"The Prophet (ﷺ) was commanded to prostrate on seven-and he was forbidden to tuck up his hair and garment-on his hands, his knees, the edges of his feet." Sufyan said: "Ibn Tawus said to us: 'He put his hand on his forehead and moved it down to his nose and said: This one thing.'"
Hadith Text & Transmission
"The Prophet (ﷺ) was commanded to prostrate on seven-and he was forbidden to tuck up his hair and garment-on his hands, his knees, the edges of his feet." Sufyan said: "Ibn Tawus said to us: 'He put his hand on his forehead and moved it down to his nose and said: This one thing.'"
Reference: Sunan an-Nasa'i 1098 | Book: The Book of The At-Tatbiq (Clasping One's Hands Together)
Commentary on the Seven Prostration Points
The seven limbs for prostration are: forehead (including nose), two hands, two knees, and edges of the two feet. Scholars agree these must touch the ground during sajdah. The inclusion of nose with forehead counts as one limb, not two, as clarified by Ibn Tawus' demonstration.
This establishes the proper form of sujud - all seven points must make contact with the prayer surface. Neglecting any invalidates the prostration according to majority opinion.
Prohibition of Tucking Up Hair & Garments
The prohibition against kasr (tucking up) hair and garments during prayer prevents artificial elevation of prostration points from the ground. This ensures proper humility and physical submission to Allah.
Scholars explain this forbids gathering hair or clothes to prevent them from touching the ground, as this contradicts the essence of prostration - complete humbling before the Creator.
Practical Implementation
The forehead and nose must both touch the ground simultaneously. Merely touching the forehead without the nose, or vice versa, is insufficient according to most madhahib.
The "edges of the feet" refers to the tops of the toes facing the qibla. During prostration, the toes should be bent with their tips touching the ground, completing the seven required points of contact.