Islam is not only a religion which guides the Muslims about ibadah but is also a complete code of life and teaches the Muslims about little to big things of life. Islam teaches different manners to the Muslims and the etiquettes of gathering are one of them. The etiquettes of gathering guide the Muslims that how they should behave in the gathering which maybe either public or private.
The public gatherings are the kinds of the gatherings which are held in the big places and mosques and people come there without any invitation; it’s for the public. While the private gatherings are the ones which are held privately for specific people who are invited to attend these gatherings. Islam provides etiquettes to attend both of these gatherings. Following are the etiquettes of gathering in Islam;
The first etiquette of gathering is to seek permission to join the gathering. The Prophet (SAWW) said, “Permission should be asked for three times; if you were given permission (then enter). Otherwise, go back.” The permission to join the gathering or entering any place like home, room etc., is a part of manners of gathering and must be followed by the Muslims in order to become mannered.
Greeting usually with Salam when you enter and leave the gathering is also an etiquette of the gathering in Islam. The Prophet (SAWW) stated, “When one of you comes to a gathering, let him say Salam (greetings), and when he desires to leave, let him say Salam, for the former is not more of a duty than the latter.”
If you enter the gathering, it is a part of the manners to sit wherever you get the place instead of searching for a desirable place as it can cause disturbance. Jabir bin Samurah (RA) said, “When we came to the Prophet (SAWW), one of us would sit wherever there was room.”
The etiquettes of gathering in Islam teach us to not to sit in the middle of the circle and in between two people who are already sitting closed to each other without their permission.
The Prophet (SAWW) said, “It is not permissible for a man to come between two others, but with their permission.”
Also, Hudhaifah (RA) said, “Allah’s Messenger (SAWW) cursed the one who sits in the middle of the circle.”
Those gatherings are good and beneficial in which people remember Allah (SWT) and recite darood shareef [sending peace and blessings upon the Prophet (SAWW)], otherwise the gatherings will be harmful. The Prophet (SAWW) said, “Whenever a group of people gathers and remembers Allah and mention Him, then they separate, it will be said to them, ‘You have been forgiven.’”
The Prophet (SAWW) also said, “No group gathers in a sitting in which they do not remember Allah, nor send peace and blessings upon their Prophet (SAWW), except it will be a source of remorse for them. If He Wills, He will punish them, and if He Wills, He will forgive them.”
Thus, some of the etiquettes of gathering in Islam as mentioned in this blog tell us that how beautifully Islam guides Muslims about very little things even that matter a lot and ultimately make Muslims mannered and nice persons who know how to behave in a gathering.
