Standing Up for Someone

Question:

What is the ruling in regards to the one who stands up for his parents if they enter the house like Faatimah -may Allah be pleased with her- used to do for the prophet and likewise similar to how the Prophet ﷺ used to do Faatimah?

Answer:

If it is to greet him and to seat him in a place, then there is no problem in that. As for standing up for him in a manner which signifies glory for him then this is impermissible as the Prophet ﷺ forbade the companions from that.

And Anas – may Allah be pleased with him –  mentioned:

“If they were (the companions) to stand for someone then they would have stood for the prophet ﷺ“

However, if someone was to stand like Faatimah stood, in order seat the one entering, the father or mother, then Faatimah did it for the Prophet ﷺ and likewise the Prophet ﷺ did it for Faatimah.

The prophet ﷺ said:

“قوموا إلى سيدكم..”

“Stand up for your leader.”

In order to bring him down from his riding beast as Sa’ad had been injured – may Allah be pleased with him.

So that which is prohibited is what some people do (the Shaykh then mentions a line of poetry):

“Stand up in glory for the teacher
For verily the teacher is close to being a messenger“

This type of standing is prohibited, the companions never stood like this for the Prophet ﷺ and he is the most glorified from the creation, and there is no one more greater than him, however even with that, when he saw that this type of standing will cause harm and faults in aqeedah and perhaps lead the companions to do something which is not permissible and not praiseworthy, he prohibited them from it as to obstruct them from the means of evil, even though their hearts contained greatness for him. However, he ﷺ used to dislike this type of standing, and I believe Al-Imaam Haafidh has some speech regarding this.

And this is from the ways of the non-arab, they used to stand for their kings.

? Al-Imaam Haafidh Ibn Hajr said:
“…a man standing for another man in glory for him, there has come the hadeeth of Mu’aawiyah (1) regarding this…in summary that which has been transmitted from (Imaam) Maalik is that he forbidded standing for someone until they sat down…
…for verily he was asked about a woman who exaggerates in honouring her husband, so she would greet him (as he enters the house) and take off his thobe, then she would stand until he sat, so Al-Imaam Maalik replied:
“As for greeting him then there is no problem in this….””

✏️ Shaykh Abu Bilaal – may Allah ﷻ preserve him – said commenting:
“He has told the truth for verily the companions greeted Sa’ad – may Allah be pleased with him – and the Prophet ﷺ ordered them to greet him and help him get down (from his
riding beast as he was injured).

Also, her taking off her husband’s thobe then there is nothing wrong with this, however as far as for her not sitting until he sits then this is wrong, it is not correct for her to do this, she doesn’t sit and she thinks that this is from honouring.”

? Al-Imaam Haafidh Ibn Hajr:
“Maalik replied:
“…As for greeting him then there is no problem in this, however as for her standing for him until he sits then no, this is from actions of the tyrants, and Umar bin Abdil Azeez has detested this…”

✏️ Shaykh Abu Bilaal – may Allah ﷺ preserve him – said commenting:

“Umar bin Abdil Azeez has forbidden this act that she should doesn’t sit until he sits. And this perhaps occurs with some of the righteous people, so you may find that the people stand for him until he sits, so if he sits then they sit after him.

This is the standing in which Al-Imaam Maalik has disapproved of, may Allah ﷻ have mercy on him.
So it’s a must that one abides to the likes of this and at the very least:

“دع ما يريبك إلى ما يريبك”

Leave that which is doubtful for that which is not doubtful.

? Al-Imaam Haafidh Ibn Hajr said after mentioning the opinion of Al-Imaam Maalik:
“…and what is understood from the hadeeth:
the people standing for their righteous leader and the Imaam who is just, and the students standing for their teacher is preferred, and it is only disliked to stand for someone who does not fulfill these characteristics…”

✏️ Shaykh Abu Bilaal – may Allah ﷻ preserve him – said commenting:

“This is not correct, rather if it was permissible then the companions would have done it with the prophet ﷺ. However, they did not stand for him even with the exaltation and respect they had in their hearts for him.

