Fatwa ID: 08102

Answered by: Maulana Sibghat Ullah

Question:

What is the ruling on saying yarhamukAllah when someone sneezes? Is it fardhu ayn or kifaya?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

It is obligatory to respond to the one who sneezes and says Alhamdulillah (praise be to Allah). If one person of the group responds to it by saying Yarhamuk Allah (may Allah have mercy on you), then the obligation is lifted, but if everyone ignores it, then they will be sinful[i].

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Maulana Sibghat Ullah

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

Reference:

[i] Al-Durrul Mukhtar, Book of Manners, Volume 5, Page 263, Darul Kutub Al-Ilmiyah

ويجب تشميت العاطس إذا حمد الله، وهو فرض كفاية؛ لقوله صلى الله عليه وسلم: حق المسلم على المسلم ست، وذكر منها: إذا عطس فحمد الله فشمته.

It is obligatory to respond to the sneezer if he praises Allah, and this is a communal obligation (farḍ al-kifāyah), due to the statement of the Prophet (peace be upon him): ‘The rights of a Muslim over another Muslim are six,’ among them, ‘If he sneezes and praises Allah, then respond to him (with Yarhamuk Allah).’