Benefits of the Hadith: (Abu Humayd al-Sa'idi (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) when he said the takbir, he placed his hands at the level of his shoulders.)
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The Shaykh : Yes, this hadith mentions several characteristics of the prayer of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), among which are:
The prescription of the takbir, based on his saying: This is the takbir of ihram, and its ruling is that it is a pillar; the prayer does not become valid without it. If a person forgets it and then begins the prayer and recites al-Fatihah without the takbir, his prayer is not valid; it is not valid, neither as an obligatory prayer nor a voluntary one. If he says a phrase other than the takbir, such as "Allah is greater," "Allah is more noble," or "Allah is more knowledgeable," is that valid?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : The answer is that it is not valid, because acts of worship are based on specific texts. If he says "Allah is more knowledgeable" or "Allah is greater," he has performed an act for which there is no command from Allah and His Messenger, so it is rejected. Therefore, the one praying must say "Allahu Akbar." Now, what if he says "Allah al-Akbar" with the article?
The student: It is not valid.
The Shaykh : It is not valid, first because it contradicts the text, so it is an act for which there is no command from Allah and His Messenger. Second, it is less than saying "Allahu Akbar," because the meaning of "Allahu Akbar" is "Greater than everything." But "Allah al-Akbar" is like saying "this is my eldest son," which does not indicate that he is greater than everything.
Now, among the benefits of this hadith is that it is recommended to raise the hands to the shoulders, like this, look, like this, and not as we see some people saying "Allahu Akbar," no, and not spreading their fingers like this, but with their fingers together, directed toward the qiblah, and he raises them.
So what is the wisdom behind this raising? Some scholars said the wisdom is to indicate the lifting of the veil between you and Allah (Mighty and Majestic), because a person in this world is heedless, so when he turns to the prayer, he turns to Allah, as if he is lifting the veil between him and his Lord. This is one point.
Second, it is an adornment for the prayer, and this is an observed fact. If you say the takbir without raising your hands, you feel that the prayer is incomplete. So it is an adornment and a perfection for the prayer. For this reason, it was prescribed in all the takbirs of the funeral prayer, because it creates a visible, tangible distinction between the pillars of the funeral prayer. And the Sunnah, praise be to Allah, came that you raise your hands in the funeral prayer in all the takbirs.
And among the benefits of this hadith is that it is recommended for the one praying, when he bows, to place his hands on his knees, meaning to fix the knees on the hands as if grasping them. If he lets his hands hang while bowing, he does not achieve the Sunnah. But what is the ruling on bowing?
The student: It is sufficient.
The Shaykh : It is sufficient. And if he touches the knees without placing his hands on them, the bowing is sufficient, but he does not achieve the Sunnah.
It is said that among the benefits of this hadith is that it is recommended for the one bowing to straighten his back, not to raise it and curve it, but to straighten it. And in the hadith of Aisha meaning he did not raise it and did not lower it. And based on this, it should be exactly level with his back, and this is the best. If he curves it, or lowers it more, or raises it, the bowing is sufficient, but he misses the Sunnah.
And among the benefits of this hadith is that it is necessary in rising from the bowing to be at rest until the vertebrae return to their place. It was mentioned previously in the hadith of Abu Hurayrah that it is necessary to be at rest. If he does not do so and rises and then goes down into prostration, his prayer is not valid.
And among the benefits of this hadith is that the Sunnah in prostration is not to spread the arms, based on his saying: In fact, there is a prohibition regarding that. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) prohibited a man from spreading his arms in prostration like a dog. And by "dog" is meant the dog. When a dog lies down and you see it, you find that it has stretched its arms and spread them on the ground.
And among the benefits of this is that a person is prohibited from imitating animals, especially in worship. Imitation of animals has only come in the context of condemnation. Let us look at who is compared to a donkey? The Jews who were given the Torah but did not carry it, so Allah compared them to a donkey that carries books. Is it possible for a donkey to benefit from books if they are on its back? It is not possible. And the comparison to a donkey came because it is the most dull of animals, dull.. Who else was compared to a dog?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : The one to whom Allah gave knowledge but he clung to the earth and followed his desires and did not follow what Allah gave him of knowledge. So he is like a dog; if you drive it away, it pants, or if you leave it, it pants. And likewise, the one who takes back his gift is like a dog that vomits and then returns to its vomit. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited pecking like a crow, meaning in the prayer. So the important thing is that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) honored the children of Adam and preferred them over many of those He created, so it is not befitting for them to place themselves in a position that is not fitting for them.
And among the benefits of the hadith is also that it is not befitting for the one in prostration to clasp his hands to his chest or ribs, based on his saying "not spreading and not clasping."
