The meaning of the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: “None of you should prostrate as a camel prostrates”?

Question:
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, is it understood from the hadith that one descends onto his knees? And are the camel’s hands on its knees, as some scholars say? And is it permissible to descend onto the hands? I ask you to kindly clarify this issue.

Answer:
This issue was clarified by Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) in *Zad al-Ma'ad* with sufficient clarity. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade us from prostrating as a camel prostrates. The prostration of a camel: you have seen a camel now; when it prostrates, the first thing that hits the ground are its knees, and its hands are the first thing it places on the ground, then its knees.
So if you place your hands first, you are imitating the camel. This is clear and does not need sophistry. A camel prostrates and you see it; do not say so-and-so said this or so-and-so said that. You are a camel, and its prostration is such that you see what is the first thing to hit the ground, and when it rises, you see what is the first thing it lifts from the ground. And we are forbidden from imitating the camel. Yes.