and [did not see the validity of] tayammum for a person in a state of janaba (major ritual impurity). This was abandoned in favor of the narration of someone who is lower than the narrators of our hadiths and inferior to them in excellence, so here it is even more appropriate to adopt [our position].
155- Issue: He said: "Then he places his hands on his knees, spreads his fingers, keeps his back straight, and does not raise his head, nor does he lower it."
The summary of this is that it is recommended (1) for the person bowing (raki') to place his hands on his knees. This has been established from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him (2), and it was practiced by Umar, Ali, Sa'd, Ibn Umar, and a group of the Tabi'un. This is the opinion of al-Thawri, Malik, al-Shafi'i, Ishaq, and the People of Opinion (Ashab al-Ra'y). A group from the predecessors went to the practice of tatbiq (clasping hands together), which is for the worshipper to place one of his palms upon the other, then place them between his knees when he bows. This was at the beginning of Islam, then it was abrogated. Mus'ab ibn Sa'd said: I bowed and placed my hands between my knees. My father forbade me and said: "We used to do this, then we were forbidden from it, and we were commanded to place our hands on the knees." It is agreed upon (3). Abu Humayd (4) mentioned, in the description of the prayer of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him: "I saw him when he bowed, he placed his hands firmly on...
(1) In the original: "wajib" (mandatory). (2) See what is coming shortly regarding the hadith of Abu Humayd. (3) Reported by al-Bukhari, in: Chapter on placing the palms on the knees in bowing, from the Book of Adhan. Sahih al-Bukhari 1/200. And Muslim, in: Chapter on the recommendation to place the hands on the knees in bowing and the abrogation of tatbiq, from the Book of Masjids. Sahih Muslim 1/380. And Abu Dawud, in: Chapter on the divisions of bowing and prostration and placing the hands on the knees, from the Book of Prayer. Sunan Abi Dawud 1/200. And al-Tirmidhi, in: Chapter on what has been narrated regarding placing the hands on the knees in bowing, from the Chapters on Prayer. 'Aridat al-Ahwadhi 2/59. And al-Nasa'i, in: Chapter on the abrogation of tatbiq, from the Book of Opening the Prayer. Al-Mujtaba 2/144. And Ibn Majah, in: Chapter on placing the hands on the knees, from the Book of Establishing Prayer. Sunan Ibn Majah 1/283. And al-Darimi, in: Chapter on the practice during bowing, from the Book of Prayer. Sunan al-Darimi 1/298, 299. (4) Reported by al-Bukhari, in: Chapter on keeping the back straight in bowing (the heading), and Chapter on the sunnah of sitting during the tashahhud, from the Book of Adhan. Sahih al-Bukhari 1/200, 210. And Abu Dawud, in: Chapter on opening the prayer, from the Book of Prayer. Sunan Abi Dawud 1/168. And al-Tirmidhi, in: Chapter on what has been narrated that he keeps his hands away from his sides in bowing, and Chapter on what has been narrated regarding the description of prayer, from the Chapters on Prayer. 'Aridat al-Ahwadhi 2/61, 99. And al-Nasa'i, in: Chapter on moderation in bowing, from the Book of Tatbiq. Al-Mujtaba 2/146. And al-Darimi, in: Chapter on distancing the arms in bowing, from the Book of Prayer. Sunan al-Darimi 1/299, 300.
