The Prophet's Prayer [صلى الله علیه وسلم] Described
Author: Imaam Muhammad Naasir-ud-Deen al-Albaanee
The Sujood (Prostration)
Next, "he (صلى الله علیه وسلم) would say takbeer and go down into sajdah" [1], and he ordered "the one who prayed badly" to do so, saying to him,
Also, "when he wanted to perform sajdah, he would say takbeer, [separate his hands from his sides,] and then perform sajdah." [3]
Sometimes, "he would raise his hands when performing sajdah." [4]
Going Down Into The Sajdah On The Hands
"He used to place his hands on the ground before his knees." [5]
He used to instruct likewise, saying, When one of you performs sajdah, he should not kneel like a camel, but should place his hands before his knees. [6]
He also used to say,
The Sajdah Described
"He would support himself on his palms [and spread them]" [8], "put his fingers together" [9], and "point them towards the qiblah." [10]
Also, "he would put them (his palms) level with his shoulders" [11], and sometimes "level with his ears" [12]. "He would put his nose and forehead firmly on the ground." [13]
He said to "the one who prayed badly",
He also used to say,
"He used to put his knees and toes down firmly" [17], "point with the front of the toes towards the qiblah" [18], "put his heels together" [19], "keep his feet upright" [20], and "ordered likewise." [21]
Hence, these are the seven limbs on which he (صلى الله علیه وسلم) would prostrate: the palms, the knees, the feet, and the forehead and nose - counting the last two as one limb in prostration, as he (صلى الله علیه وسلم) said:
He also used to say,
He said about a man who was praying with his hair tied [26] behind him,
He also said,
"He would not rest his fore-arms on the ground" [29], but "would raise them above the ground, and keep them away from his sides such that the whiteness of his armpits could be seen from behind" [30], and also "such that if a small lamb or kid wanted to pass under his arms, it would have been able to do so." [31]
He would do this to such an extent that one of his Companions said, "We used to feel sorry for the Messenger of Allaah (صلى الله علیه وسلم) because of the way he kept his hands away from his sides." [32]
He used to order likewise, saying,
In a separate hadeeth,
He also used to say,
The Obligation To Be At Ease In Sujood
He (صلى الله علیه وسلم) used to command the completion of rukoo' and sujood, comparing someone not doing so to the hungry man who eats one or two dates, which are of no use to him, and also saying about him, "he is indeed one of the worst thieves among the people.
He also ruled that the prayer of one who does not straighten his spine fully in rukoo' and sujood is invalid, as has been mentioned under "Rukoo'", and ordered "the one who prayed badly" to be at ease in his sujood, as mentioned before.
The Adhkaar Of Sujood
He (صلى الله علیه وسلم) would say any one of the following remembrances of Allaah and supplications in this posture:
Forbiddance Of Reciting The Qur'aan In Sujood
He (صلى الله علیه وسلم) used to forbid recitation of the Qur'aan in rukoo' and sujood, and commanded striving in, and a lot of, supplication in this posture, as explained previously under "Rukoo'". He also used to say,
Lengthening The Sajdah
He (صلى الله علیه وسلم) would make his sujood about as long as his rukoo', and sometimes he would make it extremely long due to the circumstances, as one of his Companions said:
In another hadeeth, "He (صلى الله علیه وسلم) was praying. When he performed sajdah, al-Hasan and al-Husain jumped onto his back. When the people tried to stop them, he gestured to them to leave the two alone. After offering his prayer, he placed them in his lap and said,
The Excellence Of The Sajdah
He (صلى الله علیه وسلم) used to say,
They said, "How will you recognise them, O Messenger of Allaah, among the multitude of created beings?" He said,
They said, "Of course." He said,
He would also say,
Sajdah On The Ground, And On Mats [59]
He would often prostrate on the (bare) ground. [60]
"His Companions would pray with him in the intense heat, so when one of them could not press his forehead against the ground, he would spread his robe and prostrate on that." [61]
He also used to say,
Sometimes, he would prostrate in mud and water, and that happened to him once at dawn on the twenty-first night of Ramadaan, when it rained and the roof of the mosque, which was made of palm-branches, was washed away. So he (صلى الله علیه وسلم) prostrated in mud and water; Abu Sa'eed al- Khudri said, "So I saw, with my own eyes, the Messenger of Allaah (صلى الله علیه وسلم), with traces of mud and water on his forehead and nose." [63][/quote]
Also, "he would pray on a khumrah" [64] sometimes, or "on a mat" [65] sometimes, and "he prayed on it once when it had become blackened due to prolonged use." [66]
Rising From Sajdah
Next, "he (صلى الله علیه وسلم) would raise his head from prostration while saying takbeer" [67], and he ordered "the one who prayed badly" to do that, saying,
Also, "he would raise his hands with this takbeer" sometimes. [69]
To Sit Muftarishan Between The Two Sajdahs
Next, "he would lay his left foot along the ground and sit on it [relaxed]" [70], and he ordered "the one who prayed badly" thus, saying to him,
"He would have his right foot upright" [72], and "point its toes towards the qiblah." [73] [See diagram]
Iq'aa' Between The Two Sajdahs
"He would sometimes practise iq'aa' [resting on both his heels and (all) his toes]." [74]
The Obligation Of Being At Ease Between The Two Sajdahs
"He (صلى الله علیه وسلم) would be relaxed until every bone returned to its (proper) position" [75], and he ordered "the one who prayed badly" likewise, and said to him,
Lengthening The Sitting Between The Two Sajdahs
Also, "he would lengthen it until it was about almost as long as his sajdah" [77], and sometimes, "he would remain (in this position) until one would say: He has forgotten." [78]
The Adhkaar Between The Two Sajdahs
In this sitting, he (صلى الله علیه وسلم) would say:
He would say the above two in night prayer also. [81]
The Second Sajdah
Next, "he would say takbeer and prostrate for the second time." [82] He also ordered "the one who prayed badly" to do so, saying to him after he had ordered him to be at ease between sajdahs,
He would perform this sajdah exactly as he performed the first one. Also, "he would raise his hands with this takbeer" sometimes. [84]
Next, "he would raise his head while saying takbeer" [85], and he ordered "the one who prayed badly" to do likewise, saying to him after ordering him to prostrate for the second time,
He also said to him,
Also, "he would raise his hands" [88] sometimes with this takbeer.
