 |
| 1. Alhamdu lillaahil -lathee 'ahyaanaa ba'da maa amaataana wa'ilayhin-nushoor. 2. Alhamdul lillaahil -lathee 'aafaanee fee jasadee, wa radda 'alayya roohee, wa 'athina lee bithikrihi. |
What is the description of the rukoo'?The description of the rukoo' is that the individual bends his back and places his hands upon his knees; his back is to be level to the point that if a person were to come with a hollow plate and place it upon his back, it would remain in its place. So this indicates that the back is level.The author (Shaykh al-Albaanee, rahimahullaah) mentioned in that which he has cited from the ahadeeth, that the Messenger (sallaallahu 'alayhi wa sallam), when he would bow, [he] would spread his back to the point that if someone were to pour water upon it then it would remain in its place. Because then, [the] back is level and is not curved (or bent).As for the head and the neck, then he would not droop his head, meaning he would not bend it towards the ground. Nor would he raise it, meaning he would not raise it higher that the level of his back. And he is to place his head and neck even with the level of his back. What is affirmed, as the author has mentioned, in the ahadeeth, is that the Messenger (sallaallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) would place his palms upon his knees. Not upon his thighs above the knees. Nor upon the shin below the knees. He would separate his fingers and firmly grasp his knees with his hands as if he holding his knees.
…and from it is the saying of Anas, may Allaah be pleased with him, in a Sunnah from the Sunan of Salaat; and it is the spacing in the Salaat; that a Muslim stands beside his Muslim brother and attaches is feet, knees and shoulders to his brother without being excessive or negligent, as was legislated by the Messenger – صلى الله عليه وسلم – who said:“You will straighten your lines or Allaah will separate between your hearts or faces.”This is why when the hearts have become separated during this time, so did the feet.
Why is it that we can’t attach our feet to each other’s feet?It is because our hearts are detached from one another, if our hearts were attached to one another, our feet would also be attached. This is why if a person who loves you and whom you love were to put his foot over yours, you would not get upset, you would not say; ‘why is he bothering me’, this is because your heart loves him. But because there is a detachment between you and him, you cannot stand that he attaches his foot to yours let alone that he puts his foot over yours.This is why Anas, may Allaah be pleased with him, when he describes his state at the time of the Messenger of Allaah – صلى الله عليه وسلم – and his state after that, he says;“At the time of the Messenger – صلى الله عليه وسلم – we would attach our feet to our brother’s feet, and our knees to our brother’s knees, and our shoulders to our brother’s shoulders, in obedience to the Messenger’s orders – صلى الله عليه وسلم - , but if we were to do so today, he would escape like an obstinate mule.”By Allaah I saw with my own eyes here in Madeenah, a man wanted to attach his foot to his brother’s foot, by Allaah his brother cut his Salaat, he cut his Salaat and left the whole first line and went to the second line. He left the first line to escape this Sunnah, and the cause of this is ignorance, may Allaah preserve you. This is why we must teach the people the Sunnah of the Prophet – صلى الله عليه وسلم – because people are enemies to what they are ignorant of.
