Shaykh Saalih Al-Fawzaan was asked:

Question:

Is it from the Sunnah, when a group of people stop at the door of the masjid or the door of one of the houses, to say: “From the right, from the right” using as evidence the Hadith that the Prophet (ﷺ) loved to begin with the right

Answer:

“No, this is from the origin of:

كَبِّرْ كَبِّرْ ‏

“Let the older one speak. Let the older one speak”.

[Agreed upon]

The older one enters [first]. The older one enters the door first. [As comes in the Hadith]:

كَبِّرْ كَبِّرْ ‏

“Let the older one speak. Let the older one speak”.

[Agreed upon]

Shaykh Bin Baz was asked:

Question:

I asked our Shaikh about the action of the people of preferring those on the right side to enter [thorough a door, etc.] before others [so what is the ruling on this]?

Answer:

The Shaikh said that he does not know anything on that subject. Then he said, if only they preferred those who are older in age [i.e. that is better] based on the hadith of the Prophet sallahu alayhi wa salam:

كَبِّرْ كَبِّرْ ‏

“Let the older one speak. Let the older on speak”.

[Agreed upon]

[Masaail Abi Umar as-Sadhaan li Imaam Abdul Aziz bin Baz pg. 28]

Translator’s Note: It is preferable for the one who is older to precede while entering. This was the practice of some of the Salaf.

مَالِكَ بْنَ مِغْوَلٍ ، يَقُولُ : مَشَيْتُ مَعَ طَلْحَةَ بْنِ مُصَرِّفٍ حَتَّى انْتَهَيْنَا إِلَى زُقَاقٍ ضَيِّقٍ ، فَتَخَلَّفْتُ وَتَقَدَّمَ طَلْحَةُ ، فَالْتَفَتَ إِلَيَّ وَقَالَ : ” لَوْ أَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ أَكْبَرُ مِنِّي بِيَوْمٍ أَوْ لَيْلَةٍ مَا تَقَدَّمْتُ

Malik ibn Miqhwal said: I walked with Talha ibn Mussarif until we reached a narrow alley/path. So I went behind and preferred Talha to precede. So he turned to me and said: “If I knew you were older than me by one day or night, I would not precede you”

[Reported by al-Kharaaiti in Makaarim ul-Akhlaaq no. 365 and the Muhaqiq of the book, Abdullah ibn Bajaash, graded it Saheeh pg. 633]

And Allah knows best.

Translated by

Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan