✅Answer: First, a narration on the reason for sneezing:

عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ أَبِی حَمَّادٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ الْعَالِمَ عَنِ الْعَطْسَةِ وَ مَا الْعِلَّةُ فِی الْحَمْدِ لِلَّهِ عَلَیْهَا فَقَالَ إِنَّ لِلَّهِ نِعَماً عَلَی عَبْدِهِ فِی صِحَّةِ بَدَنِهِ وَ سَلَامَةِ جَوَارِحِهِ وَ إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ یَنْسَی ذِکْرَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَلَی ذَلِکَ وَ إِذَا نَسِیَ أَمَرَ اللَّهُ الرِّیحَ فَتُجَازُ فِی بَدَنِهِ ثُمَّ یُخْرِجُهَا مِنْ أَنْفِهِ فَیَحْمَدُ اللَّهَ عَلَی ذَلِکَ فَیَکُونُ حَمْدُهُ عَلَی ذَلِکَ شُکْراً لِمَا نَسِیَ

📚 Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 654

Translation: Salih says: I asked the wise one (the Imam) about sneezing and the reason for praising God for it. The Imam said: God has bestowed blessings on His servant in the health of his body and the safety of his limbs, and indeed the servant forgets the remembrance of God for these blessings. And when he forgets, God commands 'al-rih' (the wind) to circulate in his body and then expels it from his nose. So the servant at this time praises God, and this praise is a gratitude for the blessings he had forgotten.

✅What should we do and say if we sneeze?

فِی عُیُونِ الْأَخْبَارِ بِإِسْنَادِهِ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ عَنِ الرِّضَا فِی کِتَابِهِ إِلَی الْمَأْمُونِ قَالَ وَ الصَّلَاةُ عَلَی النَّبِیِّ صلی الله علیه و آله وَاجِبَةٌ فِی کُلِّ مَوْطِنٍ وَ عِنْدَ الْعُطَاسِ وَ الذَّبَائِحِ وَ غَیْرِ ذَلِکَ

📚 Uyoun Akhbar al-Ridha, vol. 2, p. 124

Translation: Imam al-Ridha (peace be upon him) wrote in a letter to Ma'mun: ... and sending blessings upon the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) is obligatory in every place, when sneezing, when slaughtering, and other times...

عَنْ مِسْمَعِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمَلِکِ قَالَ عَطَسَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِینَ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ إِصْبَعَهُ عَلَی أَنْفِهِ فَقَالَ رَغِمَ أَنْفِی لِلَّهِ رَغْماً دَاخِراً

📚 Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 655

Translation: Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) sneezed and then said:

💠الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِینَ

Then he placed his finger on his nose and said:

💠رَغِمَ أَنْفِی لِلَّهِ رَغْماً دَاخِراً

عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مَرْوَانَ رَفَعَهُ قَالَ قَالَ أَمِیرُ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ مَنْ قَالَ إِذَا عَطَسَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِینَ عَلَی کُلِّ حَالٍ لَمْ یَجِدْ وَجَعَ الْأُذُنَیْنِ وَ الْأَضْرَاسِ

📚 Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 656

Translation: Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) said: The one who, when he sneezes, says:

💠الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِینَ عَلَی کُلِّ حَالٍ

will not suffer from earaches and toothaches. (He will not be afflicted with them)

عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ مَنْ عَطَسَ ثُمَّ وَضَعَ یَدَهُ عَلَی قَصَبَةِ أَنْفِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِینَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ حَمْداً کَثِیراً کَمَا هُوَ أَهْلُهُ وَ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ النَّبِیِّ وَ آلِهِ وَ سَلَّمَ خَرَجَ مِنْ مَنْخِرِهِ الْأَیْسَرِ طَائِرٌ أَصْغَرُ مِنَ الْجَرَادِ وَ أَکْبَرُ مِنَ الذُّبَابِ حَتَّی یَصِیرَ تَحْتَ الْعَرْشِ یَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ إِلَی یَوْمِ الْقِیَامَةِ

📚 Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 657

Translation: Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: 💠The one who sneezes and then puts his hand on the bone of his nose and says:💠

⬅️الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِینَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ حَمْداً کَثِیراً کَمَا هُوَ أَهْلُهُ وَ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ النَّبِیِّ وَ آلِهِ وَ سَلَّمَ➡️

A bird smaller than a locust and bigger than a fly exits from the left nostril and flies until it reaches under the Throne and asks for forgiveness for him from God until the Day of Judgment.

