The State of Going into Prostration
After completing the bowing, the prostration is performed, for which there are two common methods: placing the hands on the ground first and then the knees, or placing the knees first and then the hands. Among these two methods, according to evidence, the first method is more common and correct. To determine this, it is necessary to examine the evidence for both. (This is a collection of some of our radio lectures, which were broadcast from Radio UAE Umm Al-Quwain.)
Arguments for placing the hands first:
So let us first look at the arguments of those who place their hands on the ground before the knees:
First Argument:
In the great histories of Bukhari, Abu Dawood, Nasa’i, Mushkil al-Athar and Sharh Ma’ani al-Athar by Tahawi, Darimi, Dar Qutni, Bahti Majlali, Ibn Hazm, Sharh al-Sunnah by Baghawi, Kitab al-I’tibar bayn al-Nasikh wal-Mansukh min al-Athar by al-Hazmi, and Musnad Ahmad, it is narrated from Hazrat Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
«وإذا سجد أحدكم فلا يبرك كما يبرك البعير وليضع يديه قبل ركبتيه»
When any of you prostrates, he should not sit like a camel sits, rather he should place both hands before the knees.
1 : Refutation of the Weakness Theory:
This hadith has been declared authentic by many great muhaddith scholars. For details, see the research of Sharh al-Sunnah by Sheikh Shoaib al-Arna’oot
, Zad al-Ma’ad researched by Sheikh Shoaib al-Arna’oot and Sheikh Abdul Qadir al-Arna’oot
, Arwa al-Ghaleel by Sheikh al-Albani
, Sharh al-Mawahib Zarqani
, Kama Fi al-Irada
, Tahqiq al-Ihsan
, and al-Majmoo Sharh al-Muhadhdhab by Imam Nawawi
. Allama Abdul Rahman Mubarakpuri stated in Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi Sharh Tirmidhi that this hadith is authentic or at least Hasan Lidhatihi, and all its narrators are trustworthy.
It is also quoted from Hafiz Abdul Haq Ashbili’s Al-Ahkam al-Kubra that he too declared this hadith authentic, while in his other book “Kitab al-Tawheed” he wrote that this hadith is better in terms of chain than the hadith which mentions placing the knees first.
2: Refutation of the Theory of Contradiction and Confusion:
However, Imam Ibn Qayyim said that there is contradiction and confusion in the text of this hadith, that actually the hadith was like this:
وليضع ركبتيه قبل يديه It is necessary to place the knees on the ground before the hands.
And in various narrations, different words have appeared. The discussion he made on this in Zad al-Ma’ad is spread from page 223 to 231 of the first volume. On this, the researchers of Zad al-Ma’ad Sheikh Shoaib and Abdul Qadir have conducted research in Zad al-Ma’ad
, Sheikh Ahmad Shakir in Sharh Tirmidhi
, Allama Abdul Rahman Mubarakpuri in Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi
, and Allama Albani briefly on page 82 of Sifat al-Salah and in Arwa al-Ghaleel
and Al-Sahifah
in detail. They have completely refuted Imam Ibn Qayyim’s theory of contradiction and confusion and have also mentioned evidences, the details of which can be seen at the relevant mentioned places.
Second Argument:
The second evidence for placing the hand first and then the knees is authentic. It is narrated in Sahih Bukhari both as a suspended and a connected narration on the authority of Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, and also found in Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, Dar Qutni, Al-Bayhaqi’s Ma’ani al-Athar, Tahari, Kitab al-I’tibar Hazmi, and Al-Hakim’s Mustadrak, both as connected and elevated. In Sahih Bukhari, Hazrat Nafi states:
كان ابن عمر يضع يديه قبل ركبتيه
Hazrat Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, used to place his hands on the ground before his knees.
And in other books, the elevated narration is as follows: Hazrat Nafi says about Hazrat Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both:
أنه كان يضع يديه قبل ركبتيه وقال:كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يفعل ذالك
He (Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him) used to place both hands before the knees and said that the Prophet, peace be upon him, used to do the same.
Imam Hakim declared this hadith authentic, and Allama Dhahabi agreed with him in his Takhlees al-Mustadrak. Hafiz Ibn Hajar declared this hadith authentic in Bulugh al-Maram and preferred it over the hadith that mentions placing the knees first in Fath al-Bari. Muhaddith Albani also authenticated it in his comments on Arwa al-Ghaleel and Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah.
