Sunan and manners of sneezing

Two sayings of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم:

1.         Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ likes the sneeze (of a person) and does not like the yawn (of a person). (Sahih Bukhari, vol. 4, pp. 163, Hadees 6226)

When one sneezes and says ‘اَلۡحَمۡدُ لِلّٰه’, the angels say ‘رَبُّ الۡعَالَمِيۡنَ’ and if he says, ‘رَبُّ الۡعَالَمِيۡنَ’ the angels say, ‘May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ have mercy upon you’. (Al-Mu’jam-ul-Kabeer, vol. 11, pp. 358, Hadees 12284)

Lower your head, cover your face as you sneeze, and sneeze in a low sound as it is foolish to sneeze loudly. (Rad-dul-Muhtar, vol. 9, pp. 684)

One should say ‘اَلۡحَمۡدُ لِلّٰه’ after sneezing. It is better to say ‘اَلۡحَمۡدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الۡعٰلَمِيۡنَ’ or ‘اَلۡحَمۡدُ لِلّٰهِ عَلٰى كُلِّ حَال’ (it is stated in Khaza`in-ul-‘Irfan on page 3 with reference to Tahtaawi that it is a Sunnat-e-Muakkadah to recite the Hamd of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ after sneezing).

It is Wajib for the one who hears the sneezer, to say ‘يَرۡحَمُكَ اللّٰه’ (May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ have mercy on you) immediately in such an audible voice that the one who sneezed can hear it. (Bahar-e-Shari’at, vol. 16, pp. 119)

Upon hearing ‘يَرۡحَمُكَ اللّٰه’, the person who sneezed should say ‘يَغۡفِرُ اللّٰهُ لَنَا وَلَكُمۡ’ (may Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ forgive us and you) or say ‘يَهۡدِيۡكُمُ اللّٰهُ وَيُصۡلِحُ بَالَكُمۡ’ (may Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ guide you and improve your condition).

(Fatawa ‘Aalamgiri, vol. 5, pp. 326)

Whoever says ‘اَلۡحَمۡدُ لِلّٰهِ عَلٰى كُلِّ حَال’ after sneezing and passes his tongue over all his teeth, اِنْ شَــآءَالـلّٰـه عَزَّوَجَلَّ he will be safe from dental diseases.

(Mirat-ul Manajih, vol. 6, pp. 396)