Now and then, we usually have a reason to gather together. Such gatherings could be an assembly for the morning devotions in our schools or it could be for a group of people to make decisions about an issue. Sometimes too, we may gather to carry out plans against some other people or group. No matter the cause for which we gather, Islaam has prescribed the etiquettes of gathering that Muslims should follow. The most important of these etiquettes is that every gathering should be for the remembrance of Allaah or to invoke blessings on His last Messenger (peace and blessing be upon him).
Abu Hurayrah (RA) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said:
"If people sit in an assembly in which they do not remember Allaah nor invoke a blessing on the Prophet, it will be a cause of grief for them on the Day of Judgment. "(Tirmidhi)
The most excellent gathering
The best of gatherings are those in which the name of Allaah is remembered and His signs and revelations are exalted. Abu Hurayrah (RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessing be upon him) said:
"Indeed, Allaah has angels who patrol the pathways searching for those who remember Allaah. When they come across a people who are remembering Allaah, they call out to themselves saying: "Come forth to your purpose." Then, they surround those people with their wings until they reach the lowest heaven. At that point, Allaah asks them and He knows better than them: 'What are my slaves saying.'
They answer: 'they are glorifying You, saying You are the greatest, praising you and exalting you.
Allaah asks them: 'Have they seen me?' They say: By Allaah, no, they have not seen You." Allaah then ask, 'how will they be if they were to see me. 'If they were to see you, they would worship you more vigorously and they would exalt and praise You more repeatedly. And they would glorify you more often.
Allaah then asks, What do they ask of Me. " One of the angels answers; they ask you for Paradise. ' Allaah asks, Have they seen it. 'The angels answer, 'by Allaah, no. O Allaah, they have not seen it.’
Allaah asks, 'How would they be if they saw it.' They answer, 'if they were to see it, they would crave after it more intensely and they would ask you for it more ardently. They would also wish to enter it even more."
Allaah asks; 'And what do they seek refuge from.' One of the angels' replies; 'they seek refuge from the hell-fire.' Allaah asks: 'And have they seen it.' They reply, by Allaah, no. U lord, they have not seen it. 'Allaah asks, 'And how would they be were they to see it." They say: 'if they Were to see it. They would flee from it more resolutely and they would fear it more strongly."
Allaah then says to them:
"Therefore, I make you witnesses that I have forgiven them. 'One of the angels says: "Accompanying them, is someone who is not from them, but has only come for another need or purpose. " Allaah says: "These are the companions, that whoever sits with them will not be wretched." (Bukhari)
The worst form of gathering
It is prohibited for you as a Muslimto be found in a sitting where the signs of Allaah are been ridiculed.
Allaah says:
"And it has already been revealed to you in the Book that when you hear the Verses of Allaah being denied and mocked at, then sit not with them, until they engage in a talk other than that; (but if you stayed with them) certainly in that case you would be like them:" (An-Nisaa[4]: 140)
Conduct at gatherings
Greet them first
Whenever you arrive at a gathering, you should first greet those you meet there. This forms part of good character.
The Etiquettes Of Gatherings
Abu Hurayrah (RA): The Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said:
"When one of you comes to an assembly, then let him greet with the salamah and ifhe feels inclined to get up, he should give the greeting of salamah, for the first is not more of a duty than the latter." (Abu Dawood).
At another time he (peace and blessing be upon him) said:
"The riding person should greet the walking one, and the walking one should greet the sitting one, and the small number of persons should greet the large number of persons."(Bukhari)
How and where to sit?
When you come to a gathering, avoid stepping over those who are seated. Instead, you should sit at the edge or ask the people to make space for you. Allaah says:
"O you who believe! When you are told to make room in the assemblies, (spread out antI) make room. Allaah will give you (ample) room (from His Mercy) ... " (Mujaadalah [58]: 11).
Narrated Abu Waqid Al Laithi (RA): 'While Allaah's Messenger (RA) was sitting in the mosque with some people three men came. Two of them came in front of Allaah's Messenger and the third one went away. The two persons kept on standing before Allaah's Messenger for a while and then one of them found a place in the circle and sat there while the other sat behind the gathering, and the third one went away.
When Allaah's Messenger finished his preaching, he said:
"Shall I tell you about these three persons? One of them betook himself to Allaah, so Allaah took him into His grace and mercy and accommodated him, the second felt shy from Allaah, so Allaah sheltered Him in His mercy (and did not punish him), while the third turned his face from Allaah and went away, so Allaah turned His face from him likewise." (Bukhari)
Sit not at the centre
You should avoid sitting in the middle of the gathering. Rather take your seat at the edge of the assembly. Hudhaifah (RA) said:
"Whoever takes a seat in the midst of an assembly has been cursed by the tongue of Muhammad." (Tirrnidhi).
Rather, sit at the edge
Jaabir bin Samurah (RA) also said:
"Whenever we came to the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) one of us used to sit at the (end of the assembly)." (Abu Dawood)
Do not cause confusion and separation
Whenever you come to an assembly, avoid causing distraction. Instead quietly seek for a seat and do not separate between two seated companions except they allow you to do so.
Abdullah bin Amr bin al-As (RA) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessing be upon him) said:
"One (of you) should not sit between two men except with their permission. "(Abu Dawood)
Avoid this!
In a gathering of three people, two should not hold a conversation to the exclusion of the third. This is to prevent the Shaytaan from causing doubts in him. However, if they are more than three, then there is no blame on you. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessing be upon him) said:
"Two people must not speak secretly to the exclusion of the third (among them) for that will make him sad" (Bukhari)
Avoid half-sun, half shade.
Also, avoid sitting in a position that is partly shaded by the sun and partly exposed to it. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessing be upon him) said:
"When one of you is in a shade and then the shade goes away from him exposing some portion of him in the sun and some portion of him in the shade, let him get up. "(Abu Dawood)
The reason for this prohibition is to prevent resembling the Shaytaan in the manner of sitting. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessing be upon him) said:
"(Sitting in the half shade, half sun) is the sitting of the Shaytaan." (Ahmad)
This article was culled from the publications of Deen Communication Limited