Q 2: If someone sneezes and does not say Al-Hamdu lilah (Praise be to Allah), is it permissible for me to remind him? What is the ruling if I sneeze during offering Salah; should I say Al-Hamdu lilah (Praise be to Allah) or not?

A: Tashmit, saying "Allah bless you" to one who sneezes and praises Allah is an act of Sunnah. As for the one who does not praise Allah, there is no Tashmit to him. He is not to be reminded to praise Allah because it was authentically reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that two men sneezed in his presence so he said: "May Allah bless you" to one of them and did not say that to the other. (Part No. 26; Page No. 114) The second man said to that man: O Messenger of Allah, you said: "May Allah bless you" and did not say that to me. He (peace be upon him) said: This man praised Allah but you did not. So, had reminding the sneezer been permissible, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would have reminded the man to praise Allah.As for the one who sneezes during Salah, he should praise Allah whether the Salah is obligatory or voluntary. This is the view of the majority of scholars from among the Companions and the Followers. It is also the view of Imam Malik, Al-Shafi`y and Ahmad. However, they differed concerning saying it audibly or inaudibly? The preponderant view of scholars and that of Imam Ahmad is that he should say it audibly, but quietly to the extent that he cannot hear it himself in order not to disturb those who are praying. This view is based on the general meaning of the Hadith reported by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) stated: When any of you sneezes, he should say: Praise be to Allah... Related by Al-Bukhari. The Hadith is also supported by (Part No. 26; Page No. 115) the Hadith reported by Rifa`ah ibn Rafi` (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: I offered Salah (prayer) behind the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and sneezed so I said: Praise be to Allah, with much praise, good and blessed therein, blessed thereupon, as our Lord likes and is pleased. When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) completed his Salah and departed he said: Who was the speaker in Salah? Nobody answered. Then he said it again; who was the speaker in Salah? Nobody answered. Then he said it for the third time; who was the speaker in Salah? Then Rifa`ah ibn Rafi` said: It was me, O Messenger of Allah. He (the Prophet) said: What did you say? He said: I said: Praise be to Allah, with much praise, good and blessed therein, blessed thereupon, as our Lord likes and is pleased. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, thirty or more angels competed with one another to write it and take it up to the heavens. Related by Al-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Al-Nasa'i. Al-Tirmidhy said: It is a good Hadith and this was mentioned by Al-Hafidh ibn Hajar in his book Al-Tahdhib that Al-Tirmidhy ranked it as Sahih (authentic) Hadith. Al-Bukhari related this Hadith in his Sahih, but he did not mention that he said that after he sneezed but after rising from Ruku` (bowing). The meaning may be that he sneezed while rising from Ruku`, so the man said it for his sneeze and the Prophet (peace be upon him) approved of this and did not rebuke him. So, it is permissible to praise Allah during Salah, but when one sneezes during Salah then praises Allah, it is not permissible to say Tashmit. Tashmit is of people's speech (Part No. 26; Page No. 116) which is not permissible during Salah. It was authentically reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) rebuked one who said Tashmit to another who sneezed during Salah. Then he said to him: People's speech is not permitted during our Salah but it is just glorification, praising and reciting the Qur'an. Related by Muslim, Abu Dawud and Al-Nasa'y. May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.