Manner of Sitting in Jalsah¹: Iftirāsh

After rising from the first sajdah, a person should sit with his left foot spread out flat beneath him—like a cushion of sorts—avoiding sitting on his heels. Rather, his left foot should be positioned such that its upper portion (i.e. the top of the foot) is pressed into the ground, while its underside (i.e. the bottom of the foot) faces upward. Conversely, his right foot should be raised (by positioning one’s right toes on the ground, the right foot completely vertical with the heel straight up). In doing so, one must extricate his right foot from beneath his right leg while his left foot is spread out beneath him. This is termed iftirāsh and is the manner of sitting that is fully agreed upon by the scholars.

Other scholars have also adopted the opinion that one should sit after the sajdah upon both heels—that is, with both feet raised vertically beneath him. They evidence this position with the ḥadīth of Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما) in which he, after describing this manner of sitting, said: “Indeed, such is the Sunnah”². However, the prevailing opinion of Imām Aḥmad (رحمه الله) is that sitting in such a manner is not from the Sunnah. They evidence this claim with the fact that most aḥadīth narrated from the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) indicate iftirāsh as previously described. We may also postulate that Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما) here is referencing a previous, earlier manner of sitting. In the same way that when ṣalāh was first obligated, the rukūʿ used to be performed with a practice known as taṭbīq, which is to place both hands between the thighs instead of placing them on the knees This manner of performing the rukūʿ was so established that Ibn Masʿūd (رضي الله عنه) continued practising it³ while ignorant of the subsequent abrogator from the Sunnah which was authentically and definitively confirmed.⁴ In consideration of this, our jurists consider the only valid manner of sitting after the sajdah to be with iftirāsh, as previously described.

Placement of the Hands in Jalsah

[Q]: How should one place their hands while in this sitting position?

[A]: This is a matter of great importance and may be clarified with the following:

1. He may place his hands on his thighs with the tips of his fingers extended to his knees.⁵
2. Alternatively, he may place his right hand on his right knee with his left hand being used to completely obstruct his left knee, almost as if he is cradling it with his left hand.⁶

Regarding how one should place his hands while in jalsah:

The Left Arm

One’s left hand should be extended fully flat without spaces between the fingers, with the hand as a whole pointing to the direction of the qiblah. His elbow should be attached to the edge of his thigh such that no space is left between them.

The Right Arm

As for one’s right hand, the Sunnah demonstrates that one should fold his little finger and ring finger into his palm, while using his thumb and middle finger to form a circle or ring shape, with the index finger raised straight and moved whilst he invokes Allāh. Such is the description reported by Imām Aḥmad and narrated in the ḥadīth of Wāʾil ibn Ḥujr (رضي الله عنه). This ḥadīth was graded authentic by al-Shawkānī in Fatḥ al-Rabbānī⁷, and by Ibn al-Qayyim in Zād al-Maʿād⁸. Another manner of holding the right hand is to fold the little, ring, and middle fingers into the palm, attaching the thumb to the side of the middle finger, with the index finger raised.⁹

However, the jurists have adopted the opinion that the right hand should be stretched forth flat in the same manner as the left, specifically in the jalsah between the two sajdah. Despite this, adoption of the Sunnah is a more befitting recourse as it was never narrated in the Sunnah—not in an authentic, ḥasan or even a weak ḥadīth—that one should extend his right hand flat on his right thigh in jalsah. Rather, holding the right hand as described was narrated and referred to in the ḥadīth with generality when one sits in ṣalāh. There are also narrations that qualify this with mention of sitting specifically for tashahhud¹⁰ with both narrations found in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim. Despite this, it is the position of the jurists that every jalsah in ṣalāh should be distinct. The jalsah between the two sajdah should be with iftirāsh, both hands extended flat on one’s thighs. In the first tashahhud, one should sit with iftirāsh, but hold their right hand in the manner described. In the final tashahhud, one should sit with tawarruk (leaning over on the left thigh with the left foot positioned under the right leg, and the right foot positioned with the toes on the floor and the heel straight up), holding the right hand in the manner described.

