Is it valid to cite the generality of the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) hadith: "He used to say takbir in every lowering and raising," as evidence for saying takbir during prostration of recitation?

The Shaykh : Now I can proceed to answer the previous question. The previous question was the claim that the Companion's statement: "The Messenger (peace be upon him) used to say takbir, he used to say takbir in every lowering and raising," is not the words of the Messenger (peace be upon him), but rather the words of one of the Companions, whom I recall to be Abu Hurayrah or Anas ibn Malik. In that case, we cannot imagine that this Companion had complete knowledge or a vision of every raising and lowering performed by the Messenger (peace be upon him), including what pertains to prostration of recitation, along with those other parts, as implied by his statement when he said: We cannot imagine this; because this requires intellect, if that is the correct term, and it is not valid to attribute this to the intellect of a legislator. I say it is not valid because the legislator is Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). So let us correct the phrase and say: the intellect of the one who conveys the message of the wise Lawgiver, who is none other than the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Second: What comes to mind for one who reads the hadiths regarding takbir in lowering and raising is that it refers to the customary prayers, in which prostration of recitation rarely occurs. So it does not come to the mind of the reader of the hadiths that the Companions intended even the descent or lowering for prostration of recitation. Third: And finally, and this is the most important point in the matter, if you mentioned previously that if any part of a general statement has not been acted upon, it is not permissible for us to act upon it. There is no doubt that the Messenger (peace be upon him) read verses of prostration repeatedly and often. You know well that it is a Sunnah in the Fajr prayer of Jumu'ah to recite Surat al-Sajdah. Also, it is established in "al-Sahihayn" from the hadith of Zayd ibn Thabit: "The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite a surah containing a prostration in the 'Isha' prayer, and he would prostrate." And so on; the hadiths regarding the prostration of the Messenger (peace be upon him) in prayer are numerous and continuous. No one from the Companions reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when he prostrated in prayer for prostration of recitation, said takbir for this lowering. This was not reported. So if the generality issued by the Companion narrator regarding lowering and raising were a comprehensive and inclusive generality, as if it were issued by the Messenger (peace be upon him)—and this comparison is undoubtedly for the sake of exaggeration, because we are equating the expression of the Companion with the expression of the Messenger; we are equating this hypothetically and for the sake of argument—if we assumed this generality, we would say that this part of this generality, since it was not acted upon by the Messenger (peace be upon him) and was not intended or meant, our discussion and speech here, without a doubt, what you are hearing is about prayer. We said that those noble Companions who conveyed to us the prostration of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in prayer did not convey to us that he used to say takbir for prostration of recitation. But I add to that: So prostration of recitation, whether inside or outside of prayer, does not prescribe takbir. Because this prostration is not a prayer, and this is a point we must be aware of. The prostration is undoubtedly a pillar of prayer; prayer is not valid without it. But if the prostration is separated from the prayer, it is no longer a pillar and it no longer has its known and prescribed conditions within the prayer. Takbir for entering the prayer is a pillar, and the remaining takbirs in the lowering and raising of the prayer are not a pillar by the consensus of scholars. They differed between one who says it is obligatory and one who says it is a recommended practice. The recommended practice is the weaker position, and the stronger position is that takbir is obligatory. The takbirs of transition during the prayer are obligatory because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered the one whose prayer was defective to do them. So if we leave these matters in the prayer and move to prostration of recitation, and add to it prostration of gratitude, we cannot attach to it the rulings that were attached to it while it was in the prayer, because it is separated from the prayer. From here we arrive at the conclusion that since the prostration does not carry its rulings as it does in the prayer, we arrive at the conclusion that purity of the body is not required for prostration, nor purity from minor ritual impurity, nor even major ritual impurity, nor purity of the place, nor facing the qiblah. None of that is required for prostration of recitation because it is not a prayer. These conditions are conditions for prayer, but they are not conditions for a part of the prayer. To bring this closer to you, consider the takbir of ihram . Is it permissible for a Muslim to say Allahu Akbar while, for example, in a state of minor ritual impurity, or even major ritual impurity? It is permissible, of course. Why? Because this is a remembrance of Allah that was prescribed for the opening of the prayer and was not prescribed within the details of the prayer, as we mentioned. Also, is it permissible for him to say takbir while not facing the qiblah? It is permissible. And while on a ritually impure place? It is permissible. Why? Because the original ruling for things is permissibility, and because we cannot bring a condition for a matter from the prescribed matters that the wise Lawgiver did not bring, based on his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): . I think with this I have covered the answer to your question regarding citing the generality of the Companion's statement: "The Messenger (peace be upon him) used to say takbir in every lowering and raising "; so there is no evidence in it from what we mentioned earlier.

The questioner : May Allah reward you.

The Shaykh : And you.

The questioner : ... with some.