Third Argument:
Imam Hakim has said in Mustadrak: In this matter, my inclination is more towards the hadith narrated from Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), in which it is mentioned to place the hands on the ground first and then the knees, and this is because there are numerous narrations supporting this from the Companions and the Successors. (Reference as above)
Fourth Argument:
In Sunan al-Kubra by Bayhaqi, a narration from Hazrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) is reported in these words, raised (marfu’):
إذا سجد أحدكم فلا يبرك كما يبرك الجمل وليضع يديه على ركبتيه
When any of you prostrates, he should not sit like a camel, rather he should place both hands on the knees.
After narrating this, Imam Bayhaqi wrote that if this is authentic, it is evidence that when going into prostration, the hands should be placed on the ground first and then the knees. Imam Bayhaqi merely expressed his concern, whereas we have already mentioned a hadith with this meaning, which the great hadith scholars have deemed authentic, sound, and preferable. Therefore, if not used as proof, there is no objection to citing this narration as supportive evidence.
Fifth Argument:
Imam Awza’i, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
أدركت الناس يضعون أيديهم قبل ركبهم وروي عن ابن عمر فيه حدیث
I found the people (the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them) placing their hands before their knees, and a hadith is also narrated from Hazrat Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, on this matter.
In short, the position of Imam Malik and Awza’i, may Allah have mercy on them, is that when going into prostration, first both hands should be placed on the ground and then the knees. Imam Ibn al-Jawzi in his Ittihqaq and Imam Ibn Qudamah in Al-Mughni have also mentioned that Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal held the same position, although there are other narrations from him as well. Allama Ibn Hazm also agreed with this, and according to Ibn Abi Dawood, this is the position of all Ahl al-Hadith and Muhaddithin, as Allama Ibn Qayyim has stated
, Ibn Hazm
, Imam Al-Baghawi
, Hafiz Ibn Hajar
, Allama Abdul Rahman Mubarakpuri
, Allama Shams al-Haq Azimabadi
, Imam Shawkani
, Imam Hazmi
, and Ibn Qudamah
have detailed. And the son of Imam Abu Dawood has declared this to be the madhhab of the people of Madinah.
Arguments for placing the knee down first:
And now it is time for the other school of thought in this matter, that is, the arguments for placing the knee on the ground first when going into prostration. Accordingly, the proponents of this view also cite some ahadith as evidence, for example:
First argument:
Their first argument is the hadith narrated from Hazrat Wa’il bin Hujr رضي الله عنه in Sunan al-Arba’ah, Darimi, Dar Qutni, Bayhaqi, Ibn Khuzaymah, Ibn Hibban, Sharh al-Sunnah by Baghawi, and Kitab al-I’tibar by Hazmi, in which he says:
رأيت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا سجد يضع ركبتيه قبل يديه وإذانهض رفع يديه قبل ركبتيه
I saw the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم when he prostrated, he placed his knees before his hands, and when he rose, he lifted his hands before his knees.
Its evidential status:
After narrating this hadith, Imam Dar Qutni, Tirmidhi, Bayhaqi, and Hazmi severely criticized it and discussed its authenticity both as marfu’ and mawsool. Imam Hazmi attributed this criticism to Imam Tahawi and other earlier muhaddithun (scholars of hadith), and Hafiz Ibn Hajar also transmitted criticism from Ibn Abi Dawood besides the mentioned muhaddithun. (Relevant references above)
Allama Azeemabadi and Mubarakpuri have cited these criticisms in their commentaries on the Sunan, and Sheikh Shoaib and Abdul Qadir Arnaoot have also transmitted them.
Imam Shawkani, besides these muhaddithun, also transmitted criticism on the chain of this narration from Imam Nasai.
In the present era, the well-known muhaddith Allama Albani has declared this narration weak in
and
.
In the research of Sharh al-Sunnah by Baghawi, Sheikh Shoaib mentioned two other chains for this hadith, one of which is in Abu Dawood ”محمد بن حجاده عن عبدالجبار بن وائل عن أبيه “ and the other is negated by Abdul Jabbar himself from his father’s hearing. Further, under the heading of Tanbih (warning), it is written that موارد الظمآن فى زوائد ابن حبان this hadith is also narrated through Isra’il bin Burans, and if Isra’il is not a mutaharrif (distorter), then this is a good following for the sharik (partner), and its chain is authentic. However, none of the muhaddithun paid attention to this except Mulla Ali Qari, who in Al-Mirqaat Sharh Mishkat quoted Ibn Hajar Haishami that this hadith has two other chains, and he probably meant the Abu Dawood and Ibn Hibban chains.
But Sheikh Albani, pointing to Mulla Ali Qari’s statement, wrote:
ولا تغتر لما حكاه الشيخ القاري عن ابن حجر الفقيه: ان له طريقين آخرين فإنه من أوهامه
The statement of Allama Mulla Ali Qari quoting Ibn Hajar Faqih that there are two other chains should not deceive, because this is among their illusions (wahm).
And in the chain of Mawarid al-Dhaman
, Isra’il is indeed a mutaharrif because the original in Ibn Hibban has the sharik here.
, which is weak.
It is clear that this narration is weak and does not reach the level of authenticity or hasan, although Ibn Hibban, Ibn Khuzaymah, and Ibn Sakan etc. have declared it authentic.
Second Evidence:
A narration with the same meaning is reported mursal from Hazrat Abi bin Ka’b (may Allah be pleased with him) in Ibn Majah, in which it is said:
كان يخر على ركبتيه ولا يتكى
You would go down on your knees without resting on them.
Due to the unknown status of several narrators in the chain of this narration, Imam Ibn al-Madini and some others, including Muhammad Thain, have declared it weak, as mentioned in Lisan al-Mizan, Mizan al-I’tidal, At-Taqreeb, and other books of Rijal and criticism, in the biographies of Mu’adh bin Muhammad and Muhammad bin Mu’adh.
Third Evidence:
In Sunan Dar Qutni, Bayhaqi Mustadrak, Hakim Mahalli, Ibn Hazm, Al-Ahadith Al-Mukhtarah by Al-Dhiya Al-Maqdisi, and Al-I’tibar Hazmi, it is narrated from Hazrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him):
After narrating this hadith, Imam Dar Qutni and Bayhaqi themselves criticized its chain and text, and Imam Bayhaqi, Ibn Qayyim, and Ibn Hajar declared one of its narrators, Al-‘Ula bin Ismail, as unknown, as mentioned in Zad al-Ma’ad and Al-Takhsis Al-Jayyid.
And Ibn Abi Hatim has transmitted from his father Imam Abu Hatim in Al-‘Ilal that he considered this hadith as rejected.
[3] Refutation of the Theory of Confusion:
Musannif Ibn Abi Shaybah, Bayhaqi, Sunan Atharim, and Ma’ani al-Athar Tahawi have narrated mursal from Hazrat Abu Hurairah:
إذا سجد أحدكم، فليبدابر كبتيه قبل يديه ولا يبرك كبروك الفحل
When any of you prostrates, he should first sit on his knees and not sit like a camel.
However, in its chain of narration, Abdullah bin Saeed al-Muqbir is a neglected and weak narrator, as the researchers of Zad al-Ma’ad have written. Imam Bukhari, Darqutni, Ahmad bin Hanbal, Yahya bin Saeed, and Falaas, as cited by Allama Mubarakpuri, have declared this narrator as a denier of hadith, abandoned and going away from hadith, unreliable and weak.
Imam Bayhaqi himself has narrated it and declared its chain weak. (Reference as above)
Hafiz Ibn Hajar has followed him in this matter in Fath al-Bari.
Sheikh Albani has declared it invalid.
Therefore, this narration is not worthy of causing the first hadith to be considered doubtful, as Allama Ibn Qayyim and some other scholars have stated.
[4] Refutation of the Claim of Abrogation:
Imam Ibn Khuzaymah, instead of adopting a preference based on weakness or strength in both types of hadiths, claimed the abrogation of placing the hands on the ground before the knees. As evidence, he and Imam Bayhaqi narrated the hadith transmitted from Hazrat Saad bin Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him), which states:
كنا نضع اليدين قبل الركبتين فأمر بركبتين قبل اليدين
We used to place both hands before the knees, then the command came to place the knees before the hands.
