There are also sitting styles disapproved by the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). For instance, sitting by stretching one arm back and placing the palm on the ground is one of them. Sitting by stretching both arms and placing both palms is also among the disapproved sitting styles; for this position is characterized as the sitting style of people who feel themselves superior than others.
It is narrated by Ash-Sharid ibn Suwayd (r.a.):
The Apostle of Allah (pbuh) came upon me when I was sitting thus: having my left hand behind my back and leaning on my palm, and said:
“Are you sitting in the manner of those with whom Allah is angry?” (Abu Dawud, Adab, 24)
The significant point here is that Muslims, who are honored by the blessing of Islam, are ordered to avoid resembling non-Muslims even in their sitting styles. If a sitting, lying style or any other behavior are the signs of non-Muslims; and when people see such behaviors, if they remember non-Muslims, it is believers’ duty to avoid such behaviors.
Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) also prohibited sitting at inappropriate places no matter what the sitting position was. One of them is to sit on or by the roads. The Prophet (pbuh) told his companions:
“Beware! Avoid sitting on the roads (ways).” They said,
“We have to do it, there is no way out of it as these are our sitting places where we talk our matters.” The Prophet said,
“If you must sit there, then observe the rights of the way.” They asked,
“What are the rights of the way?” He said,
“They are to lower of your gaze to avoid seeing what is illegal to look at, to refrain from harming people, to return greetings, to advocate good and forbid evil.” (Bukhari, Mazalim, 22; Muslim, Libas, 114)
In other versions, Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) pointed to some other rights as “to give directions to the one who asks for them and to help to those who ask for help.”
Sitting and chatting unnecessarily on the passages of the people, watching them, and obstructing their comfortable passage are considered as indecent actions. However, when one has to do it, he should be careful about the points suggested by the Prophet (pbuh). Maybe it is to avoid sitting by the roads that believers have been accustomed to sit in the courtyards of mosques.