29. Manners of Standing and Sitting Positions in Salah (prayer)
Back to book1ـ عَلِيٌّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ إِذَا قُمْتَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَلاَ تُلْصِقْ قَدَمَكَ بِالأخْرَى دَعْ بَيْنَهُمَا فَصْلاً إِصْبَعاً أَقَلُّ ذَلِكَ إِلَى شِبْرٍ أَكْثَرُهُ وَاسْدِلْ مَنْكِبَيْكَ وَأَرْسِلْ يَدَيْكَ وَلاَ تُشَبِّكْ أَصَابِعَكَ وَلْتَكُونَا عَلَى فَخِذَيْكَ قُبَالَةَ رُكْبَتَيْكَ وَلْيَكُنْ نَظَرُكَ إِلَى مَوْضِعِ سُجُودِكَ فَإِذَا رَكَعْتَ فَصُفَّ فِي رُكُوعِكَ بَيْنَ قَدَمَيْكَ تَجْعَلُ بَيْنَهُمَا قَدْرَ شِبْرٍ وَتُمَكِّنُ رَاحَتَيْكَ مِنْ رُكْبَتَيْكَ وَتَضَعُ يَدَكَ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى رُكْبَتِكَ الْيُمْنَى قَبْلَ الْيُسْرَى وَبَلِّغْ أَطْرَافَ أَصَابِعِكَ عَيْنَ الرُّكْبَةِ وَفَرِّجْ أَصَابِعَكَ إِذَا وَضَعْتَهَا عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْكَ فَإِذَا وَصَلَتْ أَطْرَافُ أَصَابِعِكَ فِي رُكُوعِكَ إِلَى رُكْبَتَيْكَ أَجْزَأَكَ ذَلِكَ وَأَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ أَنْ تُمَكِّنَ كَفَّيْكَ مِنْ رُكْبَتَيْكَ فَتَجْعَلَ أَصَابِعَكَ فِي عَيْنِ الرُّكْبَةِ وَتُفَرِّجَ بَيْنَهُمَا وَأَقِمْ صُلْبَكَ وَمُدَّ عُنُقَكَ وَلْيَكُنْ نَظَرُكَ إِلَى مَا بَيْنَ قَدَمَيْكَ فَإِذَا أَرَدْتَ أَنْ تَسْجُدَ فَارْفَعْ يَدَيْكَ بِالتَّكْبِيرِ وَخِرَّ سَاجِداً وَابْدَأْ بِيَدَيْكَ فَضَعْهُمَا عَلَى الأرْضِ قَبْلَ رُكْبَتَيْكَ تَضَعُهُمَا مَعاً وَلاَ تَفْتَرِشْ ذِرَاعَيْكَ افْتِرَاشَ السَّبُعِ ذِرَاعَيْهِ وَلاَ تَضَعَنَّ ذِرَاعَيْكَ عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْكَ وَفَخِذَيْكَ وَلَكِنْ تَجَنَّحْ بِمِرْفَقَيْكَ وَلاَ تُلْصِقْ كَفَّيْكَ بِرُكْبَتَيْكَ وَلاَ تُدْنِهِمَا مِنْ وَجْهِكَ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ حِيَالَ مَنْكِبَيْكَ وَلاَ تَجْعَلْهُمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْ رُكْبَتَيْكَ وَلَكِنْ تُحَرِّفُهُمَا عَنْ ذَلِكَ شَيْئاً وَابْسُطْهُمَا عَلَى الأرْضِ بَسْطاً وَاقْبِضْهُمَا إِلَيْكَ قَبْضاً وَإِنْ كَانَ تَحْتَهُمَا ثَوْبٌ فَلاَ يَضُرُّكَ وَإِنْ أَفْضَيْتَ بِهِمَا إِلَى الأرْضِ فَهُوَ أَفْضَلُ وَلاَ تُفَرِّجَنَّ بَيْنَ أَصَابِعِكَ فِي سُجُودِكَ وَلَكِنْ ضُمَّهُنَّ جَمِيعاً قَالَ وَإِذَا قَعَدْتَ فِي تَشَهُّدِكَ فَأَلْصِقْ رُكْبَتَيْكَ بِالأرْضِ وَفَرِّجْ بَيْنَهُمَا شَيْئاً وَلْيَكُنْ ظَاهِرُ قَدَمِكَ الْيُسْرَى عَلَى الأرْضِ وَظَاهِرُ قَدَمِكَ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى بَاطِنِ قَدَمِكَ الْيُسْرَى وَأَلْيَتَاكَ عَلَى الأرْضِ وَطَرَفُ إِبْهَامِكَ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى الأرْضِ وَإِيَّاكَ وَالْقُعُودَ عَلَى قَدَمَيْكَ فَتَتَأَذَّى بِذَلِكَ وَلاَ تَكُنْ قَاعِداً عَلَى الأرْضِ فَتَكُونَ إِنَّمَا قَعَدَ بَعْضُكَ عَلَى بَعْضٍ فَلاَ تَصْبِرَ لِلتَّشَهُّدِ وَالدُّعَاءِ.
