QUESTION: It is well known that standing up for people is not permissible. Yet, in our court system (1), it is required to stand for the judge when he arrives, and this is enforced. What is your opinion about this?
ANSWER by the great scholar, jurist, appointed mufti, and member of the Permanent Committee for Research and Fatwaa in Saudi Arabia, Shaykh ‘Abdullaah ibn Ghudayyaan [d.1431] (may Allah have Mercy on him):
The Messenger (may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace) said:
من أحب أن يتمثل له الناس قياما فليتبوأ مقعده من النار
“Whoever likes that the people stand up for him, let him take his seat in the Fire.” (2)
This is because standing is a form of worship from among the various forms of worship. Regarding the prayer, for example, Allah, the Majestic and Lofty, says:
وقوموا لله قانتين
“And stand unto Allah, devoutly in worship.” [2:238]
So standing is a form of worship from among the various forms of worship. Based on that, if a person loves that the people stand up for him, then it is as he (may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace) said, “Let him take his seat in the Fire.” And With Allah alone is all success.
SOURCE: The shaykh’s official website (Arabic) | AUDIO (MP3)
Translation: Moosaa Richardson (1445.12.04)
FOOTNOTES:
(1) The questioner was from Algeria.
(2) Collected by Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, at-Tirmithee, and others, from the narration of Mu’aawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him. Al-Albaanee authenticated it in Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah (no.357).
The true worship of Allah alone exemplified in His Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam):
Jabir reported:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was ill and we said prayer behind him and he was sitting. And Abu Bakr was making audible to the people his takbir. As he paid his attention towards us he saw us standing and (directed us to sit down) with a gesture. So we sat down and said our prayer with his prayer in a sitting posture. After uttering salutation he said:
“You were at this time about to do an act like that of the Persians and the Romans. They stand before their kings while they sit, so don’t do that; follow your Imams. If they say prayer standing, you should also do so, and if they say prayer sitting, you should also say prayer sitting.” Sahih Muslim.