Back to Aadaab

Aadaab ul-Majlis

Allah (swt) said: “Oh you who believe! When you are told to make room in the assemblies, make room. Allah will make room. Allah will give you room. And when you are told to rise up, rise up. Allah will exalt in degree those who believe, and those who have been granted knowledge. And Allah is well-acquainted with what you do.” [Mujadalah (58): 11]

(Mujadilah - a woman who came to the Prophet (saw) and disputed with him about her husband.)

1 - VIRTUES OF REMEMBERING ALLAH (SWT) IN A MAJLIS

- it is prohibited to sit in a majlis where Allah’s (swt) deen is not propagated.

The Prophet (saw) said: “Any People in an assembly, whether sitting or listening, that does not mention allah or his deen. Will rise like a corpse of a donkey (Stinking, dirty, etc…), and they will be sorry. (on the day of judgement)” Abu Dawood 4855 / 4/264, (Al-Albaani declared it saheeh.), Musnad Imam Ahmad - 2300 / 2/389, Tirmidhi 3380

The Prophet (saw) said: “Whenever people sitting in a majlis do not mention Allah (swt) or praise the Prophet (saw), they will be sorry, their affairs will amount to nothing and their fate (whether he forgives you or not) is up to allah.” Muslim 2689, Ahmad 3766, Tirmidhi 3600

Abu Huraira narrated that the Prophet (saw) said: “The angels will search for ahl ul-zikr, they will circle around and make tasbih, (when they find people), allah will ask what they are doing, the angels say they worship you, elevate and glorify you (etc..)

Allah (swt) says “did they see me?”

The angels will say “no.”

Allah (swt) says “what about if they saw me?”

The angels say “they would worship you more, and elevate you more (etc)”

Allah (swt) says “What do they want?”

The angels say “paradise”

Allah (swt) says “did they see it?”

The angels say “no”

Allah (swt) says “what if they did see it?

The angels say “they would want it more, ask you more strongly (etc)”

Allah (swt) says “what do they seek refuge from?”

The angels say “the Hellfire”

Allah (swt) says “did they see it?”

The angels say “no”

Allah (swt) says “what if they did see it?”

The angels say “they would fear you more, and stay away from all Haram (etc)”

Allah (swt) says “testify that I have forgiven all of them.”

The angels say “among them is someone who sits with them for a different intention.”

Allah (swt) says “he is forgiven, Nobody who sits with them is a loser. They are all successful."”

2- CHOOSING WHO FROM AMONG THE MAJLIS YOU WILL BE WITH.

- Taking a bad person to a majlis will ruin the whole majlis

The Prophet (saw) said: “A man is on the deen of his friend, watch out who your friends are.” Tirmidhi 2378, Abu Dawood 4833, Musnad Imam Ahmed 7968

The Prophet (saw) said: “The example of a good friend in the assembly is like the example of the one who works carrying musk. The example of the bad friend is like the one who works in a blacksmith.

The one who works with musk will either give you some, sell you some or you will go away smelling nice.

The blacksmith will either burn your clothes, or you will go away smelling bad.” Bukhari 5534, Muslim 2628, Musnad Imam Ahmed 19127

Abu Qulaba said: “Do not sit with them, do not mix with them, I am afraid you will not be able to protect yourself from their corruption, they will make talbees…”

3 - ETIQUETTE OF MAJLIS IS TO GIVE SALAM WHEN YOU ENTER AND WHEN YOU LEAVE.

-Salam is asking permission

Abu Huraira narrated that the Prophet (saw) said: “If anyone reaches a majlis let him say “Assalamu ‘alaikum”, and if he wants to sit let him sit…” Abu Dawood 5208, (Al-Albaani declared it hasan saheeh.), Tirmidhi 2760

The Prophet (saw) said: “If you are in a majlis do not leave without permission, and he should say salam, even if you go to the toilet, ask permission (or point to indicate). Do not turn you back to your muslim brother.”

4 - IT IS DISLIKED (MAKROUH) FOR A PERSON TO LEAVE A MAJLIS, AND FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO SIT THERE.

Abu Huraira narrated that the Prophet (saw) said: “When someone leaves any majlis, he has most right to sit where he was sitting.” Muslim 2179, Abu Dawood 4855, Musnad Imam Ahmad 7514

(also if he has a seat and it is known that he always sits there, he has most right to sit there.)

To tell someone to move so that you can sit in his place is HARAM.

Narrated by Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (saw) said: “It is forbidden to ask somebody to move, and to sit in his place, rather give room (move up and make room for more people to sit).” Bukhari 6270, Muslim 2177, Abu Dawood 4828, Musnad Imam Ahmad 2645, Tirmidhi 2750

Narrated by Abul khasib that: “ibn ‘Umar came, and a man gave him his seat, ibn ‘Umar sat somewhere else. The man came and asked him about it, ibn ‘Umar said “I will never sit in your seat or the seat of anyone else after what I saw; a man came at the time of the Prophet (saw) and another man offered his seat. When the man went to sit there, the Prophet (saw) said “DON’T DO IT."” Musnad Imam Ahmed 5542

- Imam Nawawi said (on this): “may Allah bless ibn ‘Umar because this is wara’” [wara’ - to leave something Mubah for the sake of Allah.]

