Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Brother,
Assalaamu Alaikum(Varah.)
I have some questions regarding Prayers.

1.When we are on the Standing position,while reciting Surah Fatiha,Where our eyes should focus?

2.While we going to Sujud,Which part we have place down first.I remember that i read before,we have to place our hands then the knees.Its correct or wrong.

3.Also i can see the people,before the Imaam goes to Ruku ro Sujud they are hurry and they do first.Its that correct?

Please kindly send the Answers detailed with the Evidence of HOLY QURAN and the The Hadees.

Jazakallahu Hair. 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Knees sight move before imam

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: When we are on the Standing position,while reciting Surah Fatiha,Where our eyes should focus?

When one is in the state of prayer, one in effect is in the audience of their Lord Most Majestic, Most Supreme; and it is amongst the etiquettes of prayer that one strive to focus their sight in humility at their place of prostration.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 2.91b

Abu Hurairah reports that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "Those who raise their sight to the sky during the prayer should stop doing so or their sight may be taken away." Related by Ahmad, Muslim, and an-Nasa'i.

Your Question: While we going to Sujud,Which part we have place down first.I remember that i read before,we have to place our hands then the knees.Its correct or wrong.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 1.151

Topic: Sunnah acts of prayer, How To Prostrate

Most scholars prefer that one place his knees on the floor before his hands. Ibn al-Mundhir related this from 'Umar an-Nakha'i, Muslim ibn Yasar, Sufyan al-Thauri, Ahmad, Ishaq and other jurists including Ibn al-Mundhir himself.

Ibn al-Qayyim said, "When the Prophet (saws) prayed, he would place his knees (on the floor) before his hands, then his hands, then his forehead and nose.’

Narrated Shuraik from 'Asim ibn Kaleeb on the authority of his father from Wa'il ibn Hajr who said, 'I saw the Messenger of Allah (saws) while prostrating, placing his knees (on the floor) before his hands. Upon getting up, he would raise his hands before his knees. I never saw him do otherwise."

Although it is best and preferred to place one knees before one’s hands on the ground when approaching the ‘sujood’ in prayer, the scholars and jurists in Islam are unanimous in their opinion that if one due to old age, or lack of agility, or any reason whatsoever happens to place one’s hands before one’s knees there is no harm and it does not effect the validity of one’s prayers in the least.

Your Question: Also i can see the people,before the Imaam goes to Ruku ro Sujud they are hurry and they do first. Its that correct?

Abu Hurairah reports that the Prophet (saws) said: "The ‘imam’ is selected to be followed; therefore, do not differ with him. When he makes the ‘takbir’, make the ‘takbir’; when he goes into ‘ruku', make ruku'; when he says 'Allah hears him who praises Him,' say 'O Allah, our Lord, to You belongs the Praise'; when he goes into ‘sajdah’, make sajdah; and if the ‘imam’prays sitting, then all (behind the ‘imam’ in congregation) should pray sitting."

Related by Bukhari and Muslim.

Abu Hurairah reports that the Prophet (saws) said: "The ‘imam’ is to be followed; if he makes the ‘takbir’, make the ‘takbir, and do not make the ‘takbir until he does so; when he goes into ‘ruku', make ‘ruku', and do not perform ‘ruku' until he does so; when he goes into ‘sajdah’, make ‘sajdah’, and do not make ‘sajdah’ until he does so."

Related by Ahmad and Abu Dawood.

Anas reports that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "O people, I am your ‘imam’, so do not precede me in ‘ruku' or in ‘sujood ‘or in ‘qiyam’ or in sitting or in finishing (the prayer)."

Related by Ahmad and Muslim .

Al-Bara' ibn 'Azib says: "We prayed with the Messenger of Allah (saws) and when he (saws) said 'Allah hears him who praises Him' (upon finishing his ‘ruku’) none of us would bend his back until the Messenger of Allah (saws) had put his forehead upon the ground."

Related by Bukhari and Muslim. .

In light of the above guidance of the Messenger of Allah (saws) not only is it absolutely incorrect to precede the ‘imam’ in any act in prayer, the Messenger of Allah (saws) strictly forbade and prohibited the believers from doing so.

Abu Hurairah reports that the Prophet (saws) said: "Do you not fear that if you raise your head (from sajdah in prayer) before the ‘imam’, Allah may change your head into that of a donkey!"

Related by Bukhari and Muslim.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan