8/27. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 719 — Prayer Posture
Interlacing One's Fingers In The Masjid
Hadith About Ibn Mas'ud’s Prayer Posture
Sunan an-Nasai : 719
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 719
أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ يُونُسَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنِ الأَسْوَدِ، قَالَ دَخَلْتُ أَنَا وَعَلْقَمَةُ، عَلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ فَقَالَ لَنَا أَصَلَّى هَؤُلاَءِ قُلْنَا لاَ . قَالَ قُومُوا فَصَلُّوا . فَذَهَبْنَا لِنَقُومَ خَلْفَهُ فَجَعَلَ أَحَدَنَا عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَالآخَرَ عَنْ شِمَالِهِ فَصَلَّى بِغَيْرِ أَذَانٍ وَلاَ إِقَامَةٍ فَجَعَلَ إِذَا رَكَعَ شَبَّكَ بَيْنَ أَصَابِعِهِ وَجَعَلَهَا بَيْنَ رُكْبَتَيْهِ وَقَالَ هَكَذَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَعَلَ .
It was narrated that Al-Aswad said: "Alqamah and I entered upon 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud and he said to us: 'Have these people prayed?' We said: 'No.' He said: 'Get up and pray.' So we went to stand behind him, and he put one of us on his right and the other on his left, and he prayed with no Adhan and no Iqamah. When he bowed he interlaced his fingers and placed his hands between his knees, and he said: 'I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) doing that.'"
[1] Regarding this chapter, this event was not in the Masjid , but in the home of Ibn Mas'ūd, as mentioned in another narration of the author, no. 130, as well as Muslim. But proof for the meaning of the chapter is recorded by Al-Bukhârî Nos. 480-482. While a narration of Abû Dâwûd (562), and others, contains: "And let him not intertwine his hands together." - when headed to the Masjid for prayer. Scholars have mentioned various forms of harmonization between these. Perhaps the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ did not realize he had done it in the narrations that mention him doing so, or that occurred before he forbade it. It is also possible that it refers to when intertwining the fingers as a sign of boredom.As for during the bowing position, the majority consider it abrogated, and it appears later. See No. 1300 and what follows it.Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 719In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 32English translation : Vol. 1, Book 8, Hadith 720
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 719
This hadith about Ibn Mas'ud prayer posture describes a prayer involving Abdullah bin Mas'ud, Alqamah, and Al-Aswad. Ibn Mas'ud asked whether the people had prayed. When they said no, he told them to stand and pray. They moved to stand behind him, but he placed one on his right and the other on his left. He prayed without Adhan and without Iqamah. When he bowed, he interlaced his fingers and placed his hands between his knees, then said that he had seen the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم do that. The explanation must stay with the report: it describes what Ibn Mas'ud did and what he attributed to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
What we learn from this hadith
- Ibn Mas'ud led two men with one on each side in this report.
- The prayer was performed without Adhan and without Iqamah.
- The narration describes interlacing fingers and placing hands between the knees in bowing.
- Ibn Mas'ud connected the act to what he saw from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
