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**Reports concerning prostration upon something other than the earth due to an excuse**
1. **Anas ibn Malik** said:
When we prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and one of us could not place his forehead firmly on the ground because of the intense heat, he would spread his garment and prostrate upon it.
In the wording of al‑Bukhari:
We used to pray with the Prophet, and one of us would place the edge of his garment at the place of prostration because of the intense heat.
In the wording of Muslim:
We used to pray with the Prophet in severe heat, and if one of us could not place his forehead on the ground, he would spread his garment and prostrate upon it.
Al‑Shawkani said in *Nayl al‑Awtar*:
This hadith indicates the permissibility of prostrating upon garments to protect oneself from the heat of the ground. It also implies that direct contact with the earth in prostration is the original rule, since spreading the garment was made conditional upon inability. The hadith has been used as proof for the permissibility of prostrating on a garment connected to the worshipper. Al‑Nawawi said: This is the view of Abu Hanifah and the majority.
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2. **Anas ibn Malik** said:
When we prayed behind the Messenger of God at midday, we would prostrate upon our garments to protect ourselves from the heat.
Reported by Ibn Majah (2/216).
Imam al‑Sindi commented in his explanation:
“Midday” refers to the intense heat at noon. “We prostrated upon our garments” — apparently these were the garments they were wearing, since clothing was scarce at that time; where would they obtain extra garments? This indicates the permissibility of prostrating upon a garment one is wearing, as held by the majority.
In this manner is interpreted the report from Ibn Abbas:
“I saw the Messenger of God praying and prostrating upon his garment.”
Al‑Bukhari also reported (1/101) under the chapter “Prostration upon a garment in severe heat” that al‑Hasan said:
People used to prostrate upon their turbans and caps, with their hands inside their sleeves.
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### A Noteworthy Point
There is a hadith which jurists have also interpreted in this way, although it does not explicitly mention prostration upon a garment. It is:
From Ibn Abbas:
“I saw the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) wrapped in a white cloak on a cold morning, shielding himself with it from the cold of the ground with his hand and foot.”
In the wording of Ahmad:
“I saw the Messenger of God on a rainy day protecting himself from the mud while prostrating, using a cloak he had upon him, placing it beneath his hands when he prostrated.”
From Thabit ibn al‑Samit:
The Messenger of God stood to pray in the mosque of Banu ‘Abd al‑Ashhal wearing a cloak wrapped around him; he would place his hand upon it to protect himself from the cold pebbles.
In another wording:
“I saw him placing his hands inside his garment when prostrating.”
In the wording of Ibn Majah:
“I saw him placing his hands upon his garment when prostrating.”
Al‑Shawkani said in *Nayl al‑Awtar*:
The hadith indicates the permissibility of shielding oneself with the edge of a garment that one is wearing—but due to an excuse, such as rain as mentioned in the hadith, or heat and cold as in the narration of Ibn Abi Shaybah. This hadith explicitly states that the cloak upon which he prostrated was connected to him.
However, we do not find this interpretation appropriate, since the apparent meaning of the hadith only indicates that the Messenger of God protected himself with the cloak from the cold of the ground with his hands and feet. It does not explicitly refer to prostration with the forehead. Its case is similar to the hadith of Lady A’ishah:
“The Messenger of God, when he prayed, would not place anything beneath his feet, except that one day when it rained he placed a leather mat beneath his feet.”
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There is also a raised (marfu‘) report narrated by Ahmad in *al‑Musnad* (4/254) from al‑Mughirah ibn Shu‘bah, who said:
“The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray—or liked to pray—upon a tanned hide.”
However, its chain of transmission is very weak. In it is Yunus ibn al‑Harith al‑Ta’ifi. Ahmad said: “His hadiths are inconsistent.” Abdullah ibn Ahmad said: “I asked about him again, and he declared him weak.” Ibn Ma‘in said: “He is nothing.” Abu Hatim said: “He is not strong.” Al‑Nasa’i said: “Weak,” and at another time, “Not strong.” Ibn Abi Shaybah reported that Ibn Ma‘in said: “We used to consider him very weak.” Al‑Saji said: “Weak, though not accused of lying.”
(*Tahdhib al‑Tahdhib* 11/437)
In it is also Abu ‘Awn ‘Ubayd Allah ibn Sa‘id al‑Thaqafi al‑Kufi, whom Abu Hatim described as unknown. Ibn Hajar said: “His narration from al‑Mughirah is disconnected.”
Moreover, the text of the report is silent regarding prostration and its ruling; there is no necessary connection between praying upon a hide and prostrating upon it.
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### Final Conclusion
This completes all that has been reported in the *Sahih* collections and other compilations—both marfu‘ (attributed to the Prophet) and mawquf (attributed to companions)—concerning what it is permissible to prostrate upon. No report remains unmentioned.
These narrations indicate explicitly that the original rule, when one has the ability and choice, is to prostrate upon the earth itself. Following that are items made from what grows from the earth, based on the reports concerning the *khumrah*, the *fahl*, the mat, and similar items. There is no alternative to these when there is no valid excuse.
In cases of necessity and inability, it is permissible to prostrate upon a garment connected to the worshipper, but not upon a separate garment, since that is not mentioned in the Sunnah.
