💯 Miscellaneous Benefits from Yemen

BENEFIT 11: Raḥimahullāh It is quite common among students of knowledge to say 'raḥimahullāh' (May Allāh have mercy upon him) when speaking about a righteous person who has passed away. In fact, this has become so common that if you were to say 'raḥimahullāh' in reference to someone who is still alive, many students will correct you and tell you to say 'ḥafidahullāh' (May Allāh preserve him) instead. Sheikh Khaleel Al-'Udaini ḥafidhahullāh said that it is okay to say 'raḥimahullāh' when speaking about someone who is still alive. And the proof for this is: عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضى الله عنه عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ: ‏((إِذَا عَطَسَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَقُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ‏.‏ وَلْيَقُلْ لَهُ أَخُوهُ أَوْ صَاحِبُهُ يَرْحَمُكَ اللهُ.‏ فَإِذَا قَالَ لَهُ يَرْحَمُكَ اللهُ.‏ فَلْيَقُلْ يَهْدِيكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيُصْلِحُ بَالَكُمْ)). Narrated Abu Hurairah raḍhiyallāhu 'anhu: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “If anyone of you sneezes, he should say 'Al-Ḥamdu lillāh' (Praise be to Allah), and his (Muslim) brother or companion should say to him, 'Yarḥamukallāh' (May Allah bestow his Mercy on you). When the latter says 'Yarḥamukallāh', the former should say, 'Yahdīkumullāh wa Yuṣliḥ bālakum' (May Allah give you guidance and improve your condition). [Bukhari, 6224] Another proof: عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ قَامَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فِي صَلاَةٍ وَقُمْنَا مَعَهُ، فَقَالَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ وَهْوَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ اللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمْنِي وَمُحَمَّدًا وَلاَ تَرْحَمْ مَعَنَا أَحَدًا‏.‏ فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ قَالَ لِلأَعْرَابِيِّ ‏((لَقَدْ حَجَّرْتَ وَاسِعًا)).‏ يُرِيدُ رَحْمَةَ اللهِ.‏ Narrated Abu Hurairah raḍhiyallāhu 'anhu: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) stood up for the prayer and we too stood up along with him. Then a bedouin shouted while offering prayer. “O Allah! Bestow Your Mercy on me and Muḥammad only and do not bestow it on anybody else along with us.” When the Prophet (ﷺ) finished his prayer with Taslim, he said to the Bedouin, “You have limited (narrowed) a very vast (thing),” meaning Allah's Mercy. [Bukhari, 6010] So the Prophet ﷺ did not tell him off for invoking mercy upon someone who is still alive, he only criticised him for restricting this invocation. __ Taken from his explanation of 'Al-Fawākih Al-Janiyyah'