Sayyiduna Sa’d رضي الله عنه dismount because he was ill, as mentioned in some narrations. Also, the Arabs had the custom that the whole tribe served their chief. That is why the Prophet ﷺ ordered only the Ansar, not the Muhajirin. Moreover, it was not all the Ansar but some of them, i.e., the tribe of Aws, because Sayyiduna Sa’d رضي الله عنه was their chief, not of Khazraj. Even if it is accepted that the command to stand was not to help Sa’d رضي الله عنه dismount, it still cannot be standing out of respect because it was due to the arrival of an absent person, and standing for an arriving person is permissible in Shariah.
If someone interprets this standing as out of honor, it is also permissible in our view.
❀ Imam Hammad ibn Zayd
says:
كنا عند أيوب، فجاء يونس، فقال حماد: قوموا لسيدكم، أو قال: لسيدنا
We were with Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani. Yunus came, so Hammad said: Stand up for your leader or ours.
❀ Sayyiduna Ka’b ibn Malik رضي الله عنه says:
قام إلى طلحة بن عبيد الله يهرول حتى صافحني وهنأني، والله، ما قام إلى رجل من المهاجرين غيره
Talhah ibn Ubaydullah رضي الله عنه ran towards me and stood up, shook hands with me, and congratulated me. By Allah! No one else from the Muhajirin stood up towards me.
This standing was for the purpose of reception, which is permissible and allowed.
Standing for the Funeral:
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr رضي الله عنهما narrates that a person asked the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم whether he should stand for the funeral of a disbeliever. The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
نعم، قوموا لها، فإنكم لستم تقومون لها، إنما تقومون إعظاما للذي يقبض النفوس
Yes! You should stand when you see him, because you do not stand out of respect for the deceased, but rather out of respect for the One who takes souls.
Hafiz Dhahabi has agreed with their verdict.
❀ Hafiz Haishami رحمه الله says:
رجال أحمد ثقات
(The narrators of) Musnad Ahmad in this narration are trustworthy.
Allama Ayni Hanafi has graded its chain as Hasan.
Al-Tabarani says:
إنما تقومون لمن معها من الملائكة
You stand because of the angels who are present with them.
❀ Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrates:
مر على النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم بجنازة، فقام وقال: قوموا؛ فإن للموت فزعا
Once a funeral passed by the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم, and he stood up. He said: Stand up, because there is a fear in death.
Hafiz Haishami has graded its chain as Hasan.
❀ Hafiz Busiri رحمه الله says:
هذا إسناد صحيح، رجاله ثقات
This chain is authentic and the narrators are trustworthy.
❀ Hafiz Ibn Hajar
applies these hadiths:
لأن القيام لفزع الموت فيه تعظيم لأمر الله، وتعظيم للقائمين بأمره فى ذلك، وهم الملائكة
Standing due to the severity of death is actually by the command of Allah Ta’ala and out of respect for the angels appointed by Allah Ta’ala.
(فتح الباري: 180/3)
Remember that standing upon seeing a funeral is permissible and recommended. Its obligation has been abrogated, while the recommendation remains.
Dear readers! Now we return again to the standing out of respect. You have understood that standing for the mention of the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم, or for sending salutations (Durood), or for the mention of Mawlid, is not proven by any fabricated or invented narration. In other words, there is absolutely no evidence for this in the Qur’an and Hadith, therefore it is an innovation (Bid’ah).
The Establishment of the Pious Predecessors
❀ Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan Naeemi Sahib
writes:
Standing up upon the mention of (Baqi Malayim) is the Sunnah of the pious predecessors.
This is a strange Sunnah of the Salaf that there is absolutely no evidence of it from any Companion (may Allah be pleased with him), Tabi’i, or Tabi’ al-Tabi’in, not even from Imam Abu Hanifa or Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani. What commentary can we make on this?
❀ Mufti Sahib further writes:
At the time of the blessed birth, the angels stood on the dais. Therefore, standing upon the mention of the birth is similar to the action of the angels.
This is baseless and without proof. It is not possible for us to meet angels and there is no narration supporting this; how Mufti Sahib came to know this is unknown.
❀ Further:
The Prophet (peace be upon him) stood on the pulpit and described his attributes and noble lineage, so the origin of this standing was found.
. Its chain is weak. Yazid ibn Abi Ziyad is considered weak by the majority.
❀ Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani
says:
ضعيف، كبر، فتغير، صار يتلقن، وكان شيعيا
He was a weak narrator. He became forgetful in old age and started accepting people’s words, and he was also a Shia.
❀ Hafiz Haishmi (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
قد ضعفه جمهور الأئمة
The majority of the Imams have declared him weak.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani says:
الجمهور على تضعيف حديثه
The majority consider his hadith weak.
❀ Hafiz Busiri (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
أخرجه مسلم فى المتابعات، ضعفه الجمهور
Imam Muslim narrated his hadith in Mutaba’at. The majority consider it weak.
It also contains the ‘Ananah of Sufyan al-Thawri. Therefore, this narration is weak, so what reasoning is based on it?
❀ Mufti Sahib writes:
The Shariah has not prohibited it and the common Muslims of every country consider it a virtue and do it, and whatever a Muslim considers good, it is also good in the sight of Allah.