If this hadith were authentic, according to Hafiz Ibn Hajar, it would indeed be decisive between the two sides, but it is not; rather, it is extremely weak.
Imam Bayhaqi narrated it and said that this hadith came in this manner, but it is well-known that the narration from Hazrat Saad bin Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) about the abrogation of placing the hands during ruku is the one that is abrogated. (Reference as above)
Thus, Imam Bayhaqi attributed the mention of abrogation in this hadith to an error by one of the narrators, and Imam Khuzaymi also preserved the hadith about the abrogation of placing during ruku in his book Al-I’tibar, considering this hadith anomalous and disputed.
Imam Nawawi declared it weak in Al-Majmu and also mentioned Imam Bayhaqi’s statement about its weakness. One of its narrators, Yahya bin Salmah, is unanimously considered weak by the muhaddithin. It is reported from Abu Hatim that he was a denier of this hadith, and it is narrated from Imam Bukhari that among the hadiths he mentioned, there are also deniers of hadith.
Allama Ibn Qayyim wrote in Tahdhib Ma’alim al-Sunan and Zad al-Ma’ad that some narrators erred and instead of وضع اليدين على الركبتين, it became وضع اليدين قبل الركبتين. It is well-known that the abrogation relates to the placing during ruku, not to the issue under discussion.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar wrote in Fath al-Bari that Ibrahim bin Ismail and his father Ismail bin Yahya bin Salmah are unique in narrating this hadith, and both are weak.
In his other book At-Taqrib, he declared Ibrahim weak and Ismail and Wiki as abandoned narrators.
Allama Albani declared this hadith very weak in his comments on Ibn Khuzaymah.
In the research of Sharh al-Sunnah, Sheikh Shu’aib Arna’ut also narrated its weakening from Imam Bukhari, Ibn Mu’in, and Nasai, and mentioned Ibn Qayyim’s alteration and change in its text.
From all this detail, it becomes clear that this hadith cannot be considered decisive; rather, due to its extreme weakness, it is not a basis for argument.
An Effect of Faruqi:
In this regard, there is an effect of Faruqi narrated by Abdul Razzaq and Ma’ani al-Athar of Tahawi, in which Aswad and Alqamah say:
حفظنا عن عمر فى صلوته خر بعد ركوعه على ركبتيه كما يخر البعير وضع ركبتيه قبل يديه
We remember from the prayer of Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that after ruku, he would sit on his knees as a camel sits. He would place the knees before the hands.
Imam Tahawi declared the chain of this narration authentic, and Sheikh Albani narrated this authentic transmission in Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Da’ifah without any objection; rather, he explicitly restricted one of its narrators, A’mash, and thereby supported and agreed with it. (Reference as above)
However, since this is a mursal narration on Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), and on the other hand, there is an authentic hadith established from the Prophet (peace be upon him), this cannot compete with the hadith about the knees, which is preferred. The same answer applies to other narrations found in this regard: when there is an authentic and established hadith on one side, then no matter how many narrations from the companions appear on the other side, فلا اثر للآثار — for example, in Musannif Ibn Abi Shaybah, it is narrated about Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both):
أنه كان يضع ركبتيه إذا سجد قبل يديه
When prostrating, he would place the knees before the hands.
This is also weak; one of its narrators, Ibn Abi Layla, is rejected in memorization, and Nafi contradicted the narration of this act of Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) from Ubaidullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), who is far more trustworthy.
Due to the weakness and mursal nature of these narrations and the weakness of these hadiths, they cannot be evidence that the worshiper should place the knees on the ground before the hands when prostrating. Rather, according to authentic hadiths, it is established to place the hands first and then the knees.
[5] Camel’s Knees?
However, from the previous effect of Farooqi, it has become clear that the camel sits on its knees, which are located in its toes, and if this is the case, then the worshiper should not place their knees on the ground first because the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم forbade this.
As some hadiths with this meaning have already been mentioned. Allama Ibn Qayyim denied in Zad al-Ma’ad that the camel’s knees are in the toes and wrote that this is not known to the linguists either.
While their statement is a negligence, many senior scholars besides the researchers of Zad al-Ma’ad have pursued this matter, and since both sides have used this meaning of the hadith as evidence, it seems appropriate to present some investigative review regarding the camel’s knees to determine which side is correct and which is mistaken in this matter.
