Search In Fatwa

Why Sitting between the Shade and Sun Is Prohibited

Question

There is a Hadeeth saying that the one who sits one half in the shade and the other half in the sun has lost. How authentic is this Hadeeth?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

It was reported that a Muslim is not allowed to sit with one half of his body in the shade and the other half in the sun. "The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, forbade sitting between the shade and the sun." [Ibn Maajah, Al-Albaani: Saheeh]

Scholars said the reason for this prohibition is that the person is badly harmed due to the different opposite effects on him. However, it is more worthy to give the reason that was narrated i.e., this is the way the devil sits, for the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, forbade sitting partially in the sun and partially in the shade, and said: "This is how Satan sits." [Ahmad, Al-Albaani: Saheeh]

This is similar to the prohibition of imitating Satan in eating and drinking with the left hand. However, we did not find the Hadeeth with the exact wording mentioned in the question in the books of Hadeeth.

Allaah Knows best.

Related Fatwa