Carrying a walking stick

Question:-

Is it Sunnah for a young man to carry a walking stick?

Answer:- 

It is recorded in narration that carrying a stick (Asaa) is a sign of a Mu’min and a Sunnah of the Ambiya Alaihimus Salaam. It is recorded in the commentary of Bukhari Sharif that whoever departs on a journey with a walking stick (Asaa), then Allah Ta’ala will protect him from every harmful predatory animal, a thief that harbours enmity, and from all poisonous creatures (such as snakes, scorpions), until he returns to his family and home, and 77 000 angels remain with him who will seek forgiveness for him until he returns to his home and family and puts the walking stick down. It is recorded in a Hadith, “Whoever reaches the age of forty and hasn’t yet taken a walking stick (Asaa), then it is considered as pride.” Kashful Khafaa states that this narration is from amongst the ‘Mawdoo’aat’ – (A fabricated narration). [Kashful Khafaa Pg.320 Vol.1] 

It is narrated from Hassan Basri Rahimahullah and others that, in keeping a walking stick is five benefits, it’s the way of the Ambiya Alaihimus Salaam, an adornment of the righteous, a weapon against enemies, a means of assistance for the weak, a transgressor fears it, it is a direction for its owner when he performs Salaah and a means of strength when he is tired.

From the above narrations, we understand that there are innumerable benefits of carrying a walking stick. We did not find any narration that restricts a young person from carrying a walking stick, hence we conclude that, even if a young person carries a walking stick with the intention of acting upon the Sunnah, then he will be rewarded accordingly.

وجاء في حديث: «حمل العصا علامة المؤمن وسنة الأنبياء».

ومن خرج في سفر ومعه عصا من لوازمه: أمنه الله من كل سبع ضار، ولص عاد، ومن كل ذات حمة حتى يرجع إلى أهله ومنزله، وكان معه سبعة وسبعون من المعقبات، يستغفرون له حتى يرجع ويضعها قاله العلامي في تفسيره.

والمراد «بالمعقبات» : الملائكة.

و «بذات حمة» بضم المهملة: ذات السم كالحية والعقرب نقله البرماوي.

ونقل عن الحسن البصرى وغيره أنه قال: «في العكاز خمسة: سنة الأنبياء، وزينة الصلحاء، وسلاح على الأعداء، وعون الضعفاء، ويخشع منه الفاجر، وتكون لصاحبها قبلة إذا صلى، وقوة إذا تعب» .

وورد في حديث أنه قال: «من بلغ أربعين سنة ولم يأخذ العصا عُدَّ له من الكبر (شرح البخاري للسفيري ص332 ج2)

ALLAH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST!

ANSWERED BY:

Mufti Mohammed Desai

Date: 24 Rajab 1444 / 15  February 2023