From the perspective of linguistics:
Allama Ibn Qayyim stated in Zad al-Ma’ad that the idea of the camel’s knees being in its finger legs is not known or recognized even among the experts of Arabic language, whereas the reality is that among the Arabs, the linguists mention that the camel’s knees are indeed in its finger legs, not in the hind legs. Accordingly, in the thick-skinned book Lisan al-Arab, Ibn al-Munthir al-Afriki wrote under the root “R-K-B”:
وركبة البعير فى يده وكل ذي أربع ركبتاه فى يديه
The camel’s knee is in its front legs; indeed, the knees of every quadruped are in its front legs.
After this explicit statement by the author of Lisan al-Arab among the linguists, it is no longer correct to say that this matter is not known among the linguists.
Mushkil al-Athar and Sharh Ma’ani al-Athar:
In Mushkil al-Athar and Sharh Ma’ani al-Athar, Imam Tahawi, during the authentication and confirmation of this hadith, and while indicating that there is no impossibility in the knees of camels or indeed all animals being in their front legs, and excluding humans from this, wrote:
لا يبرك على ركبتيه اللتين فى رجليه كما يبرك البعير على ركبتيه اللين فى يديه ولكن يبدأ فيضع أولا يديه اللتين ليس فيهما ركبتان، ثم يضع ركبتيه، فيكون ما يفعل فى ذالك بخلاف ما يفعل البعير
He should not sit on his knees which are in his legs as the camel sits on its knees which are in its finger legs; rather, he should place his hands first, which do not have knees, then the knees; thus, he will sit in a manner opposite to the camel.
Among the Hanafi scholars, Allama Ali Qari, while explaining the hadith of Hazrat Abu Huraira (RA) in Al-Mirqat Sharh al-Mishkat, wrote: اذا سجد أحدكم فلا يبرك كما يبرك البعير It is prohibited for a person to place his knees first and then his hands like a camel. In this hadith, the camel is used as a simile, whereas it places its hands before its knees because a human’s knees are in his legs, and animals’ knees are in their hands (front legs). So, if someone places his knees on the ground first, he will resemble the camel in sitting. Furthermore, in the explanation of وليضع يريه قبل ركبتيه, it is written that Turbishti objected:
How is it prohibited to sit like a camel when the command is also to place the hands before the knees, whereas the camel places its hands first? The answer is that a human’s knees are in his legs, while the knees of quadrupeds are in their hands (finger legs).
Besides Ibn al-Munthir in Lisan al-Arab, Azhari mentioned in Tahdhib al-Lugha
and Ibn Sida in Al-Hikam
that the camel’s knees are in its front legs.
The renowned researcher Allama Ibn Hazm also confirmed in Al-Muhalla that the camel’s knees are in its hands, i.e., front legs, not in the hind legs.
And it places its knees on the ground first when sitting, whereas the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم forbade sitting in that manner and commanded placing the hands first and then the knees.
In the light of hadith books:
The fact that the camel’s knees are in its finger legs is also established from hadith books:
1: Imam Qasim Sarqasti narrated with an authentic chain from Hazrat Abu Huraira (RA) that he said:
لا يبرك احد بروك البعير الشارد
None of you should sit like an angry camel.
Imam Qasim, while explaining this hadith, writes that it refers to going into prostration in prayer, that a person should not drop his body all at once as an angry and restless camel does, but should sit calmly, placing both hands on the ground first and then both knees. There is also a raised and explained hadith on this subject. He further narrated the first hadith mentioned at the beginning of this topic from Hazrat Abu Huraira (RA).
2: Similarly, the Farooqi narration mentioned earlier also clearly indicates that the camel’s knees are in its front legs, not in the hind legs.
3: In addition to these two narrations, there is also a hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari and other books related to the migration of the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم to Medina. Hazrat Suraqa bin Malik (RA), who was not yet a Muslim at that time, set out on horseback in search of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and saw him, but when he approached, his horse miraculously sank into the ground up to its knees. In this hadith, Hazrat Suraqa (RA) said:
ساحت يدا فرسي فى الأرض حتى بلغنا الركبتين
Both front legs of my horse sank into the ground up to the knees.
From the words of this well-known companion in Bukhari, it is also understood that the knees of camels and other quadrupeds are in the front legs.
