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What does “Alhamdulillah” mean? What to say when someone sneezes

Short answer“Alhamdulillah” means all praise and thanks belong to God alone. A Muslim says it in ease out of gratitude and in hardship out of patience and contentment; the Quran opens with it (Al-Fatihah), and it is the first thing a sneezer says.

The phrase and its pronunciation

Hadith
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ

Al-ḥamdu lillāh

All praise is for God

The phrase and its pronunciation

Meaning

Praise of the One praised for His attributes and acts, with love: broader than thanks.

When to say it

  • After eating and drinking, and on waking.
  • When sneezing.
  • At every blessing, and when patient in hardship.

How to reply

When sneezing: the sneezer says “Alhamdulillah,” the listener replies “Yarhamukallah” (may God have mercy on you), and the sneezer answers “Yahdikumullahu wa yuslihu balakum” (may God guide you and set your affairs right).

The evidence

Quran
ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ

Louange à Allah, Seigneur de la Création,

Al-Fatihah 1:2
Hadith
إِذَا عَطَسَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَقُلِ: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، وَلْيَقُلْ لَهُ أَخُوهُ أَوْ صَاحِبُهُ: يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ، فَإِذَا قَالَ لَهُ: يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ، فَلْيَقُلْ: يَهْدِيكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيُصْلِحُ بَالَكُمْ

When one of you sneezes, let him say “Alhamdulillah,” and let his brother or companion say “Yarhamukallah,” and when he says that, let him reply “Yahdikumullahu wa yuslihu balakum.”

Al-Bukhari 6224

Questions fréquentes

What do I say when someone sneezes?

If he says “Alhamdulillah,” say to him “Yarhamukallah.”

Les textes et traductions sont en cours de révision par des savants.