Standing (qiyam)

Linguistically, qiyam is standing upright, the opposite of sitting; related terms are sitting (qu'ud) and lying (idtija'). Its ruling varies between obligation, prohibition, recommendation, dislike and permission according to the act concerned ¹.

Standing is a pillar of obligatory prayer for the able, by agreement. The Hanafis also count vow prayers and, in the sounder view, the dawn sunna among what requires standing, citing the command to stand devoutly in prayer in the Surah al-Baqara ¹. The hadith of 'Imran ibn Husayn says: pray standing; if you cannot, sitting; if you cannot, on your side ².

The required standing is an upright posture; a slight bow that does not bring the worshipper near the least bowing is no fault ². As to amount, the Malikis, Shafi'is and Hanbalis require only the opening takbir and the Fatiha, while the Hanafis require the recitation proper to it. A latecomer who finds the imam in bowing has standing enough for the opening takbir, a concession for him alone ².

Standing falls for the incapable, in obligatory and voluntary prayer, whether by sickness or otherwise ². A sick person able to recite some verses standing must do so to that extent ³. It also falls in severe fear, when prayer is made sitting or by gesture, without repetition, by agreement ³. The Hanafis and Hanbalis let a naked person without cover pray sitting by gesture, while the Malikis and Shafi'is require him to stand ³.

The Hanafis, Malikis and Hanbalis (and in one view the Shafi'is) require the able worshipper to stand independently in obligatory prayer, but not in voluntary prayer ³. The Hanafis hold that leaning on a staff or wall so that he would fall if it were removed invalidates the prayer unless there is an excuse; in voluntary prayer this is disliked but not invalid ³. The Malikis require independence at the opening takbir, the recitation of the Fatiha and the bowing, but allow leaning during the recitation of a further surah, with dislike ³. The Shafi'is in the sounder view allow leaning with dislike ⁶, and the Hanbalis invalidate strong leaning without excuse ⁶.

All agree that a seated worshipper with an excuse may pray behind a standing imam, citing the Prophet ﷺ's prayer seated behind Abu Bakr in his illness ⁶. A standing worshipper behind a seated imam is permitted by the Hanafis and Shafi'is, and forbidden by the Malikis, Hanbalis and Muhammad ibn al-Hasan, who cite the saying "let no one lead after me while seated", which the book notes al-Daraqutni reported with a weak narrator ⁷.

All agree that voluntary prayer may be performed sitting with or without excuse. Lying down is not permitted for one able to stand or sit except with an excuse, according to the Hanafis, Malikis and Hanbalis; the sounder Shafi'i view allows it despite ability, citing the hadith that the best is standing, half the reward is sitting, and half of that is lying ⁷. Most jurists allow beginning a voluntary prayer seated and then standing, citing the Prophet's night prayer as reported by 'A'isha ⁷.

The Malikis, Shafi'is, Hanbalis and the two companions of Abu Hanifa say that obligatory prayer seated in a ship or similar vessel is not valid without an excuse. Abu Hanifa held it valid without excuse, but disliked ^{7 8}.

All agree that the caller and the one who announces the iqama are recommended to stand, on the hadith of Ibn Umar about the beginning of the call, since it makes the announcement more effective ⁸. A man who enters a mosque while the call is being made: the Shafi'is and Hanbalis answer the caller standing until he finishes and then greet the mosque; the Hanafis sit until he finishes and then pray the greeting ⁸.

A hadith by Abu Qatada says not to stand until one sees the imam come out, when the prayer has been announced ⁸. The jurists differ on the moment: most Hanafis stand at the second "hasten to success" call, Zufar at the first "hasten to prayer"; the Shafi'is prefer standing after the iqama is finished; the Hanbalis prefer standing at "the prayer has begun"; the Malikis leave it to what people can manage ^{8 4}.

The jurists differ on the Friday and Eid sermons, the prayer for rain and the eclipse sermons. The Hanafis, Hanbalis and Ibn al-Arabi of the Malikis hold standing to be a sunna, after the Prophet's practice; the Shafi'is and most Malikis make it a condition for those able. The Shafi'is add that a preacher unable to stand preaches seated, then lying down, and his followers may still pray behind him ^{4 9}.

Recitation of the Qur'an and remembrance of God are permitted in any posture, standing, sitting, walking or lying, and the text quotes al-Nawawi that this carries reward ⁹.

The Malikis and Hanbalis dislike standing for a funeral that passes a seated person, as it is not the practice of the early generation; the Hanafis prefer not to stand. Al-Qalyubi holds it recommended to stand, pray for the deceased and praise him if he merits it ⁹.

The Hanafis dislike eating and drinking standing, as a matter of purity, but exempt the water of Zamzam and the leftover ablution water. The Malikis permit it. The Shafi'is say it is contrary to the better course, and the Hanbalis do not dislike drinking standing; for eating standing they have two narrations. The cause of the dispute is conflicting hadiths: one has the Prophet forbidding drinking standing, another has him drinking Zamzam standing ^{9 10}.

All agree it is recommended to urinate sitting, as it is more concealing and less likely to splash. Most jurists dislike standing except with an excuse ¹⁰.

Standing for an arrival is forbidden when meant for display or pride. It is permitted to honour people of merit: the book cites the Prophet's words to the Ansar to stand for their chief Sa'd ibn Mu'adh when he came to judge the Banu Qurayza ^{10 5}. Al-Nawawi holds standing for a virtuous arrival recommended, since no clear prohibition is sound ⁵. Ibn al-Hajj, quoting Ibn Rushd, sorts standing into four kinds: forbidden when from arrogance, disliked when shown to someone who does not wish it, permitted as courtesy to someone who does not seek it, and good when it marks joy at a return, congratulation or condolence ^{5 11}. Ibn al-Qayyim says standing for parents, a just ruler and the virtuous is recommended, and that it must not be taken as an insult by one who is not so honoured ¹¹. The book also records hadiths of people standing for Fatima and for the Prophet, and of the warning against standing as the non-Arabs do, which al-Tabari weakened for an irregular and unknown chain, as Ibn Hajar reports ¹¹.

In flogging for fornication or slander, the Hanafis, Shafi'is and Hanbalis have a man flogged standing, bound to nothing and in no pit, and a woman flogged seated, which is more concealing, following a saying of Ali; Malik has both flogged seated ¹¹. A woman stoned is stoned seated by agreement, and a pit may be dug for her in some views; the Malikis and the preferred Hanbali view dig none. A man is stoned standing by the majority and seated by Malik ^{11 12}.

The book refers readers to the entries on prayer of the sick, the naked, the fear prayer, the ship, the call to prayer and voluntary prayer for details ^{3 8}.