Chapter 6 - On Sitting

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said the following regarding the Almighty God's statement: “Will not disobey thee in any just matter” [The Holy Quran: Mumtahana 60:12] “This means that you should not go haywire at times of calamity. You should not tear your clothing, scratch your face, scream and holler, sit by a grave crying aloud, wear black clothes, or mess up your hair.”

“The Prophet of God sat facing the Qibla —The direction to which Muslims turn in prayer towards the House of God in Mecca— most of the time.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Whenever the Prophet of God (a.s) entered a house, he sat in the place closest to the exit. Sometimes he sat on his shanks, and held his knees with his hands. Sometimes he bent one leg and crossed his other leg over it. He was never seen sitting with his legs crossed.

Him'mad ibn Uthman said: “I saw Imam Sadiq (a.s) sitting by the door of his house facing the Qibla.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “A believer’s private zone (when sitting somewhere) in the summer is as much as the span between the two hands (or nearly six feet).”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Whoever enters a meeting and just sits down somewhere without considering his rank or position will be blessed by the Almighty and the angels as long as he is sitting there.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “A believer's sitting in the mosque is like being prepared for going to war.”

“Three things will prove your friendship to your Muslim brother: Welcoming him warmly, making room for him in meetings when he arrives, and calling him by his dearest names.”

“Staying in the mosque is the Arab form of monasticism. The mosque is a believer's social gathering place, but his monastery is his house.”

God's Prophet (a.s) said: “In meetings do not force your believing brothers to get up from their place so you can sit there yourself.”

God's Prophet (a.s) said: “Whenever you are in the presence of a teacher or in a scientific meeting, sit in an orderly fashion by sitting in rows. Do not sit in a random fashion like the ignorant people did.”

The Prophet of God (a.s) advised Abuzar: “Whoever loves the people to stand in front of him (to respect him) will be burnt in the Fire.”

God's Prophet (a.s) said: “Whenever you enter a meeting say “Praise and thanks to You. There is no god but You. Forgive me. To You I turn in repentance” three times. If the meeting is a good one, this is like a seal of its approval, but if this meeting was bad this meeting, this act is like an expiation for being in that meeting.”

God's Prophet (a.s) said: “Whenever you enter a meeting, greet others. Do not leave the meeting in the middle of it. When you get up to leave say Salam since the first greeting does not suffice and you must say Salam for farewell as well.”

“Associating with three groups of people will spoil the heart: associating with mean people, talking with women and associating with the rich people.”

Ameer al-Momineen (a.s) passed by a mosque which had thick extruding bases (like benches), so he ordered these extrusions to be removed. Then again the extrusions were rebuilt (by others) and he ordered them to be removed again. This was repeated for three times. Then he addressed those sitting on these benches that “If you must (sit here), then lower your eyes and hands (do not watch others), take back the lost ones (could mean the animals/camels that have gone astray) and guide the people to their destinations. In short be useful, if you must sit around.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “There is a way (trick) to protect (push away) yourself from everything, and the trick for believing brothers is relocation. Whenever a believer enters a meeting, he should sit in the nearest available seating. It is a sign of being feeble-minded to climb over the people to get to a better position in the meeting.”

God's Prophet (a.s) said: “When the people got settled in a meeting, and someone offers a place to his believing brother to sit, he should accept. But if there is no room available, he should wait until a place becomes available for him to sit.”

God's Prophet (a.s) said: “Making room in a meeting for your believing brothers to sit is better than freeing a slave.”