To Gaze at the Place of Sujud and Humility

To Gaze towards the Place of Sujud, and Humility

The Solāh of the Prophet S.A.W

By Shaikh Muhammad Nasiruddin Al-Albāni

[The book was translated by Usama Ibn Suhaib Hasan Al-Brittani; it would be worthwhile to revisit it and I invite you to provide inputs with regards to this piece of work by Albāni]

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful;

All the praise and thanks is due to Allāh, the Lord of al-'ālamīn. There is none worthy of worship except Allāh, and that Muhammad, Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam, is His Messenger.

The Description of the Solāh
2.5. To Gaze towards the Place of Sujud, and Humility

"The Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) used to incline his head during Solāh and fix his sight towards the ground" [81] - "while Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) was in the Ka`abah, his sight did not leave the place of his sujud until he came out from it" [82]; and he said, It is not fitting that there should be anything in the House which disturbs the person praying. [83]

" Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) used to forbid looking up at the sky" [84], and Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) emphasised this prohibition so much that he said: People must refrain from looking up at the sky in Solāh, or their sight will not return to them (and in one narration: or their sight will be plucked away). [85] In another hadith: So when you perform Solāh, do not look here and there, for Allāh sets His Face for the face of his slave in his prayer as long as he does not look away [86], and he also said about looking here and there, "it is a snatching away which the devil steals from the slave during Solāh." [87]

Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) also said: Allāh does not cease to turn to a slave in his prayer as long as he is not looking around; when he turns his face away, Allāh turns away from him [88]; Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam)  "forbade three things: pecking like a hen, squatting (iqā'), like a dog and looking around like a fox" [89]; he also used to say, Pray a farewell prayer as if you see Him, but if you do not see Him, surely He sees you [90]; and, Any person who, when an obligatory prayer is due, excels in its ablution, humility and bowings, will have it as a remission for his previous minor sins as long as he does not commit a major sin, and this (opportunity) is for all times.[91]

Once Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) prayed in a khamīsah [92] and (during the prayer) he looked at its marks. So when he finished, he said: Take this khamīsah of mine to Abu Jahm and bring me his anbijāniyyah [93], for it has diverted my attention from the Solāh (in one narration: for I have looked at its marks during the Solāh and it almost put me to trial). [94] Also "'Aishah had a cloth with pictures spread towards a sahwah [95], towards which the Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) prayed and then said: Take it away from me [for its pictures did not cease to thwart me in my Solāh]. [96]

Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam)  would also say: Solāh is not valid when the food has been served, nor when it is time to relieve oneself of the two filths. [97]

Wallāhu`alam

Footnotes

81. Bayhaqi and Hakim, who declared it sahih and it is as he said. It also has a strengthening hādith reported by ten of his Companions: transmitted by Ibn `Asakir (17/202/2). See Irwa' (354).

*NB: These two ahādith show that the sunnah is to fix one's sight on the place of prostration on the ground, so the action of some worshippers of closing their eyes during Solāh is misdirected piety, for the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam)  .

82. ibid.
83. Abu Dawud and Ahmad with a sahih isnad (Irwa', 1771); what is meant here by `the House' is the Ka`abah, as the context of this hadīth shows.
84. Bukhari and Abu Dawud.
85. Bukhari, Muslim and Siraj.
86. Tirmidzi and Hakim, who declared it sahih, cf. Sahih at-Targhib (no. 353)
87. Bukhari and Abu Dawud.
88. Transmitted by Abu Dawud and others. Ibn Khuzaimah and Ibn Hibban declared it sahih. See Sahih at-Targhib (no.555)
89. Ahmad and Abu Ya’la. See Sahīh at-Targhib (no. 556).
90. Mukhlis in Ahadith Muntaqa, Tabarāni, Rūyāni, Diya' in al-Mukhtārah, Ibn Mājah, Ahmad and Ibn `Asakir. Haitami declared it sahih in Asna al-Matalib.
91. Muslim.
92. A woolen garment having marks.
93. A coarse garment without marks.
94. Bukhari, Muslim and Malik. It is given in Irwa' (376).
95. "A small room embedded in the ground slightly, like a small chamber or cupboard" (Nihayah).
96. Bukhari, Muslim and Abu `Awānah. The Messenger (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam)  did not order the wiping out or tearing of the pictures but only removed them because - and Allāh knows best - they were not pictures of things having souls. The evidence for this is that he (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam)  tore other pictures as proved by many narrations in Bukhāri and Muslim, and whoever wishes to explore this further should consult Fathul-Bāri (10/321) and Ghayah al-Maraam fi Takhrij Ahadith al-Halal wal-Haram (nos. 131-145).
97. Bukhari and Muslim.

