The Manners Of Walking And Riding
1) It Is Prohibited To Walk Arrogantly With A Strut
2) The Best Form Of Walking
3) It is Disliked To Walk In One Shoe
4) It Is Sunnah To Walk Barefoot Sometimes
5) The Owner Of A Riding Animal Is Most Deserving Of Sitting In The Front
6) Two Riders May Sit On The Same Riding Animal, As Long As Doing So Is Not Burdensome For The Animal
7) It Is Disliked To Use Riding Animals As Pulpits (Upon Which The Rider Delivers A Sermon Or Lecture)

The Manners Of Walking And Riding

Allah (Swt) said: “And Who has created all the pairs and has appointed for you ships and cattle on which you ride, in order that you may mount firmly on their backs, and then, may remember the Favor of your Lord when you mount thereon, and say: “Glory to Him Who has subjected this to us, and we could never have it (by our efforts). And verily, to our Lord we indeed are to return!” (Qur’an 43:12-14)

The Manners Of Walking And Riding

1) It Is Prohibited To Walk Arrogantly With A Strut

A person walks with a strut if feelings of arrogance, pride, and self-admiration thrive in his heart. Humbleness and not arrogance is from the characteristics of the believer. Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudree (R.A) reported that the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) said, “Al-‘Izz (The Glory And Might) is His Izaar (lower garment) and Al-Kibriyaa (Grandeur and Pride) is His Ridaa (robe), [and Allah (Swt) said,] ‘So as for he who challenges Me in them, I will punish him.”

And Abu Hurairah (R.A) also related that the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) said, “As a man was walking in a Hullah (a two-piece garment), admiring his own self with his Jummah (hair that reaches one’s shoulders) combed, Allah made the earth to swallow him, and he will continue to sink in it until the Day of Resurrection.” [Muslim, 2088]

Only on one occasion is it permissible to walk with a strut, and that is the occasion of battle, when one may walk with a strut in order to instill anger into the hearts of the enemies. Abu Dujaanah (R.A) once did this when he wore a red headband and then began to strut between the rows of the two armies, the army of the Muslims and the army of the enemies. When he saw Abu Dujaanah (R.A) do this, the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) said, “It is a kind of walking that Allah detests except for a situation such as this.”

2) The Best Form Of Walking

Ibn Al-Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah said, ” When the Prophet (Pbuh) would walk, he would lean forward, and he would walk faster than any other person; his form of walking was of the best and serenest kind.” Abu Hurairah (R.A) said, ” I have not seen [anyone] better than the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh); it was as if the sun flowed in his face. And I have not seen anyone who walked faster than the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh); it was as if the earth was folded for him. And we would be losing our breath [in order to keep up with him], while he would be in a calm, unchanged state.” [At-Tirmidhee, 3648] And ‘Alee Ibn Abee Taalib (R.A) said, “When the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) would walk, he would lean forward, as if he were walking down an incline.” [Muslim, 2330] This form of walking – to lean slightly forward – is the best form of walking; it denotes a sense of purpose and determination.

In Al-Hadyee, Ibn Al-Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah mentioned ten forms of walking; here are some of them. First, the best form of walking is, as we described above, to lean forward slightly, as if one is walking down an incline. This was the way in which the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) walked. Another form of walking is to take steps in a confused and agitated manner, which is the way a wild or agitated camel walks. A person who walks this way shows others the weakness of his mind, especially if he adds to the ridiculous style of his walking the habit of constantly looking to his right and to his left. Ibn Al-Qayyim also mentioned a form of walking that is called Al-Khawzalee, which is to sway from one side to the other as one is walking. Men should avoid walking in this manner, for there is definitely something effeminate about a man who sways from one side to the other as he walks. Another form of walking that Ibn Al-Qayyim mentioned is to walk with a strut or swagger, which the arrogant and haughty kind of person is known for.

3) It is Disliked To Walk In One Shoe

We have discussed this topic in enough detail in the Chapter: “The Manners Of Clothing And Adornment.”

