Part 16

And yet another group of scholars take this from the hadith: if one stands to glorify the other person, then that is disliked. But if one stands simply to honor him, then there is no harm in that. AlGhazaalee and Ibn Hajr are among those who hold this view.

In the following words, Ibn Taymiyyah summarized the entire issue:

It was not customary for our pious predecessors, during the lifetime of the Prophet #¢ and his rightly-guided Khaleefahs, to stand whenever they saw the Prophet #%, which is what many people do [today (i.e, they stand whenever they see someone they know)}. In fact, Anas Ibn Maalik said, “They loved no person more than they loved the Prophet #%, yet when they would see him, they would not stand for him, because they knew that he disliked that“! On the other hand, they would sometimes stand for someone who was absent but then arrived, in order to receive and welcome him. Such is related from the Prophet #8, who stood for ‘Ikrimah #. And when Sa’ad Ibn Mu’aadh # was approaching, the Prophet # said to the Ansaar,

“Stand to your chief.” Sa‘ad # was arriving to issue judgment regarding Banu Quraidhah, who agreed to have him judge in their matter. People should accustom themselves to follow our predecessors in what they were upon during the lifetime of the Prophet 2%; after all, they constituted the best generation of this Nation. The best

1] Related by Bukhaaree in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad (946), and Al-Albaanee said, “sahih.”” 1 Bukhaaree (6262)

Chapter - 4 The Etiquettes Of Meeting Another Muslim 103,

speech is Allah’s Speech, and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad 2%. No one, therefore, should deviate from the guidance of the best human being or from the guidance of the best generation, choosing instead to follow a guidance that is lesser in goodness. One who holds sway [among people (i.e., a person of authority)} should not approve of his companions if they stand for him upon every common, regular encounter. If people stand to receive someone who is returning from a journey or for someone in similar circumstances, then that is good.

Also, if it is a custom among people to welcome a comer by standing, and if one knows this custom and not the Sunnah whereby he will feel insulted or wronged if people do not stand to meet him, then it is better to stand, because doing so is more likely to keep people on amiable terms and away from hatred and malice. On the other hand, if one knows that the custom of people is in accordance with the Sunnah in this issue, people will not harm him (his ego) by not standing for him.

Tbn Hajr said, “In general, whenever not standing leads to harm or to a person feeling insulted (because people in that society customarily stand for someone who is arriving from elsewhere), [people should stand]. Ibn ‘Abdus-Salaam alluded to that meaning.”

5) Should A Man Kiss His Brother When He Meets Him?

Unlike the situation in our societies today, neither the Companions # nor those who came after them from our pious predecessors would kiss one another when they would meet. Narrations that establish the practice of kissing upon meeting one’s brother are not strong enough to counter the clear hadith that forbids kissing upon the occasion of meeting one’s brother. Al-Albaanee listed the Ahadeeth that establish the practice of one kissing his brother upon meeting him, and he pointed out that they are all defected and thus cannot be used as proofs. Furthermore, if we suppose that they are acceptable, it is not permissible to use them to counter an authentic hadith. And that authentic hadith in this issue is related by Anas Ibn Maalik

, who said, “A man said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, when one of us meets his brother, may he bow for him?’ The Messenger of Allah 2% said, ‘No.’ The man said, ‘Then may he hug him and kiss him?’ The Messenger 2 said,

He then said, ‘Then may he shake his hand?’ The Messenger 2 said,

“Yes, if he wants,’”1)

Although the hadith clearly forbids bowing and kissing for regular, common encounters, it does not forbid hugging someone when he arrives after having been absent for a while or after he returns from a journey, a ruling that is established based on the hadith of Jaabir Ibn ‘Abdullah 2. Jaabir 4 reported that he heard that a companion of the Prophet #, who was in Ash-Sham. at the time, had with him a hadith he himself had not heard. Jaabir 4 wanted to hear it directly from that companion; he later related, “So I bought a camel, and I tied my saddlebag to it, [traveling] for one month, until I reached Ash-Sham, where I encountered ‘Abdullah Ibn Unais # (i.e, the Companio whom he was seeking out). I announced [to a messenger] that Jaabir % is at the door. The messenger then returned and asked, ‘Jaabir Ibn ‘Abdullah?’ to which I responded, ‘Yes.’ He (‘Abdullah Ibn Unais 4) then came out and hugged me. I said, ‘Ahadeeth reached me that I have not yet heard, and I feared that I or you would die [before I could hear it].’” ‘Abdullah Ibn Unais then said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah # say,

wg Sob tye - GO gf - stad ar Le ‘When Allah will gather His slaves, they will be naked,

