Sneezing then Praising Allah while being led in Prayer Q&A by Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez bin ‘Abdullah Aali ash-Shaykh

Question: One of the people being led in prayer next to me sneezed and then said, “all praise is for Allah (al-Hamdullilah)” while in prayer. Is this permissible to do in prayer, and how should one respond? 

Answer: When one being led in prayer sneezes, then it is prescribed for that person to praise Allah. This is based on the narration of Mu’aadh bin Rifaa’ah bin Raafi’ from his father, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said, “I prayed behind the Prophet, peace be upon him, when I sneezed and said al-Hamdullilah, Hamdan Katheeran, Tayeeban Mubaarakan feeh, Mubaarkan ‘alayhi Kamaa Yuhibu Rabbanaa wa Yardhaa (All praise is for Allah, many pure blessings, blessings upon him as our Lord loves and is pleased with).” So when the Prophet finished praying, peace be upon him, he asked who had spoken during prayer but no one answered. Then he asked a second time who had spoken so Rifaa’ah said, “I did Messenger of Allah.” Then he asked him what he had said and Rifaa’ah told him. The Prophet, peace be upon him said: (By the One who my soul is in His hand, I saw thirty or so angels scrambling to see which one would take it up to heaven.) 

This narration is related by at-Tirmidhee who said it was a good narration as well as an-Nisaa’ee. Therefore this companion praised Allah after sneezing while he was in prayer and the Prophet, peace be upon him, approved this action, so this proves its permissibility. 

From the Legal Rulings of Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez bin ‘Abdullah Aali ash-Shaykh
From the magazine Majallat-ul-Buhooth al-Islaamiyyah pages 42-43
Translated by Thomas Maldonado