The Shariah Ruling on the Sitting Pause
Question:
What is the ruling regarding the sitting pause?
Answer:
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
The scholars have stated three different opinions regarding the sitting pause (sitting for a few moments after the two prostrations before standing up in prayer):
Scholars’ Opinions
➊ It is absolutely recommended.
➋ It is absolutely not recommended.
➌ Whoever finds it difficult to stand up straight should sit, and whoever does not find it difficult should not sit.
Moderate Position and Its Basis
In the book
, the third opinion is considered moderate and in accordance with all the Ahadith. According to this opinion:
There is a narration from Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) that in obligatory prayers, it is Sunnah that when a person stands after the first two Rak’ahs, he should not place both hands on the ground, except if he is very old and cannot stand without support.
The Practice of the Holy Prophet ﷺ
In the hadith of Hazrat Malik bin Huwayrith رضي الله عنه, it is narrated:
“When the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ completed the second prostration, he sat up straight and then stood up placing his hands on the ground.”
This narration points to the time when the Prophet ﷺ found it difficult to stand straight due to old age and weakness, as the Prophet ﷺ said:
«اِنِّیْ قَدْ بَدَّنْت فلا تسبقونی بالرکوع ولا بالسجودُ»
“Do not go ahead of me in bowing and prostration… indeed I have reached old age.”
The Fatwa Author’s Inclination
The inclination of this fatwa author is also towards this third opinion because Hazrat Malik bin Huwayrith رضي الله عنه came to the Prophet ﷺ at the time when preparations for the Battle of Tabuk were underway, meaning at that time the Prophet ﷺ had entered the last phase of his life.
Argument from Other Narrations
◈ It is narrated from Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her):
«لَمَّا بَدَّنَ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ وَثَقُلَ کَانَ أَکْثَرُ صَلَا تِهِ جَالِسًا»
“When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ grew old and his body became heavy, he mostly prayed while sitting.”
◈ Abdullah bin Shaqiq asked Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her):
«نَعَمْ بَعْدَ مَا حَطَمَهُ النَّاسُ»
“Yes, when the crowd of people around you ﷺ became very large (meaning due to old age), you started praying while sitting.”
◈ Narration of Hazrat Hafsa (may Allah be pleased with her):
«مَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ صَلَّی فِیْ سُبْحَتِهِ قَاعِدًا حَتَّی کَانَ قَبْلَ وَفَاتِهِ بِعَامٍ فَکَانَ يُصَلِّی فِی سُبْحَتِهِ قَاعِدًا»
“I did not see the Messenger of Allah ﷺ perform voluntary prayers sitting except for one year before his death. At that time, he performed voluntary prayers sitting.”
In another narration, the words are: “One or two years before death.”
All these narrations are present in
, which confirms that taking support on the ground happens only in old age or in a state of weakness.
Hadith of Hazrat Abdullah bin Buhaina (may Allah be pleased with him)
«اَنَّ النَّبِیَّ صَلَّی بِهِمُ الظُّهْرَ فَقَامَ فِی الرَّکْعَتَيْنِ وِ لَمْ يَجْلِسْ»
“The Prophet ﷺ led the Zuhr prayer and after the first two Rak’ahs, he stood up and did not sit.”
Here, the words of وَلَمْ يَجْلِسْ are general and do not exclude the sitting of rest, but it can also be said that the sitting which is negated here is the sitting for Tashahhud, not sitting of any kind in general.
Further Evidence on the Obligation of the Sitting of Rest
To say that the Prophet ﷺ’s sitting of rest was only due to old age and weakness because Hazrat Malik bin Huwayrith رضي الله عنه came at a time when the Prophet ﷺ was elderly, is not a strong argument. Because in the Hadith of “Musi’u as-Salah” (in which the one praying incorrectly was corrected), the emphasis on the sitting of rest is also present. This Hadith is narrated from Hazrat Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه:
Therefore, it is not correct to consider the sitting rest as unnecessary. The sitting rest is included in the Sunnah method of prayer, and every worshipper should observe it without any distinction.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
