Islamic phrase · meaning and usage
Yarhamukallah meaning
Also written Yarhamukallah, Yarhamuk Allah, Yarhamukumullah, Yarhamakallah, Yarhamuka Allah
يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ
yarḥamukallāh
“May Allah have mercy on you”
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When a Muslim sneezes he says al-ḥamdu lillāh. You reply yarhamukallah (يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ), “may Allah have mercy on you”. He then answers yahdīkumullāhu wa yuṣliḥu bālakum, “may Allah guide you and set your affairs right” (Bukhari 6224).
What Yarhamukallah means
Replying to a sneeze is called tashmīt. It is one of the rights of a Muslim over another, and it only applies when the sneezer praises Allah.
Word by word
| Arabic | Say | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| يَرْحَمُ | yarḥamu | (may He) have mercy on |
| كَ | ka | you |
| اللَّهُ | Allāh | Allah |
When to say it
- When someone sneezes and says alhamdulillah: say yarhamukallah.
- If they do not say alhamdulillah, you do not need to reply (you may remind them).
- After the third sneeze in a row, it is a cold: you may say a dua for recovery instead.
How to reply
The full exchange:
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ
al-ḥamdu lillāh
Praise be to Allah. (The one who sneezes.)
Sahih al-Bukhari 6224
يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ
yarḥamukallāh
May Allah have mercy on you. (The listener. To a woman: yarḥamukillāh.)
Sahih al-Bukhari 6224
يَهْدِيكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيُصْلِحُ بَالَكُمْ
yahdīkumullāhu wa yuṣliḥu bālakum
May Allah guide you and set your affairs right. (The sneezer replies.)
Sahih al-Bukhari 6224
Where it comes from
In the hadith
“When one of you sneezes, let him say al-ḥamdu lillāh, and let his brother or companion say yarḥamukallāh. When he says that, let him say yahdīkumullāhu wa yuṣliḥu bālakum.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 6224
Two men sneezed; the Prophet ﷺ replied to one and not the other. He explained: this one praised Allah and that one did not.
Sahih al-Bukhari 6221
Among the rights of a Muslim over a Muslim: when he sneezes and praises Allah, reply to him.
Sahih Muslim 2162
A man sneezed again and the Prophet ﷺ said: “The man has a cold.”
Sahih Muslim 2993
When non-Muslims sneezed near him, he said yahdīkumullāhu wa yuṣliḥu bālakum.
Sunan Abi Dawud 5038; Jami at-Tirmidhi 2739
Common mistakes
- Replying “bless you” only. The sunnah reply is yarhamukallah, and only when the sneezer says alhamdulillah.
- The sneezer forgetting his part. After yarhamukallah, he answers yahdīkumullāhu wa yuṣliḥu bālakum.
Frequently asked questions
What does yarhamukallah mean?
“May Allah have mercy on you.” It is said to someone who sneezes and says alhamdulillah.
What do you reply to yarhamukallah?
Yahdīkumullāhu wa yuṣliḥu bālakum: “may Allah guide you and set your affairs right” (Bukhari 6224).
What if the person does not say alhamdulillah?
You do not have to reply. The Prophet ﷺ replied only to the one who praised Allah (Bukhari 6221). You can kindly remind them.
What do you say when a non-Muslim sneezes?
Yahdīkumullāhu wa yuṣliḥu bālakum, as the Prophet ﷺ did (Abu Dawud 5038).
What do you say to a woman who sneezes?
Yarḥamukillāh (يَرْحَمُكِ اللَّهُ), with the feminine ending.
Related phrases
How this page works and sources
Qur’an text and its English meaning are taken from the same Uthmani text and translation the Niyat app uses, and each ayah links to its place in our Qur’an reader. Hadith are cited by collection and number (Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abi Dawud, Jami at-Tirmidhi, Sunan an-Nasa’i, Sunan Ibn Majah); where a narration has a weak chain we say so. Hadith wording is summarised in plain English. Where the schools of law differ, the page says so in one line. The sound button uses your browser’s own Arabic voice; nothing is sent anywhere.
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