Salat positions and wudu questions

[MaiCarInMtl]

Assalamu alaikum everyone,

I am hoping I can post my questions in this section: it may be of interest to new muslims or maybe even some not so new muslims.

About wudu:
When you need to wash your feet but only have a regular powder room (toilet and sink), what is the best way to wash your feet? What is acceptable and not? I ask because this is the situation at my work. I feel quite strange struggling to stand on one foot and stick the other in the sink (I am not very tall and I do not have the best sense of balance). Would it be permissible to use a facecloth (reserved for the feet only), soak it thoroughly and use this instead (making sure to get in between the toes)? If not, any suggestions to make this process safer would be appreciated.

About Salat:

1- I see I have a very hard time keeping my toes on my left foot touching the ground when in joulous position (I have to straighten out my foot or else I am in major pain). Am I allowed?
2- Also in joulous and tachahhoud, I am having a very hard time folding my left foot under and sitting on it - I can straighten it out to the back, but if I try to literally it on it, I end up all crooked and out of alignment. I am seriously starting to wonder if I am doing something wrong, if I have problems with my body or if this is normal and things fall into place with time...

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Wasalam.

 

[S1aveofA11ah]

Assalamu alaikum everyone,

I am hoping I can post my questions in this section: it may be of interest to new muslims or maybe even some not so new muslims.

About wudu:
When you need to wash your feet but only have a regular powder room (toilet and sink), what is the best way to wash your feet? What is acceptable and not? I ask because this is the situation at my work. I feel quite strange struggling to stand on one foot and stick the other in the sink (I am not very tall and I do not have the best sense of balance). Would it be permissible to use a facecloth (reserved for the feet only), soak it thoroughly and use this instead (making sure to get in between the toes)? If not, any suggestions to make this process safer would be appreciated.

About Salat:

1- I see I have a very hard time keeping my toes on my left foot touching the ground when in joulous position (I have to straighten out my foot or else I am in major pain). Am I allowed?
2- Also in joulous and tachahhoud, I am having a very hard time folding my left foot under and sitting on it - I can straighten it out to the back, but if I try to literally it on it, I end up all crooked and out of alignment. I am seriously starting to wonder if I am doing something wrong, if I have problems with my body or if this is normal and things fall into place with time...

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Wasalam.

Asalaamualaikum,

The wiping over socks is something permissible as far as I know. If you make wudu before going to work and put on shoes/socks then you can wipe over. Taking off your shoes does not break wudu. Look into this part of Islam Insh'Allah...

 

[Makky]

Assalamu alaikum everyone,

Wa Allaykum Assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

About wudu:
When you need to wash your feet but only have a regular powder room (toilet and sink), what is the best way to wash your feet? What is acceptable and not? I ask because this is the situation at my work. I feel quite strange struggling to stand on one foot and stick the other in the sink (I am not very tall and I do not have the best sense of balance). Would it be permissible to use a facecloth (reserved for the feet only), soak it thoroughly and use this instead (making sure to get in between the toes)? If not, any suggestions to make this process safer would be appreciated.

As brother (slave of Allah) said , you can wipe over the slipper or socks but HOW?

1-In Anytime perform Wudu'
2-wear your socks
now you can pray.
when ever Wudu become not valid, you can perform wudu and wipe over your socks.
from this moment count 24 hours this period of time is the time in which you are allowed to wipe again over socks in wudu'.

by this way your problem is solved you don't need to struggle standing on one foot .

please read this How to wipe over socks ver important ..OK!

About Salat:

1- I see I have a very hard time keeping my toes on my left foot touching the ground when in joulous position (I have to straighten out my foot or else I am in major pain). Am I allowed?

the Sunnah is to sit on the left foot and keep the right foot right behind you uprigth.. is this what you mean?

2

- Also in joulous and tachahhoud, I am having a very hard time folding my left foot under and sitting on it - I can straighten it out to the back, but if I try to literally it on it, I end up all crooked and out of alignment. I am seriously starting to wonder if I am doing something wrong, if I have problems with my body or if this is normal and things fall into place with time...