1. Ali has narrated from his father from Hammad ibn ‘Isa and Muhammad ibn Isma’il from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from Hammad ibn ‘Isa and Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Hariz from Zurarah who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘When you stand up for Salah (prayer) do not allow one foot to touch the other, leave between them a distance of one finger at the least and one Shibr (about 8 inches) at most. Allow your shoulders to relax and leave your hands alone. Do not crisscross your fingers. Instead they should be kept on your thighs on its front side and your eyes should look at the place for prostration. During Ruku‘ position line up your feet with a distance of one shibr in between them, allow your fingers to hold on to your knees. Place your right palm on your right knee before placing the left palm on your left knee. Allow your fingers to reach to the sides of your knees and stretch your fingers when placed on your knees. If during Ruku‘ the tips of your fingers reach your knees it is sufficient but I like that your palm should rest on your knees so you can allow your finger to hold to your knees while they (knees) are kept apart. Your back should be straight, your neck stretched forward and your looks should be kept between your feet. “When you are ready for prostration, raise your hands for saying “Allah is great”, then bow down for prostration. First your hands should be placed on the ground, before your knees, together but do not place your forearms on the ground as beasts do. You must not place your forearms on your knees or thighs but open them up as wings with your elbows. You must not touch your knees with your palms and do not place them very close to your face. Place them in between level with your shoulders. You must not place them in front of your knees. Place them a little out, extend them on the ground and keep them a little toward you. If there is some cloth underneath, it does not matter, and if you allow them to be placed on the ground it is better. You must not keep your fingers apart from each other during your sajdah but keep them close side by side.’ The Imam said, ‘When you sit up straight for reading the testimonies, keep your knees touching the ground and a little apart from each other. The back of your left foot should be on the ground, the back of you right foot should be placed on the bottom of your left foot and both hips should be placed on the ground as well as the tip of the big toe of your right foot. You should never sit on both your feet; it may hurt you. You should not sit on the ground; in this way some parts of you are sitting on the others and you cannot bear sitting this way for reading the testimonies and supplications.’”
Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi: حسن - Mir‘at al ‘Uqul Fi Sharh Akhbar Al al Rasul (15/154)
2ـ وَبِهَذِهِ الأسَانِيدِ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ إِذَا قَامَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ فِي الصَّلاَةِ جَمَعَتْ بَيْنَ قَدَمَيْهَا وَلاَ تُفَرِّجُ بَيْنَهُمَا وَتَضُمُّ يَدَيْهَا إِلَى صَدْرِهَا لِمَكَانِ ثَدْيَيْهَا فَإِذَا رَكَعَتْ وَضَعَتْ يَدَيْهَا فَوْقَ رُكْبَتَيْهَا عَلَى فَخِذَيْهَا لِئَلاَّ تُطَأْطِىَ كَثِيراً فَتَرْتَفِعَ عَجِيزَتُهَا فَإِذَا جَلَسَتْ فَعَلَى أَلْيَتَيْهَا لَيْسَ كَمَا يَقْعُدُ الرَّجُلُ وَإِذَا سَقَطَتْ لِلسُّجُودِ بَدَأَتْ بِالْقُعُودِ بِالرُّكْبَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ الْيَدَيْنِ ثُمَّ تَسْجُدُ لاَطِئَةً بِالأرْضِ فَإِذَا كَانَتْ فِي جُلُوسِهَا ضَمَّتْ فَخِذَيْهَا وَرَفَعَتْ رُكْبَتَيْهَا مِنَ الأرْضِ وَإِذَا نَهَضَتْ انْسَلَّتْ انْسِلاَلاً لاَ تَرْفَعُ عَجِيزَتَهَا أَوَّلاً.
2. Through the same chain of narrators as that of the previous Hadith, it is narrated Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Hariz from Zurarah who has said the following: “He (the Imam), ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘When a woman stands up for Salah (prayer) she should place her feet close to each other and should not keep them apart from each other. She should keep her hands over her chest over her breast. In Ruku‘ position she should place her hands above her knees on her thighs so as not to bend down very much to lift up her rear end. When sitting she should sit on her posteriors unlike a man. When bowing down for prostration she should first bring down her knees before her hands, then place herself on the ground. When sitting she should keep her thighs together and raise her knees from the ground. When moving to stand up a woman should rise upward without allowing her rear end to be seen being lifted up first.”
Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi: صحيح - Mir‘at al ‘Uqul Fi Sharh Akhbar Al al Rasul (15/157)
3ـ جَمَاعَةٌ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ بْنِ أَيُّوبَ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ سَمَاعَةَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ لاَ تُقْعِ بَيْنَ السَّجْدَتَيْنِ إِقْعَاءً.