- To occupy your place anywhere (public) especially in jumu’ah by putting something and leaving it there to reserve your place is HARAM according to IJMAA’ of ALL FUQAHA. and it is allowed to move the item and put it in the corner.

The Prophet (saw) said: “Shouldn’t you stand in a line, the way the angels stand in a line?” the sahaba asked “how do they stand?” “They complete the row without any gaps” Muslim 430, Abu Dawood 661, Musnad Imam Ahmad 2519

See also: Bukhari 615, Muslim 437, Tirmidhi 513

“The Prophet (saw) said to someone who pushed passed people to get to the front, don’t do that, you harm your muslim brothers.” Abu Dawood 17221, Musnad Imam Ahmad 1118

5 - GIVE SPACE IN THE MAJLIS, AND IF YOU ARE ASKED TO LEAVE, LEAVE.

Allah (swt) said: “Oh you who believe! When you are told to make room in the assemblies, make room. Allah will give you room. And when you are told to rise up, rise up. Allah will exalt in degree those who believe, and those who have been granted knowledge. And Allah is well-acquainted with what you do.” [Mujadalah (58): 11]

6 - IT IS FORBIDDEN TO SEPARATE TWO PEOPLE WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION.

The Prophet (saw) said: “It is unlawful to separate two except by their permission.” Abu Dawood 4845, Musnad Imam Ahmad 6960

A Sahabi said: “Whenever we went to sit with the Prophet (saw) with consent, we used to sit wherever the first spot was in the back.” Abu Dawood 4825, Musnad Imam Ahmad 20423, Tirmidhi 2725

7 - TO SPEAK ACROSS TO OTHER PEOPLE WHILE A SPEAKER IS SPEAKING

-(also) If there is three alone, two of them cannot speak to eachother at the exclusion of the other (it is HARAM)

An Najwa - two speaking to eachother in front of others.

The Prophet (saw) said: “do not let two whisper alone in front of a third, because that will make him sad.” Bukhari 6288, Muslim 2183

The Prophet (saw) said: “it is not allowed for two to speak in front of a third.” Musnad Imam Ahmad 4650

-If there is four talk how you like, but if there is a khatib then don’t talk.

The Prophet (saw) said: “If you are three, do not speak alone two excluding the other until you mix with people, because it will make him sad.”

“Ibn ‘Umar was with a man, and another man came in to speak privately with ibn ‘umar, Ibn ‘Umar called another man from the street (to make four people) and then spoke privately with him.”

9 - IT IS FORBIDDEN TO GO TO A MAJLIS WHERE YOU HATE THEM OR THEY HATE YOU.

The Prophet (saw) said: “Whosoever says he had a dream that he didn’t, he will be accounted, and whosoever listened to people who dislike him, or he dislikes them; Allah will put solder in his ear in the hellfire.” Bukhari 7042, Musnad Imam Ahmad 1869, Tirmidhi 1751

10 - THE SITTING THAT ALLAH FORBIDS

- It is forbidden for the man to sit with his left hand behind his back, and rest on his right elbow.

The Prophet (saw) said: “it is forbidden to sit between the sun and the shade, that is the majlis of the shaytan.”

“Do not sit the way the shaytan sits, half in the sun and half in the shade.” Bukhari 838

The Prophet (saw) said: “Do not lie down on your back and put one leg over the other.” Muslim 2099, Abu Dawood 13766

“(a Sahabi) saw the Prophet (saw) lie on his back with a leg over the other (in the mosque).”

- it is allowed if you are on your own
- and it is HARAM in a majlis.

11 - IT IS PROHIBITED IN THE MAJLIS TO HAVE A LAUGHABLE MAJLIS (i.e. WHERE THERE IS ONLY LAUGHING ALL THE TIME e.g. STAND UP COMEDIANS.)

“Do not laugh a lot it will kill the heart. And if you want a good majlis, you should make it soft from time to time.” Ibn Majah 4193, Al-Albaani 3400

12 - IT IS FORBIDDEN TO BURP IN FRONT OF PEOPLE

Ibn ‘Umar said: “One man burped in front of the Prophet (saw), the Prophet (saw) said: “Save us from your burping, the one who is full in the dunya, will be the hungriest in the hereafter.” Tirmidhi (2478), Ibn Majah (3350)

13 - IT IS RECOMMENDED TO; IF YOU WANT TO LEAVE THE MAJLIS TO ASK PERMISSION AND TO FINISH WITH THE DU’A

- finish with the du’a:

“Subhanaka allahuma wa bihamdika, ash hadu an laa ilaaha illa ant, astaghfiruka wa atuwbu ilaik.” Abu Dawood 4857, Tirmidhi 3433

From alghurabaa.co.uk