The reason the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) disliked the Companions standing up to greet him.
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The Shaykh : Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned in this hadith that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) disliked this standing. What is the reason? It is related to worship, because standing for a person out of honor, respect, and glorification is akin to the Muslim who stands praying to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), standing in humility with his right hand over his left on his chest. Therefore, a Muslim should not honor a servant of Allah with this ritual that indicates the exaltation of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) by His servant when he stands before Him in prayer. This meaning is indicated by other narrations related to prayer. It was reported in *Sahih Muslim*:
The Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) ability to see those behind him in prayer was a special attribute and a prophetic miracle for him (peace and blessings be upon him), as he could see behind him in prayer just as he saw in front of him. Therefore, in another hadith, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said to his Companions one day:
In this hadith, there is a very significant point, which is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) ordered the healthy people who were able to stand behind him while he was sitting to join him in sitting. This means that he waived a pillar of prayer for them, which is standing. As the Lord of all creation said: meaning: silent and worshipping.
He waived this pillar for one reason: so that an image of polytheism would not appear, even if the intention was good and pure. He wanted to rectify the outward appearance, because the outward appearance is the title of the inward reality. He wanted to prevent any resemblance between the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who was sitting out of necessity and not out of arrogance as the King of Persia, Kisra, sits on his throne, and the Companions standing behind him. They did not stand to honor him, but to honor Allah, Lord of the worlds. Despite this great difference in intentions, he ordered them to sit so that an image resembling that of the kings of Persia and their nobles, who stand over their kings, would not appear. So he ordered them to sit.
Once we understand this fact, that standing was waived for every worshipper in order to prevent this image, which is the image of the polytheists of Persia, what would be the case if Muslims stood not for Allah, but for other than Allah (Mighty and Majestic)? It is no wonder that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) disliked this standing from his Companions when he entered the gathering and they wanted to show their love for him and their respect for him. So he forbade them from it and disliked it for them. For this reason, he (peace and blessings be upon him), contrary to what is known today, not only among presidents and rulers and the like, but also among many scholars and shaykhs, when they enter a gathering, people must stand for them and honor and exalt them with this standing. So there is severe warning for whoever loves this standing, after we have known its lack of legitimacy. That is his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan Abi Dawud 5229Sahih (Al-Albani), Sunan Abi Dawud 5229Sahih (Al-Albani). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) made the love of the one entering the gathering for the people sitting in it to stand for him one of the major sins, similar to the major sin of fabricating lies against the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and attributing false statements to him in his hadiths. As reported in the authentic, mass-transmitted hadith: Sunan Abi Dawud 3651Sahih (Al-Albani). Similarly, he said regarding the one entering the gathering: .
And to cut off the disease of loving arrogance, superiority, and pride over Muslims through such a phenomenon.
That the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) was riding his mount one day when it stumbled and threw him to the ground, and he was injured in his arm. So he was unable to pray standing. When the time for the midday prayer came, he prayed sitting. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) saw that those behind him were praying standing.
أن النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم كان راكباً ذات يوم على دابته فجحشت به ورمته أرضًا وأصيب في عضده، فلم يستطع الصلاة قائما لما حضرت صلاة الظهر فصلى جالساً ورأى النبي صلى الله عليه وأله وسلم أن من خلفه يصلون قياماًThe Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) ability to see those behind him in prayer was a special attribute and a prophetic miracle for him (peace and blessings be upon him), as he could see behind him in prayer just as he saw in front of him. Therefore, in another hadith, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said to his Companions one day:
Do not precede me in bowing and prostration, for I see you from behind me as I see you from in front of me.
لا تسبقوني بالركوع والسجود فإني أراكم من خلفي كما أراكم من أماميSo he saw them praying standing while he was sitting, and he gestured to them with his hand like this, saying, "Sit down." So they sat. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) finished the prayer, he said to them: "You were just about to do what the Persians do with their nobles, standing over their kings. The imam is placed to be followed. So when he says takbir, say takbir; when he bows, bow; when he prostrates, prostrate; when he prays standing, pray standing; and when he prays sitting, pray sitting, all of you."
فرآهم يصلون قياما وهو جالس فأشار إليهم بيده هكذا أن اجلسوا فجسلوا ، ولما أتم النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم الصلاة قال لهم: كدتم آنفاً أن تفعلوا فعل فارس على عظمائها، يقومون على رؤوس ملوكهم إنما جعل الإمام ليؤتم به فإذا كبر فكبروا، وإذا ركع فاركعوا، وإذا سجد فاسجدوا، وإذا صلى قائما فصلوا قياماً، وإذا صلى جالسا فصلوا جلوساً أجمعينAnd stand for Allah in humble devotion.
وقوما لله قانتينHe waived this pillar for one reason: so that an image of polytheism would not appear, even if the intention was good and pure. He wanted to rectify the outward appearance, because the outward appearance is the title of the inward reality. He wanted to prevent any resemblance between the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), who was sitting out of necessity and not out of arrogance as the King of Persia, Kisra, sits on his throne, and the Companions standing behind him. They did not stand to honor him, but to honor Allah, Lord of the worlds. Despite this great difference in intentions, he ordered them to sit so that an image resembling that of the kings of Persia and their nobles, who stand over their kings, would not appear. So he ordered them to sit.
Once we understand this fact, that standing was waived for every worshipper in order to prevent this image, which is the image of the polytheists of Persia, what would be the case if Muslims stood not for Allah, but for other than Allah (Mighty and Majestic)? It is no wonder that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) disliked this standing from his Companions when he entered the gathering and they wanted to show their love for him and their respect for him. So he forbade them from it and disliked it for them. For this reason, he (peace and blessings be upon him), contrary to what is known today, not only among presidents and rulers and the like, but also among many scholars and shaykhs, when they enter a gathering, people must stand for them and honor and exalt them with this standing. So there is severe warning for whoever loves this standing, after we have known its lack of legitimacy. That is his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):
Let him who likes people to stand up before him prepare his place in Hell.
من أحب أن يتمثّل له الناس قياماً فليتبوأ مقعده من النارLet him who likes people to stand up before him prepare his place in Hell.
من أحب أن يتمثّل له الناس قياماً فليتبوأ مقعده من النارHe who lies about me deliberately will certainly come to his abode in Hell.
من كذب علي متعمداً فليتبوأ مقعده من النارWhoever loves for people to stand for him out of respect, let him take his seat in the Fire.
يحب أن يقوم الناس له تعظيماً فليتبوأ مقعده من النارAnd to cut off the disease of loving arrogance, superiority, and pride over Muslims through such a phenomenon.