❖ In Sujūd, Should the Knees or Hands Be Placed First?
Source: Fatawa Ameenpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Ameenpuri
❖ Question:
When going into sujūd (prostration) during ṣalāh, should one place the knees on the ground first or the hands?
❖ Answer:
While going into sujūd during prayer, it is permissible to place either the knees first or the hands first.
There is flexibility (tawsiʿah) in this matter, and both methods are valid.
There is no authentic marfūʿ (Prophetic) narration that conclusively proves one method over the other. However, reports from the Salaf (early generations) are found in support of both practices.
❖ Practice of the Salaf:
❀ Knees First
Khalid al-Ḥadhdhāʾ رحمه الله narrated:
"رأيت أبا قلابة، إذا سجد بدأ فوضع ركبتيه، وإذا قام اعتمد على يديه."
"I saw Abū Qilābah — when he would go into sujūd, he would first place his knees. And when rising, he would lean on his hands."
(Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 2708 – Authentic chain)
❀ Hands First
Khalid al-Ḥadhdhāʾ رحمه الله also reported:
"رأيت الحسن يخر فيبدأ بيديه، ويعتمد إذا قام."
"I saw al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī — when going into sujūd, he would begin by placing his hands, and he would lean on them when getting up."
(Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 2708 – Authentic chain)
❖ Scholarly Consensus:
❀ Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله (d. 728 AH) stated:
"أما الصلاة بكليهما فجائزة باتفاق العلماء، إن شاء المصلي يضع ركبتيه قبل يديه، وإن شاء وضع يديه ثم ركبتيه، وصلاته صحيحة فى الحالتين، باتفاق العلماء."
"Both methods are permissible in prayer by consensus of the scholars.
If the worshiper wishes, he may place his knees before his hands, or his hands before his knees — his prayer is valid in both cases. This is agreed upon by the scholars."
(Al-Fatāwā al-Kubrā: 2/187)
✔ Summary:
Placing knees first: Sunnah of some Salaf like Abū Qilābah. Placing hands first: Practice of others among the Salaf like al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī. No conclusive marfūʿ narration preferring one over the other. Consensus of scholars that both methods are valid, and the prayer is sound in either case.