If someone asks, what do you say if the place is narrow, as found in the seasons of Hajj and 'Umrah? Do we say to spread or not?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : No, why? Because it would harm his neighbor. Leaving the Sunnah in order to remove harm is better than the harm. I think the time for questions has come? Yes.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : The truth is yours, but if you lose it, do not blame me.
The questioner : May Allah bless you...
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : It has come in the hadith that a beast would pass under the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
The Shaykh : Yes, yes.
The prescription of the takbir, based on his saying:
When he said the takbir
إذا كبّرThe student: No.
The Shaykh : The answer is that it is not valid, because acts of worship are based on specific texts. If he says "Allah is more knowledgeable" or "Allah is greater," he has performed an act for which there is no command from Allah and His Messenger, so it is rejected. Therefore, the one praying must say "Allahu Akbar." Now, what if he says "Allah al-Akbar" with the article?
The student: It is not valid.
The Shaykh : It is not valid, first because it contradicts the text, so it is an act for which there is no command from Allah and His Messenger. Second, it is less than saying "Allahu Akbar," because the meaning of "Allahu Akbar" is "Greater than everything." But "Allah al-Akbar" is like saying "this is my eldest son," which does not indicate that he is greater than everything.
Now, among the benefits of this hadith is that it is recommended to raise the hands to the shoulders, like this, look, like this, and not as we see some people saying "Allahu Akbar," no, and not spreading their fingers like this, but with their fingers together, directed toward the qiblah, and he raises them.
So what is the wisdom behind this raising? Some scholars said the wisdom is to indicate the lifting of the veil between you and Allah (Mighty and Majestic), because a person in this world is heedless, so when he turns to the prayer, he turns to Allah, as if he is lifting the veil between him and his Lord. This is one point.
Second, it is an adornment for the prayer, and this is an observed fact. If you say the takbir without raising your hands, you feel that the prayer is incomplete. So it is an adornment and a perfection for the prayer. For this reason, it was prescribed in all the takbirs of the funeral prayer, because it creates a visible, tangible distinction between the pillars of the funeral prayer. And the Sunnah, praise be to Allah, came that you raise your hands in the funeral prayer in all the takbirs.
And among the benefits of this hadith is that it is recommended for the one praying, when he bows, to place his hands on his knees, meaning to fix the knees on the hands as if grasping them. If he lets his hands hang while bowing, he does not achieve the Sunnah. But what is the ruling on bowing?
The student: It is sufficient.
The Shaykh : It is sufficient. And if he touches the knees without placing his hands on them, the bowing is sufficient, but he does not achieve the Sunnah.
It is said that among the benefits of this hadith is that it is recommended for the one bowing to straighten his back, not to raise it and curve it, but to straighten it. And in the hadith of Aisha
That he (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) did not raise his head and did not straighten it
أنّه صلّى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلّم لم يشخص رأسه ولم يصوّبهAnd among the benefits of this hadith is that it is necessary in rising from the bowing to be at rest until the vertebrae return to their place. It was mentioned previously in the hadith of Abu Hurayrah that it is necessary to be at rest. If he does not do so and rises and then goes down into prostration, his prayer is not valid.
And among the benefits of this hadith is that the Sunnah in prostration is not to spread the arms, based on his saying:
Not spreading
غير مفترشAnd among the benefits of this is that a person is prohibited from imitating animals, especially in worship. Imitation of animals has only come in the context of condemnation. Let us look at who is compared to a donkey? The Jews who were given the Torah but did not carry it, so Allah compared them to a donkey that carries books. Is it possible for a donkey to benefit from books if they are on its back? It is not possible. And the comparison to a donkey came because it is the most dull of animals, dull.
That the one who speaks on Friday while the imam is delivering the sermon is like a donkey
أنّ الذي يتكلّم يوم الجمعة والإمام يخطب كمثل الحمارThe student: ...
The Shaykh : The one to whom Allah gave knowledge but he clung to the earth and followed his desires and did not follow what Allah gave him of knowledge. So he is like a dog; if you drive it away, it pants, or if you leave it, it pants. And likewise, the one who takes back his gift is like a dog that vomits and then returns to its vomit. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited pecking like a crow, meaning in the prayer. So the important thing is that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) honored the children of Adam and preferred them over many of those He created, so it is not befitting for them to place themselves in a position that is not fitting for them.
And among the benefits of the hadith is also that it is not befitting for the one in prostration to clasp his hands to his chest or ribs, based on his saying "not spreading and not clasping."
If someone asks, what do you say if the place is narrow, as found in the seasons of Hajj and 'Umrah? Do we say to spread or not?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : No, why? Because it would harm his neighbor. Leaving the Sunnah in order to remove harm is better than the harm. I think the time for questions has come? Yes.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : The truth is yours, but if you lose it, do not blame me.
The questioner : May Allah bless you...
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : It has come in the hadith that a beast would pass under the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
The Shaykh : Yes, yes.