Sin of Placing Knees Down First-Part 2

[CarlEdwardRoss]

Bismillah ir-rahmaan ir-raheem
Allahumma salli ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad
Al-hamdu lillahi ir-rahmaan ir-raheem
As-salaamu laykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu

Dear Muslims;

For those who might say or think that my conclusions concerning prostration are conjecture and without basis, let me answer with the following. The commands of the Prophet(sallallahu alayhi wa salaam) are of two types, specific and general and of two modes, verbal and by example. You must understand that the specific command outweighs the general command and the verbal command outweighs actions by example. The well known principle according to the scholars is that if there seems to be a contradiction between a general ruling and a specific ruling, then the specific outweighs the general. The hadiths are of two different modes of command. The authentic hadith which tends to specify knees first in prostration is of command by example. This mode is usually always a description of an action. The authentic hadiths specifying hands first contain one descriptive hadith, that is command by example and one verbal command of prohibition. A verbal command usually always specifically prohibits or specifically allows an action.

COMMANDS BY EXAMPLE:
Book 3, Number 0837:
Narrated Wa'il ibn Hujr:
I saw that the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) placed his knees (on the ground) before placing his hands when he prostrated himself. And when he stood up, he raised his hands before his knees.

Book 3, Number 0895:
Narrated Al-Bara' ibn Azib:
Al-Bara' described to us (the nature of prostration). He placed his hands (palms), reclined on his knees, and raised his hips; he said: This is how the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) used to prostrate himself.

COMMAND MODE-VERBAL PROHIBITING
Book 3, Number 0840:
Narrated AbuHurayrah:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: (Does) one of you kneel down in his prayer as a camel kneels down (i.e. put his knees before his hands).

The simple way to understand that verbal commands outweigh commands by example is to consider this fact. The command by example of the Prophet(sallallahu alayhi wa-salaam) is that a Muslim man can have MORE than four wives at one time as he does but the verbal command is that every Muslim man is to have NO MORE than four at one time. There were matters which are known to be applicable only to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), such as continual fasting [i.e., fasting for more than one day without breaking the fast at night], having more than four wives and some scholars say being able to be alone with non-mahram woman. These apply only to him and not to anyone else. Therefore it is not permissible for a Muslim male to fast continually or have more than four wives at one time following the command by example of the Prophet(sallallahu alayhi wa salaam) because there is a verbal command that outweighs otherwise it will be permissible for Muslim men to have more than four wives at one time in spite of his forbidding that. We know that having more than for wives is not rule(shariah) nor consensus(ijma) therefore we know that obeying verbal commands of the Prophet(sallallahu alayhi wa-salaam) outweigh emulating his actions because verbal commands are more specific and explicit than general emulation of example. The situation of going down in prostration is similar to the verbal command forbidding fasting continually:

The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa salaam) used to fast continually, and Allaah gave him the strength to do that, but he forbade his ummah to do that out of compassion and mercy towards them.
Al-Bukhaari (7299) and Muslim (1103) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Do not fast continually.” They said, “But you fast continually.” He said, “I am not like you. I spend my time with my Lord and He gives me food and drink.” They did not stop fasting continually, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) fasted continually with them for two or three days, then they saw the new moon, and the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa-salaam) said: “If the new moon had come later I would have continued my fast” – as if to prove to them that they were not like him and could not continue fasting.

Ibn Qudaamah said in al-Mughni, 4/436: Continual fasting is makrooh according to the majority of scholars.

Al-Nawawi said in al-Majmoo’, 6/357:

With regard to the ruling on continual fasting, it is makrooh, and there is no difference of opinion among us concerning that. But is it makrooh in the sense of being forbidden or makrooh in the sense of being disliked? There are two opinions concerning that … (the more correct of which) according to our companions and the apparent meaning of the statement of al-Shaafa’i is that it is makrooh in the sense of being forbidden.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said in al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 6/443:

It appears that the ruling with regard to continual fasting is that it is haraam.

And Allaah knows best.

Soubhanna allah wa-bihamdihi
Sheikh Iesa Ibn Muhammad