I believe that things fall into place with time , don't worry you are not doing something wrong. but just be sure if you are praying in Jama3a that you are not disturbing sisters right or left also, be sure that you don't sit on your heel with your toe frontwards when you sit for Tachahoud.


jazaki Allahu khairn .

Wassalam alaykum.

 

[crayon]

1- I see I have a very hard time keeping my toes on my left foot touching the ground when in joulous position (I have to straighten out my foot or else I am in major pain). Am I allowed?
2- Also in joulous and tachahhoud, I am having a very hard time folding my left foot under and sitting on it - I can straighten it out to the back, but if I try to literally it on it, I end up all crooked and out of alignment. I am seriously starting to wonder if I am doing something wrong, if I have problems with my body or if this is normal and things fall into place with time...

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Wasalam.

I think the link the brother provided about washing over socks is pretty good so i won't talk about that.

The way of placing your feet is a sunnah, something the prophet used to do. It is not essential to do this while prayer. Personally, I tried it a few times, and like you, my feet hurt and I couldn't do it, so I just put my feet normally, beside each other. (my disclaimer, i may be wrong, please someone correct me if i am)

 

[al Amaanah]

^ insha Allah this is beneficial.

My Mu-Alleem told our class that when you sujood, your toes should be bended and you are not allowed to put your feet on top of the other when you come to the sitting position Any-one leading the salaah and does not do the above, he's not aloowed to lead a salaah and we should not follow him in the salaah


Praise be to Allaah.

What your mu’allim (teacher) has told you, that in sujood the toes should be bent and should touch the ground, is correct. It is a proven part of the sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Al-Bukhaari (may Allaah have mercy on him) reported in his Saheeh from Abu Humayd al-Saa’idi that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) “when he prostrated… the tips of his toes would be facing the qiblah…” (Fath, no. 828).

Abu Dawood reported from Abu Humayd al-Saa’idi: “… he would bend his toes when he prostrated.” (Reported by Abu Dawood, no. 716, Bab fi iftitaah al-salaah). The author of ‘Awn al-Ma’bood Sharh Sunan Abi Dawood said: “‘He would bend (yaftukh) his toes” – the meaning of fatkh is to bend or flex, so he would bend his toes and point them towards the qiblah.” (‘Awn al-Ma’bood, 2/419). The hadeeth was reported by al-Albaani in Sifat al-Salaah p. 142, 1411 AH edition [This book is also available in English under the title The Prophet’s Prayer Described – Translator].

Pointing the toes towards the qiblah is sunnah and is encouraged, but if a person does not do it, his prayer or leadership of the prayer is still valid, especially as many people do not have the ability to flex their toes in the manner described. But everyone should put their toes on the ground when prostrating, because they are counted among the seven parts of the body on which we are commanded to prostrate. If a person lifts his feet off the ground when prostrating, and does not place the tips of his toes on the ground, then his prayer or leadership of the prayer is not valid.

With regard to the way one should sit between sujoods, two ways of doing this have been narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).

Keeping the right foot upright and sitting on the left foot, as was described in the saheeh hadeeth which describes how he sat between two sujoods: “He kept his right foot upright,” and “he pointed its toes towards the qiblah.” This is the most well known way, and it is the way he sat most of the time.

Keeping both feet upright and sitting on the heels, as was described in the saheeh hadeeth which describes how he sat between two sujoods: “Sometimes he would rest on both his heels and the balls on his feet.” (See Sifat al-Salaah by al-Albaani, p. 152). This is not the way of sitting that is forbidden.

If a person who is praying puts one foot on top of the other and sits on them, he is doing something other than the sunnah, but his prayer or leadership of the prayer is still valid. In all cases, we should guide people towards the sunnah and teach them about it, because this is an important matter – how could it be otherwise? The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Pray as you have seen me praying.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, no. 631).