The Sitting Of Rest
Next, "he would sit straight [on his left foot, upright, until every bone returned to its position]." [89]
Supporting Oneself With The Hands On Rising For The Next Rak'ah
Next, "he (صلى الله علیه وسلم) would get up for the second rak'ah, supporting himself on the ground." [90] Also, "he would clench his fists [91] during prayer: supporting himself with his hands when getting up." [92]
Footnotes
[1] Bukhaari & Muslim.
[2] Abu Daawood & Haakim, who declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.
[3] Abu Ya`laa in his Musnad (284/2) with a good isnaad & Ibn Khuzaimah (1/79/2) with a different, saheeh isnaad.
[4] Nasaa'i, Daaraqutni & Mukhlis in al-Fawaa'id (1/2/2) with two saheeh isnaads. This raising of the hands has been reported from ten Companions, and a number of the Salaf viewed it as correct, among them Ibn `Umar, Ibn `Abbaas, Hasan Basri, Taawoos, his son `Abdullaah, Naafi` the freed slave of Ibn `Umar, Saalim the son of Ibn `Umar, Qaasim bin Muhammad, `Abdullaah bin Deenaar & `Ataa'. Also, `Abdur Rahmaan bin Mahdi said, "This is from the Sunnah", it was practised by the Imaam of the Sunnah, Ahmad bin Hanbal, and it has been quoted from Maalik & Shaafi`i.
[5] Ibn Khuzaimah (1/76/1), Daaraqutni & Haakim, who declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed. All the ahaadeeth which contradict this are inauthentic. This way has been endorsed by Maalik, and similar is reported from Ahmad in Ibn al-Jawzi's al-Tahqeeq (108/2). Also, al-Marwazi quoted with a saheeh isnaad, Imam al-Awzaa`i in his Masaa'il (1/147/1) as saying, "I found the people placing their hands before their knees."
[6] Abu Daawood, Tammaam in al-Fawaa'id, & Nasaa'i in Sunan as-Sughraa and Sunan al-Kubraa (47/1) with a saheeh isnaad. `Abdul Haqq declared it saheeh in al-Ahkaam (54/1), and went on to say in Kitaab al-Tahajjud (56/1), "it has a sounder isnaad than the previous one", i.e. the hadeeth of Waa'il which is the other way round (knees before hands). In fact, the latter hadeeth, as well as being contradictory to this saheeh hadeeth and the preceding one, is neither authentic in isnaad nor in meaning, as I have explained in Silsilah al-Ahaadeeth ad-Da`eefah (no. 929) and al-Irwaa' (357).
It should be known that the way to differ from the camel is to place the hands before the knees, because the camel places its knees first; a camel's "knees" are in its forelegs, as defined in Lisaan al-`Arab and other books of the `Arabic language, and as mentioned by Tahaawi in Mushkil al-Aathaar and Sharh Ma`aani al-Aathaar. Also, Imaam Qaasim al-Saraqusti - (رحمه الله) - narrated in Ghareeb al-Hadeeth (2/70/1-2), with a saheeh isnaad, Abu Hurairah's statement, "No one should kneel the way a runaway camel does", and then added, "This is in sajdah. He is saying that one should not throw oneself down, as a runaway (or untamed) camel does, hurriedly and without calmness, but he should go down calmly, placing his hands first, followed by his knees, and an explanatory marfoo` hadeeth has been narrated in this regard." He then mentioned the hadeeth above.
As for Ibn al-Qayyim's extremely strange statement, "These words are incomprehensible, and not understood by the experts of the language", it is answered by the sources which we have mentioned, and also many others which can be consulted. I have also expanded on this in the refutation against Shaikh Tuwaijari, which may be published.
[7] Ibn Khuzaimah(1/79/2), Ahmad & Siraaj; Haakim declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed. It is given in Irwaa' (313).
[8] Abu Daawood & Haakim, who declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.
[9] Ibn Khuzaimah, Baihaqi & Haakim, who declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.
[10] Baihaqi with a saheeh isnaad. Ibn Abi Shaibah (1/82/2) & Siraaj have related the pointing of the toes in a different narration.
[11] Abu Daawood & Tirmidhi, who declared it saheeh, as did Ibn al-Mulaqqin (27/2); it is given in Irwaa' (309).
[12] Abu Daawood & Nasaa'i with a saheeh isnaad.
[13] Abu Daawood & Tirmidhi, who declared it saheeh, as did Ibn al-Mulaqqin (27/2) it is given in al-Irwaa, (309).
[14] Abu Daawood & Ahmad with saheeh isnaad.
[15] Ibn Khuzaimah (1/10/1) with a hasan isnaad.
[16] Daaraqutni, Tabaraani (3/140/1) & Abu Nu`aim in Akhbaar Isbahaan.
[17] Baihaqi with a saheeh isnaad. Ibn Abi Shaibah (1/82/2) & Siraaj have related the pointing of the toes in a different narration.
[18] Bukhaari & Abu Daawood. Ibn Sa`d (4/157) related from Ibn `Umar that he liked to point whatever of his body he could towards the qiblah when praying, even his thumbs.
[19] Tahaawi, Ibn Khuzaimah (no. 654) & Haakim, who declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.
[20] Baihaqi with a saheeh isnaad.
[21] Tirmidhi & Siraaj; Haakim declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.
[22] This movement of the hand was deduced from the grammar of the `Arabic text. (Fath al-Baari)
[23] i.e. to draw them in and prevent them from being scattered, meaning to gather the garment or hair with the hands for rukoo` and sujood. (Nihaayah). This forbiddance is not only during prayer; the majority of scholars include tucking in the hair and garments before prayer in the prohibition. This is further strengthened by his forbidding men to pray with their hair tied, which follows later.
[24] Bukhaari & Muslim. It is given in al-Irwaa' (310).
[25] Muslim, Abu `Awaanah & Ibn Hibbaan.
[26] i.e. tied up or plaited.
[27] Muslim, Abu `Awaanah & Ibn Hibbaan. Ibn al-Atheer says,
It would seem that this instruction is limited to men and does not apply to women, as Shawkaani has quoted from Ibn al-`Arabi.
[28] Abu Daawood & Tirmidhi, who declared it hasan; Ibn Khuzaimah & Ibn Hibbaan declared it saheeh. See Saheeh Abi Daawood (653).