Summary:
From this entire discussion, it is established that the first part of the hadith of Hazrat Abu Huraira (RA) is not contrary to the second part but is correct in that the worshipper should not place his knees on the ground first like a camel but should place his hands first because the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم forbade placing the knees first like a camel, as narrated in the hadith from Hazrat Abu Huraira (RA).
Allama Ibn Qayyim’s reasons for preference:
Allama Ibn Qayyim has presented ten (10) reasons in Tahdhib Ma’alim al-Sunan and Zad al-Ma’ad to prefer placing the knees first, summarized as:
The first hadith of Hazrat Abu Huraira (RA) is reversed ①, confused ②, abrogated ③, and contains contradictions ④, whereas the hadith of Hazrat Wa’il (RA) is acted upon by most ⑤, has some ⑥ evidences, some ⑦ traces of the companions agree with it, it contains ⑧ narrative and action, and the actions mentioned are also confirmed by other narrations ⑨, and it also agrees with the hadith forbidding sitting like a camel by the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم ⑩.
However, the researchers of Zad al-Ma’ad, while following this stance of the author, wrote that the side preferred by the author is not correct; rather, the preferred side is the hadith of Hazrat Abu Huraira (RA), and they have mentioned the reasons and causes in their research and annotations.
Different Positions:
1: Imam Nawawi mentioned both types of evidences in Al-Majmu and wrote that he could not show preference to either side. (Al-Majmu with reference to the previous)
2: Imam Shawkani, after mentioning all the details in Nayl al-Awtar, declared this issue to be among the battles of opinions and the constrictions of thoughts.
3: Muhqiq Maqbali, Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlvi, and Maulana Muhammad Junagarhi adopted the method of combining and reconciling both types of ahadith, stating that when one gets close to the ground and the knees bend, the hands should be placed first and then the knees; whereas in one narration, Imam Malik and Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on them), and Allama Maqbali and Junagarhi considered both equal, allowing either to be followed.
Whereas the reality is that this happens when both sides’ ahadith are authentic, but here that is not the case. We have explained in detail that the ahadith indicating placing the hands first are authentic, and the narrations indicating placing the knees first are weak.
4: Despite this, the majority of scholars and according to Qadi Abu Tayyib, the general jurists have adopted this view. Ibn al-Mundhir narrated this school of thought from Hazrat Umar Farooq (may Allah be pleased with him), Ibrahim Nakha’i, Muslim bin Bisar Thawri (in one narration), Ahmad bin Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him), Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him), Ishaq bin Rahwayh, and the Hanafi scholars of opinion, and he himself adopted it.
5: Considering the weakness of the narrations that advocate placing the knees first and the authenticity of the ahadith that advocate placing the hands first, Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him), Awza’i, in one narration Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him), and the majority of the ahadith scholars and muhaddithin adopted the practice of placing the hands first, and Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) even said:
هذه الصفة أحسن فى خشوع الصلواة
This manner is very good from the perspective of humility.
Reasons and Causes for Preference:
There are several reasons and causes for the predominance of this last school of thought, for example:
1: The hadith indicating placing the hands first is verbal and authentic, while the hadith indicating placing the knees first is weak and practical. In case of contradiction, preference is usually given to the verbal hadith, as Imam al-Hazmi wrote as the thirty-seventh (37th) reason in the context of reasons for preference:
ان يكون احد الحديثين قولا والآخر فعلا، فالقول ابلغ فى البيان ولا ن الناس لم يختلفوا فى كون قوله حجة واختلفور فى التباع فعل لان الفعل لا يدل بنفسه على شي بخلاف القول فيكون أقوى
If one of the two hadiths is verbal and the other practical, then the verbal statement is more eloquent, and there is no disagreement that the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) verbal statement is a proof. However, there is disagreement regarding following the action because the action itself does not indicate anything, unlike the verbal statement. Therefore, the verbal hadith is stronger.
And Allama Ibn al-Tarkmani also wrote in the marginal notes of Sunan al-Kubra al-Bayhaqi, Al-Jawhar al-Naqi, that the hadith narrated from Hazrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) indicating placing the hands first is verbal. It is also supported by the hadith narrated from Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). Therefore, according to the scholars of Usul, it will be preferred over the hadith narrated from Hazrat Wa’il (may Allah be pleased with him) indicating placing the knees first because its indication is practical.
