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The Prophet ﷺ prescribed for a person who sneezes the words reported by Abū Dāwūd, with an authentic chain of transmission, from Abū Hurayrah, who related that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“When one of you sneezes, let him say: ‘Praise be to Allah in all circumstances.’ His brother—or companion—should say: ‘May Allah have mercy on you.’ He should then reply: ‘May Allah guide you and set your affairs aright.’” (1)
In al-Tirmidhī’s Jāmiʿ, it is reported from Ibn ʿUmar that a man sneezed beside him and said: “Praise be to Allah, and blessings (2) and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah.” Ibn ʿUmar said: “I too say: ‘Praise be to Allah, and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah.’ But this is not how the Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught us. He taught us to say: ‘Praise be to Allah in
(1) Reported with this wording by Abū Dāwūd, no. 5033, and through him by al-Bayhaqī in Shu‘ab al-Īmān, no. 8891.
The phrase “in all circumstances” is an anomalous (shādhdh) addition to the hadith of Abū Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him. Al-Bukhārī recorded the hadith in his Sahīh, no. 6224, without it, as al-Hāfiz noted in al-Fath, 10/623.
Shaykh al-Albānī said of Abū Dāwūd’s version:
“This chain of transmission is authentic according to the criteria of al-Bukhārī and Muslim, but the phrase ‘in all circumstances’ is anomalous in this hadith.” Al-Irwā’, no. 780.
Although this addition is anomalous in the hadith of Abū Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, it is authentically established in reports from others. Allah knows best.
(2) This is how “and blessings” appears in the manuscript; it is absent from all the source texts.