And Allaah knows best.

IslamQA​

 

[MustafaMc]

When you need to wash your feet but only have a regular powder room (toilet and sink), what is the best way to wash your feet?

As has been stated, it is permissible to wipe over the socks with the wetted hand if the socks were put on while you had wudhu. Since this is good for 24 hrs, I put my socks on while I have wudhu for fajr and then wipe over my socks the rest of the day. It is also permissible to pray while wearing shoes if they are clean.

1- I see I have a very hard time keeping my toes on my left foot touching the ground when in joulous position (I have to straighten out my foot or else I am in major pain). Am I allowed?

It is sunnah to bend the left foot and sit on it for jalsa with the right foot (not left) erect with only the toes and front part of the foot touching the ground.

2- Also in joulous and tachahhoud, I am having a very hard time folding my left foot under and sitting on it - I can straighten it out to the back, but if I try to literally it on it, I end up all crooked and out of alignment. I am seriously starting to wonder if I am doing something wrong, if I have problems with my body or if this is normal and things fall into place with time...

For myself, I tried to pray according to the sunnah regarding the placement of my feet, but I too found it painful and awkward to sit that way. I found myself concentrating on the pain in my foot and not on my salah. Honestly, I had significant pain with even folding both my feet under me and sitting on them. To start with, in order to perform my salah I had to place a pillow under me when I was in the jalsa position. After a while the pain left me and now I sit with the toes of my feet pointed in "pigeon-toed". We should always strive to follow the sunnah, but even Abdullah, the son Umar (the 2nd Caliph) had a problem sitting this way.

Bukhari 1:790 Narrated Abdullah bin Abdullah
I saw 'Abdullah bin 'Umar crossing his legs while sitting in the prayer and I, a mere youngster in those days, did the same. Ibn 'Umar forbade me to do so, and said, "The proper way is to keep the right foot propped up and bend the left in the prayer." I said questioningly, "But you are doing so (crossing the legs)." He said, "My feet cannot bear my weight."

 

[al Amaanah]

:salamext:

I know it can be very painful, i had that too in the beginning, but i saw it was something ure getting used to. so have patience insha Allah, and insha Allah ure following the sunnah very soon. and if not, Allahu a3lam.

 

[MustafaMc]

I wonder what percentage of Muslims sit in jalsa according to the sunnah with the right foot erect and the toes bent to face the qiblah. I live in an area with very few Muslims, but I have observed that only the most pious make the effort to sit this way.

According to the sunnah, I raise my hands to shoulder level at 1) takbir before ruku, 2) responding to sami allahu liman hamidah with rabban lakal hamd, and 3) standing for 3rd rakat from sitting. I have also observed very few Muslims (mostly reverts) following this sunnah. Another thing is that some Muslims are reluctant to close the gaps in the prayer line by standing close with the feet touching their neighbor.

These examples show that there are slight deviations among Muslims in performance of their prayer, but I am amazed at the similarities such that an observer would know that the one praying is a Muslim and not a Jew, Christian, Hindu, etc. Furthermore, we believe that we are praying in the manner that Prophet Muhammad (saaws) prayed. What other religion can make the claim that they perform a ritual prayer exactly as their prophet did? An important part of our religion is following the example of Prophet Muhammad (saaws) and to strive to learn more with the intent of following the sunnah even more closely.

 

[Abdu-l-Majeed]

Answered given by shaykh Ayman b. Khaled, from Multaqa forums.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

و عليكم السلام و رحمة الله و بركاته

About Wudu:

It is sufficent to have water in your hand and wipe all over your feet because what matter is to have water all over the feet. So, it is not needed to place your feet in the sink although I do dislike this act anyhow because it drives people to be excessive in using water and it is not hygenic. nevertheless, i still dislike using the facecloth because it is not the Sunnah and you should use your hand not other tools while performing wudu.

