When we are in a gathering and a woman enters, we stand up and greet her. This is not to honor her, but out of respect for her, and it is a custom widespread among people. Is this permissible?
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The questioner : When we are in a gathering and a woman enters, we stand up and greet her. This is not to honor her, but out of respect for her, and it is a custom widespread among people. Is this action permissible?
The Shaykh : There is no blame on a person for standing up for someone entering if the entrant is worthy of hospitality and respect, and people have the custom of doing so. Refraining from standing in this case may lead to the accusation that the seated person is arrogant, and it may place some resentment in the heart of the one coming, as many people believe that if the host does not stand for him, it is a sign of his dislike of his arrival.
In any case, when people have the custom of standing up for one another and consider refraining from standing to be an insult, there is no blame in this case for a person to stand up for the entrant.
Some scholars have detailed this issue into three categories:
The first category: standing up to a man to receive him and show him hospitality.
The second: standing up for a man out of respect and honor for him.
The third: standing over a man.
As for the first, which is standing up to a man to receive him and offer him greetings, there is nothing wrong with it. It may be evidenced by the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to the Ansar: meaning Sa'd ibn Mu'adh when he came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) riding on a donkey. It is also evidenced by the story of Abu Talhah when he stood up to receive Ka'b ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) upon his entry into the mosque after Allah's acceptance of his repentance. This was in the presence of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and he did not disapprove of it.
As for standing up for a man when he enters out of respect and honor for him, there is no doubt that it is better that people do not make this a habit and that they be as the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were, who did not stand up for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), even though he was the most deserving of people of hospitality. However, he (peace and blessings be upon him) disliked people standing up for him. If people were to abandon the custom of standing up for the entrant, it would be better, more beautiful, and closer to the practice of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and the righteous predecessors. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when he entered a gathering, they would not stand up for him, but he would sit wherever the gathering ended, and his place of sitting would be the head of the gathering, even if it was at the end of the gathering. The criterion is the entrant, not the place of the entrant. So the man who has respect and honor, if he sits in any place of the gathering, at its bottom, its top, or its sides, will be the place of precedence for those sitting.
As for standing over a man, it is prohibited. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited it and said:Sunan Abi Dawud 5230 To the extent that when he (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed while sitting and the Companions stood behind him, he gestured to them to sit, so they sat. And he said to them: As-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Nasa'i 54:38.
Unless there is a religious benefit in standing over a man, in which case there is no blame in it; rather, it is required to achieve this benefit. The evidence for this is what the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when the correspondence was between him and Quraysh during the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. Al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah (may Allah be pleased with him) was standing over the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with a sword to show the envoys of the polytheists the dignity of the Muslims and their honoring of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). This is good and required.
Some scholars have included in this the case where a man is feared for, and someone stands over his head to protect him from aggression.
The questioner : May Allah bless you, O honorable Shaykh.
The Shaykh : There is no blame on a person for standing up for someone entering if the entrant is worthy of hospitality and respect, and people have the custom of doing so. Refraining from standing in this case may lead to the accusation that the seated person is arrogant, and it may place some resentment in the heart of the one coming, as many people believe that if the host does not stand for him, it is a sign of his dislike of his arrival.
In any case, when people have the custom of standing up for one another and consider refraining from standing to be an insult, there is no blame in this case for a person to stand up for the entrant.
Some scholars have detailed this issue into three categories:
The first category: standing up to a man to receive him and show him hospitality.
The second: standing up for a man out of respect and honor for him.
The third: standing over a man.
As for the first, which is standing up to a man to receive him and offer him greetings, there is nothing wrong with it. It may be evidenced by the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to the Ansar:
Rise to your master.
قوموا إلى سيدكمAs for standing up for a man when he enters out of respect and honor for him, there is no doubt that it is better that people do not make this a habit and that they be as the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were, who did not stand up for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), even though he was the most deserving of people of hospitality. However, he (peace and blessings be upon him) disliked people standing up for him. If people were to abandon the custom of standing up for the entrant, it would be better, more beautiful, and closer to the practice of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and the righteous predecessors. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when he entered a gathering, they would not stand up for him, but he would sit wherever the gathering ended, and his place of sitting would be the head of the gathering, even if it was at the end of the gathering. The criterion is the entrant, not the place of the entrant. So the man who has respect and honor, if he sits in any place of the gathering, at its bottom, its top, or its sides, will be the place of precedence for those sitting.
As for standing over a man, it is prohibited. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited it and said:
Do not stand up as foreigners do
لا تقوموا كما تقوم الأعاجم على ملوكهاThe imam is appointed to be followed, so do not differ with him. 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.
إنما جعل الإمام ليؤتم به فلا تختلفوا عليه فإذا كبر فكبروا، وإذا ركع فاركعوا، وإذا سجد فاسجدوا، وإذا صلى قائماً فصلوا قياماً، وإذا صلى قاعداً فصلوا قعوداًUnless there is a religious benefit in standing over a man, in which case there is no blame in it; rather, it is required to achieve this benefit. The evidence for this is what the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when the correspondence was between him and Quraysh during the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. Al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah (may Allah be pleased with him) was standing over the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with a sword to show the envoys of the polytheists the dignity of the Muslims and their honoring of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). This is good and required.
Some scholars have included in this the case where a man is feared for, and someone stands over his head to protect him from aggression.
The questioner : May Allah bless you, O honorable Shaykh.