How should the position of prostration be? Is it necessary to bend the body fully or is it enough to keep a bit clear?
Dear Brother / Sister,
Sajdah (prostration), which is one of the fards of prayer, is performed as follows:
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,
"I have been ordered to prostrate on seven bones: forehead, both hands, both knees, and the ends (tiptoes) of both feet." (Tajrid Sarih Translation, II/847)
According to the hadith above, the seven organs mentioned there must touch the ground. There is no full agreement about whether the nose must touch the ground along with the forehead but Abdullah b. Abbas, the reporter of the hadith, says the Prophet (pbuh) also pointed to his nose when he showed his forehead. Abu Said al-Khudri narrates:
"When the Messenger of Allah led a prayer, traces of mud were seen on his forehead and nose." (Sunanu Abu Dawud, II, 54)
It is necessary for the hands and feet face toward the qiblah. As a requirement of the hadith above, the seven organs including the nose touch the ground at the same time. It is sunnah for the chest and elbows not to touch the ground, to keep the arms open by not cowering and to remain straight. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) states the following:
"When one of you prostrates, he should not place his hands like a dog does; he should keep his thighs adjacent." (Abu Dawud, II, 48).
The feet are held upright, the toes touching the ground; the feet must not be raised during prostration.
It is more virtuous for women to be more closed in prostration. After ruku’, the arms are not held above the ground like men in prostration; they are placed on the ground. They are held adjacent to the ground up to elbows. Men place only their hands on the ground; they hold their arms above the ground.
When the head is in prostration, women do not keep their toes upright like men; they make their feet face the ground. They do not have to keep the thumb of the right foot upright. It is understood that the feet being placed on the ground by facing the ground is more appropriate in terms of tasattur.
Questions on Islam
- Is It true that arms and elbows must not touch the ground in prostration?
- Does lifting the foot from the ground while in prostration invalidate prayer? Is it necessary to keep the big toe of the right foot on the ground during prostration only or throughout the prayer?
- What should the position of the feet be like in prayer (while standing, sitting and prostration)?
- Is there a hadith stating that the hands should be put on the ground/floor before the knees?
- How do women fold their arms and hold their hands in prayer? Do they need to clasp their hands on the wrist? Why do women perform prayers differently?
- Is prayer invalidated if the top part of the feet are placed on the ground in prostration?
- How should the position of the hands and fingers be in sajdah? Should they be adjacent or separate, or does it not matter?
- The Principles of Prayer
- How should the place to prostrate on be? On what things is it permissible to prostrate?
- How to perform the morning (fajr) prayer (Sunnah)