[29] Bukhaari & Abu Daawood.
[30] Bukhaari & Muslim. It is given in Irwaa' (359).
[31] Muslim, Abu `Awaanah & Ibn Hibbaan.
[32] Abu Daawood & Ibn Maajah with a hasan isnaad.
[33] Muslim & Abu `Awaanah.
[34] Bukhaari, Muslim, Abu Daawood & Ahmad.
[35] Ahmad & Tirmidhi, who declared it saheeh.
[36] Ibn Khuzaimah (1/80/2), al-Maqdisi in al-Mukhtaarah & Haakim, who declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.
[37] Ahmad, Abu Daawood, Ibn Maajah, Daaraqutni, Tahaawi, Bazzaar, & Tabaraani in Mu`jam al-Kabeer on the authority of seven different Companions. See also the note on this dhikr under "Rukoo`."
[38] See the previous note on this under "Rukoo`"also.
[39] Saheeh, transmitted by Abu Daawood, Daaraqutni, Ahmad, Tabaraani & Baihaqi.
[40] Muslim & Abu `Awaanah.
[41] Bukhaari & Muslim.
[42] Muslim, Abu `Awaanah, Tahaawi & Daaraqutni.
[43] Muslim & Abu `Awaanah.
[44] Ibn Nasr, Bazzaar & Haakim, who declared it saheeh but Dhahabi disagreed, however, it has a support which is mentioned in the manuscript version.
[45] Abu Daawood & Nasaa'i, with a saheeh isnaad.
[46] Muslim, Abu `Awaanah, Nasaa'i & Ibn Nasr.
[47] Ibn Abi Shaibah (62/112/1) & Nasaa'i ; Haakim declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.
[48] Muslim, Abu `Awaanah & Ibn Abi Shaibah (12/106/2, 112/1).
[49] ibid.
[50] Muslim, Abu `Awaanah & Baihaqi . It is given in Irwaa' (456).
[51] Nasaa'i, Ibn `Asaakir (4/257/1-2) & Haakim, who declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.
[52] Ibn Khuzaimah in his Saheeh, with a hasan isnaad from Ibn Mas'ood (887) & Baihaqi in mursal form. Ibn Khuzaimah prefixed it with, "Chapter: evidence that gesturing which is understood during prayer neither invalidates nor spoils the prayer" - this action is one which the People of Opinion have prohibited! In this regard, there are also ahaadeeth in Bukhaari, Muslim and others.
[53] i.e. its colour is pure black, with no other colours mixed with it. (Nihaayah)
[54] the whiteness refers to that part of the horse where chains and bangles are put, including the lower legs but not the knees.
[55] i.e. the shining of the face due to the light of sujood.
[56] i.e. the shining of the parts covered in ablution: the face, hands and feet. The shining marks of ablution on the face, hands and legs of humans is compared to the whiteness of a horse's face and legs.
[57] Ahmad, with a saheeh isnaad. Tirmidhi related a part of it and declared it saheeh. It is given in Silsilah al-Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah.
[58] Bukhaari & Muslim; the hadeeth shows that the sinful from among those regular at Prayer, will not remain the Fire forever; in fact, even those given to missing prayers out of laziness will not remain in the Fire forever, this is authentic - see as-Saheehah (2054).
[59] Ar. haseer: a mat made of date-palm leaves or straw, etc.
[60] This was because his mosque was not covcered with mats, etc. This is evident from a great many ahaadeeth, such as the next one and the one of Abu Sa`eed later.
[61] Muslim & Abu `Awaanah.
[62] Ahmad, Siraaj & Baihaqi, with a saheeh isnaad.
[63] Bukhaari & Muslim.
[64] ibid. A khumrah is a piece of matting, palm-fibre, or other material which is big enough for a man to place his face on it in sajdah; the term does not apply to larger pieces.
[65] ibid.
[66] Muslim & Abu `Awaanah. Ar. labisa usually means 'to wear', but here it is used to mean 'to use', i.e. to sit on; hence 'wearing' includes 'sitting on', so this indicates that it is prohibited (haraam) to sit on silk, because of the prohibition on wearing it established in the Saheehs of Bukhaari and Muslim, and others. In fact, a clear forbiddance of sitting on silk is related in these, so do not be confused by the fact that some leading scholars allow it.
[67] Bukhaari & Muslim.
[68] Abu Daawood & Haakim who declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.
[69] Bukhaari in his Juz' Raf` al-Yadain, Abu Daawood with a saheeh isnaad, Muslim & Abu `Awaanah. It is given in Irwaa' (316).
To raise the hands here, and with every takbeer, was a view voiced by Ahmad, as in Ibn al-Qayyim's Badaa'i` (3/89):
This was also the opinion of Ibn al-Mundhir & Abu `Ali of the Shaafi`is, and also a view of Maalik and Shaafi`i themselves, as in Tarh at-Tathreeb. The raising of the hands here is also authentically-reported from Anas bin Maalik, Ibn `Umar, Naafi`, Taawoos, Hasan Basri, Ibn Seereen & Ayyoob as-Sikhtiaani, as in Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaibah (1/106) with saheeh narrations from them.
[70] Ahmad & Abu Daawood with a good isnaad.
[71] Bukhaari & Baihaqi.
[72] Nasaa'i with a saheeh isnaad.
[73] Muslim, Abu `Awaanah, Abu Shaikh in Maa Rawaahu Abu az-Zubair `an Ghair Jaabir (nos. 104-6) & Baihaqi.
[74] ibid. Ibn al-Qayyim - (رحمه الله) - overlooked this, so after mentioning the Prophet's (صلى الله علیه وسلم) iftiraash between the two sajdahs, he said, "No other way of sitting here is preserved from him" ! How can this be correct, when iq`aa' has reached us via: the hadeeth of Ibn `Abbaas in Muslim, Abu Daawood & Tirmidhi, who declared it saheeh, and others (see Silsilah al-Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah 383); the hadeeth of Ibn `Umar with a hasan isnaad in Baihaqi, declared saheeh by Ibn Hajar. Also, Abu Ishaaq al-Harbi related in Ghareeb al-Hadeeth (5/12/1) from Taawoos, who saw Ibn `Umar and Ibn `Abbaas practising iq`aa'; its sanad is saheeh. May Allaah shower His Mercy on Imaam Maalik, who said, "Every one of us can refute and be refuted, except the occupant of this grave", and he pointed to the grave of the Prophet (صلى الله علیه وسلم). This sunnah was practised by several Companions, Successors and others, and I have expanded on this in al-Asl.
