Sunnahs and manners of sneezing

Dear Islamic brothers! Sneezing is also an important action and there are also Sunnahs and manners of sneezing. Sadly! Majority of Muslims are unaware of this because of being distracted from the Madani environment. Whenever they feel urge to sneeze, they sneeze loudly. Whenever they have runny nose, they blow it. This shouldn’t be so. We should try and learn the Sunnahs and manners of sneezing too.

When sneezing, put your head down, cover your face and sneeze in a low voice. Sneezing with a loud voice is foolishness. (Rad-dul-Muhtar, vol. 9, pp. 684)

Sayyiduna ‘Ubadah Bin Saamit, Shaddad Bin Aws, and Sayyiduna Waasilah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُم narrated that the Holy Rasool صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰى عَـلَيْهِ وَاٰلِـهٖ وَسَـلَّم said, ‘When someone feels urge to belch or sneeze, they should not raise their voice, because it is liked by Satan that the voice [of sneezing or belching] is raised.’ (Shu’ab-ul-Iman, vol. 8, pp. 32, Hadees 9355)

One should say (اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰہِ) after sneezing. (It is stated on page 3 of Khaza`in-ul-‘Irfan with reference to Tahtaawi that it is a Muakkadah [emphasized] Sunnah to praise [Hamd of] Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ upon sneezing). It is better to say (اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰہِ رَبِّ الْعٰلَمِیْنَ) or (اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰہِ عَلٰی کُلِّ حَالٍ). It is Wajib for the listener to say (یَرْحَمُكَ اللّٰہ) (i.e. may Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ have mercy upon you) immediately in an audible voice so that the one who sneezed could hear.

(Bahar-e-Shari’at, vol. 3, part 16, pp. 476)

Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Bin ‘Abbas رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُمَا narrated that the Holy Rasool صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰى عَـلَيْهِ وَاٰلِـهٖ وَسَـلَّم has said, ‘When someone sneezes and           says (اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰہِ), the angels say (رَبِّ الْعٰلَمِیْنَ), and if someone says                  (اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰہِ رَبِّ الْعٰلَمِیْنَ) then the innocent angels say (یَرْحَمُكَ اللّٰہ) i.e. may Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ have mercy on you. (Tabarani Awsat, vol. 2, pp. 305, Hadees 3371)