Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Is some one is saying Salam with shakehands to me at the time i am sitting at the chair, is it necesary that i have to stand and reply. 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Stand when greeting

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 5211 Narrated by Abu Umamah

The Messenger of Allah (saws) came out to us leaning on a stick. We stood up to show respect to him. The Prophet (saws) said: ‘Do not stand up as pagans do for showing respect to one another.’

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 4698 Narrated by Anas ibn Malik

No one was dearer to them (the noble companions (r.a.)) than Allah's Messenger (saws), but when they saw him (saws), they did not stand up because they knew his dislike of that.

There is absolutely no harm if an individual chooses to get up to receive, greet, or shake the hand of his individual friend or brother, or a host gets up to receive his guests….but what is absolutely discouraged and prohibited is that a group or gathering of seated people all stand up at the entrance of an individual, absolutely regardless of whether that individual happens to be a judge, a president, or ruler, or king of a nation, or even the Prophet of Allah (saws) himself!!!

If the individual who enters a seated gathering and (Allah forbid) expects the people to stand up to receive or greet him, or takes offence when one does not….his utter pride and arrogance would lead him to the Hell Fire.

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 5210 Narrated by Mu'awiyah

I heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say: ‘Let him who likes people to stand up before him prepare his place in Hell.’

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan