صحيح مسلم
Muslim
كتاب الصلاةThe Book of Prayers
باب أَعْضَاءِ السُّجُودِ وَالنَّهْيِ عَنْ كَفِّ الشَّعْرِ وَالثَّوْبِ وَعَقْصِ الرَّأْسِ فِي الصَّلاَةِ:Chapter: The Limbs Of Prostration And The Prohibition Of Tucking Up One's Hair And Garment Or Having Ones Hair In A Braid When Praying
حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ سَوَّادٍ الْعَامِرِيُّ ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ الْحَارِثِ ، أَنَّ بُكَيْرًا حَدَّثَهُ ، أَنَّ كُرَيْبًا مَوْلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ حَدَّثَهُ ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ : " أَنَّهُ رَأَى عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ الْحَارِثِ ، يُصَلِّي ، وَرَأْسُهُ مَعْقُوصٌ مِنْ وَرَائِهِ ، فَقَامَ فَجَعَلَ يَحُلُّهُ ، فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ ، أَقْبَلَ إِلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ، فَقَالَ : مَا لَكَ وَرَأْسِي ؟ فَقَالَ : إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، يَقُولُ : إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ هَذَا ، مَثَلُ الَّذِي يُصَلِّي وَهُوَ مَكْتُوفٌ " .
'Abdullah bin Abbas (RA) reported that he saw 'Abdullah bin al-Harith observing the prayer and (his hair) was plaited behind his head. He ('Abdullah bin 'Abbas) stood up and unfolded them. While going back (from the prayer) he met Ibn 'Abbas and said to him: Why is it that you touched my head? He (Ibn 'Abbas) replied: (The man who observes prayer with plaited hair) is like one who prays with his hands tied behind.
Related hadith on this topic
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Maulana Abdul Aziz Alvi
Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
وَرَأسُهُ مَعْقُوصٌ:
His head had his hair tied in a knot.
The meaning of عَقَصَ الشَّعْر is to make a braid or to tie the hair in a knot. It is said: عَقَصَتِ الْمَرْأْةُ شَعْرَهَا, meaning the woman tied her hair in a knot.
Benefits and Issues:
In these ahadith, there is explicit mention of the seven body parts for prostration (sujud). The nose is included with the forehead; it is not separate, and it is necessary for all these parts to touch the ground. Among the Hanafis, there is a difference of opinion regarding the feet: some say placing the feet on the ground is obligatory (fard), some say it is Sunnah, and some say it is recommended (mustahabb). According to Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah, placing the nose on the ground is not necessary, while according to his two companions (the Sahibayn), it is necessary.
According to Imam Ahmad rahimahullah, it is necessary to place the nose on the ground along with the forehead; without this, the prayer is not valid. According to the rest of the Imams, placing the nose on the ground is Sunnah or recommended (mustahabb).
The meaning of (صَلُّوا كَمَا رَأَيْتُمُوْنِي أُصَلِّي) is that all seven body parts should be placed on the ground.
Some people, when going into prostration, try to protect their clothes and hair from getting dusty. Since this is contrary to the spirit and purpose of prostration, it is prohibited in prayer to tie the hair in a knot or to gather up the clothes.
Abdullah bin Harith radi Allahu anhu was praying with his hair tied in a knot, so Abdullah bin Abbas radi Allahu anhuma untied his knot during the prayer. From this, it is established that praying while gathering up the clothes or tying the hair in a knot is not correct. This does not mean that one should not do this during the prayer only; if it is done before the prayer and then the prayer is started, then it is permissible.
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
وَرَأسُهُ مَعْقُوصٌ:
His head had his hair tied in a knot.
The meaning of عَقَصَ الشَّعْر is to make a braid or to tie the hair in a knot. It is said: عَقَصَتِ الْمَرْأْةُ شَعْرَهَا, meaning the woman tied her hair in a knot.
