Assalaamu alaikum,
Alhamdulillah and below is a continuation of the salaah series from Sheickh al-Albaani's excellent text (may Allah have mercy on him).
The Sujood (Prostration)
Next, "he (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) would say takbeer and go down into sajdah"78, and he ordered "the one who prayed badly" to do so, saying to him, No one's prayer is complete unless ... he says: Allaah listens to the one who praises Him and stands up straight, then says: Allaah is the Greatest and prostrates such that his joints are at rest.79
Also, "when he wanted to perform sajdah, he would say takbeer, [separate his hands from his sides,] and then perform sajdah."80
Sometimes, "he would raise his hands when performing sajdah."81
Going Down into the Sajdah on the Hands
"He used to place his hands on the ground before his knees."82
He used to instruct likewise, saying, When one of you performs sajdah, he should not kneel like a camel, but should place his hands before his knees.83
He also used to say, Verily, the hands prostrate as the face prostrates, so when one of you places his face (on the ground), he should place his hands, and when he raises it, he should raise them.84
The Sajdah Described
"He would support himself on his palms [and spread them]"85, "put his fingers together"86, and "point them towards the qiblah."87
Also, "he would put them (his palms) level with his shoulders"88, and sometimes "level with his ears"89. "He would put his nose and forehead firmly on the ground."90
He said to "the one who prayed badly", When you prostrate, then be firm in your prostration91; in one narration: When you prostrate, put your face and hands down firmly, until all of your bones are relaxed in their proper places.92
He also used to say, "There is no prayer for the one whose nose does not feel as much of the ground as the forehead."93
"He used to put his knees and toes down firmly"94, "point with the front of the toes towards the qiblah"95, "put his heels together"96, "keep his feet upright"97, and "ordered likewise."98
Hence, these are the seven limbs on which he (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) would prostrate: the palms, the knees, the feet, and the forehead and nose - counting the last two as one limb in prostration, as he (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: I have been ordered to prostrate (in one narration: we have been ordered to prostrate) on seven bones: on the forehead ..., and he indicated by moving his hand99 around his nose, the hands (in one version: the palms), the knees and the toes, and not to tuck up100 the garments and hair.101
He also used to say, When a slave prostrates, seven limbs prostrate with him: his face, his palms, his knees and his feet.102
He said about a man who was praying with his hair tied103 behind him, His example is surely like that of someone who prays with his hands bound (behind his back).104 He also said, That is the saddle of the devil, i.e. where the devil sits, referring to the knots in the hair.105
"He would not rest his fore-arms on the ground"106, but "would raise them above the ground, and keep them away from his sides such that the whiteness of his armpits could be seen from behind"107, and also "such that if a small lamb or kid wanted to pass under his arms, it would have been able to do so."108
He would do this to such an extent that one of his Companions said, "We used to feel sorry for the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) because of the way he kept his hands away from his sides."109
He used to order likewise, saying, When you perform sajdah, place your palms (on the ground) and raise your elbows110, and Be level in sujood, and none of you should spread his fore- arms like the spreading of a dog (in one narration: like a dog spreads them)111. In a separate hadeeth, None of you should rest arms on the ground the way a dog rests them.112
He also used to say, Do not spread your arms [the way a beast of prey does], rest on your palms and keep your upper arms apart, for when you do all that, every one of your limbs prostrates with you.113
The Obligation to be at Ease in Sujood
He (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to command the completion of rukoo' and sujood, comparing someone not doing so to the hungry man who eats one or two dates, which are of no use to him, and also saying about him, he is indeed one of the worst thieves among the people.
He also ruled that the prayer of one who does not straighten his spine fully in rukoo' and sujood is invalid, as has been mentioned under "Rukoo'", and ordered "the one who prayed badly" to be at ease in his sujood, as mentioned before.
The Adhkaar of Sujood
He (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) would say any one of the following remembrances of Allaah and supplications in this posture:
1..
Subhaana Rabiyal a'laa
How Perfect is my Lord, the Most High, three times.114
Sometimes, "he would repeat it more times than that."115
Once, he repeated it so much that his sujood were nearly as long as his standing, in which he had recited three of the Long Soorahs: al-Baqarah, an-Nisaa' and aal-'Imraan. That prayer was full of supplication and seeking of forgiveness, as mentioned before under "Night Prayer".
2..
Subhaana Rabiyal a'laa wa bihamdihi
How Perfect is my Lord, the Most High, and Praised be He, three times.116
3..
Subbuhun Quddusun Rabbul Mala ikatu wa Ruh
Perfect, Blessed, Lord of the Angels and the Spirit.117
4..
Subhaanaka Allahumma Rabbana wa bihamdika Allahummaghfirli
How perfect You are O Allaah, our Lord, and Praised. O Allaah! Forgive me, which he would say often in his rukoo' and sujood, implementing the order of the Qur'aan.118
5..
Allahumma laka sajadtu wa bika aamantu wa laka aslamtu wa anta rabbi sajada wajhee lilladhee khalaqahu wasawwarahu fa ahsana suwarahu wa shaqqa sam'ahu awa basarahu. Fa tabarakallahu ahsanul khaliqeen.
O Allaah! For you I have prostrated; in You I have believed; to You I have submitted; [You are my Lord;] my face has prostrated for the One Who created it and shaped it , [shaped it excellently,] then brought forth its hearing and vision: [so] blessed be Allaah, the Best to Create!119
6..
Allahummaghfirli dhanbi, kullahu wadiqahu wa jillahu wa awwallahu wa aakhirahu wa alaniyatahu wa sirrah
O Allaah! Forgive me all my sins: the minor and the major, the first and the last, the open and the hidden.120
7..
Sajada laka sawaadi wa khayali wa aamana bika fu aadi abu' bine'matika alaya. Hadha yadayya wa ma janaytu ala nafsee.
My person and my shadow have prostrated to You; my heart has believed in You; I acknowledge Your favours towards me: here are my hands and whatever I have earned against myself.121
8..
Subhana dhil jabaruti wal malakuti wal kibriya 'i wal adhamah
How Perfect is He Who has all Power, Kingdom, Magnificence and Supremity122, which he would say in night prayer, as with the following ones:
9..
Subhaanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika La ilaha illa ant.
How perfect You are [O Allaah] and Praised. None has the right to be worshipped except you.123
10..
Allahummaghfirli ma asrartu wa ma a'lantu
O Allaah! Forgive me what (sins) I have concealed and what (sins) I have done openly.124
11..
Allahummaj al fee qalbee nuura wa fee lisaani nuura waj al fee sam'ee nuura wa fee basaree nuura waj al mintahtee nuura waj al minfawqee nuura wa an yameeni nuura wa an yasaaree nuura waj al amaami nuura waj al khalfi nuura waj al fee nafsi nuura wa'dham lee nuura.
O Allaah! Place light in my heart; [and light in my tongue;] and place light in my hearing; and place light in my seeing; and place light from below me; and place light from above me, and light on my right, and light on my left; and place light ahead of me; and place light behind me; [and place light in my self;] and make the light greater for me.125
12..
Allahumma innee a'uthubika bi ridhaaka min sakhatika wa a'uthu bi mu' aafatika min uqubatika wa a'uthubika minka. Uhsee thana a alaika, anta kama athnayta ala nafsika
[O Allaah!] [Indeed] I seek refuge with Your Pleasure from Your Anger; [I seek refuge] with Your Pardons from Your Punishment; I seek refuge with You from You. I cannot count all exultations upon You; You are as You have extolled Yourself.126
Allahumma salli wasallim alaa Nabiyyina Muhammad. Wasalaam.
Modou Mbye
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