The Hanbalī Stance: Rising from the Sujud (Prostration) Without Sitting or Pausing

According to the Ḥanbalī madh`hab, when rising to the standing position from sujūd, one should lead with his forehead and nose, then his hands by placing them on his knees, then rising until he is standing upright on his feet. When rising from the sujūd,¹ the praying person should brace himself by placing his hands on his knees if he is able to do so. Otherwise, he may also lean on the ground for support. From this, we may deduce that one should avoid sitting briefly (jalsat al-istirāḥah) before standing completely for the second (or fourth) rakʿah [Hanbalī stance].

The Meaning of Jalsat al-Istirāḥah

This sitting (in question) is termed ‘jalsat al-istirāḥah’ (the sitting of rest). Although it should be noted that naming this sitting as such confers a ruling whose application is specific to rest. For this reason, there are scholars who believe this term to be a misnomer. They claim that if it is termed ‘the sitting of rest’, then it is for rest and cannot also be a form of worship. Therefore, we should simply refer to it as ‘sitting’. However, this stance requires re-examination because resting for the purpose of regaining one’s strength in order to continue an act of worship will render that rest a form of worship. As the Most High said:

يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ

“Allāh intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you.”
(Al-Baqarah, 2:185)

Therefore, referring to this sitting as ‘the sitting of rest’—as all the scholars we are aware of have done—is undeserving of objection. Rather, we say: Even if we refer to it as ‘the sitting of rest’, if a person utilises it to regain his strength and continue his worship, this rest will be considered an act of worship.

The Three Opinions Regarding Jalsat al-Istirāḥah

This sitting is a matter of difference between the scholars of ḥadīth and the jurists. Their opinions are as follows:

1. One should not sit at all as it is not from the Sunnah. This is the opinion of the Ḥanbalī madh`hab as aforementioned.
2. One should sit irrespective of whether he requires this brief pause to rest or not. Rather, this sitting should be performed purely as a way of worshipping Allāh—the Exalted in Might. This is the stance taken by the majority of the scholars of ḥadīth and is antithetical to the first opinion.
3. A more moderate stance which finds agreement with both of the previous positions in specific circumstances. They say: If a person is unable to physically rise from sujūd to the standing position without sitting briefly, then he should sit. In this instance, this sitting will be considered a form of worshipping Allāh. Conversely, if a person is able to rise without observing this brief sitting, then he may avoid it and simply stand. This is the opinion adopted by the author of al-Mughnī² (Ibn Qudāmah) and Ibn al-Qayyim.³

Evidences for These Three Opinions

Each of these three opinions have evidence:

1. He Should Not Perform Jalsat al-Istirāḥah: They evidence their stance with the ḥadīth of Wāʾil ibn Ḥujr (رضي الله عنه): When the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) would stand, he would do so by leaning on his knees, bracing himself on his thighs”.⁴
2. He Should Perform Jalsat al-Istirāḥah: They evidence their stance with the narration in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī on the authority of Mālik ibn al-Ḥuwayrith (رضي الله عنه): “If the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was in an odd numbered rakʿah in ṣalāh, he would not stand from it until he had first attained stillness in the sitting position”.⁵ Also, in the same ḥadīth, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) used to support himself when standing by placing his hands on the ground.⁶ They say: This proves that it is a sitting considerable enough for him to find stillness within it. The same word used in this ḥadīth is used in the verse:

   ‏ لِتَسْتَوُوا عَلَىٰ ظُهُورِهِ ثُمَّ تَذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ رَبِّكُمْ إِذَا اسْتَوَيْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ وَتَقُولُوا سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ ‎﴿١٣﴾‏ وَإِنَّا إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا لَمُنقَلِبُونَ

   “In order that you may mount firmly on their backs, and then may remember the Favour of your Lord when you mount thereon, and say: “Glory to Him who has subjected this to us, and we could never have it (by our efforts).” And verily, to Our Lord we indeed are to return!”
   (Al-Zukhruf, 43:14)

   The narrator of this ḥadīth is also the narrator of the ḥadīth: “Pray as you see me pray”.⁷ Additionally, Mālik ibn al-Ḥuwayrith only came to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) as an ambassador towards the end of his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) life, in the ninth hijrī year. This proves that this sitting is mustaḥabb (recommended), not an innate, merely coincidental, habitual sitting.

3. He May or May Not Perform Jalsah al-Istirāḥah According to Need: As for those who have taken the moderate stance, they say: It is well-known that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) lived through two states. One in which he was younger, active, and strong, and another in which he was less so. This is exemplified in his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) performing the night prayer seated for an entire year towards the end of his life.⁸ He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) also used to race ʿĀʾishah (رضي الله عنها) and she was able to best him (صلى الله عليه وسلم) as he got older.⁹ Additionally, he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) used to favour easing the performance of worship upon himself and others. To the extent that he objected to the companions who said: “We will fast every day continuously and never cease, we will stand in the night prayer every night and never sleep, and we shall refuse to take wives”.¹⁰ He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) also prevented ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ (رضي الله عنه) from fasting daily, counseling him towards fasting every other day.¹¹ He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) also prevented him from praying all night, counselling him instead towards sleeping (the first) half of the night, then standing in prayer for a third of it, then sleeping (for the final) sixth.¹² All of this proves that the sharīʿah of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is fundamentally built upon ease and simplicity.

