Fatwa ID: 08117

Answered by: Molana Sibghat Ullah

Question:

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

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

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].

Hope this answers the question.

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Molana 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).’