and rise to higher stations: “Rise up, and Allah will raise in rank those of you who believe and those who have been granted knowledge—by degrees.”
Thus, if someone enters while the gathering is already full and says, “Make room,” then make room for him; “Allah will make room for you,” that is, He will broaden your affairs because you broadened things for that newcomer. The recompense always mirrors the deed: if you show leniency to a debtor in hardship, Allah will show leniency to you; if you relieve a believer of a distress, Allah will relieve you of a distress among the distresses of the Day of Resurrection; if you help someone, Allah will be in your help. “Allah remains in the servant’s aid so long as the servant is in his brother’s aid.”
For this reason He said, “Make room, and Allah will make room for you; and when you are told, ‘Rise up,’ then rise.” In other words, if you are told, “Stand up,” then stand up. From this we learn that a host incurs no blame if he says to the group with him, “Rise now, may Allah bless you; our business is finished.” There is nothing shameful in that, nothing at all. Likewise, those who are seated should not be burdensome—remaining glued to their seats until they are expressly told, “Stand up.” A person ought to shorten his stay with others as much as possible, unless he knows that his host genuinely wishes him to remain; in that case, there is no problem. Otherwise, the basic rule is not to prolong one’s sitting, for people may have duties to attend to yet feel shy to say, “Please leave.” Should someone actually say, “Leave,” there is no fault in that.
Even Allah said to those who sat with His Prophet after they had finished eating: “That conduct was troubling the Prophet, yet he was shy of you, whereas Allah is not shy to state the truth.” Meaning: once you have finished the meal, depart; do not linger, for doing so inconveniences the Prophet while he is too courteous to tell you—and Allah is not shy of the truth. Therefore, whenever you are told, “Rise up,” then rise up.