Question: Does it not constitute kufr (disbelief) to do prostration to anyone else other than Allahu ta’ala? If it constitutes disbelief, why did Allah command angels to do prostration to Adam (‘alaihis-salam)? Why do Muslims prostrate themselves for the Ka’ba?
ANSWER
It causes disbelief (kufr) to do sajda (prostration) to someone else other than Allahu ta’ala with the intention of ‘ibadah (worship). If one does it not with the intention of ‘ibadah, but with the intention of respect, then it will be haram (a major sin), not disbelief. From the time of Adam ‘alaihis-salam up until the time of Ibrahim ‘alaihis-salam, greeting used to be done by performing sajda to one another. Afterwards, it was done by putting one’s arms around the neck of the other person. In the Shari’ah of Muhammad ‘alaihis-salam, musafaha (handshaking in the sunnat method) was made sunnat.
Sajda is done in the direction of the Ka’ba. It is not done for the Ka’ba itself. Whoever performs it for the Ka’ba becomes a kafir (disbeliever). The direction facing the Ka’ba is called the qibla, and sajda is done for Allah in the direction of the qibla. All our sajdas are for Allah, not for the Ka’ba. The direction of them is the qibla. Allahu ta’ala commanded angels to do sajda for Himself in the direction of Adam ‘alaihis-salam. However, Iblis (the Devil) did not obey the command.
Allahu ta’ala could have ordered him to do sajda to Adam ‘alaihis-salam just for respect. As it has been mentioned above, greeting each other used to be done by doing sajda in the time of Adam ‘alaihis-salam. However, Iblis did not even accept it. In fact, he disobeyed Allahu ta’ala’s order. You may ask, “Why does it constitute kufr not to obey His order?” Iblis did not like Allahu ta’ala’s order. He said, “How can a being created from fire respect that which was created from dust? This order of Yours is wrong.” He became a kafir as he did not like His order.
Question: If one says “Subhaana rabbiyal azeem” in ruku’ 5, 7, 9, or 11 times, should one say “Subhaana rabbiyal a’laa” in sajda the same number of times?
ANSWER
If one says the tasbihaat 7 times in ruku’, one does not have to say them 7 times in sajda. One can say them 3 or 11 times.
Question: If I perform Salat az-Zuhr at the time of asr-i awwal out of necessity and Salat al-‘Asr at the time of asr-i thani, will I have to perform Salat al-Isha at the time of isha-i thani?
ANSWER
No, you do not have to perform Salat al-Isha at the time of isha-i thani after performing Salat al-‘Asr at the time of asr-i thani. However, if one is performing salat individually, it is better to perform Salat al-‘Asr at the time of asr-i thani and Salat al-Isha at the time of isha-i thani. By doing so, one follows the ijtihad of Hadrat Imam-i A’zam, too.
Question: Is it wajib to remain in ruku’ and sajda as long as it takes one to say “Subhaanallah” three times?
ANSWER
It is wajib to remain in these positions as long as it takes one to say “Subhaanallah” once. It is sunnat, or wajib according to some scholars, to remain in these positions as long as it takes one to say it three times.
Question: Some people say that the first sajda is fard and the second sajda is sunnat in salat. Are both sajdas not fard?
ANSWER
Both sajdas are fard (obligatory). (Radd-ul-Mukhtar)
Question: If the prison cell of a convict is so narrow that it does not allow him to do sajda, then how should he/she perform salat?
ANSWER
If a cell is so narrow that it does not allow a convict to do sajda, he/she should perform salat sitting through gestures (ishaarah). (Maraqi al-Falah)
Question: Should a person take off his/her glasses before salat?
ANSWER
It is fard to put the forehead on the floor during sajda, and it is wajib to also put the nose on it. If glasses prevent the nose from touching the floor, it will be makruh. If a person with glasses pushes his/her forehead or nose firmly against the floor so that it may touch the floor, then his/her glasses may break. If there is no such a problem, one may perform salat with one’s glasses on.
Question: During sajda position, is it fard (obligatory) to put the feet on the floor and to bend the toes to face the qibla?
ANSWER
It is either fard or wajib, or sunnat according to a qawl, to put two feet or at least one toe of each foot on the floor. That is, if two feet are not put on the floor, salat will either be invalid or it will become makruh. During sajda, it is sunnat, not fard, to bend the toes and turn them toward the qibla. It is written in Radd-ul-Mukhtar that those who said that it was fard erred. If, during sajda, the forehead, nose, or feet are raised from the floor for short while, it does not negatively affect salat. (Se’adet-i Ebediyye)
Question: If one forgetfully omits ruku’, goes down for sajda and then realizes one’s mistake after doing sajda, how should one compensate for it?
ANSWER
One should stand up, perform ruku’, and then go down for sajda. One’s previous sajdas do not count. That is, they are considered invalid because observing order (tarteeb) in salat is fard. In other words, it is fard to do obligatory elements of salat in a certain order. One must perform sajda as-sahw at the end of salat as one has delayed ruku’, which is an obligatory element of salat.
Question: Hadrat Imam-i Rabbani states: “The tasbihaat are said at least 3 times in ruku’ and sajdas. They are said at most 7 or 11 times.” Can it be inferred from these statements that it is not permissible to say them 5 or 9 times?
ANSWER
No, it cannot be inferred because the following is written right under those statements: “It is very disgraceful for a healthy person to say the tasbihaat a minimum of times when performing salat individually, especially when he/she is not in a difficulty. He/she should say them at least five times.” It is permissible and better to say them 5, 7, 9, or 11 times. They should always be an odd number.
Hadrat Imam-i Rabbani ordered Mawlana Salih to bring some carnations from the garden. When he saw that he brought six carnations, he said, “The lowest student of ours knows at least the hadith-i sharif ‘Allahu ta’ala is one, and He likes him who prefers odd numbers.’” It is mustahab to prefer odd numbers. What do you think mustahab is? It is something Allahu ta’ala likes. If one sacrificed the world and the hereafter for something Allahu ta’ala likes, he would still be considered to have sacrificed nothing.
Question: Is it permissible to say “Rabbanaa wa lakal hamd” instead of “Rabbanaa lakal hamd”in salat?
ANSWER
It is permissible, but it is better to say “Rabbanaa lakal hamd.”
Question: Is it permissible for a healthy person to prostrate on anything higher than 25 cm in salat?
ANSWER
It is not permissible. It is makruh for a healthy person to prostrate on something lower than 25 cm. If one prostrates on something higher than this, it invalidates one’s salat. (Ýslam Ahlaký)
The Messenger of Allah (sall-Allahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) never did prostration on anything higher than floor level. It is written in Jami-ur-Rumuz and in Hashiyat al-Tabyin that it is not permissible [and makruh] to do sajda even on something that is only a little higher than floor level. (Se’adet-i Ebediyye)
A person who is too ill to prostrate for sajda (prostration) may do it on anything lower than 25 cm. He or she is not allowed do sajda on something higher than it.
Question: How should a person who has a wound on his/her forehead or nose do sajda?
ANSWER
One who has a wound on one’s forehead puts only one’s nose on the floor, and one with a wound on one’s nose puts only one’s forehead on the floor. One who has excuses on both one’s nose and forehead, and who therefore cannot put one’s head down on the floor, performs salat sitting, through gestures (ishaarah), even if one can stand. That is, one bends a little for ruku’ and bends even more for sajda . (Se'adet-i Ebediyye)
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