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**Reports about prostrating on something other than the earth due to necessity**
1. **Anas ibn Malik** said:
When we prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), if 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 severe heat.”
In the wording of **Muslim**:
“We used to pray with the Prophet in intense heat, and when 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 on garments in order to avoid the heat of the ground. It also suggests that direct contact with the earth during prostration is the original rule, since spreading a garment was conditioned upon inability. The hadith has also been used as evidence for the permissibility of prostrating upon a garment connected to the worshipper. Al‑Nawawi said: this is the opinion of Abu Hanifah and the majority.
2. **Anas ibn Malik** also said:
When we prayed behind the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) at midday, we would prostrate upon our garments to protect ourselves from the heat.
Reported by **Ibn Majah** (2/216).
Imam **al‑Sindi** said in his commentary:
“Midday” (al‑ẓahāʾir) refers to the intense heat at noon. The phrase “we prostrated upon our garments” apparently refers to the clothes they were wearing, since clothing was scarce at that time—so where would they have found extra garments? This indicates the permissibility of a worshipper prostrating upon a garment he is wearing, which is the opinion of the majority.
In this sense is understood what was reported from **Ibn Abbas**:
“I saw the Messenger of God praying and prostrating upon his garment.”
Al‑Bukhari also reported in his *Sahih* (1/101) under the chapter *Prostrating on a garment in intense heat*:
Al‑Hasan said: “People used to prostrate on their turbans and caps, with their hands inside their sleeves.”
**A Note**
There is a hadith that jurists have also interpreted in this manner, although it does not explicitly mention prostration upon a garment. It is the narration 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 from the cold of the ground with it using 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 by using a cloak he had upon him, placing it between his hands and the ground when he prostrated.”
And 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 he prostrated.”
In the wording of **Ibn Majah**:
“I saw him placing his hands on his garment when he prostrated.”
Al‑Shawkani said in *Nayl al‑Awtar*:
The hadith indicates the permissibility of shielding oneself with the edge of a garment one is wearing, but only due to an excuse—such as rain as mentioned in the hadith, or heat and cold as mentioned 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 entirely appropriate, because the apparent meaning of the hadith only indicates that the Messenger of God protected himself from the cold of the ground with the cloak using his hands and feet. It does not clearly refer to prostration with the forehead. It is similar to the hadith of **A’ishah**, who said:
“The Messenger of God, when he prayed, would not place anything under his feet; except that one day when it rained he placed a leather mat under his feet.”
There is also a **marfu‘** narration reported 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 preferred to pray—upon a tanned hide.”
But the chain of transmission is extremely weak, and such a report cannot be relied upon for legal rulings. In its chain is **Yunus ibn al‑Harith**, about whom Ahmad said: “His hadiths are inconsistent.” Abdullah ibn Ahmad also considered him weak. Ibn Ma‘in said: “He is nothing.” Abu Hatim said: “He is not strong.” Al‑Nasa’i said: “Weak.” 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)
The chain also contains **Abu ‘Awn ‘Ubayd Allah ibn Sa‘id al‑Thaqafi al‑Kufi**, whom Abu Hatim described as unknown, and Ibn Hajar stated that his narration from al‑Mughirah is disconnected.
Moreover, the text of the narration itself is silent about prostration and its ruling, and there is no necessary connection between praying upon a hide and prostrating upon it.
**Final Conclusion**
This is the complete set of reports found in the authentic collections and other hadith compilations—whether marfu‘ (attributed to the Prophet) or mawquf (attributed to companions)—regarding what it is permissible to prostrate upon. No relevant report has been omitted.
These narrations clearly indicate that the original rule, when one has the ability and choice, is to prostrate upon the earth itself. Following that are things made from what grows from the earth, based on the reports about the *khumrah*, palm‑fiber mats, reed mats, and similar items. There is no alternative to these when there is no excuse.
However, 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 this is not mentioned in the Sunnah.