Of course, this iq`aa' is different to the one which is forbidden, and follows under "Tashahhud".
[75] Abu Daawood & Baihaqi with a saheeh isnaad.
[76] Abu Daawood & Haakim , who declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.
[77] Bukhaari & Muslim.
[78] ibid. Ibn al-Qayyim said,
[79] Abu Daawood, Tirmidhi, Ibn Maajah & Haakim , who declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.
[80] Ibn Maajah with a hasan sanad. Imaam Ahmad chose to supplicate with this one; Ishaaq bin Raahawaih said,
[81] This does not negate the validity of the expressions in the obligatory prayers due to the absence of anything to differentiate between those and voluntary prayers. This is the view of Shaafi`i, Ahmad & Ishaaq, who held that this was allowed in compulsory and voluntary prayers, as Tirmidhi has narrated. Imaam Tahaawi has also taken this view in Mushkil al-Aathaar. Proper analysis supports this argument, for there is no position in prayer where a dhikr is not valid, and so it is fitting that this should be the case here.
[82] Bukhaari & Muslim.
[83] Abu Daawood & Haakim , who declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed; the addition is from Bukhaari & Muslim.
[84] Abu `Awaanah & Abu Daawood with two saheeh sanads. this raising of the hands has supported by Ahmad, Maalik & Shaafi`i in narrations from them. See the previous note under Sujood.
[85] Bukhaari & Muslim.
[86] Abu Daawood & Haakim , who declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.
[87] Ahmad & Tirmidhi, who declared it saheeh.
[88] see the fourth last note.
[89] Bukhaari & Abu Daawood. This sitting is known as jalsah al-istiraahah (the sitting of rest) by the scholars of fiqh. Shaafi`i supported it, as did Ahmad in Tahqeeq (111/1) and favoured it more strongly, as is well-known of him that he would insist on following a sunnah which had nothing to contradict it. Ibn Haani said in his Masaa'il of Imaam Ahmad (p. 42),
It was also the preference of Imaam Ishaaq bin Raahawaih, who said in Marwazi's Masaa'il (1/147/2),
See also Irwaa' (2/82-3).
[90] Bukhaari & Shaafi`i .
[91] literally, "as one who kneads dough".
[92] Abu Ishaaq al-Harbi with a faultless sanad, and its meaning is found in Baihaqi with a saheeh sanad. As for the hadeeth,
it is mawdoo` (fabricated), and all narrations of similar meaning are weak, not authentic, and I have explained this in Silsilah al-Ahaadeeth ad-Da`eefah (562, 929, 968).
Next, "he (صلى الله علیه وسلم) would say takbeer and go down into sajdah" [1], and he ordered "the one who prayed badly" to do so, saying to him,
"No one's prayer is complete unless ... he says: Allaah listens to the one who praises Him and stands up straight, then says: Allaah is the Greatest and prostrates such that his joints are at rest." [2]
Also, "when he wanted to perform sajdah, he would say takbeer, [separate his hands from his sides,] and then perform sajdah." [3]
Sometimes, "he would raise his hands when performing sajdah." [4]
Going Down Into The Sajdah On The Hands
"He used to place his hands on the ground before his knees." [5]
He used to instruct likewise, saying, When one of you performs sajdah, he should not kneel like a camel, but should place his hands before his knees. [6]
He also used to say,
"Verily, the hands prostrate as the face prostrates, so when one of you places his face (on the ground), he should place his hands, and when he raises it, he should raise them." [7]
The Sajdah Described
"He would support himself on his palms [and spread them]" [8], "put his fingers together" [9], and "point them towards the qiblah." [10]
Also, "he would put them (his palms) level with his shoulders" [11], and sometimes "level with his ears" [12]. "He would put his nose and forehead firmly on the ground." [13]
He said to "the one who prayed badly",
He also used to say,
"There is no prayer for the one whose nose does not feel as much of the ground as the forehead." [16]
"He used to put his knees and toes down firmly" [17], "point with the front of the toes towards the qiblah" [18], "put his heels together" [19], "keep his feet upright" [20], and "ordered likewise." [21]
Hence, these are the seven limbs on which he (صلى الله علیه وسلم) would prostrate: the palms, the knees, the feet, and the forehead and nose - counting the last two as one limb in prostration, as he (صلى الله علیه وسلم) said:
He also used to say,
"When a slave prostrates, seven limbs prostrate with him: his face, his palms, his knees and his feet." [25]
He said about a man who was praying with his hair tied [26] behind him,
His example is surely like that of someone who prays with his hands bound (behind his back). [27]
He also said,
"That is the saddle of the devil," i.e. where the devil sits, referring to the knots in the hair. [28]
"He would not rest his fore-arms on the ground" [29], but "would raise them above the ground, and keep them away from his sides such that the whiteness of his armpits could be seen from behind" [30], and also "such that if a small lamb or kid wanted to pass under his arms, it would have been able to do so." [31]
He would do this to such an extent that one of his Companions said, "We used to feel sorry for the Messenger of Allaah (صلى الله علیه وسلم) because of the way he kept his hands away from his sides." [32]
He used to order likewise, saying,
In a separate hadeeth,
"None of you should rest arms on the ground the way a dog rests them." [35]
He also used to say,
"Do not spread your arms [the way a beast of prey does], rest on your palms and keep your upper arms apart, for when you do all that, every one of your limbs prostrates with you." [36]
The Obligation To Be At Ease In Sujood
He (صلى الله علیه وسلم) used to command the completion of rukoo' and sujood, comparing someone not doing so to the hungry man who eats one or two dates, which are of no use to him, and also saying about him, "he is indeed one of the worst thieves among the people.
He also ruled that the prayer of one who does not straighten his spine fully in rukoo' and sujood is invalid, as has been mentioned under "Rukoo'", and ordered "the one who prayed badly" to be at ease in his sujood, as mentioned before.
