ASSALAAMUALAYKUM Q1-IN AHSANUL FATAWA PART 3 IT STATES THAT IN SAJDAH IT IS SUNNAH FOR THE HEELS OF THE FEET TO BE KEPT APART AND IN SHAMI ,ILAAUS SUNNAN ETC IT STATES THAT IN SAJDAH IT IS SUNNAH FOR THE HEELS OF THE FEET TO TOUCH WHICH OF THE ABOVE IS CORRECT AND SUNNAH?
Firstly, the Hadith does not mention keeping the heels together. The words of the Hadith are 'Raassan-al-Aqibain' i.e joining of the ankles.
Standard Hanafi Fatawa books such as Shami etc, do mention this as a Sunnah basing it on the Hadith of Hazrat Aisha (R.A) recorded in Sahih Ibn Hibban as mentioned in I'ilaa-us-Sunan. (Page 39, Vol. 3)
Many of our Akaabireen-Ulamaa-e-Deoband such as Allamah Anwar Shah Kashmiri (R.A) (see Al-Arf-Us-Shazi) have written this as a Sunnah. Likewise, Hazrat Mufti Mahmood Saheb Gangohi (R.A) also mentions this in Fatawaa Mahmoodiyyah. (Page 198, Vol. 14)
However, Hazrat Mufti Rashid Ahmad Saheb (R.A) has questioned the validity of this sunnah by saying that the Hadith of Hadhrat Baraa (R.A) (I'ilaa-us-Sunan p. 39) apparently contradicts the hadith of Hazrat Aisha (R.A) as the verb 'Tafaajja' is mentioned which denotes that both feet were kept apart in Sajdah.
Thereafter Hazrat Mufti Rashid Ahmad saheb (R.A) answers this apparent contradiction in two ways:- (1) Tatbeeq - i.e. Both hadith can be reconciled if the word 'Rass' is taken in the meaning of 'Taqreeb' i.e. Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) kept both feet close together in Sajdah but not necessarily touching each other.
Hazrat Mufti Saheb (R.A) also mentions two reasons why it is more appropriate to take the meaning of 'Rass' in Hazrat Aisha (R.A)'s hadith as 'Taqreeb':-
(i) The same hadith also mentions 'Istiqbaal-ul-Asaabi-al-Qiblah' (Facing the toes towards the Qiblah) and (ii) 'Nasb-ul-Qadamain' - keeping both feet up in sajdah.
It is not possible to fulfil both these sunnats completely when the ankles are kept together.
(2) Tarjeeh - Priority has to be given to the Hadith of Hazrat Baraa (R.A) as it confirms to the sunnah of 'Tajaafi' in Ruku and Sajood. I.e. Just as it is sunnah for men to separate the arms from the sides in Ruku and Sajdah, therefore the logical sequence would be to keep the feet also apart in Sujood.
Having tried joining the ankles in Sajdah a number of times, personally I am of the opinion that the the 'Tatbeeq' offered by Hazrat Mufti Rashid Ahmad saheb (R.A) is more appropriate as well as practical. Joining of the ankles also require the knees to be displaced from their natural position of comfort.
Wallahu A'alam Bis Sawaab. (Mufti) Abdullah Patel.
N.B. My respected Ustaadh Sheikh-ul-Hadith Hazrat Moulana Fazlur-Rahmaan Saheb (D.B) (D.Uloom Azaadville, S. Africa) is also of the opinion that joining the ankles is sunnah and during one of his visits to the U.K he mentioned to me that he has written a reply to Mufti Rashid Ahmad Saheb's arguments. However, I have not seen Hazrat Moulana's 'Tahqeeq'
