Chapter: Regarding al-Iq'a' (sitting on the heels) in prayer

• I heard Abu Abd Allah Ahmad ibn Hanbal say: "Al-Iq'a' is for a man to sit on his toes during the Tashahhud and between the two prostrations."

946 - Muhammad ibn al-Wazir narrated to us, saying: al-Walid ibn Muslim narrated to us, saying: Ibn Jurayj informed me, from 'Ata', who said: "I saw Ibn 'Umar performing al-Iq'a' on the tips of both his feet between the two prostrations. At times he would fold his left leg and keep his right leg upright; he would perform al-Iq'a' on the tips of the toes of his right foot, while kneeling (1) upon them, folding them behind him, and likewise upon the toes of the left."

947 - Ali ibn 'Uthman narrated to us, saying: Jarir ibn Hazim narrated to us, saying: "I saw 'Ata', Ibn Abi Mulayka, Tawus, Salim, and Nafi' performing al-Iq'a' when they raised their heads from the first prostration."

Chapter: Regarding al-Tawarruk (sitting with the left buttock on the ground) in prayer

• I heard Ahmad say: "A man should not perform al-Tawarruk in prayer except in the final four [rak'ahs]."

• I asked Ishaq about al-Tawarruk in prayer, and he said: "The Sunnah in the two rak'ahs is to keep the right [foot] upright and lay the left [foot] flat. Al-Tawarruk only occurs in the fourth [rak'ah]."

• Ahmad described the sitting in prayer to us on another occasion, saying: "As for the first two rak'ahs, he keeps the right [foot] upright, lays the left [foot] flat, and sits upon it. As for the end of his prayer, he lays his left leg flat, places the top of his right foot upon the center of the bottom of his left foot, and places them both to one side. He does not sit upon his left foot, but rather sits upon the ground, similar to al-Tawarruk." He follows the path of the hadith of Abu Humayd al-Sa'idi (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and he said: "Sitting in prayer is like this."