Returning Greetings or Replying to the One who Sneezes : During Friday Khutbah

[Umm Yoosuf]

The ruling of Returning Greetings or Relplying to the One who Sneezes : During Friday khutbah


The Permanent Committee of Scholarly Research and Verdicts


Question :
When a man sneezes and thanks/praises Allaah . Or a man greets me with salaam ; while the Imaam is giving the khutbah for the Friday Prayer . Do I respond to them , or not ?
And is it allowed to talk when the Imaam is sitting in between the two khutbahs ?


Answer :
It is not permissible to respond to the one who sneezes , nor returning the salaam while the Imaam is giving the khutbah. This is from the correct statements of the scholars.

Because both of these are speech , and (every speech) is prohibited while the Imaam is giving the khutbah ; due to the general ruling of the hadeeths.

And the foundation is to stick to their generality (of these hadeeth on prohibition of any talk during the khutbah) , until there is established a proof that can make a specific excuse.


As for during the silence (pause) in between the two khutbahs , than what is correct is that ; there is no problem for the permissible speech .

Due to the restriction of this being included in the general hadeeths which indicate prohibition of talking while the Imaam is talking too.(during the khutbah).


And from Allaah is guidance : and may Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon our Messenger Muhammad , and his family , and his companions.


The Permanent Committee of Scholarly Research and Verdicts :
Head : Shaykh `Abdul-`Azeez Bin Baz
Deputy : Shaykh `Abdur-Razzaaq al-`Afeefee
Member : Shaykh `Abdullah bin Qu’ood



Source : Question no. 4 from Fatwa no . 4769