Part 21

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“The examples of a righteous and evil companion are that of a

" Related by Bukhaaree (6408), Muslim (2689), Ahmad (7376), and AtTirmidhee (3378)

2] Related by Abu Daawood (4833), and Al-Albaanee ruled that it is Hasan. Ahmad (7968) and At-Tirmidhee (2378) related it as well.

Chapter - 7 The Etiquettes Of Gatherings 135

carrier of Al-Musk (perfume) and a blower of the bellows. As for the carrier of perfume, he will either give to you as a gift, or you will buy from him, or you will find a good smell emanating from him. As for the blower of the bellows, either he will burn your garment or you will find a vile smell [emanating from him].’"

The evil companion, whom we must avoid, is either an innovator (in the religion) or an evildoer.

Both the innovator and the evildoer pose many dangers to their friends and companions, but each poses dangers that are specific to him. An innovator threatens the well-being of his companions, both in the religious and the worldly sense. In befriending an innovator, especially one that is eloquent in speech, you will either adopt his innovations or you will be afflicted with doubt and confusion, which result from hearing his specious arguments. In many of their statements, our pious predecessors have warned us not to sit with the people of innovations, people who introduce into the religion that which does not belong in it. AlHasan Al-Basree said, ‘Do not sit with the people of desires, do not debate with them, and do not listen to them (so as to not become prey to their specious, though perhaps fair-sounding, arguments).”” Also referring to innovators, Abu Qulaabah said, “Do not sit with them and do not mix with them, for I do not feel safe for you otherwise: they may drown you in their misguidance and leave you confused about many matters that you knew and were sure about.”” And Al-Fudail Ibn ‘Iyaadh said, ‘Verily, Allah % has Angels that search out for circles of remembrance, so be cautious about those with whom you sit. Do not sit with an innovator, for Allah 4 does not look at them. And a sign of hypocrisy is for a man to stand in order to go and sit with an innovator.”

This is not to make light of the dangers of keeping company with an evildoer, for he too threatens the well-being of his companions and friends, albeit for different reasons. When you sit with an evildoer, you are never safe from hearing his foul language,

" Related by Bukhaaree (5534), Muslim (2628), and Ahmad (19127).

falsehood, slander, or backbiting. Furthermore, if he is negligent in performing his obligatory prayers, his negligence might rub off on you; and we can say the same for his other sins, sins that cause the heart to die. So we find that many people who went astray after having been guided did so because they began to keep company with evildoers.

3) Both When You Join And Leave A Gathering, Greet Its Members

In our discussion about the etiquettes of extending greetings of peace, we mentioned that it is Sunnah to greet the people of a gathering both when you arrive and when you intend to leave. Abu Hurairah 4 related that the Messenger of Allah #¢ said,

“Tf one of you ends up at a gathering, then let him extend greetings of peace. Then, let him sit if he deems it better to sit. Then if he stands, let him extend greetings of peace, for the first

[greeting, which he gave upon arriving] is not more worthy than the last (i.e., the greeting he gives when leaving).’")

In grading the authenticity of this narration, At-Tirmidhee said, “This hadith is Hasan.”

4) It Is Disliked To Ask A Person To Get Up From His Seat And Then Sit In His Place

After having sat down in the Masjid or any other place wherein it is permissible to sit, and after having left for some errand, upon returning, you have the greatest right to your previous seat or place of sitting, provided that you return in a short period of time. Therefore, if you find someone in your seat or spot, you have the right to ask him to move. Abu Hurairah # related that the Messenger of Allah 2 said,

1) Related by Abu Daawood (5208), and Al-Albaanee said, “Hasan sahih.” At-Tirmidhee (2706) related it as well, and the wording mentioned here is from his narration.

Chapter - 7 The Etiquettes Of Gatherings 137

“When one of you stands from his seat and then returns to it, he is more deserving of it.”""]

So long as it is Islamically lawful for you to sit in a particular seat, no one has the right to take your seat when you get up for a short while, and, while you are seated, no one has the right to ask you to move. Ibn ‘Umar % related that the Prophet 2% forbade a Muslim from asking a man to leave his seat so that someone else can take that seat instead, but instead ‘make space and spread out.’ And Ibn ‘Umar # would hate to sit in the place of a man who stood up [either to give up his place or to leave momentarily]. The wisdom behind this ruling is obvious: no one should have the right to belittle his Muslim brother, because belittling others results in resentment; and Muslims should be humble and kind to one another, because kindness leads to mutual love and compassion. Furthermore, in lawful matters, people are equal; your right is your right, and my right is mine, so when someone tries to pry away that right without having just cause for doing so, he is perpetrating a prohibited deed.

Question: We know that it is disliked to ask a person to leave his seat and then to sit in his place. But what if he permits someone to sit in his place?

Answer: If, of his own volition, a person gets up and allows you to take his seat, you may do so, for the right of the seat is his, and the owner of a right may, if he wishes, give up his right to another. True, it is related from Ibn ‘Umar # that he disliked to sit in another person’s seat, even if that person gave him

PI Related by Muslim (2179), Ahmad (7514), Abu Daawood (4853), Ibn Maajah (3717), and Ad-Daarimee (2654). The wording used here is from Muslim’s narration of the hadith.

"1 Related by Bukhaaree (6270), Muslim (2177), Ahmad (4645), At-Tirmidhee (2750), Abu Daawood (4828), and Ad-Daarimee (2653). The wording mentioned above is from Bukhaaree’s narration.

permission to do so, Abu Al-Khusaib said, “I was sitting down, and then Ibn ‘Umar 4 came. A man stood up from his seat for Ibn ‘Umar &, but the latter didn’t take his seat, but instead sat elsewhere. The man said, ‘There would have been no sin upon you had you sat [in my place].’ Ibn ‘Umar answered, ‘After having witnessed a certain incident from the Messenger of Allah 3%, I never want to sit in your place, or in anyone else’s place for that matter. A man went to the Messenger of Allah #, and another stood from his seat, so that the former could take his seat, which is what he went to do, but the Messenger of Allah #2 forbade him [from taking the other man’s seat].’”""] So yes, this was Ibn ‘Umar’s stance; but that does not mean that it is forbidden for you to sit in another person’s seat after that person grants you permission to sit there. Discussing Ibn ‘Umar’s stance, An-Nawawee said, “This was Wara’ (Wara’ is to leave a permissible deed, from the fear that that deed will lead to a forbidden deed or will harm one’s practice of the religion in any way) on his part. Therefore, it is not Haram for you to sit in someone’s place after he willingly relinquishes his right to it. Ibn ‘Umar # showed Wara’ in this regard for one of two reasons: first, perhaps he sensed the person only got up because he felt shy or obliged to give up his seat, and not because he wanted to give it up; hence, Ibn ‘Umar & closed the door to such behavior, whereby one gives up his seat to someone whom he holds in high esteem. Second, perhaps Ibn ‘Umar didn’t want the man to perform a disliked deed - but how so? When it comes to virtues or good deeds, it is disliked in Islam for you to prefer someone to your own self; for example, there is more reward for being in the first rows for prayer (for men), so if you are sitting in the first row and you see someone arrive whom you hold in high esteem, it is disliked for you to relinquish your seat to him and to move back to another row. Perhaps this was the exact situation that prompted Ibn ‘Umar to refuse to sit in the man’s place. And Allah 3 knows best.

") Related by Ahmad (5542)

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Question: Because of their knowledge of the above-mentioned ruling, some people place a prayer-rug or something similar in the first row of the Masjid, in effect reserving a place for them in that row, even if they arrive late. Is this practice legislated in Islam?

Answer: Shaikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah clarified the ruling for thi’ .sue: ‘Many people leave rugs at the Masjid, whether on Friday or on any other day, so that when they arrive there, their place is reserved for them. Although many people do this, it is a practice that is, by the consensus of the Muslims, Haram (forbidden). Suppose that one does leave his rug in the said fashion (to reserve his place even though he arrives later than others who deserve his place in the first or early row), is his prayer on that rug valid? Scholars disagree, but in essence, as it is forbidden to wrongfully usurp another person’s land, so too is it forbidden to wrongfully take another person’s place in the Masjid, that other person being one who arrived early at the Masjid.” He then went on to say, ‘In Islam, it is legislated for people to first complete the earlier rows in the Masjid. The Prophet # said,

B48 G5 he oy te eth Ger us oes Vib Dell (rw)

“Will you not line up as the Angels line up with their Lord?” The Companions asked, “And how do the Angels line up with their Lord?” He #% said, ‘They complete the first row, and then the one that follows it (and so on), and they are pressed together in the row,’"")