' Related by At-Tirmidhee (2728), Ibn Maajah (3702), and others. And AlAlbaanee related it in his Silsilatus-Saheehah (160) (1/248)

Chapter - 4 The Etiquettes Of Meeting Another Muslim 105

We asked, ‘What is Buhman?’ He #¢ said,

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‘They will not have anything with them. Then He (Allah $8) will call out to them with a voice that those far off will hear (and I think he # said, ‘just as those nearby will hear): I am the King. No one from the people of Paradise should enter Paradise while someone from the people of the Hellfire demands restitution from him for some wrong. And no one from the people of the Hellfire should enter the Hellfire while someone from the people of Paradise demands restitution from him for some wrong.’

Isaid, ‘And how is that (how will there be restitution)? For when we will go to Allah, we will be naked and Buhman (without any possession)?’ He #% said,

“[Restitution will be made] with [the exchange of] good and bad deeds,"

Another Related Issue: Scholars disagree about the practice of

1 Related by Bukhaaree in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad (970), and Al-Albaanee said, “Hasan.”

kissing a person’s hand. One group says that you may do so if you are bestowing honor of the religious kind; however, it is not permissible to do so if you are bestowing honor of the worldly kind. An example of the former is when Abu ‘Ubaidah 4 kissed the hand of ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab . As for the latter kind, the only exception to the above-mentioned ruling is if you fear punishment or physical harm from a tyrant, for example. One example this group of scholars cites for kissing a person’s hand to confer honor of the religious kind is related from ‘Abdullah, the son of Imam Ahmad. ‘Abdullah said, “I saw many scholars, Fugahaa (scholars of jurisprudence), Muhaddithoon (hadith scholars), people from Banu Haashim, from the Quraish, and from the Ansaar - all kissing him (referring to his father), some on his hand and some on his head.”

Other scholars have disliked the practice of kissing a person’s hand - even if it is to bestow honor of the religious kind - calling it the ‘lesser prostration.’ Sulaimaan Ibn Harb said, “It is the lesser prostration. As for someone intentionally initiating the practice by holding out his hand to people, so that they can kiss it, that is forbidden, no matter who he is; no one disagrees about this ruling. Disagreement [among scholars] arises in this issue when the person who wants to kiss the other person’s hand initiates the practice [by taking hold of the other person’s hand and raising it to his lips].’””

6) When You Greet Someone, It Is Forbidden To Bow To Him Or Perform Prostration Before Him

Anas Ibri Maalik .% said, ‘‘A man said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, when one of us meets his brother, may he bow for him?’ The Messenger of Allah 2 said,

The man said, ‘Then may he hug him and kiss him?’ The Messenger 2% said,

Chapter - 4 The Etiquettes Of Meeting Another Muslim 107

He then said, ‘Then may he shake his hand?’ The Messenger # said,

‘Yes, if he wants.”""

The hadith is clear in its categorical prohibition of bowing before another created being; this is because we may only bow, as we do in prayer, to the Creator, Allah 3s. If this is the ruling for bowing, then there is even more cause for the same ruling to apply to prostrating.

Ibn Taymiyyah said, “As for a person bowing when he greets another, doing so is forbidden. It is related in At-Tirmidhee that people asked the Prophet 2% if it is permissible for a man who meets his brother to bow before him? The Prophet #% said, ‘No.’ This is because we are forbidden from bowing and prostrating to anyone but Allah ‘Azza-Wa-Jall.””

Without a doubt, prostration signifies a deeper and higher level of worship than does bowing; the meanings of submission and humility are definitely found in a greater degree in prostrating than they are in bowing. Because of the superlative merits and spiritual qualities - such as complete submission and humility - associated with the act of prostration, the Messenger of Allah 2, in a hadith related by Ibn ‘Abbaas #, said,

“As for the prostration, strive hard to supplicate [while in that

position], for [when you supplicate while prostrating] you are

deserving and worthy of being answered.”" 71

" Related by At-Tirmidhee (2728), Ibn Maajah (3702), and others. And AlAlbaanee related it in his Silsilatus-Saheehah (160) (1/248)

"1 Related by Muslim (479), Ahmad (1903), An-Nassaaee (1045), Abu Daawood (876), Ibn Maajah (3899), and Ad-Daarimee (1325)

Therefore, since prostration involves a great deal of glorification for its object, it is Haram (forbidden) for one to perform it to anyone other than to Allah 38. The proof for this ruling is hadith wherein it is mentioned that when Mu'aadh # returned from Ash-Sham, he performed prostration to the Prophet #2 (not the prostration of worship but that of conferring honor). The Prophet # asked,