In Shariah rulings, the permission and approval of Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) are necessary. Did the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), the Tabi’in, and the great Imams practice this? Did they also consider it good? If the answer is yes, then this act will also be good in the sight of Allah, but if the answer is no, then there is no doubt that it is a reprehensible innovation (bid’ah). Allah, the Almighty, states this:
أَفَمَن زُيِّنَ لَهُ سُوءُ عَمَلِهِ فَرَآهُ حَسَنًا
Is one for whom his evil deed has been made attractive so that he considers it good?
Remember the rule that firstly, innovations (bid’ahs) do not come under general proofs. Secondly, this method creates suspicion about the pious predecessors that they did not understand those evidences from which today’s people have extracted religion.
New Discovery:
A person says that standing and sending blessings and peace upon the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is the practice of the noble Prophets.
① Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik رضي الله عنه narrates that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, while describing his journey of Mi’raj, said:
مررت على موسى، وهو يصلي فى قبره
I passed by Musa (Moses) عليه السلام, and he was praying in his grave.
Similarly, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ also said about Sayyiduna Ibrahim عليه السلام:
إذا إبراهيم قائم يصلي
Ibrahim عليه السلام was standing and praying.
❀ About Sayyiduna Isa عليه السلام, he said:
إذا عيسى ابن مريم قائم يصلي
Isa ibn Maryam عليه السلام was standing and praying.
This person says that the word Salat here does not mean prayer (Salah), but rather sending blessings and peace (Durood and Salaam), because the word Salat is not used only for prayer, but also for sending mercy, praising, and sending blessings and peace.
Undoubtedly, the word Salat has many meanings, but interpreting it as Durood and Salaam in the above hadiths is a sign of unfamiliarity with Arabic, a distortion of the meaning of the hadith, and opposition to the pious predecessors (Salaf).
Here, the word Salat cannot mean Durood and Salaam because:
➊ None of the pious predecessors ever explained it with this meaning.
➋ The word Salat means Durood and Salaam only when followed by ‘Ala’ (upon). In the hadiths about the Prophets, the words are قَائِمٌ يُصَلِّي فِي قَبْرِهِ (standing and praying in his grave), not قائم يصلي عليه فى قبره.
Therefore, the flaw in our respected person’s argument becomes clear.
❀ Allama Abdul Rauf Munawi
says:
أى يدعو ويثني عليه ويذكره، فالمراد الصلاة اللغوية، وهى الدعاء والثناء، وقيل المراد الشرعية، وعليه القرطبي
Meaning, they were supplicating, praising Allah, and mentioning Him. Therefore, here the intended meaning of Salat is the linguistic one, which means supplication and praise. According to one opinion, it means the prescribed prayer. This is also the position of Allama Qurtubi.
Apart from the Prophets, it is also established that other people pray in their graves.
② Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
A believer will be asked to sit in the grave, and he will sit. He will be shown the setting sun and asked: What do you think about the man who was sent among you? What is your testimony about him? He will say:
دعوني حتى أصلي، فيقولون: إنك ستفعل، فأخبرني عما نسألك عنه
Leave me so that I may pray the Asr prayer. The angels will say: Answer the first question, then pray.
Imam Hakim declared it authentic according to Imam Muslim’s conditions. Hafiz Dhahabi agreed with him.
❀ Hafiz Haithami رحمه الله also said its chain is Hasan.
Thabit Banani said:
أللهم إن كنت أعطيت أحدا أن يصلي لك فى قبره؛ فأعطني ذلك
O Allah! If You have granted anyone the ability to pray for You in the grave, then grant me this ability as well.
From this statement of the great Tabi’i, it is also clear that Salat in the grave means prayer, not Durood or the like.
❀ Allama Ibn al-Hajj Maliki
says in refutation of an innovation:
ما حدث بعد السلف رضي الله عنهم لا يخلو إما أن يكونوا علموه، وعلموا أنه موافق للشريعة ولم يعملوا به، ومعاذ الله أن يكون ذلك، إذ إنه يلزم منه تنقيصهم وتفضيل من بعدهم عليهم، ومعلوم أنهم أكمل الناس فى كل شيء، وأشدهم اتباعا، وإما أن يكونوا علموه وتركوا العمل به، ولم يتركوه إلا لموجب أوجب تركه، فكيف يمكن فعله؟ هذا مما لا يتحلل، وإما أن يكونوا لم يعلموه، فيكون من ادعى ذلك أعلم منهم وأعرف بوجوه البر وأحرص عليها، ولو كان ذلك خيرا؛ لعلموه ولظهر لهم، ومعلوم أنهم أعقل الناس وأعلمهم
Whatever appeared after the pious predecessors رضي الله عنهم is not free from three possibilities: Either the Salaf knew about it and also knew that these things were in accordance with the Shariah, yet they did not practice them. May Allah forbid! This is impossible because it would belittle the Salaf and prove the superiority of the later generations, whereas they were perfect in everything and foremost in following the Shariah. The second possibility is that the Salaf knew about these things but abandoned them. They abandoned them due to a proof that it was obligatory to abandon them. If it was due to a proof, then how is it permissible now? This would be among the impermissible acts. The third possibility is that the Salaf did not know about these things. But then the question arises: How did the later generations come to know about them? Do the later generations have more knowledge than the Salaf? Are they more knowledgeable about good deeds and more eager for righteousness? If these were good deeds, the Salaf would have known them. It is established that they were more intelligent and knowledgeable than all others.
Conclusion:
Standing up to recite salutations upon hearing the mention of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ or standing up out of respect during the mention of his birth is an innovation (bid’ah). If this were a virtuous act, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), the Followers, and the Imams of the religion would certainly not have neglected it.
