Thus, the hadiths and reports indicate that, when free to choose, they would place their foreheads directly on the ground. When necessary, because of heat or the like, they would protect themselves with something they wore: the edge of a garment, a turban or a cap. The most balanced view on this question is therefore that this is permitted when needed, but prostrating on a turban or the like is disliked when there is no need. There are disagreements and further distinctions concerning this question, but this is not the place to discuss them.

The second argument:

Had their request to him been to prostrate on an intervening covering, he would have allowed them to use something separate from themselves on which to prostrate. It is established that he used to pray on a small prayer mat. Maymūnah said:

“The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to pray on a small prayer mat.”

This was narrated by the compilers of the Sahīh collections, such as al-Bukhārī and Muslim, and by the compilers of the three Sunan collections: Abū Dāwūd, al-Nasā’ī and Ibn Mājah. Ahmad also narrated it in al-Musnad, and al-Tirmidhī narrated it from Ibn ‘Abbās.

Abū Dāwūd’s wording is:

“He would pray while I was beside him, menstruating. Sometimes his garment would touch me when he prostrated. He used to pray on a small prayer mat.”

In Sahīh Muslim, the four Sunan collections and al-Musnad, ‘Ā’ishah—may Allah be pleased with her—said:

“The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Hand me the small prayer mat from the mosque.’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I am menstruating.’ He replied, ‘Your menstruation is not in your hand.’”

Maymūnah said:

“The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, would recline against one of us while she was menstruating, resting his head in her lap and reciting the Quran while she was