Source: Fatāwā ʿIlmiyyah, Vol. 3 – Issues Related to Ṣalāh, p. 112 – 2 February 2013Question
Between the two prostrations, should one firmly grasp the left knee or simply place the hand on the thigh? The Ḥanafīs hold the view that hands should be placed on the thighs, while Ahl al-Ḥadīth practice is to hold the knees. Please provide evidence.
Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh. Ammā baʿd:
No Explicit Ṣaḥīḥ Report on Holding the Knee Firmly
There is no explicit, authentic ḥadīth stating that the left knee should be firmly grasped between the two sujoods. However, it is authentically established that the Prophet ﷺ would sit between the two prostrations for a short while with composure.
Evidence for Sitting Between the Two Sujoods
① Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (820) and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (471) mention the Prophet ﷺ’s practice.
② Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه:
“Between the two prostrations, he ﷺ would sit for so long that one would say, ‘He has forgotten.’”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 821; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 472)
③ In another ḥadīth:
“Then bow until you are at ease in rukūʿ, then rise until you are standing upright, then prostrate until you are at ease in sujūd, then sit until you are at ease sitting.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 6251)
Consensus on Hand Placement
The consensus (ijmāʿ) of sound-belief Muslims is that both hands should be placed on the thighs between the two prostrations. In Sharīʿah, consensus is a binding proof.
Report of Wāʾil ibn Ḥujr رضي الله عنه
He narrated:
“The Prophet ﷺ prostrated with his hands in line with his ears, then sat, spreading his left leg, placing his left hand on his left knee, and his right arm on his right thigh. He then pointed with his index finger, placed his thumb on his middle finger, folded the rest, then prostrated again.”
(Musnad Aḥmad, 4/317, Hadith 18858)
Status of This Report
- Contains Sufyān ibn Saʿīd al-Thawrī, a mudallis, narrating with ʿanʿanah.
- Based on the strict principles of ḥadīth, this makes the report weak.
- Those who accept every mudallis narration by ʿanʿanah unless specific tadlīs is proven may consider it ṣaḥīḥ according to their methodology — and should act accordingly.
- According to our methodology, it remains ḍaʿīf; our main reliance is on consensus.
Knee-Grasping vs. Hand Placement
No authentic proof specifies that the left knee must be grasped firmly. Therefore, the safest approach is to follow the practice of the majority of Ahl al-Sunnah: place both hands on the thighs or knees without insistence on gripping.
Summary:- Sitting between the two sujoods is Sunnah, with composure.
- Placing hands on thighs/knees is established by consensus.
- No ṣaḥīḥ proof for firmly gripping the knee; simple placement suffices.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
