What is decree on sitting cross-legged? How did the Prophet sit?

Will you write the decree about sitting cross-legged when one is alone, in the community, in the family and while saying tasbihat after prayers? Can a person sit cross-legged if his legs ache? Or, is it better not to sit cross-legged in terms of respect?

Dear Brother / Sister,

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) usually sat on his knees. (Muslim, Iman, 1, 5; Bukhari, Iman 37) However, he also sat in different ways. One of them is sitting cross-legged. Jabir bin Samura said after the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) performed the morning (fajr) prayer, he sat cross-legged until the sun came well up. (Abu Dawud, Adab, 26)

To sit cross-legged was one of the sitting styles that the Prophet (pbuh) liked and did a lot. For, this kind of sitting makes man comfortable, prevents his awrah places from being opened and is in accordance with good manners. The Messenger of Allah sat like that not only in the mosque but also in other places. We see that the Companions also followed this style and preferred sitting cross-legged.

Another sitting style is the one called “qurfusa” or “ihtiba”. Ibn Umar said,

“I saw the Messenger of Allah in the courtyard of the Kaaba sitting by holding his knees with his hands.” He sat by on his bottom made his thighs touch his abdomen and held his knees. (Bukhari, Isti'dhan, 34)

Qayla bint Mahrama said,

“I saw the Messenger of Allah sitting on his bottom with his knees touching his abdomen holding his knees with his hands. When I saw him in such a humble condition in awe, I trembled with fear.” (Abu Dawud, Adab, 22)

This style is the one that the Prophet (pbuh) often sat and according to Qadi Iyad, he preferred it to sitting cross-legged. The reason why this style of sitting is preferred is the fact that it ensures tasattur (hijab) fully and prevents awrah places from being opened. The Companions generally sat like that. The reason why this style is common in our community is probably that it is sunnah. 

However, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) prohibited sitting like this while listening to the sermon of Friday. (Abu Dawud, Salah, 228) For, this sitting causes a person to sleep and prevents him from listening to the sermon, which is a religious duty. What is worse, it can cause the wudu of a person to break.

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) also sat by squatting. He generally sat in this style, which is called “ihtifaz” or “iq‘a”, when he ate something. Anas bin Malik said,

“I saw the Messenger of Allah eating dates by squatting.” (Muslim, Ashriba, 148-149)

Another sitting style of the Messenger of Allah that was observed was sitting on the wall of a pool or well and hanging his legs. In an incident narrated by Abu Musa al-Ash’ari, the Messenger of Allah sat on the wall of the well of Aris with his legs hanging in the well (Bukhari, Ashabu'n-Nabiy, 5)

The sitting styles that the Prophet (pbuh) did not approve

There were some sitting styles that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) did not like. For instance, the Prophet did not like sitting by moving one hand behind and placing it on the ground with the palm touching the ground, and making the body sit accordingly. He also did not approve sitting by moving two hands behind and placing them on the ground with the palm touching the ground. For , this style is described as the sitting style of those who acted conceitedly and who overlooked people. Shari bin Suwayd narrates:

“Once, I was sitting by moving my left hand behind and placing it on the ground with the palm touching the ground. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) came upon me and said,
‘Are you sitting like those upon whom Allah's wrath was inflicted’” (Abu Dawud, Adab, 24)

What matters here is that Muslims, who have a big bounty like Islam, should not resemble non-Muslims, who deserve the anger of Allah, even in sitting style. If a sitting, walking and lying style and a similar deed is a sign of non-Muslims; that is, if non-Muslims come to the mind when they are done, it is the duty of Muslims to avoid them.

The Messenger of Allah prohibited sitting in inappropriate places no matter how one sits. One of them is sitting on the street and next to the road. He said to his Companions,  

– Avoid sitting on the roads. They said,
– There is no way out; we talk about our issues there. The Messenger of Allah said,
– If you must sit there, observe the rights of the way.
– They said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! What are the rights of the way?’ He said,
– Not looking at haram things, refraining from harming passers-by, returning greetings, enjoining the good and forbidding the evil. (Bukhari, Mazalim, 22; Muslim, Libas, 114)

In some other narrations, the Prophet (pbuh) mentioned some other rights like “telling the way to those who ask directions and to help those who ask for help”.

It is an ugly deed to sit on the places unnecessarily by chatting where people pass by, to watch people and to prevent them from passing comfortably. However, when people have to sit there, they should be careful about the issues the Prophet mentioned. The Muslims who know the inconvenience of sitting on the street have made it a custom to sit in the courtyards of mosques.

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