This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amanpuri's book Aamad Mustafa ﷺ.
Is standing up a legitimate way of showing respect?
The reverence of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is an essential part of every believer's faith, but who will define the limits of this reverence? Certainly, this right belongs only to Allah Almighty and His beloved ﷺ.
◈ Allama Bashir Ahmad Sahaswani (may Allah have mercy on him, died 1326 AH) 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 kind of reverence to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that is established in the Holy Quran and authentic Sunnah, whether that reverence is practical, verbal, or doctrinal. There is abundant reverence of this kind in the Noble Quran and the pure Sunnah. But the limits of reverence of the innovators (Ahl al-Bid'ah) are that they introduce innovations, such as setting out towards the blessed grave of the Messenger 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 أشهد أن محمدا رسول الله in the Adhan, standing like an idol in front of the blessed grave of the Prophet ﷺ, asking needs from the Prophet ﷺ, and offering food in the name of the Prophet ﷺ, etc. These people are miles away from the established teachings of the Quran and Sunnah."
Reference: (Siyanat al-Insan 'an Waswasat Dahlan p. 244)
◈ Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him, died 728 AH) says:
إنما تعظيم الرسل بتصديقهم فيما أخبروا به عن الله، وطاعتهم فيما أمروا به، ومتابعتهم، ومحبتهم ، وموالاتهم .
"The reverence of the Prophets and Messengers depends on affirming the news brought by the Prophets, following their commands, and having love and loyalty towards them."
Reference: (Kitab al-Radd 'ala al-Akhnai p. 24, 25)
◈ While Naeemi Sahib writes:
There is no restriction in reverence; rather, in whatever time and place, whatever method of reverence is practiced, do it, provided that the Shariah has not declared it forbidden, such as reverential prostration and bowing. And in our time, royal decrees were also read while standing. Therefore, the mention of the Beloved should also be done standing. Look at ﴿كُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا﴾, where there is absolute permission to eat and drink, that you may eat and drink every lawful food, so biryani, zarda, and qorma are all lawful whether they existed in the best of times or not.
Reference: (Jaa al-Haqq, Vol. 1 p. 254)
If standing during the mention of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is a form of reverence, then why were the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), the great Tabi‘in (may Allah have mercy on them), the Tabi‘ al-Tabi‘in, the Imams of the religion, and the pious predecessors deprived of this reverence? Where is the reverence of our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is religion and faith, and where are the worldly matters of eating and drinking? According to the principles of Islam in the light of the Quran and Sunnah, evidence is necessary to perform religious matters, while evidence is necessary to forbid worldly matters.
It is not permissible to stand in honor of someone
◈ 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 يقوم له أحد منهم، لما يعلمون من كراهيته لذلك .
“No one loved the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم more than the companions رضي الله عنهم, but no companion رضي الله عنه would stand up upon seeing the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, as they knew that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not like that.”
Reference: (Musnad Imam Ahmad: 134/3, Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 2754 with authentic chain)
Imam Tirmidhi رحمه الله has classified this hadith as "Hasan Sahih."
◈ Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله (d. 728 AH) says:
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 صلى الله عليه وسلم and the Rightly Guided Caliphs رضي الله عنهم, it was not customary for the companions رضي الله عنهم to stand up out of respect when seeing the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, but now this custom has become common.”
Reference: (Majmu' al-Fatawa: 374/1)
It is absolutely not established that any companion رضي الله عنه stood up in respect of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم or in respect of his mention.
◈ Abu Mujallas Laheq bin Humaid, a Tabi'i رحمه الله, narrates:
خرج 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 رحمه الله. Ibn Amir رحمه الله stood up, but Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Zubair رضي الله عنه did not stand. Sayyiduna Muawiyah رضي الله عنه said to Abdullah bin Amir رحمه الله: Sit down, I have heard the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم say that whoever likes people to stand up for him as if he were an idol, let him prepare his place in Hellfire.”
Reference: (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah: 586/8, Musnad Imam Ahmad: 91/4, 93, 100, Musnad Abd bin Humaid: 413, Al-Adab al-Mufrad by Bukhari: 977, Sunan Abi Dawood: 5229, Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 2755, Tahdhib al-Athar by al-Tabari: 568/2, 569 with authentic chain)
Imam Tirmidhi رحمه الله has classified this hadith as "Hasan."
◈
Reference: (Tahdhib al-Athar by al-Tabari 567/2, 568 with Hasan chain)
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 up before him. He said: Sit down, sit down, for I have heard the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم say that whoever wants people to stand up for him out of respect will enter the Fire.”
◈ Muhaddith al-Albani رحمه الله (d. 1420 AH) 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, two things become clear to us:
The first is explicit: it is forbidden for the person who arrives to desire that people stand up for his respect.
The second is that those present in the gathering should not themselves stand up in his respect; this is a disliked act. When people do not stand and the one who arrives does not like it, this will help promote good and close the doors of evil. This subtle meaning was explained by the narrator of the hadith, Sayyiduna Muawiyah رضي الله عنه, who forbade Abdullah bin Amir رحمه الله from standing up for him and gave him the hadith as evidence. This shows Sayyiduna Muawiyah رضي الله عنه’s religious jurisprudence and his knowledge of the rules of Shariah; blocking means is also a principle of Shariah.”
Reference: (Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah: 629/1)
This warning relates to standing up out of respect; standing up for reception is permissible.
◈ Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله (d. 728 AH) explains the meaning of these words:
إن ذلك أن يقوموا له وهو قاعد، ليس هو أن يقوموا لمجينه إذا جاء، ولهذا فرقوا بين أن يقال : قمت إليه، وقمت له، والقائم للقادم ساواه فى القيام بخلاف القائم للقاعد .
“This warning relates to the case where a person is sitting and people stand before him. Standing up to receive someone does not fall under this warning. Therefore, scholars have distinguished between standing up for someone and standing up to receive someone. In reception standing, the one who arrives and those who rush to him stand on equal footing, whereas standing up out of respect for a seated person breaks this equality.”
Reference: (Majmu' al-Fatawa: 375/1)
◈ Regarding Sayyida Fatimah رضي الله عنها, Sayyida 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 would come to the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم, he would stand up to receive her, take her hand, kiss it, and seat her in his place. Similarly, when the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم would visit her, she would stand up to receive him, take his hand, kiss it, and seat him in her place.”
Reference: (Sunan Abi Dawood: 5217, Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 3872 with authentic chain)
This narration has been classified as "Sahih" by Imam Ibn Hibban
Reference: (6952)
and Imam Hakim
Reference: (264/4)
رحمه الله, and Hafiz Dhahabi رحمه الله has agreed with their classification.That is, standing up for reception is permissible. Apparently, this narration conflicts with those hadiths that forbid standing up, but reconciliation and application between them is possible:
◈ Allama Ibn Qayyim رحمه الله (d. 751 AH) writes:
المدموم القيام للرجل، وأما القيام إليه للتلقي إذا قدم؛ فلا يأس به، وبهذا تجتمع الأحاديث .
“Standing up out of respect for a person is blameworthy, but standing up to receive someone is not blameworthy. This reconciles all the hadiths.”
Reference: (Sharh Ibn al-Qayyim on Sunan Abi Dawood with 'Awn al-Ma'bud: 127/14)
