❀ Islamic Teachings Regarding Yawning and the Devil ❀
✍ Compiled by: Dr. Raza Abdullah Pasha حفظه الله
Is yawning caused by the devil?
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"إن الله يحب العطاس، ويكره التثاؤب، فإذا عطس أحدكم وحمد الله تعالى، كان حقا على كل مسلم سمعه أن يقول له: يرحمك الله، و أما التثاؤب فإنما هو من الشيطان، فإن تثاءب أحدكم فليرده ما استطاع، فإن أحدكم إذا تثاءب ضحك منه الشيطان"
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Hadith No. 5872]
“Indeed, Allah loves sneezing and dislikes yawning. When one of you sneezes and praises Allah (by saying Alḥamdulillāh), it becomes obligatory upon every Muslim who hears it to say to him: Yarḥamukallāh. As for yawning, it is from the devil. So when one of you yawns, he should try his best to suppress it, for when one of you yawns, the devil laughs at him.”
This means that yawning is attributed to the devil, as he encourages laziness and negligence, leading to yawns. Therefore, when a person feels like yawning, he should suppress it to the best of his ability, because yawning pleases the devil.
It is also narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه that the Noble Prophet ﷺ said:
"التثاؤب من الشيطان، فإذا تثاءب أحدكم فليكظم ما استطاع"
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Hadith No. 2994]
“Yawning is from the devil. So when one of you yawns, he should suppress it as much as possible.”
Sayyiduna Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"إذا تثاءب أحدكم فليمسك بيده على فيه فإن الشيطان يدخل"
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Hadith No. 2995]
“When one of you yawns, he should place his hand over his mouth, for (if he does not), the devil enters (through it).”
① Sneezing is beloved to Allah, while yawning is disliked.
② Yawning originates from the devil, as it reflects laziness and inattentiveness.
③ Suppress yawning to the best of your ability.
④ If yawning is unavoidable, cover your mouth with your hand to prevent the devil from entering.
⑤ The devil rejoices when a person yawns openly without restraint.
✍ Compiled by: Dr. Raza Abdullah Pasha حفظه الله
❖ Question:
Is yawning caused by the devil?
❖ Answer:
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"إن الله يحب العطاس، ويكره التثاؤب، فإذا عطس أحدكم وحمد الله تعالى، كان حقا على كل مسلم سمعه أن يقول له: يرحمك الله، و أما التثاؤب فإنما هو من الشيطان، فإن تثاءب أحدكم فليرده ما استطاع، فإن أحدكم إذا تثاءب ضحك منه الشيطان"
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Hadith No. 5872]
“Indeed, Allah loves sneezing and dislikes yawning. When one of you sneezes and praises Allah (by saying Alḥamdulillāh), it becomes obligatory upon every Muslim who hears it to say to him: Yarḥamukallāh. As for yawning, it is from the devil. So when one of you yawns, he should try his best to suppress it, for when one of you yawns, the devil laughs at him.”
This means that yawning is attributed to the devil, as he encourages laziness and negligence, leading to yawns. Therefore, when a person feels like yawning, he should suppress it to the best of his ability, because yawning pleases the devil.
It is also narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه that the Noble Prophet ﷺ said:
"التثاؤب من الشيطان، فإذا تثاءب أحدكم فليكظم ما استطاع"
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Hadith No. 2994]
“Yawning is from the devil. So when one of you yawns, he should suppress it as much as possible.”
Sayyiduna Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"إذا تثاءب أحدكم فليمسك بيده على فيه فإن الشيطان يدخل"
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Hadith No. 2995]
“When one of you yawns, he should place his hand over his mouth, for (if he does not), the devil enters (through it).”
✔ Key Guidelines Derived from the Ahadith:
① Sneezing is beloved to Allah, while yawning is disliked.
② Yawning originates from the devil, as it reflects laziness and inattentiveness.
③ Suppress yawning to the best of your ability.
④ If yawning is unavoidable, cover your mouth with your hand to prevent the devil from entering.
⑤ The devil rejoices when a person yawns openly without restraint.
