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Can We Drink Water While Standing in Islam?

13-05-2004

Question 21147

I have read some Hadiths which say that it is forbidden to drink while standing. Does this mean that drinking while standing is prohibited?

Summary of answer:

The basic ruling is that one should drink while sitting, which is better, but one may drink while standing. The Prophet did both to demonstrate that there is a lot of room for manoeuvre in this matter.

Answer

Praise be to Allah.

There are Hadiths which say that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade drinking while standing. For example, Muslim (2024, 2025) narrated from Anas and Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade drinking while standing. 

But there are other Hadiths which say that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) drank while standing, such as the following: 

The scholars reconciled these Hadiths by stating that the forbidding mentioned here does not mean that it is prohibited, rather it is to be understood as advice, and that it is better to drink while sitting . The Hadiths which describe the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) drinking while standing indicate that it is permissible to do that. 

An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

“There is no contradiction in these Hadiths, praise be to Allah, and none of them are inauthentic. Rather they are all authentic. The correct view is that the forbidding mentioned in them is to be understood as meaning that it is disliked. The fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) drank while standing indicates that it is permissible to do so. This is all that needs to be said on the matter. 

If it is asked: How come it is disliked to drink while standing when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did that? 

The answer is that if what he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did was to show that it is permissible, then it is not disliked, rather he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was obliged to show and explain that, so how can it be disliked?  It is proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did Wudu` washing each part only once, and that he circumambulated the Ka`bah (i.e., did Tawaf) riding a camel – even though there is scholarly consensus that it is better to do Wudu` washing each part three times and that it is better to do Tawaf walking. There are many similar examples. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was demonstrating that something is permissible one time or many times, but he persisted in following the better option. So usually when he did Wudu he washed each part three times, and he usually did Tawaf walking, and he usually drank while sitting. This is clear and is not confusing to anyone who has the slightest claim to knowledge. And Allah knows best. 

This reconciliation between the Hadiths was suggested by Al-Khattabi, Ibn Battal, At-Tabari and others. 

Al-Hafidh said in Fat-h Al-Bari: 

“This is the best and soundest explanation, and the farthest removed from contradiction.”

It says in Fatawa Al-Lajnah Ad-Da`imah (22/133): 

“The basic ruling is that one should drink while sitting , which is better, but one may drink while standing. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did both to demonstrate that there is a lot of room for manoeuvre in this matter.”

And Allah knows best.

Etiquette of eating and drinking
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