They only stood for Sa’ad to help him down (from his riding beast) – may Allah be pleased with them – and he was in need of someone to help him get down so they stood up to help him.

And Faatimah – may Allah be pleased with her – only stood for the prophet ﷺ in order to honour him and seat him.”

? Al-Imaam Haafidh Ibn Hajr:
“….and it is only disliked to stand for someone who is not of these characteristics…”

✏️ Shaykh Abu Bilaal – may Allah preserve him – said commenting:
“Whoever fulfills these characteristics or doesn’t, either way it is still not permissible to stand for him“

? Al-Imaam Haafidh Ibn Hajr:
“…and the meaning of the hadeeth:

“من أحب أن يقام له..”

‘whoever wishes for people to stand for him‘

I.e…he demands them, as a form of pride, to stand for him in rows…”

✏️ Shaykh Abu Bilaal – may Allah preserve him – said commenting:

“This has not come from the prophet ﷺ with this description and with this type confinement (i.e to have them stand for him in rows) rather the hadeeth is:

“من أحب أن يقام له ليتمثل له الناس فليتبوأ مقعده من النار”

Whoever likes for the people to stand for him then let him take his seat in the fire.

Yes, there has been reported the likes of this confinement, there is no doubt. However, it has been reported from the companions – may Allah be pleased with them – that they never used to stand for the prophet ﷺ (in this manner) whilst knowing he didn’t like it.

So this hadeeth, like you have heard, in it is a clarification (that whoever has this affair in his heart to love for the people to stand for him), and what is understood from it, is that this is more severe in punishment if he has this in his heart that he loves for the people to stand for him, his punishment is more severe. And if he is not pleased with it then he is to advise them that this action of theirs is not correct so we have:

▪ The one who loves this to be done for him: his punishment is more severe

▪ The one who is stood for, however he is not pleased with this: and this is not appropriate also. Upon him is to dislike this action from them for perhaps he may be afflicted with self amazement if they stood for him.

And the likes of this is the issue of ‘Isbaal’ (the lowering of garments below the ankles). The one who lowers his qamees or his izaar pridefully, and Allah’s refuge is sought, his punishment is more severe than the one who lowers his izaar not having any pride in his heart while doing so. The prophet ﷺ said regarding the second one:

“ما تحت الكعبين ففي النار”

Whatever is below the ankles is in the fire.

Whether he has pride in his heart, and Allahs refuge is sought, or not:

“ما تحت الكعبين ففي النار”

Whatever is below the ankles is in the fire.

As for the one who lowers his izaar below his ankles and he loves this due to pride, and Allah’s refuge is sought, then his punishment is more severe.

“ثلاثة لا ينظر الله إليهم…”

Three that Allah will not look at..

And from them, he ﷺ mentioned the one who lowers his izaar, this one his punishment is that Allah ﷻ will not look at him.

The second one, his punishment is lighter, that whatever is below the ankles is in the fire, and the affair of standing for someone is from this aspect.

So whoever is pleased with it then his punishment is more severe and whosoever is not pleased with it and he does not forbid it then he is exposing himself to the fire.

? Al-Imaam Haafidh Ibn Hajr:
“…al-Munthiree favoured the opinion of what proceeded from combining between the evidences as did Ibn Qutaybah and Al-Bukhari, and that is:
the standing which is prohibited is that an individual is stood for while he is sitting.

However Ibnul Qayyim has refuted this opinion in ‘Haashiyatus Sunan’ by mentioning that the context of the hadeeth of Mu’aawiyah indicates to the opposite of that, rather it only indicates that Mu’aawiyah prohibited to be stood for when he wanted to leave and that you would say that this is not called ‘standing for a man’ rather it would be called ‘standing on the head of a man’ (not literally, this is when a man is seated and he likes for others to stand for him)…and standing is of 3 levels:

▪ ‘standing on a man’s head’, and this is from the actions of the tyrants

▪ standing to (greet) him upon his arrival: and there is no problem In this

▪ standing upon seeing someone: there is a difference of opinion in this…”

✏️ Shaykh Abu Bilaal – may Allah preserve him – said commenting:

“Three types of standing:

▪ a prohibited standing and that is ‘standing on the head of a man’
This is from the actions of the tyrants, they love this.