When Mālik ibn al-Ḥuwayrith (رضي الله عنه) came to him (صلى الله عليه وسلم), it was towards the end of his life. At a time when he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) had taken measures to ease the performance of worship upon himself such that he would sit briefly in ṣalāh before rising while supporting himself with his hands on the ground. This proves that, at the time, he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) had begun to find difficulty in standing completely unaided. As the more active a person, the more able he is to stand directly without the need to support himself regardless of having previously sat for tashahhud¹³ or not.

They also say: All of the actions of ṣalāh may be classed as either pillars or obligations.¹⁴ This jalsah belongs to neither class according to scholarly consensus (ijmāʿ). Regarding this, the scholars have really only differed whether this sitting has been legislated or not, after several of them related scholarly consensus that it is definitely not a pillar of the ṣalāh. Also, every action of the ṣalāh necessitates an invocation or remembrance that is said, except for this sitting. This also proves that it should not be considered a form of worship.

Based on all of this, we say: If a person requires a rest before standing, then this sitting is considered legislated for him to ease the performance of worship and grant him an opportunity to rest briefly. If, however, a person has no need to rest before standing, then it should not be considered legislated for him.

The Position of Shaykh Ibn ʿUthaymīn (رحمه الله): It Is a Sunnah for Those Who Need to Perform It

This latter opinion—as you can appreciate—is moderate. It facilitates the commensuration of all the evidence in this matter, as Ibn Qudāmah (رحمه الله) points out. It is also the position taken by Ibn al-Qayyim (رحمه الله). We do not define this sitting in an encompassing fashion as either being from Sunnah or not from the Sunnah. Instead, we say: It is a Sunnah for those who require it due to old age, injury, or any other incapacitation. I—myself—used to consider it Sunnah for everyone regardless, to the extent that I used to habitually do it when I would lead the prayer. However, after much contemplation and reflection, I have concluded that the more moderate opinion which constitutes logical elaboration is closer to the truth than the belief that this sitting is mustaḥabb regardless of personal circumstance. Admittedly, I do feel as if my inclination towards this position is not extremely resolute, although I find myself being drawn closer to the more moderate stance, so I have chosen to adopt it.

Observing Jalsat al-Istirāḥah When Being Led in Prayer

[Q]: If a person is being led in prayer, should he sit briefly before rising provided he regards it to be Sunnah, or should he simply follow his imām?

[A]: Following his imām is better. This may be evidenced by his complete abandonment of the first tashahhud despite it being obligatory for the one who joins the congregation late in the second rakʿah. Here, he will perform the first tashahhud in his first rakʿah for the sole purpose of following the imām. He will also leave his first tashahhud when the imām stands for the final fourth rakʿah [which would be this latecomer’s second] again only for the purpose of following the imām. A person will even abandon a pillar of the ṣalāh to follow his imām, as the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “If the imām leads you while sitting, then sit as well”.¹⁵ Here, one abandons standing in ṣalāh when he is meant to stand, inclining his head in rukūʿ instead of performing it standing, despite both being among the pillars of the prayer all for the sole purpose of following the imām.

[Q]: This sitting is quite brief such that, if one does it, it will not cause an extensive delay in his following of the imām.

[A]: The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “If the imām performs rukūʿ, then perform it. If he performs sujūd, then perform it.”¹⁶ The letter fāʾ(‘then’ in the ḥadīth) is used to separate the actions of the imām and those being led which indicates that the imam’s actions should be followed directly without any delay or interruption. This proves that it is better for those being led to follow the actions of their imām, refraining from delaying from his actions even if the delay is minute. Rather, they should immediately follow his actions, not performing them at the same time as him, nor before him, nor delayed after him. This is the true essence of being led.¹⁷

If the matter is reversed—that is, the imām views this sitting to be legislated and you do not—it would be obligatory for you to sit with him. This is because if you choose not to, you will resultantly stand before him which is ḥarām. As the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “Is the one who raises his head before his imām not afraid that Allāh shall transform his head to that of a donkey? Or allow his face to resemble that of a donkey?”¹⁸

A person may also say: I will not stand before him. Instead, I will wait in sujūd and only stand up once I am absolutely positive the imām has returned to the standing position. We answer: Then you would not have done an act that is ḥarām, but you have failed to enact the Sunnah of performing the acts of prayer immediately after your imām. Even if you do not view this sitting to be mustaḥabb (recommended) but your imām does view it as such, sit with your imām just as you sit with him for his tashahhud despite it not being in its correct place for your ṣalāh should you join the congregation late.

Source: Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ 3:133-139
Translated by: Riyāḍ al-Kanadī