Nasim and Mariyah say: When the Imam of our Time (may God hasten his reappearance) came out of his mother's womb, he knelt down while raising his index finger to the sky, then he sneezed and said:

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ وَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ عَبْدٌ دَاخِرٌ لِلَّهِ غَيْرُ مُسْتَنْكِفٍ وَ لَا مُسْتَكْبِرٍ

📚 Mustadrak al-Wasa'il, vol. 8, p. 389

Hakima, the daughter of Imam al-Kazim (peace be upon him), in the hadith of the birth of Imam al-Jawad (peace be upon him), says: ... When it was the third day, he sneezed and said:

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلَى الْأَئِمَّةِ الرَّاشِدِينَ

✅The above prayers are what the person who sneezes says, and most importantly, praising God and sending blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad. However, other important matters regarding sneezing have been mentioned in Shia narrations which will be presented in the next section, God willing.

✅What should we say if we hear someone sneeze?

عَنْ أَبِی أُسَامَةَ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ مَنْ سَمِعَ عَطْسَةً فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ صَلَّی عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ أَهْلِ بَیْتِهِ لَمْ یَشْتَکِ عَیْنَهُ وَ لَا ضِرْسَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنْ سَمِعْتَهَا فَقُلْهَا وَ إِنْ کَانَ بَیْنَکَ وَ بَیْنَهُ الْبَحْرُ

📚 Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 656

Translation: Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: The one who hears the sound of a sneeze and then praises God and sends blessings upon the Prophet and his family, his eyes and teeth will not become ill. Then he said: If you hear a sneeze, say this supplication even if there is a sea between you and him.

✅According to the above narration, when we hear the sound of someone sneezing, whoever they are and wherever they are, we say:

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ وَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ

✅An important point about sneezing is that in the narrations, among the rights of a believer and a Muslim, is to pray for him when he sneezes:

عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلی الله علیه و آله : إِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ لَيَدَعُ تَسْمِيتَ أَخِيهِ إِنْ عَطَسَ فَيُطَالِبُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَيُقْضَى لَهُ عَلَيْهِ

📚 Bihar, vol. 76, p. 53

Translation: Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) said: The Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) said: Indeed, when one of you sneezes, he abandons praying for his brother, and he will demand it from him on the Day of Judgment, and a judgment will be made against the one who abandoned it.

ابْنِ رِئَابٍ قَالُوا کُنَّا جُلُوساً عِنْدَ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ إِذْ عَطَسَ رَجُلٌ فَمَا رَدَّ عَلَیْهِ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ شَیْئاً حَتَّی ابْتَدَأَ هُوَ فَقَالَ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ أَ لَّا سَمَّتُّمْ إِنَّ مِنْ حَقِّ الْمُسْلِمِ عَلَی الْمُسْلِمِ أَنْ یَعُودَهُ إِذَا اشْتَکَی وَ أَنْ یُجِیبَهُ إِذَا دَعَاهُ وَ أَنْ یَشْهَدَهُ إِذَا مَاتَ وَ أَنْ یُسَمِّتَهُ إِذَا عَطَسَ

📚 Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 653

Translation: Ibn Ri'ab says: We were sitting with Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) when a man sneezed, but no one responded to him until Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) began and said: Glory be to God! Do you not pray for him?! Indeed, it is a right of a Muslim upon another Muslim that when he becomes ill, he visits him, and when he invites him, he responds to him, and when he dies, he attends his funeral, and when he sneezes, he prays for him.

