Question:
What is the Sharʿī ruling on joining the feet in prostration and on not moving the right toe during prayer?
Source: Aḥkām wa Masā’il, Ṣalāh Section, Vol. 1, p.189
Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, Ammā Baʿd!
① The issue of the right toe not moving during prayer:
- There is no authentic ḥadīth that mentions this.
- Nor has this been established as a fiqh ruling.
- Thus, there is no Sharʿī evidence for the claim that the right toe must remain unmoved during prayer.
② The ḥadīth about joining the feet in prostration:
- In Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah and al-Mustadrak of al-Ḥākim, it is narrated that:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would keep his heels joined together in prostration.”
- References:
✿ Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah, Vol. 1, p. 328, Bāb: Ḍamm al-ʿAqibayn fī’s-Sujūd
✿ al-Mustadrak al-Ḥākim, Vol. 1, p. 354
✅ Conclusion
- The claim about not moving the right toe has no basis in the Sunnah or fiqh.
- The Sunnah practice is that the Prophet ﷺ would join his heels in prostration, as established in authentic narrations.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
