4/46. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 497b — Clear Sujood Posture in Salah
The Description Of The Prayer, With What It Begins And Ends. The Description Of Bowing And Moderation Therein, And Of Prostration And Moderation Therein. Tashah-hud After Each Two Rak'ah Of Four Rak'ah Prayers. Description Ol Sitting Between The Two Prostrations, And In The First Tashah-hud
Prophet’s Sujood Position: A Hadith About Arms in Prostration
Sahih Muslim : 497b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 497b
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَعَمْرٌو النَّاقِدُ، وَزُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، وَإِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لِعَمْرٍو - قَالَ إِسْحَاقُ أَخْبَرَنَا وَقَالَ الآخَرُونَ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، حَدَّثَنَا جَعْفَرُ بْنُ بُرْقَانَ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ الأَصَمِّ، عَنْ مَيْمُونَةَ بِنْتِ الْحَارِثِ، قَالَتْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا سَجَدَ جَافَى حَتَّى يَرَى مَنْ خَلْفَهُ وَضَحَ إِبْطَيْهِ . قَالَ وَكِيعٌ يَعْنِي بَيَاضَهُمَا .
Maimuna daughter of Harith Narrated from:
When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prostrated, he kept his hands so much apart from each other that when it was seen from behind the armpits became visible. Waki' said: That is their whiteness.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 497bIn-book reference : Book 4, Hadith 271USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1004
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 497b
This narration focuses on the Prophet’s sujood position in salah. Maimuna bint al-Harith reported that when the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) prostrated, he kept his hands apart so much that the armpits could be seen from behind. Waki explained that this meant their whiteness. The wording is short, but it gives a clear picture of how the Prophet’s body was not pressed tightly to the ground in this act of prayer. For anyone searching for a hadith about arms in sujood, this report is directly about that point. The text stays on one subject: the visible openness of his posture during prostration.
What we learn from this hadith
- Sujood was performed with the arms kept apart.
- The Prophet’s prayer posture was visible and distinct.
- Small details of salah were preserved by the Companions.
