What is the ruling on standing for a guest when receiving him, given that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade it?

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, people have the custom of standing for a guest when receiving him. What is the ruling on standing, given that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade it and disliked it? Is it a form of honoring?

Answer:
My brother, it is not like that. Standing to greet someone and to receive a guest is permissible. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said to the Ansar, "Stand up for your master," meaning Sa'd ibn Mu'adh. So receiving a guest and greeting him is permissible. What the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade is for people to stand up while he is sitting. A person is sitting and people stand up over him; this is not permissible. This is the practice of the Persians and the Romans. However, if he needs a guard, be careful: if the ruler needs a guard, there is no harm. But standing up over him to honor him while he is sitting is not permissible.