904 - Al-Walid said: I mentioned that to Malik ibn Anas—referring to abandoning the keeping of arms apart (al-ijtinah) and widening the posture (al-tafarruj) in prostration, and placing the elbows on the thighs—and he said: "As for in the obligatory prayer, one should not abandon it. But as for voluntary prayer, there is no harm in it."

905 - Al-Walid said: Ibn Lahi'ah informed me, from Yazid ibn Abi Habib, that 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz used to rest his hands upon his thighs during his prostration.

906 - Al-Walid said: Abu 'Amr al-Awza'i said: "Do not abandon keeping your arms apart (al-ijtinah) in your prostration during the obligatory prayer, unless you are in a row praying and you are harming those next to you with your elbows; for harming others is not proper. In that case, draw your arms in towards yourself, but do not spread your forearms upon the ground, for it has been forbidden to spread them out like a beast of prey (iftirash al-sabu')."

907 - Muhammad ibn Nasr narrated to us, saying: Hassan ibn Ibrahim narrated to us, from Sufyan, from Sumayy, from al-Nu'man ibn Abi 'Ayyash al-Zuraqi, who said: "The companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) complained about relying on their hands when they prostrated in prayer." He said: "So he granted them a concession to seek assistance from their knees."

908 - Ahmad ibn Hanbal narrated to us, saying: 'Abd al-Razzaq narrated to us, saying: Ma'mar narrated, from Mansur, from Salim ibn Abi al-Ja'd, from Jabir ibn 'Abd Allah, who said: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) prostrated, he would keep his arms apart until the whiteness of his armpits could be seen.