Fatwa No. (1427) Q: A dispute arose between two groups regarding what the praying person begins with when lowering himself for prostration, i.e., does he begin descending for prostration with his hands and then his knees,
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Fatwa No. ( 1427 )
Q: A dispute arose between two groups regarding what the praying person begins with when lowering himself for prostration, i.e., does he begin descending for prostration with his hands and then his knees, or does he begin with his knees and then his hands, and which is better?
A: The majority held that it is better for the praying person to place his knees before his hands when descending for prostration, and to lift his hands from the ground before his knees when rising for the subsequent rak'ah. They cited as evidence the hadith of Wā'il ibn Ḥujr who said:Mishkat al-Masabih 898 , narrated by Abu Dawud and al-Nasa'i
and al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah , but in its chain is Sharik al-Qadi, and he narrated it uniquely, and Sharik is not strong in what he narrated uniquely, and by the hadith of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), , which was narrated by al-Hakim and al-Bayhaqi and al-Daraqutni, and al-Hakim said: It is according to their conditions and I do not know a defect in it, and al-Daraqutni said: It was narrated uniquely by al-'Ala ibn Isma'il and he is unknown, and Ibn Abi Hatim said from his father: It is denounced, and other hadiths have been narrated in this matter that are not free from criticism, either due to a broken chain or a missing link. Others held that it is recommended to place the hands before the knees when descending for prostration, among them al-Awza'i and Malik and Ibn Hazm, and Ibn Abi Dawud said: This is the view of the people of hadith, and they cited as evidence the hadith of Abu Hurayrah who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sunan Abi Dawud 840Sahih (Al-Albani) narrated by Ahmad and Abu Dawud and al-Nasa'i . In a narration , but there is a discussion in its chain, and a group preferred the hadith of Wā'il ibn Ḥujr and what is similar to it, among them Ibn al-Qayyim in his book (Zad al-Ma'ad), and others preferred the hadith of Abu Hurayrah and what is similar to it, and the issue is one of independent legal reasoning and the matter is broad in it; therefore, some jurists gave the praying person a choice between the two; either due to the weakness of the hadiths from
both sides, or due to their contradiction and the lack of preference for one over the other in his view, and the result of this is: breadth and choice between the two postures. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his Companions.
Q: A dispute arose between two groups regarding what the praying person begins with when lowering himself for prostration, i.e., does he begin descending for prostration with his hands and then his knees, or does he begin with his knees and then his hands, and which is better?
A: The majority held that it is better for the praying person to place his knees before his hands when descending for prostration, and to lift his hands from the ground before his knees when rising for the subsequent rak'ah. They cited as evidence the hadith of Wā'il ibn Ḥujr who 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
رأيت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا سجد وضع ركبتيه قبل يديه وإذا نهض رفع يديه قبل ركبتيهand al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah , but in its chain is Sharik al-Qadi, and he narrated it uniquely, and Sharik is not strong in what he narrated uniquely, and by the hadith of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him),
That the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) descended with the takbir and his knees preceded his hands
أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم انحط بالتكبير فسبقت ركبتاه يديهwhen one of you prostrates himself he must not kneel in the manner of camel, but should put down his hands before his knees.
إذا سجد أحدكم فلا يبرك كما يبرك البعير، وليضع يديه قبل ركبتيهand let him place his hands and then his knees
وليضع يديه ثم ركبتيهboth sides, or due to their contradiction and the lack of preference for one over the other in his view, and the result of this is: breadth and choice between the two postures. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.