The Adhkaar Of Sujood
He (صلى الله علیه وسلم) would say any one of the following remembrances of Allaah and supplications in this posture:
Once, he repeated it so much that his sujood were nearly as long as his standing, in which he had recited three of the Long Soorahs: al-Baqarah, an-Nisaa' and aal-'Imraan. That prayer was full of supplication and seeking of forgiveness, as mentioned before under "Night Prayer".
"How Perfect is my Lord, the Most High, and Praised be He", three times. [39]
"Perfect, Blessed, Lord of the Angels and the Spirit." [40]
"How perfect You are O Allaah, our Lord, and Praised. O Allaah! Forgive me," which he would say often in his rukoo' and sujood, implementing the order of the Qur'aan. [41]
"O Allaah! For you I have prostrated; in You I have believed; to You I have submitted; [You are my Lord;] my face has prostrated for the One Who created it and shaped it, [shaped it excellently,] then brought forth its hearing and vision: [so] blessed be Allaah, the Best to Create!" [42]
"O Allaah! Forgive me all my sins: the minor and the major, the first and the last, the open and the hidden." [43]
"My person and my shadow have prostrated to You; my heart has believed in You; I acknowledge Your favours towards me: here are my hands and whatever I have earned against myself." [44]
"How Perfect is He Who has all Power, Kingdom, Magnificence and Supremity" [45], which he would say in night prayer, as with the following ones:
"How perfect You are [O Allaah] and Praised. None has the right to be worshipped except you." [46]
"O Allaah! Forgive me what (sins) I have concealed and what (sins) I have done openly." [47]
"O Allaah! Place light in my heart; [and light in my tongue;] and place light in my hearing; and place light in my seeing; and place light from below me; and place light from above me, and light on my right, and light on my left; and place light ahead of me; and place light behind me; [and place light in my self;] and make the light greater for me." [48]
"[O Allaah!] [Indeed] I seek refuge with Your Pleasure from Your Anger; [I seek refuge] with Your Pardons from Your Punishment; I seek refuge with You from You. I cannot count all exultations upon You; You are as You have extolled Yourself." [49]
Forbiddance Of Reciting The Qur'aan In Sujood
He (صلى الله علیه وسلم) used to forbid recitation of the Qur'aan in rukoo' and sujood, and commanded striving in, and a lot of, supplication in this posture, as explained previously under "Rukoo'". He also used to say,
"The slave is closest to his Lord when he is prostrating, so increase supplication [in it]." [50]
Lengthening The Sajdah
He (صلى الله علیه وسلم) would make his sujood about as long as his rukoo', and sometimes he would make it extremely long due to the circumstances, as one of his Companions said:
"The Messenger of Allaah (صلى الله علیه وسلم) came out to us for one of the two later prayers, [Zuhr or 'Asr,] carrying Hasan or Husain. The Prophet (صلى الله علیه وسلم) then came to the front and put him down [next to his right foot], said takbeer for the prayer and commenced praying. During the prayer, he performed a very long prostration, so I raised my head [from among the people], and there was the child, on the back of the Messenger of Allaah (صلى الله علیه وسلم), who was in prostration. I then returned to my prostration. When the Messenger of Allaah (صلى الله علیه وسلم) had offered the prayer, the people said, 'O Messenger of Allaah! In the middle of [this] your prayer, you performed a prostration and lengthened it so much that we thought either something had happened, or that you were receiving revelation!' He said,"Neither of those was the case: actually, my son made me his mount, so I did not want to hurry him until he had satisfied his wish." [51]
In another hadeeth, "He (صلى الله علیه وسلم) was praying. When he performed sajdah, al-Hasan and al-Husain jumped onto his back. When the people tried to stop them, he gestured to them to leave the two alone. After offering his prayer, he placed them in his lap and said,
"Whoever loves me should love these two." [52]
The Excellence Of The Sajdah
He (صلى الله علیه وسلم) used to say,
"There is no one among my ummah whom I will not recognise on the Day of Resurrection."
They said, "How will you recognise them, O Messenger of Allaah, among the multitude of created beings?" He said,
"Do you not see that were one of you to enter an enclosure in which there was a jet black [53] steed and a horse with a white forehead and legs [54], would you not recognise the latter from the former?"
They said, "Of course." He said,
"Thus, my ummah on that day will surely have white faces [55] because of sujood, and white arms and feet [56] because of ablution." [57]
He would also say,
"When Allaah intends to have mercy on whomsoever he wishes of the people of the Fire, He will order the angels to bring out whoever used to worship Allaah; so they will bring them out, recognising them from the marks of sujood, for Allaah has prohibited the Fire from devouring the marks of sujood. Thus, they will be brought out from the Fire, for the Fire devours all of a son of Aadam except the marks of sujood." [58]
Sajdah On The Ground, And On Mats [59]
He would often prostrate on the (bare) ground. [60]
"His Companions would pray with him in the intense heat, so when one of them could not press his forehead against the ground, he would spread his robe and prostrate on that." [61]
He also used to say,
"The whole earth has been made a place of worship (masjid) and a purification for me and my ummah; so wherever prayer becomes due on someone of my ummah, he has his place of worship (masjid) and his purification next to him. Those before me used to think that this was too much: indeed, they would only pray in their churches and synagogues." [62]
Sometimes, he would prostrate in mud and water, and that happened to him once at dawn on the twenty-first night of Ramadaan, when it rained and the roof of the mosque, which was made of palm-branches, was washed away. So he (صلى الله علیه وسلم) prostrated in mud and water; Abu Sa'eed al- Khudri said, "So I saw, with my own eyes, the Messenger of Allaah (صلى الله علیه وسلم), with traces of mud and water on his forehead and nose." [63][/quote]
Also, "he would pray on a khumrah" [64] sometimes, or "on a mat" [65] sometimes, and "he prayed on it once when it had become blackened due to prolonged use." [66]
Rising From Sajdah
Next, "he (صلى الله علیه وسلم) would raise his head from prostration while saying takbeer" [67], and he ordered "the one who prayed badly" to do that, saying,
