Sunan Ibn Majah
Establishing the Prayer and the Sunnah Regarding Them
كتاب إقامة الصلاة والسنة فيها
Chapter 19
السُّجُودِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Ibn Abbas reported that the Prophet said: I have been commanded to prostrate on seven bones.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The Arabic says seven bones and gives no further list in this excerpt.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Ibn Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah said: I have been commanded to prostrate on seven, and not to gather up hair or clothing.
Ibn Tawus said: My father used to say: the two hands, the two knees, and the two feet; and he counted the forehead and nose as one.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The source follows the Prophetic statement with an explanation of the seven points: hands, knees, feet, and forehead with the nose counted as one.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib reported that he heard the Prophet say: When a servant prostrates, seven parts of his body prostrate with him: his face, his two hands, his two knees, and his two feet.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The Arabic uses arāb for body parts or members and lists the face, hands, knees, and feet.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Ahmar, a companion of the Messenger of Allah, said: We used to feel sorry for the Messenger of Allah because of how far he held his hands away from his sides when he prostrated.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The chain is Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah, from Waki, from Abbad ibn Rashid, from al-Hasan, who said: Ahmar, a companion of the Messenger of Allah, said. The verb nawi is rendered as feeling sorry, following the sense indicated by the report.
Chapter 20
التَّسْبِيحِ فِي الرُّكُوعِ وَالسُّجُودِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Uqbah ibn Amir al-Juhani said: When the verse Glorify the name of your Lord, the Magnificent was revealed, the Messenger of Allah said to us: Place it in your bowing. When the verse Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High was revealed, the Messenger of Allah said to us: Place it in your prostration.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The chain is Amr ibn Rafi al-Bajali, from Abd Allah ibn al-Mubarak, from Musa ibn Ayyub al-Ghafiqi, who said he heard his uncle Iyas ibn Amir, who said he heard Uqbah ibn Amir al-Juhani. The two quoted phrases are Quranic verses used in the prayer postures.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah say: When he bowed, he said Subhana Rabbiyal-Azim three times; and when he prostrated, he said Subhana Rabbiyal-Ala three times.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The Arabic devotional phrases mean “Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent” and “Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.” They are retained transliterated here.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Aishah said: The Messenger of Allah often said while bowing and prostrating: Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise is Yours. O Allah, forgive me. He was interpreting the Quran.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The chain is Muhammad ibn al-Sabbah, from Jarir, from Mansur, from Abu al-Duha, from Masruq, from Aishah. The final phrase says that he was acting upon or interpreting the Quran.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abd Allah ibn Masud reported that the Messenger of Allah said: When one of you bows, let him say in his bowing, Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent, three times. When he does that, his bowing is complete. When one of you prostrates, let him say in his prostration, Glory be to my Lord, the Most High, three times. When he does that, his prostration is complete; that is the minimum.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The final phrase adnahu is rendered as “the minimum”; what exactly it qualifies is not stated explicitly.
وَذَلِكَ أَدْنَاهُ
The text does not explicitly state which aspect is the minimum: the number of repetitions or the completeness of bowing and prostration.
Should the closing phrase be understood as setting the minimum number of repetitions or the minimum valid form?
Chapter 21
الاِعْتِدَالِ فِي السُّجُودِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Jabir reported that the Messenger of Allah said: When one of you prostrates, let him keep his body balanced, and not spread his forearms flat like a dog.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The simile compares the spreading of the forearms flat on the ground to a dog laying them out.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Anas ibn Malik reported that the Prophet said: Be balanced when prostrating, and let none of you prostrate with his forearms spread out like a dog.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The report repeats the instruction to avoid spreading the arms like a dog while prostrating.
Chapter 22
الْجُلُوسِ بَيْنَ السَّجْدَتَيْنِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Aishah said: When the Messenger of Allah raised his head from bowing, he would not prostrate until he had stood upright. When he raised his head from prostration, he would not prostrate again until he had sat upright. He used to sit with his left foot laid flat.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The report gives full pauses after bowing and prostration, and specifies that the left foot was laid flat.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Ali reported that the Messenger of Allah said to him: Do not sit in iqaa between the two prostrations.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
Iqaa is retained as a technical term for a specific sitting posture; the source does not describe its form in this brief report.
قَالَ قَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " لاَ تُقْعِ بَيْنَ السَّجْدَتَيْنِ " .
The report names iqaa but does not define the precise posture in this excerpt.
Which established English rendering of iqaa should be used for this prayer posture?
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Ali reported that the Prophet said: O Ali, do not sit in the sitting posture of a dog.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The source chain reads Muhammad ibn Thawwab, from Abu Nuaym al-Nakhai, from Abu Malik, from Asim ibn Kulayb, from his father, from Abu Musa and Abu Ishaq, from al-Harith, from Ali. The punctuation in this chain is irregular; the apparent grouping is reflected here.
إِقْعَاءَ الْكَلْبِ
Iqaa names a specific sitting posture, but this brief report does not describe its physical form.
Should iqaa be transliterated or rendered with an established English name for this posture?
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Anas ibn Malik said: The Prophet said to me: When you raise your head from prostration, do not sit as a dog sits. Place your buttocks between your feet, and press the tops of your feet against the ground.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The report explains the sitting posture being prohibited by describing where to place the buttocks and feet.
