بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Only Men are Prohibited from
Spreading their Forearms on the Ground in Sajdah like a Dog
14 Centuries of Scholarly Understanding
[Note: In this article, respectable Salafi scholars have been quoted to show that those with an open mind can see the Haqq, which the Ummah agreed upon, and follow it.]
Yazid ibn Abi Habib رحمه الله states that Rasullullah ﷺ passed by two women who were performing their salah. He said to them, “When you go into sajdah, then make parts of your body touch the ground because a woman is unlike a man in these aspects.”
- Collected by Abu Dawud in ‘Maraasil’.[1]
- Shaikh Zahrani As-Salafi graded its chain until Yazid sound.
Yazid was a reliable Faqeeh Tabi’ee, therefore the narration is mursal. A mursal hadith is sufficient evidence on its own according to Imam Abu Hanifah, Imam Malik and Imam Ahmed رحمهم الله. Imam Shafi’ee رحمه الله accepts it when supported. This mursal is supported by two other narrations collected by Baihaqi in his ‘Sunan’[2] as well as the consensus of the entire Ummah for 14 centuries.
The great Tabi’ee jurist and muhaddith, Ibrahim An-Nakha’ee رحمه الله said, “A woman used to be commanded to place/join her arm and her stomach to her thighs when she goes into sajdah and not to spread her limbs out as a male does so that her buttocks are not raised.” Collected by Abdur Razzaq in his ‘Musannaf’.[3]
In his book which he compiled specifically to prove the differences between the Salah of a man and woman, Shaikh Abdul Haqq Al-Hashimi As-Salafi رحمه الله said that the one commanding in this statement could either be the Nabi ﷺ, the Sahabah رضي الله عنهم or the Tabi’un رحمهم الله. He then concluded by saying, “So it is known by this (statement) that this issue was wide spread in the era of the Sahabah رضي الله عنهم and Tabi’un رحمهم الله and that the Sahabah رضي الله عنهم and Tabi’un رحمهم الله were of the opinion that the males will separate (their limbs in Sajdah) not the women.”[4] Since then, the women of the Ummah were performing their salah in this state of hayaa and modesty until recent times.
The Hadith on Sajdah Like a Predatory Animal or Dog
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَنْهَى عَنْ عُقْبَةِ الشَّيْطَانِ وَيَنْهَى أَنْ يَفْتَرِشَ الرَّجُلُ ذِرَاعَيْهِ افْتِرَاشَ السَّبُعِ.
Aishah رضي الله عنه said, “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to prohibit from the devil’s way of sitting, and he forbade the man to spread out his forearms (on the ground) like a predator.”
- Collected by Muslim in his ‘Sahih’.[5]
Shaikh Atiyah Saalim As-Salafi رحمه الله commented on this hadith by saying, “Ummul Mumineen رضي الله عنها cautioned here that he ﷺ prohibited from devil’s way of sitting[6] but prohibited whom? The person whom was prohibited was not fixed, therefore it is general for males and females. However, with regards to spreading the arms (on the ground) like a predator (including a dog) she said, “He ﷺ prohibited the man,” therefore the woman has a different ruling. Mentioning the man is Mafhoomus Sifah[7]. Therefore, the ruling would be opposite (for the woman). This is why the Ulama all agree that the woman will not do like the man in Salah. The man will … as oppose to the woman because she will gather herself and spread her forearms. Therefore, the ruling of the woman is that she will spread her forearms and join them to her sides.”[8]
Since this authentic narration of Sahih Muslim has the restriction of ‘man’ all other general narrations will be interpreted in a similar manner based on the principle that ‘the mutlaq (absolute) is restricted and qualified by the muqayyad (restricted)’.
The Hadith, “Perform Salah as you see me performing Salah”
All those who advocate that women must perform Salah like men use the hadith “Perform Salah as you see me performing Salah,” as evidence. They say this command includes women and since the Messenger of Allah, himself separated his limbs in Sajdah, so should a woman. In refuting this, Shaikh Abdul Haqq Al-Hashimi As-Salafi رحمه الله said, “Using the generality of the statement of the Prophet ﷺ “Perform Salah as you see me performing Salah,” is analogy (qiyaas) and will not be deemed as using an explicit text as evidence.” He went on to say that all the four Imams understood that there is a difference between the Salah of a man and woman and that many of the great scholars including Imam Ahmed, Ibn Daqiqul Eid, Amir Yamani and Ibn Qudamah رحمهم الله even though they all narrated this hadith, “Perform Salah as you see me performing Salah,” yet these giants did not understand the generality that some people of the fourteenth century misunderstood from it. He said, “Will it be said that ‘The people of the fourteenth century are more knowledgeable than all these Imams?’ Never! Far be it!”[9]
Rather, coming 14 centuries after and claiming that the Ummah got it wrong and you figured it out is nothing short of arrogance and conceit.
May Allah protect us from innovated opinions with regards to our Deen.
[1] #89 Zahrani’s Edition
[2] #3241, #3242
[3] Musannaf Abdur Razzaq #5071, Baihaqi Vol.2 Pg.222
[4] Nasbul Amood fi Masalah Tajaafil Mar-ah fil Ruku’ was Sujood wal Qu’ood, Rasail Vol.1 Pg.45
[5] #498 Be cautioned that the English Translation of this Hadith in the Darus Salam Edition and Sunnah.com use generic words like “he forbade resting one’s arm” and “people”. This type of translation is incorrect as it leads to generalizing that which the Prophet ﷺ made specific.
[6] This means to sit on one’s buttocks, then erect the thighs, join the knees to the chest and place the hands on the ground. [Fathul Mulhim Vol.3 Pg.488]
[7] Mafhoomus Sifah is a tool for deriving Shar’ee laws. It means: When a ruling is mentioned restricted to a quality, the opposite ruling will apply when the quality is absent. Here the ruling of the prohibition of spreading the forearm on the ground is applicable to the male gender, therefore when the one in Sajdah is a female, this prohibition will not apply.
[8] Sharh Buloogh Muraam Vol.4 Pg.60: Dars 231
[9] Nasbul Amood, Rasail Vol.1 Pg.60
