What do you say when someone sneezes in Islam?
The sneezer says: alhamdulillah (praise be to Allah). Whoever hears replies: yarhamuk Allah (may Allah have mercy on you). The sneezer then replies back: yahdikum Allah wa yuslih balakum (may Allah guide you and set your affairs right). Reported in Sahih al-Bukhari 6224.
Detail
This is a duty on the listener when the sneezer says alhamdulillah. If the sneezer stays silent, there is no reply due.
Female form: yarhamuki Allah when replying to a woman. Group form: yarhamukumu‑llah for many.
On repeated sneezes (three or more), you can say: `afakumu‑llah, may Allah heal you, since repeated sneezing may indicate a cold (per al-Nawawi).
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