The prostration of thanks

Abu Ja'far said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw a short man who was called "Zunaym" (one deformed in build). On seeing him he prostrated and said: "All praise is for Allah, who did not make me like this."

When Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) conquered al-Yamamah, he prostrated.

Yahya bin al-Jazzar said: A man who had a chronic illness passed by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). On seeing him, he (peace and blessings be upon him), Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) performed a prostration of gratitude.

Aslam said: News of the conquest of al-Yamamah came to Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), and he performed a prostration of gratitude.

An elder, Abu Musa, said: I was present with Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) when a person of deformed build was brought to him, and he performed a prostration of gratitude.

Abu Musa said that once, when a person of deformed build was brought to Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), he performed a prostration of gratitude.

Ibrahim considered the prostration of gratitude disliked.

Mansur said: It has reached me that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) performed the prostration of gratitude.

Abu Ja'far said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by a man who was very short, frail and deformed in build. On seeing him he performed a prostration of gratitude and said: "Ask Allah Almighty for well-being."

Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: When the verse concerning the marriage of the Mother of the Believers, Sayyidah Zaynab, to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was revealed, Sayyiduna Zayd bin Harithah asked Sayyidah Zaynab for permission to come in. Hearing his voice, Sayyidah Zaynab said: What have I to do with Zayd? He sent word to her, saying: I am the envoy of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and have come to you with a message. She gave Sayyiduna Zayd permission to come in, and Sayyiduna Zayd gave Sayyidah Zaynab the good news that Allah Almighty had married her to His Prophet. On hearing this, Sayyidah Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her) fell into prostration to give thanks to Allah Almighty.

Mughirah said: Ibrahim considered the prostration of joy disliked, and he used to say: There is no bowing or prostration for joy.

Abu Mu'min al-Wathili said: A person of deformed build was brought to Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), and on seeing him he performed a prostration of gratitude.

Ibrahim said: The prostration of gratitude is an innovation (bid'ah).

Rayyan bin Sabrah al-Hanafi said that he was present on the day of al-Nahrawan. He said: I was among those who brought out Dhu al-Thudayyah. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) had been informed of it before we reached him, and when we reached him he was lying in prostration out of joy.

Sayyiduna Abd al-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) while he was in prostration. When he raised his head from the prostration, I said: O Messenger of Allah! You prolonged the prostration! He said: "I prostrated in gratitude to my Lord because Allah Almighty has favoured me concerning my Ummah."