Joining the Fingers in Sujood — Detailed Research and Evidence
Source: Fatāwā ‘Ilmiyyah (Tawḍīḥ al-Aḥkām), Vol. 2, p. 101
In the state of sujood, should one join the fingers of the hands together, or leave them in their normal position?
Ḥadīth of Wā’il bin Ḥujr رضي الله عنه:
"When the Prophet ﷺ performed sujood, he would join his fingers."
References: [Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah: 642], [Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān: 1917, 1920], [al-Mustadrak: 1/227, ḥadīth 826 — declared ṣaḥīḥ by al-Ḥākim and agreed by adh-Dhahabī], [as-Sunan al-Kubrā by al-Bayhaqī: 2/112], [al-Mu‘jam al-Kabīr: 19/22], [Majma‘ az-Zawā’id: 2/135 — isnād ḥasan], [Sunan ad-Dāraqutnī: 1/339, ḥadīth 1268], [al-Badr al-Munīr: 3/668 — "authentic"], [al-Awsaṭ by Ibn al-Mundhir: 3/169].
Authenticity Issue:
From al-Barā’ bin ‘Āzib رضي الله عنه:
"When the Prophet ﷺ performed sujood, he directed his fingers towards the qiblah."
References: [Naṣb ar-Rāyah: 1/374], [as-Sunan al-Kubrā: 2/113], [Ṣifat Ṣalāt an-Nabī by al-Albānī: 2/639 — "authentic isnād as in ad-Dirāyah"].
Authenticity Issue:
① Imām Muḥammad bin Sīrīn (Tābi‘ī):
"The people liked to join the fingers in sujood."
Reference: [Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 1/260, ḥadīth 2671 — authentic chain]
② Imām Ḥafṣ bin ‘Āṣim (Tābi‘ī):
"O nephew! Join the fingers in sujood and direct them towards the qiblah, because the face and hands both perform sujood."
Reference: [Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 1/260, ḥadīth 2673 — authentic chain]
③ Imām Sufyān ath-Thawrī:
He would join his fingers in sujood.
Reference: [Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 1/260, ḥadīth 2674 — authentic chain]
④ ‘Abdullāh bin ‘Umar رضي الله عنهما:
He would direct his palms towards the qiblah in sujood.
Reference: [Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 1/264, ḥadīth 2713, 2718, 2719 — authentic chains]
Based on the combined narrations, the practice of the Companions and Tābi‘īn, and scholarly preference, the stronger opinion is:
وَالله أعلم بالصواب
Source: Fatāwā ‘Ilmiyyah (Tawḍīḥ al-Aḥkām), Vol. 2, p. 101
Question:
In the state of sujood, should one join the fingers of the hands together, or leave them in their normal position?
Evidence from Hadith
Ḥadīth of Wā’il bin Ḥujr رضي الله عنه:
"When the Prophet ﷺ performed sujood, he would join his fingers."
References: [Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah: 642], [Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān: 1917, 1920], [al-Mustadrak: 1/227, ḥadīth 826 — declared ṣaḥīḥ by al-Ḥākim and agreed by adh-Dhahabī], [as-Sunan al-Kubrā by al-Bayhaqī: 2/112], [al-Mu‘jam al-Kabīr: 19/22], [Majma‘ az-Zawā’id: 2/135 — isnād ḥasan], [Sunan ad-Dāraqutnī: 1/339, ḥadīth 1268], [al-Badr al-Munīr: 3/668 — "authentic"], [al-Awsaṭ by Ibn al-Mundhir: 3/169].
Authenticity Issue:
- Narrator Hushaym bin Bashīr is a mudallis, and narrates with ‘an.
- No chain explicitly proves hearing (samā‘), so the narration is weak.
- Therefore, this ḥadīth is not established as ṣaḥīḥ on its own.
Another Report:
From al-Barā’ bin ‘Āzib رضي الله عنه:
"When the Prophet ﷺ performed sujood, he directed his fingers towards the qiblah."
References: [Naṣb ar-Rāyah: 1/374], [as-Sunan al-Kubrā: 2/113], [Ṣifat Ṣalāt an-Nabī by al-Albānī: 2/639 — "authentic isnād as in ad-Dirāyah"].
Authenticity Issue:
- Both Abū Isḥāq as-Sabī‘ī and Zakariyyā bin Abī Zā’idah are mudalliseen, narrating with ‘an.
- A weak supporting narration exists but contains weak narrators such as Ḥārithah bin Muḥammad.
Ruling for Those Who Accept Ḥasan li-Ghayrih:
- The combined weak chains raise the level to ḥasan li-ghayrih according to scholars who accept such strengthening.
- Practically, when one keeps the fingers directed towards the qiblah, the fingers naturally remain joined.
Statements of the Tābi‘īn and Early Imams:
① Imām Muḥammad bin Sīrīn (Tābi‘ī):
"The people liked to join the fingers in sujood."
Reference: [Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 1/260, ḥadīth 2671 — authentic chain]
② Imām Ḥafṣ bin ‘Āṣim (Tābi‘ī):
"O nephew! Join the fingers in sujood and direct them towards the qiblah, because the face and hands both perform sujood."
Reference: [Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 1/260, ḥadīth 2673 — authentic chain]
③ Imām Sufyān ath-Thawrī:
He would join his fingers in sujood.
Reference: [Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 1/260, ḥadīth 2674 — authentic chain]
④ ‘Abdullāh bin ‘Umar رضي الله عنهما:
He would direct his palms towards the qiblah in sujood.
Reference: [Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 1/264, ḥadīth 2713, 2718, 2719 — authentic chains]
Conclusion:
Based on the combined narrations, the practice of the Companions and Tābi‘īn, and scholarly preference, the stronger opinion is:
- In sujood, the fingers of both hands should be joined together and directed towards the qiblah.
وَالله أعلم بالصواب
