The Forgotten Sunnah of Prostration

Al-Baraa’ Ibn ‘Aazib said: “When the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, ‘Sami’a Allaahu liman hamidah’, none of us would bend our backs [to start prostrating] until the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) went down into prostration, then we would go down into prostration after him.”[1]

Imaam an-Nawawee (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “This hadeeth contains one of the etiquettes of Salaah. It [also] shows that the Sunnah is that the ma’moom[2] should not bend his back in order to go down for prostration until the Imaam places his forehead on the ground, except he knows that if he were to delay to this extent, the Imaam would rise from the prostration before he prostrates.

Source: Sharh Saheeh Muslim, vol. 4, p. 142 by Imaam an-Nawawee (may Allaah have mercy on him)

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[1] Recorded by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim

[2] The person praying behind an Imaam