:Question<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why do we prostrate on Turbah (earth)\nin Salat? Although I do understand that the banning of prostration on Turbah is\na Bid’ah, an innovation in religion, I am however, requesting a firm answer\nbacked by logic and narrations that will help me answer my Sunni brothers.\nThank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
:Answer<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As you may be aware, Sajdah is not\nonly a part of Salat, but in fact is a superb worship in itself. Furthermore,\none is required to prostrate (perform Sajdah) while reading certain verses of\nthe Holy Quran. According to teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP),\nprostration is considered the closest position of a servant to Allah (SWT). (1)\nTherefore, due to the significance of Sajdah, it is very important that Muslims\nperform it correctly. One of the requirements for the validity of Sajdah is the\nplace where we can prostrate on. Since we can not find out the correct way of\nperforming Sajdah using our wisdom, we have to investigate our religion to see\nhow Allah (SWT) has taught us to perform Sajdah correctly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sajdah and Shia<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the teachings of Ahl\nal-Bayt (PBUT), under normal circumstances we must perform Sajdah on earth, on\nits components, or on what grows from the earth (except the things that are\nedible or used in manufacturing cloth). (2) Thus, except for the edible and\nclothing plant products, we can prostrate (perform Sajdah) on anything that is\na component of earth, i.e. soil, stone, sand, or plants. However, amongst the\nwide variety of things permissible to perform Sajdah on, earth is the most\nrecommended and Ahl al-Bayt (PBUT) have encouraged us to perform Sajdah on\nearth when possible. The concern that remains is that in this day and age, it\nis not always possible to find clean earth, so as a solution Shiites have made\nearth in the form of Turbah, so that they are confident about its cleanliness\nand can easily carry it wherever they want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Understanding Prophet Muhammad’s\n(PBUH&HP) tradition<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shiites believe that the Infallible\nImams (PBUT) are the most superior, reliable and authentic sources of Prophet Muhammad’s\n(PBUH&HP) narrations and traditions. As they have stated in various\nnarrations, they have learned everything they teach us from Prophet Muhammad\n(PBUH&HP) himself. This belief is not restricted to Shiites, since a lot of\ngreat Sunni scholars accept the Imams (PBUT) as authentic narrators and narrate\ngreat number of Hadiths from them. Therefore, the words of Ahl al-Bayt (PBUT)\nabout prostration are sufficient for us to be assured that Prophet Muhammad\n(PBUH&HP) prostrated the same way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Infallible Imams (PBUT), however\nare not the only ones who have explained the way one must prostrate; as a\nmatter of fact several narrators amongst the companions and the followers of\nthe Prophet (PBUT&HP) have also narrated Hadiths, which indicate Prophet Muhammad’s\n(PBUH&HP) traditions in this regard. The significance of these narrations\nis that all Muslim scholars, Shia and Sunni (in Sihah Sittah), have agreed upon\nthe authenticity of them. In order to create a common ground in that our Sunni\nbrothers can also rely on, we will provide verses from the Holy Quran and\nnarrations from the Sunni authentic sources. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH&HP) place\nof Sajdah<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the most authentic\njuristic books of both Shiites and Sunnis, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) has\nsaid:” The earth has been considered as a place for prostration and an\nobject that cleanses.”(3) In this Hadith, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP)\nhas explicitly introduced earth as a place to prostrate on. Thus, it is\npermissible to prostrate on earth and its components like soil, stone, and etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH&HP) has\nnot only specified the place of prostration, but has also shown the correct way\nof prostrating through his own practice. Wa’il – the companion of Prophet\nMuhammad (PBUH&HP) – has narrated:” I saw the Prophet putting his\nforehead and his nose on the earth while prostrating.” (4)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Abu Hurayra and Abi Sa’eed Khidri have\nalso confirmed this fact through the following narration: “Although the\nearth had become wet due to the rain, Messenger of Allah prostrated on the\nearth and we saw its trace on his forehead.” (5)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aisha has narrated that the Prophet\nnever covered his forehead with anything during prostration (6), and he would\nnever allow his turban to cover his forehead and get in the way of his place of\nprostration. (7) <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Based on the mentioned narrations, it\nis clearly indicated that even in unusual situations like the time of rain,\nProphet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) prostrated on earth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) and a\nSajdah place other than earth<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Looking carefully into\nProphet Muhammad’s (PBUH&HP) tradition, we realize that besides earth, one\nis also permitted to prostrate on plants, which grow from the earth and are not\nused as food or elements of clothing. The following Hadith illustrates the fact\nthat Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) would sometimes prostrate on certain\nsections of plants: Abu Sa’eed Khidri has narrated, “I once found Prophet\nMuhammad (PBUH&HP) doing Salat on a Mat (a small piece of carpet made by\ncertain stems and leaves of plants) and prostrating on it (8).”