          [The Qur`an and Sunnah Society]

Description Of The Prophet’s Solāh

1. The Introduction; 1.6. Clearing the Misconceptions
 2.1. Facing the Ka`abah ;  2.2. Standing in Solah ; 2.3. Intention ; 2.4. Takbīratulihram ;

2.5. To Gaze towards the Place of Sujud and Humility;

2.6. Opening Supplications of Solāh; 2.7. The Recitation;

 2.8. Ruku ;  2.9. Sujud;   2.10. Second Rak`ah ;  2.11. First Tashahhud;
 2.12. Standing up for the Third, and then the Fourth Rak`ah;
 2.13. The Final Tashahhud;  2.14. The Taslim.

3. Appendixes.; 4. Glossary ; 5. Bibliography.

All About The Solah

1.  The Purification; 2. The Menstruation; 3.  The Ghusul ;

4. Al-Wudhu’ ; 5. Tayammum;

6. The Adzān;

7.  The Status and Significance of Solāh; 

8.  The Pre-Conditions of Solāh; 9. The Pillars of Solāh; 10. The Sunnah Part of the Solāh;

11.   Adhkar in the Solāh; 12.   Du'ā Al-Qunūt;

13.   Places Where Offering Solāh Is Prohibited ; 14.   Placing a Sutrah In front of One Who is Performing Solah;

15.   What is permissible During the Solāh?; 16.   The Acts that Renders Solāh Invalid; 17.   Disliked Actions during the Solāh; 18.   The Solāh in Times of Fear or Danger; 19.   The Solāh of a Sick Person ;

20.   The Prostrations of Forgetfulness of Solāh;

21.   The Excellence of Nawafil Solāh;

22.   Solāh of a Traveler; 23. Solāh Qasar ; 24.  Solāh Jama’; 25. The Solāh Jama’ ;

26.   The Masajid; 27.  The Etiquette at the Masjid;

28.   The Excellence of Congregational Solāh ;

29.   Solāh al-Jumu`ah; 30. The Sanctified Hour of Jumu’ah.

31.   The Virtues of Friday; 32. The Etiquette for Solāh al-Jumu`ah ;

33.   Dzikirullāh after Solāh; 34. Du`ā Recited After the Solāh. ;

35.   Reasons for doing Sujud Al-Sahwi ;

36.   Solāh al-Hajjat ; 37. Solāh al-Tahajjud ; 38. Solāh al-Tarawih ;

39.   Solāh al-Dhuha ; 40. Solāh al-Hajjat ; 41.  Solāh al-Istikhārah ;

42.   Solāh al-Janāzah; 43. Solāh al-Jumu`ah;

44.   Solāh al-Kasuf ; 45. Solāh al-Khauf ; 46. Solāh al-Marid; 47. Solāh al-Tahajjud ;

48.   Solāh al-Tahiyyyatul Masjid; 49. Solāh al-Tarawih; 50. Solāh al-Tawbah ;

51. Solāh al-Witr; 52.   Solāh al-Wudhu’ ; 53. Solāh Eid ul Fitr