Chapter 23
مَا يَقُولُ بَيْنَ السَّجْدَتَيْنِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Hudhayfah reported through two routes: one route is from Hudhayfah through Talhah ibn Yazid, from Amr ibn Murrah, from al-Ala ibn al-Musayyib; the other is from Hudhayfah through Silah ibn Zufar, from al-Mustawrid ibn al-Ahnaf, from Sad ibn Ubaydah, from al-Amash. Both routes go back through Hafs ibn Ghiyath to Ali ibn Muhammad. They reported that the Prophet used to say between the two prostrations: My Lord, forgive me; my Lord, forgive me.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The Arabic gives two separate chains, each beginning through a different route from Hudhayfah, then joins them in the shared report. The route order has been rendered from the text.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Ibn Abbas reported that during the night prayer the Messenger of Allah used to say between the two prostrations: My Lord, forgive me, have mercy on me, restore me, provide for me, and raise me.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The supplication uses wajburni, rendered as “restore me,” meaning to set right or make whole.
Chapter 24
مَا جَاءَ فِي التَّشَهُّدِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abd Allah ibn Masud reported through two chains: Muhammad ibn Abd Allah ibn Numayr, from his father, from al-Amash, from Shaqiq ibn Salamah; and Abu Bakr ibn Khallad al-Bahili, from Yahya ibn Said, from al-Amash, from Shaqiq. Both routes reach Abd Allah ibn Masud, who said: When we prayed with the Prophet, we used to say: Peace be upon Allah before His servants; peace be upon Gabriel and Michael, and upon so-and-so and so-and-so. They meant the angels. The Messenger of Allah heard us and said: Do not say, Peace be upon Allah, for Allah is As-Salam. When you sit, say: All greetings belong to Allah, and the prayers and good things. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah. For when you say that, it reaches every righteous servant in the heavens and the earth. I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.
A further chain is Muhammad ibn Yahya, from Abd al-Razzaq, who reported from al-Thawri, from Mansur, al-Amash, Husayn, Abu Hashim, and Hammad, from Abu Wail, and from Abu Ishaq, from al-Aswad and Abu al-Ahwas, from Abd Allah ibn Masud, from the Prophet, with similar wording.
Another chain is Muhammad ibn Maamar, from Qabisah, from Sufyan, from al-Amash, Mansur, and Husayn, from Abu Wail, from Abd Allah ibn Masud. It then gives a route from Sufyan, from Abu Ishaq, from Abu Ubaydah, al-Aswad, and Abu al-Ahwas, from Abd Allah ibn Masud, who reported that the Prophet used to teach them the tashahhud; he then mentioned similar wording.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The source contains two initial routes followed by two further isnad presentations. The explanatory phrase says that “so-and-so and so-and-so” referred to the angels. The formula differs slightly across routes; each source wording is represented without replacing it with a standardized version.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Ibn Abbas said: The Messenger of Allah used to teach us the tashahhud as he taught us a surah of the Quran. He would say: The blessed greetings, prayers, and good things belong to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah. I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The chain is Muhammad ibn Rumh, from al-Layth ibn Sad, from Abu al-Zubayr, from Said ibn Jubayr and Tawus, from Ibn Abbas. This wording includes al-mubarakat, “the blessed,” in the opening formula.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
The first route is Jamil ibn al-Hasan, from Abd al-Ala, from Said, from Qatadah. Another route is Abd al-Rahman ibn Umar, from Ibn Abi Adi, from Said ibn Abi Arubah and Hisham ibn Abd Allah, from Qatadah. The text then says: This is the report of Abd al-Rahman from Yunus ibn Jubayr, from Hittan ibn Abd Allah, from Abu Musa al-Ashari, who reported that the Messenger of Allah addressed us, explained our practice to us, and taught us our prayer. He said: When you pray and reach the sitting, let the first words one of you says be: All good greetings, prayers, belong to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah. I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. These are seven words that constitute the greeting of the prayer.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The source first gives two routes through Qatadah, then says “this is the report of Abd al-Rahman” through Yunus ibn Jubayr and Abu Musa; the relationship between these chains is unclear. The phrase “seven words” is retained as stated.
وَهَذَا حَدِيثُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ،
The attribution following the two listed Qatadah routes shifts to Abd al-Rahman from Yunus ibn Jubayr, without explaining the relationship to the preceding chains.
How should this chain note be punctuated or connected to the preceding routes in a critical source?
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Jabir ibn Abd Allah reported: Muhammad ibn Ziyad, from al-Mutamir ibn Sulayman, and Yahya ibn Hakim, from Muhammad ibn Bakr, both reported from Ayman ibn Nabil, from Abu al-Zubayr, from Jabir, that the Messenger of Allah used to teach us the tashahhud as he taught us a surah of the Quran. He would say: In the name of Allah and by Allah. All greetings belong to Allah, and the prayers and good things belong to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah. I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. I ask Allah for Paradise and seek refuge in Allah from the Fire.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The source gives two routes that converge through Ayman ibn Nabil. This version of the tashahhud begins with “In the name of Allah and by Allah” and adds a request for Paradise and refuge from the Fire.