Benefits and Issues:
In these ahadith, there is explicit mention of the seven body parts for prostration (sujud). The nose is included with the forehead; it is not separate, and it is necessary for all these parts to touch the ground. Among the Hanafis, there is a difference of opinion regarding the feet: some say placing the feet on the ground is obligatory (fard), some say it is Sunnah, and some say it is recommended (mustahabb). According to Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah, placing the nose on the ground is not necessary, while according to his two companions (the Sahibayn), it is necessary.
According to Imam Ahmad rahimahullah, it is necessary to place the nose on the ground along with the forehead; without this, the prayer is not valid. According to the rest of the Imams, placing the nose on the ground is Sunnah or recommended (mustahabb).
The meaning of (صَلُّوا كَمَا رَأَيْتُمُوْنِي أُصَلِّي) is that all seven body parts should be placed on the ground.
Some people, when going into prostration, try to protect their clothes and hair from getting dusty. Since this is contrary to the spirit and purpose of prostration, it is prohibited in prayer to tie the hair in a knot or to gather up the clothes.
Abdullah bin Harith radi Allahu anhu was praying with his hair tied in a knot, so Abdullah bin Abbas radi Allahu anhuma untied his knot during the prayer. From this, it is established that praying while gathering up the clothes or tying the hair in a knot is not correct. This does not mean that one should not do this during the prayer only; if it is done before the prayer and then the prayer is started, then it is permissible.
Source: Tuhfat al-Muslim: Commentary on Sahih Muslim, Page: 1101
Hafiz Muhammad Ameen
1115. Commentary:
➊ Just as a person whose hands are tied behind his back performs a very deficient prayer, similarly, one whose hair is tied up deprives his hair of reward; whereas, if the hair were touching the ground, their prostration (sajdah) would also be counted and they would receive reward. It is as if one should not have their hair tied up even before the prayer, let alone doing so during the prayer.
➋ Upon witnessing an act contrary to the Shari‘ah, one should immediately offer a warning on the spot; one should not remain silent without reason or altogether.
➌ If one has the ability to remove an evil with his hand, then he should remove it with his hand.
➍ A solitary report (khabar wahid) is a valid proof.
➊ Just as a person whose hands are tied behind his back performs a very deficient prayer, similarly, one whose hair is tied up deprives his hair of reward; whereas, if the hair were touching the ground, their prostration (sajdah) would also be counted and they would receive reward. It is as if one should not have their hair tied up even before the prayer, let alone doing so during the prayer.
➋ Upon witnessing an act contrary to the Shari‘ah, one should immediately offer a warning on the spot; one should not remain silent without reason or altogether.
➌ If one has the ability to remove an evil with his hand, then he should remove it with his hand.
➍ A solitary report (khabar wahid) is a valid proof.
Source: Sunan Nasa'i: Translation and Benefits by Shaykh Hafiz Muhammad Amin Hafizullah, Page: 1115
Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi
647. Commentary:
➊ For men, tying the hair into a knot, especially during prayer, is not permissible; rather, they should leave it loose as it is and allow it to touch the ground in the state of prostration. In another hadith, it is explicitly stated: "I have been commanded to prostrate on seven bones and not to tie the hair or gather up the garment." [صحيح بخاري، حديث : 812 و صحيح مسلم، حديث : 490]
➋ As for those elders about whom it is reported that they had tied their hair, perhaps they were unaware of this Prophetic instruction.
➊ For men, tying the hair into a knot, especially during prayer, is not permissible; rather, they should leave it loose as it is and allow it to touch the ground in the state of prostration. In another hadith, it is explicitly stated: "I have been commanded to prostrate on seven bones and not to tie the hair or gather up the garment." [صحيح بخاري، حديث : 812 و صحيح مسلم، حديث : 490]
➋ As for those elders about whom it is reported that they had tied their hair, perhaps they were unaware of this Prophetic instruction.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood – Commentary by Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi, Page: 647
