5/21. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 580c — Avoiding Play During Prayer
The description of the sitting during the prayer, and how the hands are to be placed on the thighs
Hadith About Avoiding Play During Prayer and Tashahhud Posture
Sahih Muslim : 580c
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 580c
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنْ مُسْلِمِ بْنِ أَبِي مَرْيَمَ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْمُعَاوِيِّ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ رَآنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ وَأَنَا أَعْبَثُ بِالْحَصَى فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ نَهَانِي فَقَالَ اصْنَعْ كَمَا كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَصْنَعُ . فَقُلْتُ وَكَيْفَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَصْنَعُ قَالَ كَانَ إِذَا جَلَسَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ وَضَعَ كَفَّهُ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى فَخِذِهِ الْيُمْنَى وَقَبَضَ أَصَابِعَهُ كُلَّهَا وَأَشَارَ بِإِصْبَعِهِ الَّتِي تَلِي الإِبْهَامَ وَوَضَعَ كَفَّهُ الْيُسْرَى عَلَى فَخِذِهِ الْيُسْرَى .
Ali b. 'Abual-Rahman al-Mu'awi Narrated from:
'Abdullah b. Umar saw me playing with pebbles during prayer. After finishing the prayer he forbade me (to do it) and said: Do as the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to do. I said: How did Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) do? He said that he (the Messenger of Allah) sat at tashahhud, placed his right palm on the right thigh and closed all his fingers and pointed with the help of finger next to the thumb, and placed his left palm on his left thigh.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 580cIn-book reference : Book 5, Hadith 149USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1204
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 580c
This hadith about avoiding play during prayer begins with Abdullah ibn Umar seeing someone playing with pebbles while praying. After the prayer, he forbade him and told him to do as the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) used to do. He then described the Prophet’s tashahhud posture: the right palm was placed on the right thigh, all fingers were closed, the finger next to the thumb was pointed, and the left palm was placed on the left thigh. The hadith connects prayer focus with following the Prophet’s action. It teaches that prayer is not a time for idle hand movement. It also gives a clear report about the tashahhud finger position and hand placement in salah.
What we learn from this hadith
- Playing with pebbles during prayer was corrected by Ibn Umar.
- Prayer should be performed with attention and calmness.
- The Prophet’s tashahhud posture included pointing the finger next to the thumb.
- The report teaches following the Prophet’s action in prayer.
