The Prophet's Prayer From The beginning To The End As Though ...

"He would not rest his fore-arms on the ground" 106 , but "would raise them above the ground, and keep them away from his sides
such that the whiteness of his armpits could be seen from behind" 107 , and also "such that if a small lamb or kid wanted to pass
under his arms, it would have been able to do so." 108
He would do this to such an extent that one of his Companions said, "We used to feel sorry for the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu
'alaihi wa sallam) because of the way he kept his hands away from his sides." 109
He used to order likewise, saying, When you perform sajdah, place your palms (on the ground) and raise your elbows 110 , and Be
level in sujood, and none of you should spread his fore- arms like the spreading of a dog (in one narration: like a dog spreads
them) 111 . In a separate hadeeth, None of you should rest arms on the ground the way a dog rests them. 112
He also used to say, Do not spread your arms [the way a beast of prey does], rest on your palms and keep your upper arms apart,
for when you do all that, every one of your limbs prostrates with you. 113
The Obligation to be at Ease in Sujood
He (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to command the completion of rukoo' and sujood, comparing someone not doing so to the
hungry man who eats one or two dates, which are of no use to him, and also saying about him, he is indeed one of the worst
thieves among the people.
He also ruled that the prayer of one who does not straighten his spine fully in rukoo' and sujood is invalid, as has been mentioned
under "Rukoo'", and ordered "the one who prayed badly" to be at ease in his sujood, as mentioned before.
The Adhkaar of Sujood
He (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) would say any one of the following remembrances of Allaah and supplications in this posture:
1.
2.
How Perfect is my Lord, the Most High, three times. 114
Sometimes, "he would repeat it more times than that." 115
Once, he repeated it so much that his sujood were nearly as long as his standing, in which he had recited three of the Long
Soorahs: al-Baqarah, an-Nisaa' and aal-'Imraan. That prayer was full of supplication and seeking of forgiveness, as
mentioned before under "Night Prayer".
3.
How Perfect is my Lord, the Most High, and Praised be He, three times. 116
4.
Perfect, Blessed, Lord of the Angels and the Spirit. 117
5.
How perfect You are O Allaah, our Lord, and Praised. O Allaah! Forgive me, which he would say often in his rukoo' and
sujood, implementing the order of the Qur'aan. 118
O Allaah! For you I have prostrated; in You I have believed; to You I have submitted; [You are my Lord;] my face has
prostrated for the One Who created it and shaped it , [shaped it excellently,] then brought forth its hearing and vision: [so]
blessed be Allaah, the Best to Create! 119
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