About Salat:

First: it is your toes from your right foot that should be placed toward the Qibla not the left one. However, if doing so cause you pain then you are allowed , inshallah, not to do so.

Second: you can alternatively sit on the toes of your both feet so that the toes of your both foot are toward the Qiblah.

Note: This is normal to find it difficult in the beginining. we all did find it so in the begining. But keep trying (smile)

May Allah increase your knowledge nad Imaan.

Wallahu A'lam

 

[MaiCarInMtl]

Assalamu alaikum everyone,

I would like to thank you all for your answers.

When doing wudu at work, I have been going over my socks for a few days now and it simplifies things so much (not to mention that it is much safer for me too!).

As for the placement of my feet, my main problem was when you fold you left foot under you and keep your right foot behind you (with the toes touching the ground, the heel of the foot itself not touchign the ground). Like brother Mustafa, I often find myself concentrating on the pain rather than the action at hand (salat). What I am doing now is trying to keep the position as long as I can but when it starts to distract me too much, I fold both feet under and finish my prayer. Insha'Allah, I will be able to eventually build it up and be able to do things the right way.

Thank you again for your help.

Wasalam.

 

[YusufNoor]

regarding wiping over the socks, they have to thicker than "hose" and not transparent. i'm not sure if that was mentioned in the link.

about the feet, i couldn't do it either as MustafaMc mentioned:

I wonder what percentage of Muslims sit in jalsa according to the sunnah with the right foot erect and the toes bent to face the qiblah. I live in an area with very few Muslims, but I have observed that only the most pious make the effort to sit this way.

Allah[swt] does indeed make things easy for us! make the intention to sit that way, and then try it your best. one day, In Sha'a Allah, it WILL work! i couldn't do it for about 10 months, then one day it just worked! Alhumdulillah! the hard part now [which i'm not sure sisters have to do] is tucking the left leg under you right leg in the final jalsa of a 3 or 4 rakat prayer...

 

[Makky]

regarding wiping over the socks, they have to thicker than "hose" and not transparent. i'm not sure if that was mentioned in the link.

Jazak Allahu kharian dear brother for your concern

there is a disagrement in the issue you mentioned between trusted scholars

It is also correct to wipe over socks through which the skin can be seen, because the permission to wipe over socks is general and no report of any restriction has been narrated. This implies that any socks which people wear may be wiped over. This is what is implied by those who say that it is permissible to wipe over khuff that are worn out, so long as it is still possible to walk in them.

the soucre socks conditions

Jazak Allahu khairan brother

 

[Silver]

Keeping both feet upright and sitting on the heels, as was described in the saheeh hadeeth which describes how he sat between two sujoods: “Sometimes he would rest on both his heels and the balls on his feet.” (See Sifat al-Salaah by al-Albaani, p. 152). This is not the way of sitting that is forbidden.

What is the way of sitting that is forbidden?
All the people I know sit according to the sunnah: sitting on the left foot and keeping the right foot upright. I myself try to do that but I really find it difficult. I twisted my left ankle many times and I also hurt my left knee last year in a car accident so I find it painful sitting on my left leg. I really don't know how to sit because everyone here do it the same way according to the sunnah.

 

[MaiCarInMtl]

What is the way of sitting that is forbidden?

It sounds to me like they are describing a "crouched" position... "en petit bonhomme". Correct me if I am wrong, but I only know of one way to be on the balls and heels of your feet at the same time.

 

[Muhammadiyoon]

Sister, to answer your questions,

About wudu:
When you need to wash your feet but only have a regular powder room (toilet and sink), what is the best way to wash your feet? What is acceptable and not? I ask because this is the situation at my work. I feel quite strange struggling to stand on one foot and stick the other in the sink (I am not very tall and I do not have the best sense of balance). Would it be permissible to use a facecloth (reserved for the feet only), soak it thoroughly and use this instead (making sure to get in between the toes)? If not, any suggestions to make this process safer would be appreciated.


