The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "I have been commanded to prostrate upon seven bones: the hands, the knees, the feet, and the forehead." (Agreed upon). It was also narrated from Ibn Umar in a marfu' (elevated) manner: "Indeed, the hands prostrate just as the face prostrates, so when one of you places his face down, let him place his hands, and when he raises it, let him raise them." This was recorded by Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawud, and al-Nasa'i. Prostration upon the face does not negate prostration upon what is other than it, and the fact that uncovering is not required does not prevent the obligation of prostration, for we say the same regarding the forehead according to one narration. According to the other narration, the forehead is the primary part and it is uncovered by custom, unlike other limbs. If one fails to prostrate with one of these limbs, their prayer is not valid according to those who deem it obligatory. If one is unable to prostrate upon some of these limbs, he should prostrate upon the remainder and bring the injured limb as close to the ground as possible; it is not obligatory for him to raise something up to it, for prostration is the act of lowering oneself, and that is not achieved by raising that which one prostrates upon. If the obligation of prostration is dropped from the forehead due to an impediment such as illness or otherwise, the obligation of prostration upon other parts is also dropped, because it is the primary part.
(11) Recorded by al-Bukhari, in: Chapter of prostration upon seven bones, Chapter of prostration upon the nose, Chapter of not folding the hair, and Chapter of not folding the garment, from the Book of Adhan. Sahih al-Bukhari 1/206, 207. And Muslim, in: Chapter of the limbs of prostration, and the prohibition of folding the hair and garment and twisting the head in prayer, from the Book of Prayer. Sahih Muslim 1/354. It was also recorded by Abu Dawud, in: Chapter of the limbs of prostration, from the Book of Prayer. Sunan Abi Dawud 1/205. Al-Tirmidhi, in: Chapter of what has been mentioned regarding prostration upon seven limbs, from the Chapters on Prayer. 'Aridat al-Ahwadhi 2/73. Al-Nasa'i, in: Chapter of prostration upon the nose, Chapter of upon how many limbs is prostration, Chapter of prostration upon the hands, Chapter of prostration upon the knees, Chapter of the prohibition of folding the hair in prostration, and Chapter of the prohibition of folding garments in prostration, from the Book of Tatbiq. Al-Mujtaba 2/164, 165, 170. Ibn Majah, in: Chapter of prostration, from the Book of Establishing Prayer. Sunan Ibn Majah 1/286. Al-Darimi, in: Chapter of prostration upon seven bones and how to perform prostration, from the Book of Prayer. Sunan al-Darimi 1/302. And Imam Ahmad, in: al-Musnad 1/292, 221, 222, 225, 270, 279, 280, 285, 286, 292, 305, 324. (12) Recorded by Imam Ahmad, in: al-Musnad 2/6. Abu Dawud, in: Chapter of the limbs of prostration, from the Book of Prayer. Sunan Abi Dawud 1/206. Al-Nasa'i, in: Chapter of placing the hands with the face in prostration, from the Book of Tatbiq. Al-Mujtaba 2/163. It was also recorded by Imam Malik, in: Chapter of placing the hands upon what the face is placed upon during prostration, from the Book of Shortening Prayer while traveling. al-Muwatta 1/163. (13) In manuscript M: "upon".