"The prayer of any person is not complete until ... he prostrates until his limbs are at rest, then he says, 'Allah is the Greatest' and raises his head until he is sitting straight." [68]
Also, "he would raise his hands with this takbeer" sometimes. [69]
To Sit Muftarishan Between The Two Sajdahs
Next, "he would lay his left foot along the ground and sit on it [relaxed]" [70], and he ordered "the one who prayed badly" thus, saying to him,
"When you prostrate, prostrate firmly, then when you rise, sit on your left thigh." [71]
"He would have his right foot upright" [72], and "point its toes towards the qiblah." [73] [See diagram]
Iq'aa' Between The Two Sajdahs
"He would sometimes practise iq'aa' [resting on both his heels and (all) his toes]." [74]
The Obligation Of Being At Ease Between The Two Sajdahs
"He (صلى الله علیه وسلم) would be relaxed until every bone returned to its (proper) position" [75], and he ordered "the one who prayed badly" likewise, and said to him,
"The prayer of any of you is not complete until he does this." [76]
Lengthening The Sitting Between The Two Sajdahs
Also, "he would lengthen it until it was about almost as long as his sajdah" [77], and sometimes, "he would remain (in this position) until one would say: He has forgotten." [78]
The Adhkaar Between The Two Sajdahs
In this sitting, he (صلى الله علیه وسلم) would say:
"O Allaah! (in one version: O my Lord!) Forgive me; have mercy on me; [strengthen me;] [raise my rank;] guide me; [pardon me;] sustain me." [79]
Or sometimes, he would say:
"O my Lord! Forgive me, forgive me." [80]
He would say the above two in night prayer also. [81]
The Second Sajdah
Next, "he would say takbeer and prostrate for the second time." [82] He also ordered "the one who prayed badly" to do so, saying to him after he had ordered him to be at ease between sajdahs,
"then say 'Allaah is the Greatest' and prostrate until your joints are relaxed [and do that in all your prayer]." [83]
He would perform this sajdah exactly as he performed the first one. Also, "he would raise his hands with this takbeer" sometimes. [84]
Next, "he would raise his head while saying takbeer" [85], and he ordered "the one who prayed badly" to do likewise, saying to him after ordering him to prostrate for the second time,
"then raise your head and say takbeer" [86]
He also said to him,
"[then do that in all your bowings and prostrations,] for if you do that, your prayer will be complete, and if you fall short in any of this, you will be deficient in your prayer." [87]
Also, "he would raise his hands" [88] sometimes with this takbeer.
The Sitting Of Rest
Next, "he would sit straight [on his left foot, upright, until every bone returned to its position]." [89]
Supporting Oneself With The Hands On Rising For The Next Rak'ah
Next, "he (صلى الله علیه وسلم) would get up for the second rak'ah, supporting himself on the ground." [90] Also, "he would clench his fists [91] during prayer: supporting himself with his hands when getting up." [92]
Footnotes
[1] Bukhaari & Muslim.
[2] Abu Daawood & Haakim, who declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.
[3] Abu Ya`laa in his Musnad (284/2) with a good isnaad & Ibn Khuzaimah (1/79/2) with a different, saheeh isnaad.
[4] Nasaa'i, Daaraqutni & Mukhlis in al-Fawaa'id (1/2/2) with two saheeh isnaads. This raising of the hands has been reported from ten Companions, and a number of the Salaf viewed it as correct, among them Ibn `Umar, Ibn `Abbaas, Hasan Basri, Taawoos, his son `Abdullaah, Naafi` the freed slave of Ibn `Umar, Saalim the son of Ibn `Umar, Qaasim bin Muhammad, `Abdullaah bin Deenaar & `Ataa'. Also, `Abdur Rahmaan bin Mahdi said, "This is from the Sunnah", it was practised by the Imaam of the Sunnah, Ahmad bin Hanbal, and it has been quoted from Maalik & Shaafi`i.
[5] Ibn Khuzaimah (1/76/1), Daaraqutni & Haakim, who declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed. All the ahaadeeth which contradict this are inauthentic. This way has been endorsed by Maalik, and similar is reported from Ahmad in Ibn al-Jawzi's al-Tahqeeq (108/2). Also, al-Marwazi quoted with a saheeh isnaad, Imam al-Awzaa`i in his Masaa'il (1/147/1) as saying, "I found the people placing their hands before their knees."
[6] Abu Daawood, Tammaam in al-Fawaa'id, & Nasaa'i in Sunan as-Sughraa and Sunan al-Kubraa (47/1) with a saheeh isnaad. `Abdul Haqq declared it saheeh in al-Ahkaam (54/1), and went on to say in Kitaab al-Tahajjud (56/1), "it has a sounder isnaad than the previous one", i.e. the hadeeth of Waa'il which is the other way round (knees before hands). In fact, the latter hadeeth, as well as being contradictory to this saheeh hadeeth and the preceding one, is neither authentic in isnaad nor in meaning, as I have explained in Silsilah al-Ahaadeeth ad-Da`eefah (no. 929) and al-Irwaa' (357).
It should be known that the way to differ from the camel is to place the hands before the knees, because the camel places its knees first; a camel's "knees" are in its forelegs, as defined in Lisaan al-`Arab and other books of the `Arabic language, and as mentioned by Tahaawi in Mushkil al-Aathaar and Sharh Ma`aani al-Aathaar. Also, Imaam Qaasim al-Saraqusti - (رحمه الله) - narrated in Ghareeb al-Hadeeth (2/70/1-2), with a saheeh isnaad, Abu Hurairah's statement, "No one should kneel the way a runaway camel does", and then added, "This is in sajdah. He is saying that one should not throw oneself down, as a runaway (or untamed) camel does, hurriedly and without calmness, but he should go down calmly, placing his hands first, followed by his knees, and an explanatory marfoo` hadeeth has been narrated in this regard." He then mentioned the hadeeth above.
As for Ibn al-Qayyim's extremely strange statement, "These words are incomprehensible, and not understood by the experts of the language", it is answered by the sources which we have mentioned, and also many others which can be consulted. I have also expanded on this in the refutation against Shaikh Tuwaijari, which may be published.
[7] Ibn Khuzaimah(1/79/2), Ahmad & Siraaj; Haakim declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed. It is given in Irwaa' (313).
[8] Abu Daawood & Haakim, who declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.
[9] Ibn Khuzaimah, Baihaqi & Haakim, who declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.
[10] Baihaqi with a saheeh isnaad. Ibn Abi Shaibah (1/82/2) & Siraaj have related the pointing of the toes in a different narration.
[11] Abu Daawood & Tirmidhi, who declared it saheeh, as did Ibn al-Mulaqqin (27/2); it is given in Irwaa' (309).