Invocations Made During Jalsah

While in jalsah, a person should say:

رَبِّ اغْفِرْلِي

Rabbī ighfirlī
O my Lord! Forgive me

While in this position, one should also invoke Allāh with everything that has been narrated from the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم). For example:

رَبِّ اغْفِرْلِي وَارْحَمْنِي وَعَافِنِي وَاهْدِنِي وَارْزُقْنِي وَاجْبُرْنِي

Rabbī ighfirlī wa-arḥamnī wa-ʿāfinī wa-ahdinī wa-arzuqnī wa-ajburnī
O my Lord! Forgive me, have mercy on me, grant me health and vitality, guide me, provide for me,¹¹ and restore me.¹²

As for Rabbī ighfirlī (O my Lord! Forgive me): that is, you are seeking forgiveness from Allāh—the Glorified, the Most High—for both your minor and major sins. Forgiveness refers to concealment of the misdeed, coupled with complete pardoning of it. The word ighfir used here derives from the Arabic word mighfar or a helmet worn over the head, covering and protecting it from arrows in battle.

Regarding wa-arḥamnī (have mercy on me): it is to request Allāh’s—the Exalted in Majesty—mercy with which one attains and accomplishes his goal. When coupled with the request for forgiveness as in this invocation, forgiveness refers specifically to the simultaneous removal of that which is undesirable or hated. Conversely, when forgiveness and mercy are requested individually in an invocation, each of them encompasses the meaning of the other [i.e., each one alone would stipulate the attainment of one’s goal and the simultaneous removal of the undesirable]. This is similar to many other words in Arabic. For example, faqīr [destitute or poverty-stricken] and miskīn [the needy or poor] when mentioned together will each have their own meaning¹³, but when mentioned individually their meanings encompass one another.

As for wa-arzuqnī (provide for me): it is seeking provision that facilitates the nourishment and proper functioning of one’s body, allowing him to practise his religion to the fullest extent. Regarding the former, it is inclusive of the request for food, drink, clothing, and shelter. As for the latter, it is inclusive of the attainment of religious knowledge, while harbouring true belief, and engaging in righteous deeds. It is most befitting that one is fully cognizant of the magnanimous meanings behind these invocations to facilitate the deriving of true benefit from saying them. From this, when a person says “provide for me” he is mindful that he is requesting that which supports both his physical and religious existences.

Regarding the invocation wa-ʿāfinī (grant me health and vitality): health such that I am saved from all forms of sickness, both religious and those affecting my physical form. Then, if one were to say this invocation while already being afflicted with sickness, its purpose is to seek its removal and prevent its future return. It is, therefore, most appropriate that when one says this invocation, he is cognizant that he is seeking the bestowment of health and vitality—both in his physical body and religion.

As for wa-ajburnī (restore me): that is, from deficiency, as all human beings are deficient, careless, continuously transgressing against themselves either by overstepping boundaries, or unfulfilling responsibilities. Therefore, they are in need of restoration such that they are able to return to a state of uprightness following engagement in error and debauchery.

One should contemplate these meanings whilst saying this invocation.

[Q]: Would all of this not be addressed by one simply saying “O Allāh! Have mercy on me”, as the granting of mercy entails the attainment of that which is desirable and the complete removal of that which is hated?

[A]: This is correct. However, invocation is a matter most deserving of elaboration, in which one should expound on their needs. Although this should be confined to that which has been narrated in the Sunnah, not with rhyming, meaningless invocations, or those whose meanings are incorrect.

The wisdom behind making invocations in a detailed, elaborated and expounded manner include:

Invoking Allāh is a form of worship, and the more one worships Allāh, the greater amount of goodness they are able to attain.
When one invokes Allāh—the Exalted in Might, it is a form of direct, private conversing with Him. If Allāh is already most beloved to the believer, then increasing the amount of time spent privately conversing with Him can only increase the love of the true believer for Allāh.
It facilitates one being mindful of the details of his transgression and sin. As there are many varieties of sin and, as a person lengthens his invocation, he becomes ever more aware and cognizant of his perpetration of all its types. In this vein, among the invocations of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is:

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي ذَنْبِي كُلَّهُ، دِقَّهُ وَجِلَّهُ، وَأوَّلَهُ وَآخِرَهُ، وَعَلَانِيَتَهُ وَسِرَّهُ

Allāhumma ighfirlī dhambī kullah, diqqahū wa jillāh, wa awwalahū wa ākhirah, wa ʿalāniyatahū wa sirrah
“O Allāh! Forgive me all of my sins, the small, infrequent, and major, frequent among them, the first and the last of them, those done publicly and in private”.¹⁴