Manner of Sitting

“I saw Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) when sitting place one foot over his thigh. I said, ‘People dislike this sitting posture and say, “It is the sitting posture of the Lord.’” The Imam said, ‘I sit this way to relieve myself of tiredness. The Lord does not tire and slumber or sleep cannot overcome Him.’”

“Once Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) was sitting with his right foot on his left thigh. A man said, ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, this sitting posture is not desirable.’ The Imam said, ‘It is not so. That is a thing the Jews say that when Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, finished creating the heavens and earth and took His place on the Throne, He sat in this posture to rest and relax. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, revealed 255 of Chapter 2 of the Holy Quran, “Allah exists. No one deserves to be worshipped except Allah, the Everlasting and the Guardian of life. Drowsiness or sleep does not seize him. . . .’” (2:255) Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) continued to remain in that sitting posture.’”