In another hadith, Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: It is a right of a believer upon a believer that when he becomes ill, he visits him, and when he dies, he attends his funeral, and when he sneezes, he prays for him, and if he invites him, he responds to him.

✅It is clear that it is a right of a Muslim and a believer to pray for him when he sneezes. But regarding the manner of this prayer, pay attention to the following narrations:

عَنْ عَلِیٍّ فِی حَدِیثِ الْأَرْبَعِمِائَةِ قَالَ إِذَا عَطَسَ أَحَدُکُمْ فَسَمِّتُوهُ قُولُوا یَرْحَمُکُمُ اللَّهُ وَ هُوَ یَقُولُ یَغْفِرُ اللَّهُ لَکُمْ وَ یَرْحَمُکُمْ

📚 Wasa'il al-Shi'a (30 vols), vol. 12, p. 88

Translation: Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) said in the four hundred hadiths: When one of you sneezes, pray for him, say: YARHAMUKUM ALLAH, and he (the sneezer) should reply:

یَغْفِرُ اللَّهُ لَکُمْ وَ یَرْحَمُکُمْ

عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ أَبِی خَلَفٍ قَالَ کَانَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ إِذَا عَطَسَ فَقِیلَ لَهُ یَرْحَمُکَ اللَّهُ قَالَ یَغْفِرُ اللَّهُ لَکُمْ وَ یَرْحَمُکُمْ وَ إِذَا عَطَسَ عِنْدَهُ إِنْسَانٌ قَالَ یَرْحَمُکَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ

📚 Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 655

Translation: Sa'd says: When Imam al-Baqir (peace be upon him) sneezed and was told: YARHAMUK ALLAH, the Imam would reply:

یَغْفِرُ اللَّهُ لَکُمْ وَ یَرْحَمُکُمْ

And if a person sneezed in his presence, he would say to him:

یَرْحَمُکَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ

✅If a child sneezes, we act upon the following two hadiths for praying for him:

عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ عَطَسَ غُلَامٌ لَمْ یَبْلُغِ الْحُلُمَ عِنْدَ النَّبِیِّ فَقَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ النَّبِیُّ صلی الله علیه و آله بَارَکَ اللَّهُ فِیکَ

📚 Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 655

Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: A boy who had not yet reached puberty sneezed in the presence of the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) and said: ALHAMDULILLAH, so the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) said to him:

بَارَکَ اللَّهُ فِیکَ

In another hadith, Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: Say to a child who sneezes:

زَرَعَكَ اللَّهُ

📚 Makarim al-Akhlaq, p. 355

If a woman sneezes, for praying for her, we act upon the following hadith:

Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said in a hadith: If you want to pray for a sneezing woman, say: 💠

💠عَافَاكِ اللَّهُ

And for the sick, Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said, say: 💠

💠شَفَاكَ اللَّهُ

📚 Makarim al-Akhlaq, p. 355

✅In the case of a Dhimmi (Jew or Christian) sneezing, we act upon the following hadith:

عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ عَطَسَ رَجُلٌ نَصْرَانِیٌّ عِنْدَ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْقَوْمُ هَدَاکَ اللَّهُ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فقولوا یَرْحَمُکَ اللَّهُ فَقَالُوا لَهُ إِنَّهُ نَصْرَانِیٌّ فَقَالَ لَا یَهْدِیهِ اللَّهُ حَتَّی یَرْحَمَهُ

📚 Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 656

Translation: A Christian man sneezed in the presence of Imam al-Sadiq, and the people present there said to him: HADAK ALLAH, so Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: Tell him: YARHAMUK ALLAH.

They said: This person is a Christian. The Imam said: God will not guide him unless He has mercy on him.