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Anas ibn Malik has also narrated that\nthe Prophet used to perform his Salat on a mat: “Once the Prophet was\ninvited to lunch. After having lunch, he addressed us to pray. We cleaned a\npiece of Mat. Them he stood on it, began his Salat, and we accompanied\nhim.” (9)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another thing Prophet Muhammad\n(PBUH&HP) would prostrate on in Salat was a “Khumrah”. Khumrah is a small carpet made from the\nbranches of a palm tree, and is used to put one’s forehead on in Sajdah. (10)\nIbn Abbas, Ibn Umar and also Umm Salamah, Meymunah, and Aisha (who were the\nProphet’s wives) have all narrated that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) would\nalso pray on Khumrah; (11) at times the Prophet would even assign someone to\nbring a Khumrah to the mosque so that he could pray on it. (12)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From the above statements one can\nconclude that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) would prostrate on items such as\nearth, stone, or parts of plants that are neither edible nor wearable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Companions’ place of Sajdah<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This act and practice of Prophet\nMuhammad (PBUH&HP) was so obvious that even the companions would prostrate\non either earth or parts of some plants; and they would refrain from\nprostrating on man-made materials. For example, Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari\nhas narrated, “On one extremely burning midday, I was performing Salat\nwith the Prophet. I took some gravel and held it in my hand; I then passed it\nover to my other hand in order to cool it. \nOnce it was cooled, I prostrated on it.” (13)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bayhaqi, a well-known Sunni scholar,\ncomments on the above stated Hadith as follows:” If indeed it was\npermissible to prostrate on cloth, it would have been much easier than cooling\nthe gravel in order to prostrate on…” (14)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This Hadith and other similar ones\nclarify that it is not permissible to prostrate on cloth under normal\nsituations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Up to this point, only a small portion\nof the narrations about the area of prostration, have been discussed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the books held authentic\nby our Sunni brothers, and according to other narrations about the life and\nstyle of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP), it can be concluded that the method\nthe Shiites follow in Salat and prostration is consistent with the way of\nProphet Muhammad’s (PBUH&HP) tradition. \nAs a matter of fact, Shiites set the preference for prostration on the\nearth over all other options. However, the majority of the sects within Islam,\nincluding our Sunni brothers, unfortunately neglect this important tradition of\nProphet Muhammad (PBUH&HP).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The underlying purpose for prostrating\nin this way\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Besides all these facts, our Imams\n(PBUT) have somewhat explained the reason for performing Sajdah on earth and\nthe parts of plants which are neither edible nor wearable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When Imam Sadiq (PBUH) declared the\nregulations of prostration for Hisham ibn Hakam, Hisham asked about the\nreasons. Imam Sadiq (PBUH) replied: “Sajdah is showing humbleness for\nAllah; thus it is not possible to prostrate on things which is eaten or worn because\nthe materialistic people are a servant of their own food and clothing; yet a\nperson who prostrates, is worshiping Allah during prostration. That person\nshould not therefore place his forehead on what the materialistic people\nworship (with which they have been misled). Furthermore, prostrating on earth\nis superior because it involves a greater humbleness towards Allah.” (15)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A sacred Turbah, the best thing to\nprostrate on<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Till this point, it has become clear\nthat according to Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH&HP) tradition, earth is the best\nthing to prostrate on, and we are free to select the earth from any land.\nHowever, the Infallible Imams (PBUT) have declared the most sacred earth for us\nto prostrate on. It is a known fact that the earth of different lands possesses\ndifferent qualities. Furthermore, according to the Islamic traditions the\nearths of certain lands are superior religiously and spiritually. The\nsuperiority of these lands may help us gain a better proximity with Allah (SWT)\nduring our Salat. However, which earth does possess such superiority?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Following their Imams (PBUT), the\nShiites endeavor to select the earth on which Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP)\nused to respect, smell, kiss, and protect. (16) According to the narrations\nnarrated by all Muslims (including both Shiites and Sunnis), the Turbah of Imam\nHussain (PBUH) was respected and blessed by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) even\n50 years before the incident of Karbala and Imam Hussain’s (PBUH) martyrdom. As\nthe most authentic Sunni books have narrated, it was so that the angels brought\nsome of this Turbah for Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) by Allah’s (SWT) order.\n(17)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Therefore, it is highly recommended,\nfollowing Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) that we perform Sajdah on the earth on which the\nshrine of Imam Hussain (PBUH) is placed upon. \nBy this, one is seeking proximity towards Allah (SWT) by prostrating on\nthe Turbah of a person who sacrificed his existence in the way of his beloved,\nAllah (SWT).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
:Question Why do we prostrate on Turbah (earth) in Salat? Although I do understand that the banning of prostration on Turbah is a Bid’ah, an innovation in religion, I am however, requesting a firm answer backed by logic and narrations that will help me answer my Sunni brothers. Thank you. :Answer As you may be […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28250],"tags":[18141,18114,18131,18128,18041,17943,17873],"class_list":["post-3879","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-questions","tag-earth","tag-general-islamic-laws","tag-holy","tag-prostrating-on-earth","tag-questions","tag-quran","tag-shia"],"yoast_head":"\n