Sunday, May 26, 2013

Sujūd Must Be On All Seven Parts of the Body

Sujūd Must Be On All Seven Parts of the Body

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 wasallam is His Messenger.


The Sujud (Prostration) in Solat must be observed with ease and calm, distributing and resting his weight equally on the seven parts of the body which should be in contact with the ground during sujūd. The seven parts: the face, including the forehead and nose; the two hands; the two knees; and the edges of the two feet (i.e., the toes).  It is recorded in the Sahihayn that the Allāh’s Messenger (Sallallāhu`alayhi wasallam) said: “I have been commanded to sujūd (prostrate) on seven bones: on the forehead, and he pointed to his nose, and on the two hands, the two knees and the edges of the two feet (i.e., the toes).” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]  A worshipper is not permissible for to lift up any of these seven parts of the body when observing the sujud (prostration). Imam An-Nawawi (rahimallāh) said: “If one omits any of them, then his prayer is not valid.” [Sharh Sahih Muslim]

The seven limbs on which Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu`alayhi wasallam) would sujud: the palms, the knees, the feet, and the forehead and nose - counting the last two as one limb in observing Sujud, as he (Sallallāhu`alayhi wasallam) said: I have been ordered to sujud (in one narration: we have been ordered to prostrate) on seven bones: on the forehead ..., and he indicated by moving his hand [This movement of the hand was deduced from the grammar of the Arabic text. (Fathul-Bāri)]; around his nose, the hands (in one version: the palms), the knees and the toes, and not to tuck up [i.e. to draw them in and prevent them from being scattered, meaning to gather the garment or hair with the hands for Ruku’ and Sujud (Nihayah). This forbiddance is not only during solāt; the majority of scholars include tucking in the hair and garments before solat in the prohibition. This is further strengthened by his forbidding men to observe solat with their hair tied, which follows later.], the garments and hair.” [Bukhari; Muslim; It is given in al-Irwa' (310).]

Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu`alayhi wasallam) also used to say, “When a servant prostrates, seven limbs prostrate with him: his face, his palms, his knees and his feet.” [Muslim, Abu ‘Awānah and Ibn Hibban.]

Man should not tie up or plaited the hair: Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu`alayhi wasallam) said about a man who was praying with his hair tied [i.e. tied up or plaited.] behind him: “His example is surely like that of someone who observes solat with his hands bound (behind his back)”. [Muslim, Abu ‘Awānah and Ibn Hibban. Ibn al-Āthir says, “The meaning of this hādith is that were his hair loose, it would fall on the ground when in sajdah; hence, the man would be rewarded for the prostration of the hair. However, if the hair is tied, it is effectively as though it did not prostrate, for he compared him to someone whose hands are shackled together, since they would then not lie on the ground in sajdah.”

It would seem that this instruction is limited to men and does not apply to women, as Shawkāni has quoted from Ibn al-‘Arabi.] He (Sallallāhu`alayhi wasallam) also said: “That is the saddle of the devil, i.e. where the devil sits, referring to the knots in the hair”. [Abu Dawud and Tirmidzi, who declared it hasan; Ibn Khuzaimah and Ibn Hibban, declared it sahih. See Sāhih Abi Dawud (653).]

Should not rest the fore-arms on the ground: “Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu`alayhi wasallam) would not rest his fore-arms on the ground” [Bukhari and Abu Dawud.], but “would raise them above the ground, and keep them away from his sides such that the whiteness of his armpits could be seen from behind” [Bukhari and Muslim. It is given in Irwa' (359).], and also “such that if a small lamb or kid wanted to pass under his arms, it would have been able to do so.” [Muslim, Abu ‘Awānah and Ibn Hibban.]

Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu`alayhi wasallam) would do this to such an extent that one of his Companions said: "We used to feel sorry for the Messenger of Allāh (Sallallāhu`alayhi wasallam) because of the way he kept his hands away from his sides." [Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah with a hasan isnad.]

Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu`alayhi wasallam) used to order likewise, saying, “When you perform sajdah, place your palms (on the ground) and raise your elbows” [Muslim and Abu ‘Awānah.], and “Be level in sujud, and none of you should spread his fore - arms like the spreading of a dog (in one narration: like a dog spreads them)” [Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud and Ahmad.]. In a separate hadith, “None of you should rest arms on the ground the way a dog rests them.” [Ahmad and Tirmidzi, who declared it sahih.]

 Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu`alayhi wasallam) also used to say, “Do not spread your arms [the way a beast of prey does], rest on your palms and keep your upper arms apart, for when you do all that, every one of your limbs prostrates with you.” [Ibn Khuzaimah (1/80/2), al-Maqdisi in al-Mukhtārah and Hākim, who declared it sahih and Dhahabi agreed.]

Obligation to be calm (Toma’ninah) in Sujud: Rasūlullāh  (Sallallāhu`alayhi wasallam) used to command the completion of Ruku' and Sujud, comparing someone not doing so to the hungry man who eats one or two dates, which are of no use to him, and also saying about him, he is indeed one of the worst thieves among the people.

Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu`alayhi wasallam) also ruled that the solat of one who does not straighten his spine fully in Ruku' and Sujud is invalid, as has been mentioned under “Ruku’”, and ordered “the one who performed solat badly” to be at ease in his Sujud, as mentioned before.

And Allāh Almighty Knows best.

No comments: