Prostration and its Excellence - Section 1

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Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “I have been commanded to prostrate myself on seven bones:

the forehead, the hands, 1 the knees, and the extremities of the feet, 2 and not to fold back the clothing or the hair.” 1. i.e. the palms. 2. i.e. the toes. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

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Anas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Adopt a moderate position when prostrating yourselves, and see that none of you stretches out his forearms [on the ground] like a dog.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

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Al-Bara’ b. ‘Azib reported God's Messenger as saying, “When you prostrate yourself, place the palms of your hands on the ground and raise your elbows.” Muslim transmitted it.

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Maimuna said that when the Prophet (ﷺ) prostrated himself he kept his arms so far away from his sides that if a lamb had wanted to pass under his arms it could have done so. This is Abu Dawud’s wording, as [Baghawi] explained in <i>Sharh as-sunna</i> with his <i>isnad</i>. Muslim has something to the same effect:

She said that when the Prophet (ﷺ) prostrated himself, if a lamb had wanted to pass between his arms it could have done so.

English translation

‘Abdallah b. Malik Ibn Buhaina* said that when the Prophet (ﷺ) prostrated himself he spread out his arms so that the whiteness under his armpits was visible. * Buhaina was ‘Abdallah’s mother. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

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Abu Huraira said that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to say when prostrating himself, “O God, forgive me all my sins, small and great, first and last, open and secret.” Muslim transmitted it.

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'A’isha said:

One night I missed God’s Messenger from the bed, and when I sought him my hand came on the soles of his feet while he was in the act of prostration with them raised, and he was saying, “O God, I seek refuge in Your good pleasure from Your anger, and in Your forgiveness from Your punishment, and I seek refuge in You from You.* I cannot reckon Your praise. You are as You have lauded Thyself.” * This form of words indicates that God alone can give refuge from His wrath. Muslim transmitted it.

English translation

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The nearest a servant comes to his Lord is when he is prostrating himself, so make supplication often.” Muslim transmitted it.

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He reported God’s Messenger as saying:

When a man recites <i>as-Sajda</i> (Al-Qur’an; 32) the devil retires weeping and saying, “Woe is me! The son of Adam has been commanded to prostrate himself and has done so, and will be rewarded with paradise; but I have been commanded to prostrate myself and have refused, so I will be punished with hell.” Muslim transmitted it.

English translation

Rabi'a b. Ka‘b said:

I was with God’s Messenger at night, and when I brought him his water for ablution and what he required, he told me to make a request. I said, “I ask to accompany you in paradise.” He asked if I had any other request to make, and when I replied that that was all, he said, “Then help me to accomplish this for you by devoting yourself often to prostration.” Muslim transmitted it.

English translation

Ma'dan b. Talha said:

I met Thauban the client of God’s Messenger and asked him to tell me something I should do for which God would bring me into paradise. He gave no reply, so I asked him again, and when he still gave no reply I asked him a third time. He then said that he had asked God’s Messenger about that and received the reply, “Make frequent prostration before God, for you will not make one prostration without God raising you a degree because of it and removing a sin from you because of it.” Ma'dan said that he met Abud Darda’ later, and that when he asked him he received a reply similar to that given by Thauban. Muslim transmitted it.

English translation

Wa’il b. Hujr said he saw that when God’s Messenger prostrated himself he got down on his knees before putting his hands on the ground, and when he got up he raised his hands before his knees. Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nasa’i, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.

English translation

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you prostrates himself he must not kneel in the manner of a camel, but should put down his hands before his knees.” Abu Dawud, Nasa’i and Darimi transmitted it. Abu Sulaiman al-Khattabi said that the tradition of Wa’il b. Hujr is better established than this. The view is expressed that this one is abrogated.

English translation

Ibn ‘Abbas reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to say between the two <i>sajdas</i>, “O God, forgive me, show mercy to me, guide me, heal me, and provide for me.” Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

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Hudhaifa reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to say between the two <i>sajdas</i>, “My Lord, forgive me.” Nasa’i and Darimi transmitted it.

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‘Abd ar-Rahman b. Shibl said that God’s Messenger forbade a crow’s peck,* extending the forearms like a wild animal, and imitating a camel by a man making one spot his regular place in the mosque. * An exaggerated way of speaking of a very short prostration. Abu Dawud, Nasa’i and Darimi transmitted it.

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‘Ali reported God’s Messenger as saying, “I like for you, ‘Ali what I like for myself, and I dislike for you what I dislike for myself; do not sit on your heels between the two <i>sajdas</i>.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

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Talq b. ‘Ali al-Hanafi reported God’s Messenger as saying, “God does not regard the prayer of a servant who does not straighten his spine between his bowing and his prostration.” Ahmad transmitted it.

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Nafi’ told how Ibn ‘Umar used to say, “He who puts his forehead on the ground should put the palms of his hands on the place where he put his forehead, then when he raises himself he should raise them, for the hands perform prostration just as the face does.” Malik transmitted it.