The integral of washing the feet in wudu means to let the water flow on the part to be washed. Some advice for you would be to wear a khuf, this can be a shoe, with no holes, that reaches above the ankle. If you perform your wudu, and put on this show, then you can wipe on it instead of washing the foot. HOWEVER, if you take that shoe off you must perform wudu again by washing the feet if you invalidate your wudu. Perhaps an easier way for you would be to wipe on the sock. The only pre-requisite for this is to wipe MOST of the head in the wudu prior to wearing the socks. When you perform wudu before goign to work, wipe most of the head, put on these socks, and then if you need to perform wudu again at work, you can wipe on the socks! I am fairly certain that this would be accordin to Imam Ahmad, but I can double check for you.

About Salat:

1- I see I have a very hard time keeping my toes on my left foot touching the ground when in joulous position (I have to straighten out my foot or else I am in major pain). Am I allowed?

Yes, there is no rule as to how to sit. The way you mention is afddal (preferred) but not required.

2- Also in joulous and tachahhoud, I am having a very hard time folding my left foot under and sitting on it - I can straighten it out to the back, but if I try to literally it on it, I end up all crooked and out of alignment. I am seriously starting to wonder if I am doing something wrong, if I have problems with my body or if this is normal and things fall into place with time...

Again, there is no specific way to sit, the way you mention is preferred but not required. Do what you are most comfortable doing. But make sure the bottom of your toes touch the ground in sujud, as this IS required.

Muhammadiyoon

 

[islamirama]

Sister, to answer your questions,

About wudu:
When you need to wash your feet but only have a regular powder room (toilet and sink), what is the best way to wash your feet? What is acceptable and not? I ask because this is the situation at my work. I feel quite strange struggling to stand on one foot and stick the other in the sink (I am not very tall and I do not have the best sense of balance). Would it be permissible to use a facecloth (reserved for the feet only), soak it thoroughly and use this instead (making sure to get in between the toes)? If not, any suggestions to make this process safer would be appreciated.


The integral of washing the feet in wudu means to let the water flow on the part to be washed. Some advice for you would be to wear a khuf, this can be a shoe, with no holes, that reaches above the ankle. If you perform your wudu, and put on this show, then you can wipe on it instead of washing the foot. HOWEVER, if you take that shoe off you must perform wudu again by washing the feet if you invalidate your wudu. Perhaps an easier way for you would be to wipe on the sock. The only pre-requisite for this is to wipe MOST of the head in the wudu prior to wearing the socks. When you perform wudu before goign to work, wipe most of the head, put on these socks, and then if you need to perform wudu again at work, you can wipe on the socks! I am fairly certain that this would be accordin to Imam Ahmad, but I can double check for you.

About Salat:

1- I see I have a very hard time keeping my toes on my left foot touching the ground when in joulous position (I have to straighten out my foot or else I am in major pain). Am I allowed?

Yes, there is no rule as to how to sit. The way you mention is afddal (preferred) but not required.

2- Also in joulous and tachahhoud, I am having a very hard time folding my left foot under and sitting on it - I can straighten it out to the back, but if I try to literally it on it, I end up all crooked and out of alignment. I am seriously starting to wonder if I am doing something wrong, if I have problems with my body or if this is normal and things fall into place with time...

Again, there is no specific way to sit, the way you mention is preferred but not required. Do what you are most comfortable doing. But make sure the bottom of your toes touch the ground in sujud, as this IS required.

Muhammadiyoon

Please provide sources for your information.

that goes for everybody inshallah....

 

[islamirama]

Wiping over socks is better option when outside. It's good idea to do wudu and wear your hijab and socks before stepping out. This way you can wipe over your socks and hijab rather then taking them off.

Some helpful links:

Right way to do Ablution - http://www.islamway.com/islambase/IslamWayAbultioneng.html

Salah - Flash presentation
http://www.jannah.com/learn/flashprayer1.html

Prayer Asking for Guidance
http://islamqa.com/en/cat/286