✅In the hadith 📚 Makarim al-Akhlaq, p. 355, Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: If you want to pray for a Dhimmi for sneezing, say: 💠HADAK ALLAH

✅نکته: عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِی جَعْفَرٍ قَالَ إِذَا عَطَسَ الرَّجُلُ ثَلَاثاً فَسَمِّتْهُ ثُمَّ اتْرُکْهُ

📚 Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 657

Translation: Imam al-Baqir (peace be upon him) said: When a person sneezes three times, pray for him, and then leave him.

✅That is, if someone sneezes more than three times, he is no longer prayed for.

قَالَ وَ فِی حَدِیثٍ آخَرَ إِذَا زَادَ الْعَاطِسُ عَلَی ثَلَاثَةٍ قِیلَ لَهُ شَفَاکَ اللَّهُ لِأَنَّ ذَلِکَ مِنْ عِلَّةٍ

Translation: Sheikh Saduq says: It is mentioned in another hadith: If the sneezer sneezes more than three times, he is told: 💠SHAFAK ALLAH

because this is due to illness.

📚 Khisal, vol. 1, p. 126

✅Note: We should avoid making the sound of sneezing unpleasant because of the following narration:

عَنْ أَبِی بَکْرٍ الْحَضْرَمِیِّ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِنَّ أَنْکَرَ الْأَصْواتِ لَصَوْتُ الْحَمِیرِ قَالَ الْعَطْسَةُ الْقَبِیحَةُ

📚 Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 656

Translation: Al-Hadrami says: I asked Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) about the verse 'Indeed, the ugliest of sounds is the sound of the donkey,' and the Imam said: (The meaning is) a foul and ugly sneeze.

✅If we sneeze during prayer or hear our brother sneeze, we act upon the following two hadiths:

عَنِ الْحَلَبِیِّ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ إِذَا عَطَسَ الرَّجُلُ فِی صَلَاتِهِ فَلْیَحْمَدِ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ

📚 Al-Kafi, vol. 3, p. 366

Translation: Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: When a person sneezes in his prayer, he must praise God (say Al-Hamdulillah).

عَنْ أَبِی بَصِیرٍ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ أَسْمَعُ الْعَطْسَةَ وَ أَنَا فِی الصَّلَاةِ فَأَحْمَدُ اللَّهَ وَ أُصَلِّی عَلَی النَّبِیِّ وَ آلِهِ قَالَ نَعَمْ وَ إِذَا عَطَسَ أَخُوکَ وَ أَنْتَ فِی الصَّلَاةِ فَقُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَی النَّبِیِّ وَ آلِهِ وَ إِنْ کَانَ بَیْنَکَ وَ بَیْنَ صَاحِبِکَ الْیَمُّ (صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ)

📚 Al-Kafi, vol. 3, p. 367

Translation: Abu Basir says: I said to Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him): I hear the sound of a sneeze while I am in prayer, so I praise God and send blessings upon the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) (is this correct)? The Imam said: Yes, and also when your brother sneezes and you are in prayer, say: ALHAMDULILLAH WA SALLALLAHU ALA AL-NABIYYI WA ALIHI, even if there is a sea between you and that sneezer.

✅We end the matter with the following few hadiths:

✅Bazanati says: I heard Imam al-Ridha (peace be upon him) saying: Yawning is from Satan, and sneezing is from God Almighty.

📚 Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 654

✅The Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) said: When a person is busy saying something and someone sneezes, this is a witness of the truth.

(That is, the sneeze is a witness to the truth of the words being said.)

📚 Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 657

✅Nasim, the servant of Imam Hasan al-Askari, says: One night after the birth of the Imam of our Time (peace be upon him), I entered upon him, and then I sneezed in his presence, and the Imam of our Time said to me: YARHAMUK ALLAH, so I was delighted by this. The Imam said to me: Should I not give you good news about sneezing? I said: Yes. He said: A sneeze is a safeguard from death for three days.

📚 Kamal al-Din, vol. 2, p. 430

✅The above hadith shows the permissibility of saying 💠'YARHAMUK ALLAH' to pray for a sneezing woman.