[12] Abu Daawood & Nasaa'i with a saheeh isnaad.
[13] Abu Daawood & Tirmidhi, who declared it saheeh, as did Ibn al-Mulaqqin (27/2) it is given in al-Irwaa, (309).
[14] Abu Daawood & Ahmad with saheeh isnaad.
[15] Ibn Khuzaimah (1/10/1) with a hasan isnaad.
[16] Daaraqutni, Tabaraani (3/140/1) & Abu Nu`aim in Akhbaar Isbahaan.
[17] Baihaqi with a saheeh isnaad. Ibn Abi Shaibah (1/82/2) & Siraaj have related the pointing of the toes in a different narration.
[18] Bukhaari & Abu Daawood. Ibn Sa`d (4/157) related from Ibn `Umar that he liked to point whatever of his body he could towards the qiblah when praying, even his thumbs.
[19] Tahaawi, Ibn Khuzaimah (no. 654) & Haakim, who declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.
[20] Baihaqi with a saheeh isnaad.
[21] Tirmidhi & Siraaj; Haakim declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.
[22] This movement of the hand was deduced from the grammar of the `Arabic text. (Fath al-Baari)
[23] i.e. to draw them in and prevent them from being scattered, meaning to gather the garment or hair with the hands for rukoo` and sujood. (Nihaayah). This forbiddance is not only during prayer; the majority of scholars include tucking in the hair and garments before prayer in the prohibition. This is further strengthened by his forbidding men to pray with their hair tied, which follows later.
[24] Bukhaari & Muslim. It is given in al-Irwaa' (310).
[25] Muslim, Abu `Awaanah & Ibn Hibbaan.
[26] i.e. tied up or plaited.
[27] Muslim, Abu `Awaanah & Ibn Hibbaan. Ibn al-Atheer says,
"The meaning of this hadeeth is that were his hair loose, it would fall on the ground when in sajdah; hence, the man would be rewarded for the prostration of the hair. However, if the hair is tied, it is effectively as though it did not prostrate, for he compared him to someone whose hands are shackled together, since they would then not lie on the ground in sajdah."
It would seem that this instruction is limited to men and does not apply to women, as Shawkaani has quoted from Ibn al-`Arabi.
[28] Abu Daawood & Tirmidhi, who declared it hasan; Ibn Khuzaimah & Ibn Hibbaan declared it saheeh. See Saheeh Abi Daawood (653).
[29] Bukhaari & Abu Daawood.
[30] Bukhaari & Muslim. It is given in Irwaa' (359).
[31] Muslim, Abu `Awaanah & Ibn Hibbaan.
[32] Abu Daawood & Ibn Maajah with a hasan isnaad.
[33] Muslim & Abu `Awaanah.
[34] Bukhaari, Muslim, Abu Daawood & Ahmad.
[35] Ahmad & Tirmidhi, who declared it saheeh.
[36] Ibn Khuzaimah (1/80/2), al-Maqdisi in al-Mukhtaarah & Haakim, who declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.
[37] Ahmad, Abu Daawood, Ibn Maajah, Daaraqutni, Tahaawi, Bazzaar, & Tabaraani in Mu`jam al-Kabeer on the authority of seven different Companions. See also the note on this dhikr under "Rukoo`."
[38] See the previous note on this under "Rukoo`"also.
[39] Saheeh, transmitted by Abu Daawood, Daaraqutni, Ahmad, Tabaraani & Baihaqi.
[40] Muslim & Abu `Awaanah.
[41] Bukhaari & Muslim.
[42] Muslim, Abu `Awaanah, Tahaawi & Daaraqutni.
[43] Muslim & Abu `Awaanah.
[44] Ibn Nasr, Bazzaar & Haakim, who declared it saheeh but Dhahabi disagreed, however, it has a support which is mentioned in the manuscript version.
[45] Abu Daawood & Nasaa'i, with a saheeh isnaad.
[46] Muslim, Abu `Awaanah, Nasaa'i & Ibn Nasr.
[47] Ibn Abi Shaibah (62/112/1) & Nasaa'i ; Haakim declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.
[48] Muslim, Abu `Awaanah & Ibn Abi Shaibah (12/106/2, 112/1).
[49] ibid.
[50] Muslim, Abu `Awaanah & Baihaqi . It is given in Irwaa' (456).
[51] Nasaa'i, Ibn `Asaakir (4/257/1-2) & Haakim, who declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.
[52] Ibn Khuzaimah in his Saheeh, with a hasan isnaad from Ibn Mas'ood (887) & Baihaqi in mursal form. Ibn Khuzaimah prefixed it with, "Chapter: evidence that gesturing which is understood during prayer neither invalidates nor spoils the prayer" - this action is one which the People of Opinion have prohibited! In this regard, there are also ahaadeeth in Bukhaari, Muslim and others.
[53] i.e. its colour is pure black, with no other colours mixed with it. (Nihaayah)
[54] the whiteness refers to that part of the horse where chains and bangles are put, including the lower legs but not the knees.
[55] i.e. the shining of the face due to the light of sujood.
[56] i.e. the shining of the parts covered in ablution: the face, hands and feet. The shining marks of ablution on the face, hands and legs of humans is compared to the whiteness of a horse's face and legs.
[57] Ahmad, with a saheeh isnaad. Tirmidhi related a part of it and declared it saheeh. It is given in Silsilah al-Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah.
[58] Bukhaari & Muslim; the hadeeth shows that the sinful from among those regular at Prayer, will not remain the Fire forever; in fact, even those given to missing prayers out of laziness will not remain in the Fire forever, this is authentic - see as-Saheehah (2054).
[59] Ar. haseer: a mat made of date-palm leaves or straw, etc.
[60] This was because his mosque was not covcered with mats, etc. This is evident from a great many ahaadeeth, such as the next one and the one of Abu Sa`eed later.
[61] Muslim & Abu `Awaanah.
[62] Ahmad, Siraaj & Baihaqi, with a saheeh isnaad.
[63] Bukhaari & Muslim.
[64] ibid. A khumrah is a piece of matting, palm-fibre, or other material which is big enough for a man to place his face on it in sajdah; the term does not apply to larger pieces.
[65] ibid.