3. A group has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Fadalah ibn Ayyub from al-Husayn ibn ‘Uthman from Sama‘ah from abu Basir who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘You must not sit, between the two sajdah, placing your hips on your heels.’”
Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi: موثق - Mir‘at al ‘Uqul Fi Sharh Akhbar Al al Rasul (15/158)
4ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي يَعْفُورٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ إِذَا سَجَدَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ بَسَطَتْ ذِرَاعَيْهَا.
4. Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from ibn Muskan from ibn abu Ya‘fur who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘When a woman performs Sajdah (prostration) she must stretch her arms.’”
Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi: موثق - Mir‘at al ‘Uqul Fi Sharh Akhbar Al al Rasul (5/159)
5ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ بْنِ أَيُّوبَ عَنْ مُعَلًّى أَبِي عُثْمَانَ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ خُنَيْسٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ كَانَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ (عَلَيْهِما الْسَّلام) إِذَا هَوَى سَاجِداً انْكَبَّ وَهُوَ يُكَبِّرُ.
5. Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Fadalah ibn Ayyub from Mu‘alla’ abu ‘Uthman from Mu‘alla’ ibn Khunayth who has said the following: “I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, say, ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, while bowing down for Sajdah (prostration) would say Takbir (Allah is great beyond description).”’ (Ahadith 4-5 are best be explained by fatwa.)
Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi: مختلف فيه - Mir‘at al ‘Uqul Fi Sharh Akhbar Al al Rasul (5/159)
6ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنِ الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ إِذَا سَجَدَ الرَّجُلُ ثُمَّ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَنْهَضَ فَلاَ يَعْجِنُ بِيَدَيْهِ فِي الأرْضِ وَلَكِنْ يَبْسُطُ كَفَّيْهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَضَعَ مَقْعَدَتَهُ عَلَى الأرْضِ.
6. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘Umayr from Hammad ibn ‘Uthman from al-Halabiy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘When one is in prostration position and wants to stand up, he should not make his hand into a fist placed on the ground, instead he should open his palms without placing his posteriors on the ground.’”
Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi: حسن - Mir‘at al ‘Uqul Fi Sharh Akhbar Al al Rasul (5/159)
7ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ عَنْ أَبَانٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ جُلُوسِ الْمَرْأَةِ فِي الصَّلاَةِ قَالَ تَضُمُّ فَخِذَيْهَا.
7. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Fadalah from Aban from ‘Abd al- Rahman ibn abu ‘Abd Allah who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about woman when sitting during Salah (prayer). He (the Imam) said, ‘She keeps her thighs together.’”
Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi: موثق - Mir‘at al ‘Uqul Fi Sharh Akhbar Al al Rasul (15/159)
8ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنِ ابْنِ بُكَيْرٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا قَالَ الْمَرْأَةُ إِذَا سَجَدَتْ تَضَمَّمَتْ وَالرَّجُلُ إِذَا سَجَدَ تَفَتَّحَ.
8. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Faddal from ibn Bukayr from certain persons of our people who has narrated the following: “He (the Imam), ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said that woman when performing Sajdah (prostration) should not spread herself and man should spread himself on the ground.’”
Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi: مرسل - Mir‘at al ‘Uqul Fi Sharh Akhbar Al al Rasul (15/159)
9ـ عَنْهُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ رَجُلٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ الْسَّلام) قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ قَالَ النَّحْرُ الاعْتِدَالُ فِي الْقِيَامِ أَنْ يُقِيمَ صُلْبَهُ وَ نَحْرَهُ وَقَالَ لاَ تُكَفِّرْ فَإِنَّمَا يَصْنَعُ ذَلِكَ الْمَجُوسُ وَلاَ تَلَثَّمْ وَلاَ تَحْتَفِزْ وَلاَ تُقْعِ عَلَى قَدَمَيْكَ وَلاَ تَفْتَرِشْ ذِرَاعَيْكَ.
9. It is a narration from him (narrator of previous Hadith) by Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Hammad from Hariz from a man who has said the following: “I once asked abu Ja‘far, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about the words of Allah, ‘Perform Salah (prayer) for the sake of your Lord and offer sacrifice. . . .’(108:2) He (the Imam) said, ‘Offering sacrifice’ is a reference to standing in a level posture by keeping one’s back and neck level.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘You must not place your hand on your other hand; Majus (Zoroastrians) people would do so. You must not cover your mouth, do not hold your limbs tightly together and do not squat (sit on one’s heels) and do not place your arms flat on the ground.’” (Ahadith 7-9 above and the following chapters are best explained in the form of fatwa).
Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi: مرسل - Mir‘at al ‘Uqul Fi Sharh Akhbar Al al Rasul (5/160)