The ruling on the sitting of rest
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The honorable Shaykh! Is the sitting for rest established from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in the prayer?
It is established from the Prophet (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him): (That if he was in an odd number of his prayer, he would not stand up until he sat down firmly) An odd number of his prayer: the first rak'ah and the third rak'ah, he would not stand up until he sat down firmly and settled. Malik ibn al-Huwayrith narrated that from him, and Malik was among those who arrived with the delegations in the ninth year of the Hijrah. In that year—may Allah know best—the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had taken on the burden of the double, so he would sit in order to stand up. For this reason, the same hadith mentions that he would lean on his hands, which indicates that he needed it.The scholars differed on this with three opinions: The first opinion: that it is a recommended practice (sunnah) for both the strong and the weak; because this is the final of the two matters from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family).
The second opinion: That it is not a recommended practice (sunnah) for the strong nor for the weak, and that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) only did it for rest alone.
And the third opinion: the middle,We say: Whoever is able to stand up without it, that is better. And whoever is not able, whether due to old age, weakness, illness, or otherwise, let him rest himself; because a person is commanded to rest. For this reason, the Prophet (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) said to Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As when he said: I will stand the whole night in prayer,He said: Then sleep.
So Allah (Mighty and Majestic) rewards a person for seeking the rest of his body,Meaning: Seeking the rest of the body, you are commanded to do this and you have a reward. So if a person needs it due to illness, old age, or otherwise, he sits. But not like the sitting of a bird on a branch; he stands up quickly. Rather, it is a sitting in which he rests a little, then he stands up. This is the ruling of the sitting in itself.
As for the follower in prayer, the follower is a follower of his imam. If the imam sits, the recommended practice (sunnah) is that he sits. If the imam does not sit, the recommended practice (sunnah) is that he does not sit, even if the follower thinks that the sitting is a recommended practice (sunnah). If the imam does not sit, the follower does not sit; in order to achieve following. For this reason, the follower is commanded to leave the first tashahhud, which is obligatory, if the imam forgets it.
And the correct opinion is the detailing in this: Whoever needs it and it becomes difficult for him to stand up from prostration to standing, here he should rest himself. And whoever does not need it, it is better that he stand up with energy.
And with this, this meeting has ended. And Glory be to You, O Allah, our Lord, and with Your praise. I testify that there is no god but You. I seek Your forgiveness and I repent to You.
It is established from the Prophet (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him): (That if he was in an odd number of his prayer, he would not stand up until he sat down firmly) An odd number of his prayer: the first rak'ah and the third rak'ah, he would not stand up until he sat down firmly and settled. Malik ibn al-Huwayrith narrated that from him, and Malik was among those who arrived with the delegations in the ninth year of the Hijrah. In that year—may Allah know best—the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had taken on the burden of the double, so he would sit in order to stand up. For this reason, the same hadith mentions that he would lean on his hands, which indicates that he needed it.The scholars differed on this with three opinions: The first opinion: that it is a recommended practice (sunnah) for both the strong and the weak; because this is the final of the two matters from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family).
The second opinion: That it is not a recommended practice (sunnah) for the strong nor for the weak, and that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) only did it for rest alone.
And the third opinion: the middle,We say: Whoever is able to stand up without it, that is better. And whoever is not able, whether due to old age, weakness, illness, or otherwise, let him rest himself; because a person is commanded to rest. For this reason, the Prophet (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) said to Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As when he said: I will stand the whole night in prayer,He said: Then sleep.
So Allah (Mighty and Majestic) rewards a person for seeking the rest of his body,Meaning: Seeking the rest of the body, you are commanded to do this and you have a reward. So if a person needs it due to illness, old age, or otherwise, he sits. But not like the sitting of a bird on a branch; he stands up quickly. Rather, it is a sitting in which he rests a little, then he stands up. This is the ruling of the sitting in itself.
As for the follower in prayer, the follower is a follower of his imam. If the imam sits, the recommended practice (sunnah) is that he sits. If the imam does not sit, the recommended practice (sunnah) is that he does not sit, even if the follower thinks that the sitting is a recommended practice (sunnah). If the imam does not sit, the follower does not sit; in order to achieve following. For this reason, the follower is commanded to leave the first tashahhud, which is obligatory, if the imam forgets it.
And the correct opinion is the detailing in this: Whoever needs it and it becomes difficult for him to stand up from prostration to standing, here he should rest himself. And whoever does not need it, it is better that he stand up with energy.
And with this, this meeting has ended. And Glory be to You, O Allah, our Lord, and with Your praise. I testify that there is no god but You. I seek Your forgiveness and I repent to You.