4) It Is Sunnah To Walk Barefoot Sometimes

Fudaalah Ibn ‘Ubaid said, “The Prophet (Pbuh) would order us to walk barefoot at least some of the time.” [Ahmad, 23449] Ibn ‘Umar (R.A) related a Hadeeth in which he described how the Prophet (Pbuh) visited Sa’ad Ibn ‘Ubaadah (R.A) when the latter was sick. Ibn ‘Umar (R.A) said, “Then he stood [to go visit Sa’ad (R.A)], and we stood [to go] with him. We were slightly more than ten men, and none of us was wearing shoes, slippers, hats, or shirts; we walked through those As-Sibaakh (salty lands upon which almost nothing grows)…”[Muslim, 925] By going barefoot at times, one trains himself to endure rough circumstances, a training that one deprives himself of when he is constantly wearing comfortable shoes.

5) The Owner Of A Riding Animal Is Most Deserving Of Sitting In The Front

Whoever owns something is more deserving of it than others, a principle that applies in this issue to riding animals as well as to cars or any other means of conveyance. Therefore, the owner of a camel, horse, or car is more worthy of sitting in the front than anyone else; and no one may sit in the front unless the owner’s permission is first obtained. Buraidah (R.A) said, “Once, while the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) was walking, a man came, and he had a donkey with him. He said, ‘0 Messenger of Allah, ride,’ and the man moved to the back, [making room for the Prophet (Pbuh) to sit on the front of the donkey]. The Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) said, ‘No, you have a greater right than I do to the front of your mount, unless you make it mine (by giving it as a gift).’

The man said, ‘Then I have made it yours,’ and the Prophet (Pbuh) then mounted [the animal].” [At-Tirmidhee, 2773]

6) Two Riders May Sit On The Same Riding Animal, As Long As Doing So Is Not Burdensome For The Animal

Two or even three people may sit on the same riding animal if it can bear their weight. The Prophet (Pbuh) had certain Companions (R.A) sit behind him on his mount – such as Mu’aadh [Muslim, 30] Usaamah,[Muslim, 1280] and Al-Fadl (R.A)[Muslim, 1334]. It is also related that he (Pbuh) had ‘Abdullah Ibn Ja’far (R.A) and AI-Hasan (R.A) or Al-Husain (R.A) sit together behind him.

7) It Is Disliked To Use Riding Animals As Pulpits (Upon Which The Rider Delivers A Sermon Or Lecture)

Abu Hurairah (R.A) said, “Beware of taking the backs of your riding animals as pulpits, for verily, Allah made them subservient to you only so that you can reach a land that you would not otherwise have reached except after undertaking much strain and toil upon yourselves. And Allah has made the earth for you, so carry out your needs on it (and not on your mounts; i.e., do not conduct, for instance, business transactions while you are seated on your mounts, for by staying constantly on your riding animal, you are burdening it).” [Abu Daawood, 2567] Al-Qaaree said, “This is not in conflict with the fact that the Prophet (Pbuh) stayed on his riding animal during the Farewell Pilgrimage, for he (Pbuh) did so for a benefit that [lasted for a short period of time and that] did not repeat itself consistently (therefore, his action did not constitute a burden on the animal).” And Ibn Al-Qayyim said, “As for the Prophet (Pbuh) sitting on his riding animal during the Farewell Pilgrimage and for his Khutbah [during the pilgrimage], that does not fall under his prohibition, for he (Pbuh) did that as an exception, for a general benefit, during a short period of time, as opposed to staying on a mount [to conduct business affairs or to deliver sermons] always. His sitting on his mount for that purpose did not cause his mount to become tired, which is not the case when one habitually sits on one’s mount for no good reason…The Prophet (Pbuh) sat on his mount while he delivered his sermon for a purpose so that others could hear him, and so that he could teach them what they needed to know about Islam and the rites of Hajj. This entailed a general benefit for everyone present, and it did not require a long period of time; [hence, no undue burden was placed on the riding animal].”

Related Issue: Regarding this issue, a car does not take the same ruling as a riding animal. Since a car does not become tired or weak when occupants sit in it for long while, one may remain seated in it for a long time while he is having a conversation with others. Yet, he must not do so in such a way as to bother or annoy others – for example, by blocking the way and bothering others with loud voices. It is Haram to inflict harm upon Muslims in any way, for Allah (Swt) says: “And those who annoy believing men and women undeservedly, bear on themselves the crime of slander and plain sin.” (Qur’an 33:58)