The Sitting Between the Two Sujud

The First Sitting Between the Two Sujud

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

All the praise and thanks is due to Allāh, the Lord of al-'ālameen. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allāh, and that Muhammad, Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam is His Messenger.

To sit in Muftarishan

After observing the First Sajdah “Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) would Takbir and lifts his head for the sitting.

“Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) would lay his left foot along the ground and sit on it [relaxed] [Ahmad and Abu Dawud with a good isnad.] and he ordered “the one who prayed badly” thus, saying to him, “When you prostrate, prostrate firmly, then when you rise, sit on your left thigh”. [Bukhari and Baihaqi]

“Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) would have his right foot upright” [Nasā'ie with a sahih isnad.] and “point its toes towards the qiblah.”[Muslim, Abu ‘Awānah, Baihaqi.] [See diagram - qss]

The ifa'a in Sitting between the Two Sujud

“Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) would sometimes practice ifa'a (Sitting Iftirash: resting on both his heels and (all) his toes).”[Abu Dawud, Baihaqi and Tirmidzi, who declared it sahih]

 

It has also been related that ifa'a (laying out both feet and sitting upon one's heels) is a preferred act. Abu 'Ubaidah said, “This is the statement of the people of hadith.” Abu Az-Zubair related that he heard Tawus say, “We asked Ibn 'Abbas (radiyallāhu'anhu) about ifa'a, and he said, “It is sunnah to do so.” We said, 'We think it to be too harsh for the man.’ Ibn 'Abbas said, ‘It is a sunnah of your Allāh`s Messenger (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam)’.” (Related by Muslim) 

Ibn 'Umar (radiyallāhu'anhu) reported: “When the Allāh's Messenger (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) rose from the first prostration, he would sit upon his toes”. Ibn 'Umar used to say, “That is from the sunnah.” Tawus reported, “I saw the 'Abdullahs ('Abdullah ibn 'Abbas, 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar and 'Abdullah ibn az-Zubair) sitting with their feet laid flat.” This was related by al-Baihaqi. Ibn Hajar says, “Its chain is sound.” 

And concerning iqa'a, sitting with the buttocks on the ground and with the thighs straight on the ground, it is disliked by all scholars. Abu Hurayrah (radiyallāhu'anhu) said “The Allāh's Messenger (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) prohibited us from three things: pecking like a rooster (making the prostration very quickly), sitting like a dog (iqa'a), and not turning one's whole head like a fox.” This is related by Ahmad, al-Baihaqi, at-Tabarani and Abu Tala with a hassan chain. It is preferred for the one who is sitting between the two prostrations to put his right hand on his right thigh and his left hand on his left thigh with the fingers stretched out and directed toward the qiblah. The fingers should be slightly separated and should not go beyond the knees. The latter the pinkie and ring fingers should be held in, a circle made with the middle finger and thumb, and one should point with the forefinger when remembering Allāh.

Obligation to be at Ease between the Two Sajdahs

“Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) would be relaxed until every bone returned to its (proper) position” [Abu Dawud and Bayhaqi with a sahih isnad.], and he ordered “the one who prayed badly” likewise, and said to him, “The prayer of any of you is not complete until he does this.” [Abu Dawud and Hakim, who declared it sahih and Dhahabi agreed.]

Lengthening the Sitting between the Two Sajdahs

Also, “Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) would lengthen it until it was about almost as long as his sajdah” [Bukhari and Muslim.], and sometimes, “he would remain (in this position) until one would say: He has forgotten.”[Bukhari and Muslim; Ibn al-Qayyim (rahimallāh) said, “This sunnah was abandoned by the people after the time of the Companions. But as for the one who abides by the Sunnah, and does not glance sideways towards whatever contradicts it, he is unworried by anything opposing this guidance.”]

The Adhkār between the Two Sajdahs

In this sitting, Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) would say:

1. “Allāhumma [or: Rabbi] ghfirli, warhamni, [wajburni], [warfa’ni], wahdini [wa’afini], warzuqni”
(O Allāh! (In one version: O my Lord!) Forgive me; have mercy on me; [strengthen me;] [raise my rank;] guide me; [pardon me; sustain me). [Abu Dawud, Tirmidzi, Ibn Majah and Hākim, who declared it sahih and Dhahabi agreed] 

Or sometimes, Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) would say:

2. “Rabbiighfirliyaghfirli”
(O my Lord! Forgive me, forgive me). [Ibn Mājah with a hasan sanad]

Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) would say the above two in Night Prayer also. This does not negate the validity of the expressions in the obligatory prayers due to the absence of anything to differentiate between those and voluntary prayers. This is the view of Shafi’e, Ahmad and Ishaq, who held that this was allowed in compulsory and voluntary prayers, as Tirmidzi has narrated. Imam Tahawi has also taken this view in Mushkil al-Aathar. Proper analysis supports this argument, for there is no position in prayer where a dzikir is not valid, and so it is fitting that this should be the case here.

The Second Sajdah

Next, “Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) would say Takbîr and prostrate for the second time."[Bukhari and Muslim.] He also ordered “the one who prayed badly” to do so, saying to him after he had ordered him to be at ease between sajdahs, then say 'Allāh is the Greatest' and prostrate until your joints are relaxed [and do that in all your prayer]. [Abu Dawud and Hākim, who declared it sahih and Dhahabi agreed; the addition is from Bukhari and Muslim.] He would perform this sajdah exactly as he performed the first one.

Also, “Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) would raise his hands with this Takbīr” sometimes. [Abu ‘Awānah and Abu Dawud with two sahih sanads. This raising of the hands has supported by Ahmad, Malik and Shafi’ie in narrations from them. See the previous note under Sujud.]

Next, “ Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) would raise his head while saying Takbīr”[ Bukhari and Muslim.], and he ordered “the one who prayed badly” to do likewise, saying to him after ordering him to prostrate for the second time, “then raise your head and say Takbīr”[Abu Dawud and Hakim, who declared it sahih and Dhahabi agreed.]. He also said to him, “[then do that in all your bowings and prostrations,] for if you do that, your prayer will be complete, and if you fall short in any of this, you will be deficient in your prayer.”[Ahmad; Tirmidzi, who declared it sahih] Also, “he would raise his hands”[Bukhari and Abu Dawud.] sometimes with this Takbîr.

The Sitting of Rest (Jalsah al-Istirahah)

Next, “Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would sit straight [on his left foot, upright, until every bone returned to its position].” [Bukhari and Abu Dawud.]

Supporting Oneself with the Hands on Rising for the Next Rak'ah

Next, “Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would get up for the second rak'ah, supporting himself on the ground.”[Bukhari and Syāfi’ie] Also, “Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) would clench his fists during solāh: supporting himself with his hands when getting up.” [Baihaqi with a sahih sanad]

Wallāhu‘alam 

Please See: The Sunnah of the Solāh