Applicable Translations Indonesia عربي

114 - Chapter on permissibility to drink while standing and clarifying that it is better and more perfect to drink while sitting

It contains the Hadīth reported by Kabshah cited above.

767/1 - Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported: “I gave the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) to drink from Zamzam, and he drank while standing.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]

768/2 - Al-Nazzāl ibn Sabrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: ‘Ali came to me at Bāb al-Rahbah and drank while standing; and he said: “I saw the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) do what you have seen me do.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri]

769/3 - Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported: “During the Prophet’s lifetime, we would eat while walking and would drink while standing.” [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi; he classified it as Hasan Sahīh (sound and authentic)]

770/4 - ‘Amr ibn Shu‘ayb related from his father that his grandfather reported: “I saw the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) drink while sitting and while standing.” [Al-Tirmidhi; he classified it as Hasan Sahīh (sound and authentic)]

Words in the Hadīth:

Al-Rahbah is an expanse of land. Here in the Hadīth, it refers to Al-Rahbah of Kūfa.

Guidance from the Hadīths:

1) It is permissible to drink while standing in case of need, like in crowded places or when the source of water is high, as is the case in the preceding Hadīth reported by Kabshah bint Thābit (764).

2) If a scholar finds that people avoid something and he knows that it is permissible, he should clarify to them the correct ruling on this matter.

771/5 - Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited that a man should drink while standing.” Qatādah said: “We asked Anas: ‘What about eating?’ He replied: ‘This is worse - or more malicious.’” [Narrated by Muslim]

In another version: “The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) disapproved drinking while standing.”

772/6 - Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “None of you should drink while standing, and whoever forgets, let him induce vomit.” [Narrated by Muslim]

Guidance from the Hadīths:

1) The forbiddance of drinking while standing denotes actual prohibition; yet a prohibited thing may be done sometimes because of need.

2) The Prophet’s command that a man should induce vomit indicates that it is strongly prohibited to drink while standing.

Note:

What the author (may Allah have mercy upon him) said in Chapter "the permissibility to drink while standing and clarifying that drinking while sitting is better and more perfect" does not agree with the apparent meaning of the reported texts. In fact, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) only drank while standing because of need. Hence, it is permissible to drink while standing when needed. On the other hand, there are numerous Hadīths giving stern warnings about drinking while standing, including

Hadīths cited by the author - “He forbade drinking while standing”; “He disapproved drinking while standing”; and “None of you should drink while standing, and whoever forgets, let him induce vomit” - and other Hadīths in which the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) commanded drinking while sitting. As part of a long Hadīth, he said to Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): “Sit down and drink.” So, based on the various forms of prohibition of drinking while standing and the emphatic command to drink while sitting, it becomes clear that we are required to drink while sitting, except if the situation necessitates otherwise, like being in a crowded place or it is not possible to sit down. And Allah knows best. In Fat'h al-Bāri Sharh Sahīh al-Bukhāri, for Ibn hajar al-‘Asqalāni summarized this issue in the following verses:

(the reward of) following the Sunnah of the Prophet

When you drink, sit down, so you will win.

But that was only to denote permissibility

They authentically reported that he drank while standing