Here, the reason underlying the principle of preferring verbal over practical is also explained: There is no objection regarding the verbal hadith in relation to the Ummah that the Prophet (peace be upon him) prescribed this action for the members of the Ummah. Whereas in the practical hadith, there is a possibility that the action is among the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) special characteristics, such as the verse and verbal hadiths limiting a man to a maximum of four wives, while the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) blessed action was marrying nine pure wives simultaneously. For us, the verbal is obligatory to follow, and this action is among the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) special characteristics. Generally, there is explicitness regarding special characteristics, but sometimes due to lack of explicitness, there is a possibility that a good deed is among the special characteristics of Mustafa (peace be upon him). Therefore, the scholars of Usul have established a fixed principle that the verbal hadith will be preferred and the practical hadith rejected. In the issue under discussion, the verbal hadith indicates placing the hands first.
2: Even if both types of hadiths are accepted as authentic (although in reality this is not the case), the verbal hadith narrated from Hazrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) is supported by another authentic hadith narrated from Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), which we have already mentioned with references from Sahih Bukhari (both Mu’allaq and Mawquf), Ibn Khuzaymah, Dar Qutni, Bayhaqi’s Sunan, Kitab al-I’tibar al-Hazmi, and Mustadrak al-Hakim. Imam Hakim showed his inclination towards the theory of placing the hands first and wrote that many hadiths and reports from the Companions and Tabi‘in support it. Therefore, this is the predominant school of thought. On the other hand, although there is a hadith from Hazrat Wa’il (may Allah be pleased with him), it is weak, and the narrations from Hazrat Anas and Abi bin Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with them) are so weak according to the detailed analysis that they cannot serve as witnesses or supporters of the first hadith. Hence, this side is rejected.
3: If two types of hadiths related to the same subject come and one contains negation and the other affirmation, i.e., one commands doing something and the other forbids it, then in such a case, the hadith containing prohibition will be preferred, and this is a fixed reason for preference. In the issue under discussion, the hadith of Hazrat Wa’il (may Allah be pleased with him) is affirmative, while the hadith of Hazrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) is negative, forbidding placing the knees on the ground first like a camel. Therefore, this is the preferred one. Due to these and other similar reasons and causes, Hafiz Ibn Hajar in Bulugh al-Maram, Hafiz Ibn Sayyid al-Nas, Qadi Abu Bakr Ibn al-Arabi, and Allama Ibn al-Tarkmani have also preferred the hadith narrated from Hazrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) indicating placing the hands first. Imam Bukhari’s clear inclination is also towards this, as is evident from the classification in Sahih Bukhari. According to Imam Ibn al-Azzi, this is also the practice of the people of Madinah. Sheikh Ahmad Shakir, Allama Abdul Rahman Mubarakpuri, Muhaddith Albani, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Arna’ut, and Sheikh Shu’aib Arna’ut have also preferred and adopted the position of placing the hands on the ground first and then the knees. Imam Khattabi preferred the hadith of Hazrat Wa’il (may Allah be pleased with him) in Ma‘alim al-Sunan.
And from the detailed analysis we mentioned, the weakness of his statement also becomes clear. ولله الحمد
An Explanation:
When going into prostration, should the hands be placed first or the knees?
We have already mentioned a detailed investigation on this matter, according to which, in our view, placing the hands on the ground before the knees is preferable. However, it seems appropriate to clarify here that some scholars have said that both types of hadiths should be reconciled in such a way that when moving from standing to prostration, one bends in such a manner that the knees and hands almost touch the ground simultaneously, but the hands touch the ground slightly earlier, followed by the knees. There is no harm in this reconciliation; rather, it is quite appropriate. Especially because placing the knees first is not firmly established and apparently carries some sense of arrogance and pride. Also, if one moves the hands forward while still standing and then goes into prostration, it does not look very good; rather, it seems as if someone is about to fly, especially if someone carelessly extends the hands forward while going into prostration.
Therefore, if one adopts the mentioned reconciliation between the less preferable and the incorrect and disorderly method, the preferable practice will be followed and the blameworthy method will be avoided. Hence, it is better not to extend the hands forward while still standing, but to place them on the ground first and then place the knees simultaneously.
الله الموفق إلى سواء السبيل
