How to go into sujood after rukoo'?

From the book: The Salah of a believer in the Quran and Sunnah by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh Ul Haq

Allow your knees to first touch the ground followed by the hands.

Sayyiduna Wail bin Hujr radiallahu anhu says, 'I saw Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam place his knees (on the ground) before his hands when he would prostrate, and lift up his hands before his knees when rising.'[140]

Khattabi,[141] Tibi, Ibn al Mundhir,[142] and Ibn Sayyid al Naas al Ya'muri have all declared the above hadeeth of Sayyiduna Wail bin Hujr radiallahu anhu as more established and authentic than the hadeeth of Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah radiallahu anhu on the same subject.

This hadeeth is supported by the following narrations:

Sayyiduna Anas radiallahu anhu says, 'I saw Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam say the takbeer and place his thumbs close to his ears. He bowed down into ruku' until each of his joints became motionless, and then descended (into sujûd) with the takbeer. His knees went before his hands.'[143]

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah radiallahu anhu reports that Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, 'When one of you falls down into sajdah he should begin with his knees before his hands and he should not descend in the manner of a camel.'[144]

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah radiallahu anhu reports that Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, 'When one of you falls down into sajdah does he do so in the manner of a camel?'[145]

Sayyiduna Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas radiallahu anhu says, 'We used to place our hands before our knees, then we were instructed to place our knees before our hands.'[146]

Kulaib narrates that when Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam would prostrate his knees would fall to the ground before his hands.[147]

Sayyiduna Hakeem bin Hizam radiallahu anhu says, 'I pledged to Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam that I would not descend except whilst being upright.'[148]

Sayyiduna Ubayy bin Ka'b radiallahu anhu narrates that Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam would fall down upon his knees and not lean.[149]

Aswad reports that Sayyiduna Umar radiallahu anhu would fall down on his knees.[150]

The same has been reported about Sayyiduna Umar radiallahu anhu by Alqamah[151] and Ibrahim al Nakhai.[152]

Ibrahim al Nakhai says, 'It has been remembered of Ibn Mas'ud radiallahu anhu that his knees would fall to the ground before his hands.'[153]

Abdullah relates that when his father (Muslim bin asaar)[154] would prostrate his knees would fall to the ground followed by his hands and then his head.[155]

Nafi' reports that when Ibn Umar radiallahu anhu would prostrate he would place his knees before his hands and when rising from the prostration he would raise his hands before his knees.[156]

Abu Ishaq relates that when the companions of Abdullah (bin Masood) radiallahu anhu would descend for sujûd their knees would fall to the ground before their hands.[157]

Mahdi bin Maimoon says, 'I saw Ibn Seereen place his knees before his hands.'[158]

Mugheerah says, 'I asked Ibraheem (al Nakhai) about a man who places his hands before his knees when falling down into sujûd. He replied, "Only a fool or mad man would do it."'[159]

Imam Tirmidhi says after narrating the above hadeeth of Sayyiduna Wail bin Hujr radiallahu anhu, 'This is the practice of most of the people of learning. They are of the view that a man should place his knees before his hands, and when rising he should lift his hands before his knees.'[160]


[140] Darimi 1320, Ibn Majah 882, Abu Dawood 838, Tirmidhi 268, Nasai 1089, Ibn Khuzaimah 626, and Tahawi 1/255. Also reported by Ibn al Sakan in his Saheeh as quoted by Hafidh bin Hajar in al Talkhees al Habeer 1/254 no. 379. Narrated also by Ibn Hibban 1909, Hakim 822, Baihaqi 2628 and Baghawi 3/133 no 642. Imam Tirmidhi says that the hadeeth is hasan ghareeb and Hakim has declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed. This hadeeth has also been narrated with other chains.

[141] As mentioned by Hafidh in Fath al Bari 2/370, and Baghawi in Sharh al Sunnah 3/135.

[142]. In al Awsat 3/166

[143] Hakim 822 and Baihaqi 2632. Hakim classified it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed with him. Hafidh Ibn al Humam quotes Ibn al Jawzi in Fath al Qadeer 1/287 as saying that all of its narrators are authentic

[144] Ibn Abi Shaibah 2702, Abu Ya'laa 11/414 no 6540, Tahawi 1/255 and Baihaqi 2635.

[145] Abu Dawood 841, Nasai 1090 and Baihaqi 2636.

[146] Ibn Khuzaimah 828 and Baihaqi 2637. Hafidh Ibn Hajar says in Fath al Bari that two of its narrators are weak.

[147] Baihaqi 2630. This hadeeth is mursal.

[148] Ahmad 14888 and Nasai 1084.

[149] Ibn Hibban as quoted by Hafidh Haithami in Mawarid al Dhamaan 497.

[150] Ibn Abi Shaibah 2704.

[151] Tahawi 1/256. Imam Nimawi says 432 that its isnad is saheeh.

[152] Abdul Razzaq 2955.

[153] Tahawi 1/256. Muhaddith Dhafar Ahmad Uthmani says 3/35 that its isnad is saheeh.

[154] For details of his life and learning see the biographies.

[155] Abdul Razzaq 2958 and Ibn Abi Shaibah 2706.

[156] Ibn Abi Shaibah 2705.

[157] Ibn Abi Shaibah 2711.

[158] Ibn Abi Shaibah 2709.

[159] Abdul Razzaq 2956 & 2957, Ibn Abi Shaibah 2707, and Tahawi 1/256. Muhaddith Dhafar Ahmad Uthmani says that its narrators are authentic (3/35).

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