Tashmit (replying to a sneezer)

Tashmit is praying for a sneezer's good and blessing after he has praised God. ¹

In the lexicon tashmit is praying for good and blessing; one who wishes someone well is a mushammit. Answering a sneezer is saying «may God have mercy on you» to a sneezer who is a Muslim. ¹

All agree that the sneezer praises God at once, with «praise be to God», and may add the wording transmitted. ² Once he praises God, it is a duty upon each Muslim who hears him and is not at prayer to answer, as in the hadith of Abu Hurayra (may God be pleased with him) in the two Sahihs. ² If he does not praise God, he is not answered; the hadith of Abu Musa says so. ² If he forgets, one present should remind him to praise God. ³

For the Shafiis it is a sunna; for the Hanafis and one Hanbali view it is obligatory; for the Malikis, and the known Hanbali view, it is a communal obligation. Al-Bayan reports that the better-known view is an individual obligation. ³ An-Nawawi preferred that each who hears answers. ³

The sneezer is recommended to answer the one who prays for him, saying «may God forgive us and you», or «may God guide you and set your affairs right», or to combine them. ³

If a non-Muslim sneezes, praises God and a Muslim hears, the Muslim answers with a prayer for his guidance and well-being; the Prophet ﷺ used to answer the Jews who sneezed in his presence with the wish that God guide them and set their affairs right. ⁵

Answering a sneezer during prayer breaks it for most jurists, as it is human speech; the hadith of Muawiya ibn al-Hakam says that the prayer does not allow any speech of people. ⁵ If one praises God silently within himself without moving the tongue, the prayer is not spoiled, according to the Hanafis, Hanbalis and Malikis. ⁵

A sneezer who sneezes more than three times is not answered for the extra ones, unless he has a cold, as in the hadith of Salama ibn al-Akwa, where the Prophet answered a man twice and then said he had a cold. ^{5 6}

It is disliked for one relieving himself to answer a sneezer, and to praise God aloud; in the heart it is allowed. ⁴ Answering during the sermon is disliked by the Hanafis and Malikis; the new Shafii view says speaking during the sermon is not forbidden, but silence is recommended. ^{7 4}

It is disliked for a man to answer a young woman, and for her to answer him; it is allowed with an old woman. The Hanbalis agree in substance, and some allow a man to answer an uncovered woman who is not young. ^{4 8}