[66] Muslim & Abu `Awaanah. Ar. labisa usually means 'to wear', but here it is used to mean 'to use', i.e. to sit on; hence 'wearing' includes 'sitting on', so this indicates that it is prohibited (haraam) to sit on silk, because of the prohibition on wearing it established in the Saheehs of Bukhaari and Muslim, and others. In fact, a clear forbiddance of sitting on silk is related in these, so do not be confused by the fact that some leading scholars allow it.
[67] Bukhaari & Muslim.
[68] Abu Daawood & Haakim who declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.
[69] Bukhaari in his Juz' Raf` al-Yadain, Abu Daawood with a saheeh isnaad, Muslim & Abu `Awaanah. It is given in Irwaa' (316).
To raise the hands here, and with every takbeer, was a view voiced by Ahmad, as in Ibn al-Qayyim's Badaa'i` (3/89):
"Athram quoted from him (Imaam Ahmad) that on being asked about raising the hands, he said: With every movement down and up. Athram said: I saw Abu `Abdullaah (i.e. Imaam Ahmad) raising his hands in prayer with every movement down and up."
This was also the opinion of Ibn al-Mundhir & Abu `Ali of the Shaafi`is, and also a view of Maalik and Shaafi`i themselves, as in Tarh at-Tathreeb. The raising of the hands here is also authentically-reported from Anas bin Maalik, Ibn `Umar, Naafi`, Taawoos, Hasan Basri, Ibn Seereen & Ayyoob as-Sikhtiaani, as in Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaibah (1/106) with saheeh narrations from them.
[70] Ahmad & Abu Daawood with a good isnaad.
[71] Bukhaari & Baihaqi.
[72] Nasaa'i with a saheeh isnaad.
[73] Muslim, Abu `Awaanah, Abu Shaikh in Maa Rawaahu Abu az-Zubair `an Ghair Jaabir (nos. 104-6) & Baihaqi.
[74] ibid. Ibn al-Qayyim - (رحمه الله) - overlooked this, so after mentioning the Prophet's (صلى الله علیه وسلم) iftiraash between the two sajdahs, he said, "No other way of sitting here is preserved from him" ! How can this be correct, when iq`aa' has reached us via: the hadeeth of Ibn `Abbaas in Muslim, Abu Daawood & Tirmidhi, who declared it saheeh, and others (see Silsilah al-Ahaadeeth as-Saheehah 383); the hadeeth of Ibn `Umar with a hasan isnaad in Baihaqi, declared saheeh by Ibn Hajar. Also, Abu Ishaaq al-Harbi related in Ghareeb al-Hadeeth (5/12/1) from Taawoos, who saw Ibn `Umar and Ibn `Abbaas practising iq`aa'; its sanad is saheeh. May Allaah shower His Mercy on Imaam Maalik, who said, "Every one of us can refute and be refuted, except the occupant of this grave", and he pointed to the grave of the Prophet (صلى الله علیه وسلم). This sunnah was practised by several Companions, Successors and others, and I have expanded on this in al-Asl.
Of course, this iq`aa' is different to the one which is forbidden, and follows under "Tashahhud".
[75] Abu Daawood & Baihaqi with a saheeh isnaad.
[76] Abu Daawood & Haakim , who declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.
[77] Bukhaari & Muslim.
[78] ibid. Ibn al-Qayyim said,
"This sunnah was abandoned by the people after the time of the Companions. But as for the one who abides by the Sunnah, and does not glance sideways towards whatever contradicts it, he is unworried by anything opposing this guidance."
[79] Abu Daawood, Tirmidhi, Ibn Maajah & Haakim , who declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.
[80] Ibn Maajah with a hasan sanad. Imaam Ahmad chose to supplicate with this one; Ishaaq bin Raahawaih said,
"If he wishes, he can say this three times, or he can say O Allaah! Forgive me ..., because both of them have been reported from the Prophet (صلى الله علیه وسلم) between the two sajdahs." (Masaa'il of Imaam Ahmad & Ishaaq bin Raahawaih as related by Ishaaq al-Marwazi, p. 19).
[81] This does not negate the validity of the expressions in the obligatory prayers due to the absence of anything to differentiate between those and voluntary prayers. This is the view of Shaafi`i, Ahmad & Ishaaq, who held that this was allowed in compulsory and voluntary prayers, as Tirmidhi has narrated. Imaam Tahaawi has also taken this view in Mushkil al-Aathaar. Proper analysis supports this argument, for there is no position in prayer where a dhikr is not valid, and so it is fitting that this should be the case here.
[82] Bukhaari & Muslim.
[83] Abu Daawood & Haakim , who declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed; the addition is from Bukhaari & Muslim.
[84] Abu `Awaanah & Abu Daawood with two saheeh sanads. this raising of the hands has supported by Ahmad, Maalik & Shaafi`i in narrations from them. See the previous note under Sujood.
[85] Bukhaari & Muslim.
[86] Abu Daawood & Haakim , who declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.
[87] Ahmad & Tirmidhi, who declared it saheeh.
[88] see the fourth last note.
[89] Bukhaari & Abu Daawood. This sitting is known as jalsah al-istiraahah (the sitting of rest) by the scholars of fiqh. Shaafi`i supported it, as did Ahmad in Tahqeeq (111/1) and favoured it more strongly, as is well-known of him that he would insist on following a sunnah which had nothing to contradict it. Ibn Haani said in his Masaa'il of Imaam Ahmad (p. 42),
"I saw Abu `Abdullaah (i.e. Imaam Ahmad) sometimes leaning on his hands when standing up for the next rak`ah, and sometimes sitting straight and then getting up."
It was also the preference of Imaam Ishaaq bin Raahawaih, who said in Marwazi's Masaa'il (1/147/2),
"The example was set by the Prophet (صلى الله علیه وسلم) of supporting himself with his hands when getting up, whether he was old or young."
See also Irwaa' (2/82-3).
[90] Bukhaari & Shaafi`i .
[91] literally, "as one who kneads dough".
[92] Abu Ishaaq al-Harbi with a faultless sanad, and its meaning is found in Baihaqi with a saheeh sanad. As for the hadeeth,
"He used to get up like an arrow, not supporting himself with his hands",
it is mawdoo` (fabricated), and all narrations of similar meaning are weak, not authentic, and I have explained this in Silsilah al-Ahaadeeth ad-Da`eefah (562, 929, 968).