Leaving one of the hands on the ground during prostration

The questioner:
May Allah reward you, Your Eminence, father. The questioner says: I prayed as the imam, and in one of the prostrations I did not place one of my hands on the ground. What is the ruling on my prayer and the prayer of those behind me?

The Shaykh:
Hmm?

The questioner:
He says: I prayed as the imam, and in one of the prostrations I did not place one of my hands on the ground. What is the ruling on my prayer and the prayer of those behind me?

The Shaykh:
We do not know what he means by saying he did not place his hand on the ground. Does it mean there was a mat or a barrier between him and the ground, or that he held his hands up so they did not come down, neither on a mat nor on anything else? This is not valid. His prayer is not valid, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: I was commanded to prostrate on seven bones: the forehead, and he pointed to his nose, the two hands, the two knees, and the two feet. So he must place all seven limbs on the ground.
So if he raised his hands and did not place them on the ground, either directly or through a barrier, his prayer is not valid, unless this was due to an excuse where he was unable to place his hand down. For example, if there is pain in his hand and it is raised, or if there is a fracture and it is raised, and he is unable to lower it, then he has an excuse. But if he is sound and has no ailment and did not place his hand down, his prayer is not valid.