Question 1031: What is the ruling on drinking while standing?

160 13 Feb 2021
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✅Answer: Please pay attention to the following narrations:

1️⃣ From Muhammad ibn Muslim from one of the two Imams, Sadiq or Baqir (prayers of Allah be upon them both), who said: 'Do not drink while you are standing, and do not urinate in stagnant water, and do not defecate on a grave, and do not be alone in a house, and do not walk in a single sandal, for Satan is fastest to the servant when he is in one of these states,' and he said: 'Nothing afflicts anyone in these states that is about to leave him unless Allah, the Almighty and Glorious, wills!'

📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 6, p. 234

Muhammad ibn Muslim narrated from one of the two Imams, Sadiq or Baqir (prayers of Allah be upon them both), who said: 'Do not drink anything while standing and do not urinate in stagnant water and do not defecate on a grave and do not be alone in a room and do not walk in a single sandal, for Satan is in his fastest state to a person when he is in one of these states, and he said: 'Nothing afflicts anyone in this state that is about to leave him unless Allah, the Almighty and Glorious, wills!'

2 مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي مَحْمُودٍ رَفَعَهُ إِلَى أَبِي عَبْداللَّهِ قَالَ: شُرْبُ الْمَاءِ مِنْ قِيَامٍ بِالنَّهَارِ يُمْرِئُ الطَّعَامَ وَ شُرْبُ الْمَاءِ بِاللَّيْلِ مِنْ قِيَامٍ يُورِثُ الْمَاءَ الْأَصْفَرَ

📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 6, p. 383

Imam Sadiq (prayers of Allah be upon him) said: 'Drinking water while standing during the day makes food pleasant, and drinking water while standing at night causes gall.'

3 السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْداللَّه قَالَ: شُرْبُ الْمَاءِ مِنْ قِيَامٍ بِالنَّهَارِ أَقْوَى وَ أَصَحُّ لِلْبَدَنِ

📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 6, p. 382

Imam Sadiq (prayers of Allah be upon him) said: 'Drinking water while standing during the day is more strengthening and healthier for the body!'

4 قَالَ الصَّادِقُ شُرْبُ الْمَاءِ مِنْ قِيَامٍ بِالنَّهَارِ أَدَرُّ لِلْعِرْقِ وَ أَقْوَى لِلْبَدَن

📚 Al-Faqih, Vol. 3, p. 353

Imam Sadiq (prayers of Allah be upon him) said: 'Drinking water while standing during the day makes the veins smoother (makes blood circulation smoother) and is more strengthening for the body!'

5 عَنْ أَبِي عَبْداللَّهِ قَالَ: قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِيَّاكُمْ وَ شُرْبَ الْمَاءِ قِيَاماً عَلَى أَرْجُلِكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ يُورِثُ الدَّاءَ الَّذِي لَا دَوَاءَ لَهُ إِلَّا أَنْ يُعَافِيَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ

📚 Illal al-Shara'i, p. 464, hadith 14

Imam Sadiq (prayers of Allah be upon him) said: 'Amir al-Mu'minin (prayers of Allah be upon him) said: 'Refrain from drinking water while you are standing on your feet, for it causes a pain for which there is no cure unless Allah, the Almighty and Glorious, grants health!'

6 عَبْدالرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْحَجَّاجِ قَالَ: كُنْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْداللَّه إِذْ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ الْقُمِّيُّ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَشْرَبُ الماء وَ أَنَا قَائِمٌ فَقَالَ له إِنْ شِئْتَ فَقَالَ أفأَشْرَبُ بِنَفَسٍ وَاحِدٍ حَتَّى أَرْوَى قَالَ إِنْ شِئْتَ قَالَ فَأَسْجُدُ وَ يَدِي فِي ثَوْبِي قَالَ إِنْ شِئْتَ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَمَا وَ اللَّهِ مَا مِنْ هَذَا وَ شِبْهِهِ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ

📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 6, p. 383

Abd al-Rahman said: 'I was with Imam Sadiq (prayers of Allah be upon him) when Abd al-Malik al-Qummi entered upon the Imam. So he said to the Prophet: 'Should I drink water standing?' The Imam said to him: 'If you wish!'

He said: 'Should I drink water in one breath until I am quenched?' He said: 'If you wish!'

He said: 'Should I prostrate while my hand is in my garment?' He said: 'If you wish!'

Then the Imam said: 'Be aware, by Allah, I do not fear for you from these matters and their like!'

✅ According to the above narrations and others, although drinking while standing is absolutely permissible, in some narrations, drinking while standing at night is prohibited and it has been mentioned that it has effects such as the disease of gall and an incurable pain and the possibility of something afflicting one from Satan, so it is appropriate to avoid drinking while standing at night so that we are safe from these negative effects, but drinking while standing during the day is not specifically prohibited; rather, effects such as an increase in strength, the body becoming healthy, and smoother blood circulation have been mentioned for it.

✅ The common people, due to abandoning the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) and having only general prophetic hadiths, are deprived of the details and distinction between drinking at night and during the day, but the Shi'a, by the blessing of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), are aware that only drinking at night has some negative consequences, and during the day, drinking while standing is better.

✅ Although many narrations explicitly mention drinking water, based on some narrations where drinking is mentioned in absolute terms, this ruling includes all beverages such as milk, tea, and so on.

اللَّهُمَّ فَصَلِّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَجِّلْ لِوَلِیِّکَ الْفَرَجَ وَ الْعَافِیَةَ وَ النَّصْرَ