▪ Standing to (greet him) 

“قوموا إلي سيدكم”

Stand to your leader.

With (إلى). This is done upon his arrival. So this one he says is ok.

▪ Standing for him upon seeing him: and this is the one where there is a difference of opinion in.
…this addition to the hadeeth is very important

“قوموا إلي سيدكم”

Stand to your leader

Not because of this leader – may Allah be pleased with him – rather stand up because of this reason:

“…لينزلوه”

To bring him down.

And the chain of narration is hassan (authentic)”

? Al-Imaam Haafidh Ibn Hajr:
“….it has been reported from Bukhari and Muslim and Abu Daawood that they used this hadeeth as evidence (to show that a man standing for another is legislated) and the wording which has been reported from Al-Imaam Muslim:

“I do not know a hadeeth more authentic than this hadeeth that legislates the standing of a man for another man“

However, Shaykh Abu Abdillah Ibnil Haaj opposed him, in summary what he mentioned is that if there is a difference of opinion in regards to the companions standing for Sa’ad (whether it shows it’s permissibility or not) then:

▪ why did the prophet ﷺ specifically order the ansaar? because the origin of the actions which one draws closeness to Allah ﷻ by is that they are general (i.e apply to everyone).

▪ And if standing for Sa’ad was a sign of righteousness and honour then the Prophet ﷺ would have been the first and foremost to have stood for him and he would’ve ordered the bigger companions who were present to do it also, so when the prophet ﷺ didn’t order with it nor did he stand nor did all of the companions, this goes to show that the standing which was ordered, was for another reason than that which the difference of opinion has taken place because of, and that was merely to bring him down from his riding beast as he was unable by himself due to a sickness as it has been mentioned in some other narrations.

▪ And the custom of the Arab is that the tribe are at service for their elderly and that’s why the prophet ﷺ specified the ansaar with standing for Sa’ad and not the Muhaajiroon not to mention that he ordered some of the ansaar and not all of them. Those that were ordered were from the tribe al-ows because Sa’ad was their leader and not alkhazraj (another tribe from the ansaar)

▪ Even if it were to be said that them standing for Sa’ad wasn’t to help him then we still say that Sa’ad was absent and he was arriving and for the one who was absent, standing up him for him upon his arrival is legislated….”

✏️ Shaykh Abu Bilaal – may Allah preserve him – said commenting:

“Beautiful, standing up for one who was absent upon his arrival is legislated, in order to embrace him and welcome him.
…no doubt that the one who was absent, he is waited for and his family are rejoicing for his arrival so they stand for him to greet him and welcome him this is something known customly…

This research is very beautiful and expansive from Fathul baari in regards to what relates to standing (for someone) whoever wishes to return to it, then let him come to Fathul baari under this hadeeth

“قوموا إلي سيدكم “

Standing to your leader

For this Research is specific for that.”

Translators notes:

(1) The hadeeth of Mu’aawiyah:

قَالَ خَرَجَ مُعَاوِيَةُ فَقَامَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ وَابْنُ صَفْوَانَ حِينَ رَأَوْهُ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ اجْلِسَا سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ “‏ مَنْ سَرَّهُ أَنْ يَتَمَثَّلَ لَهُ الرِّجَالُ قِيَامًا فَلْيَتَبَوَّأْ مَقْعَدَهُ مِنَ النَّارِ ‏”

Narrated Abu Miljaz:
that Mu’awiyah came out and ‘Abdullah bin Az-Zubair and Ibn Safwan stood for him when they saw him, So he said: “Sit, I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: ‘Whoever wishes that he be received by men standing then, let him take his seat in the Fire.'”

[Narrated by At-Tirmithi]

Answered by: Shaykh Abu Bilaal Al-Hadhramy – may Allah preserve him-

Source: https://t.me/abubilalhami/2852

Answered on: 1st Rabee’ul owwul 1441

Translated by: Abu Huthayfah Saamy Al-hindy