his back so it is as if he were sitting, then whenever he wishes to bow, he should increase his bending slightly, and he should bring his face closer to the ground in prostration as much as he is able. If he is able to prostrate on his cheek, he should not do so, because it is not one of the parts of the body for prostration. If he places a pillow or something elevated in front of him, or prostrates on a mound or a stone, it is permissible if he is unable to tilt his face further than that. Ibn al-Mundhir narrated from Ahmad that he said: "I prefer prostrating on a pillow (12)." He said: "It is more beloved to me than gesturing." Ishaq said the same. Al-Shafi'i and the scholars of reasoning permitted it, and Ibn Abbas granted a concession for it. Umm Salama prostrated on a pillow. Ibn Mas'ud disliked prostrating on a piece of wood and said: "He should make a gesture." The reasoning for its permissibility is that he has performed what he is capable of regarding lowering himself, so it suffices him, just as if he had made a gesture. As for if he raises something to his face and prostrates upon it, some of our companions said: It does not suffice him. It was narrated from Ibn Mas'ud, Ibn 'Umar, Jabir, and Anas that they said: "He gestures and does not raise anything to his face." This is the opinion of 'Ata', Malik, and al-Thawri. Al-Athram narrated from Ahmad that he said: "Whichever of these he does, there is no harm; he may gesture or raise a pillow and prostrate on it." It was said to him: "And a fan?" He said: "No, as for a fan, no." It is also reported from Ahmad that he said: "Gesturing is more beloved to me. And if he raises something to his face and prostrates on it, it suffices him." This is the opinion of Abu Thawr. It is necessary that it be such that he is unable to lower himself further than that. The reasoning for this is that he has performed what he is capable of regarding the placement (13) of his head, so it suffices him, just as if he had made a gesture. The reasoning for the first [view] is that he prostrated on something he is carrying, so it does not suffice him, just as if he had prostrated on his hands.

Section: If he is unable to make a gesture with his head, he shall gesture with his eyes and have the intention in his heart; prayer does not fall away from him as long as his intellect remains intact. It was narrated from Abu Hanifa that the prayer falls away from him. The Qadi mentioned that this is the apparent meaning of Ahmad's words in the report of Muhammad ibn Yazid (14), due to what was narrated from Abu Sa'id.