the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was not in a state of ritual purity. Similarly, Friday prayer is not obligatory for the sick, the traveller or the slave, although they may perform it. This is especially pertinent since most scholars permit this prostration only with ritual purity. The stronger view, however, is that it may be performed without ritual purity, on account of the hadith. What is reported from the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) concerning it is a single takbīr (“Allah is Most Great”), since one is not moving from one act of worship to another.

Al-Bukhārī accordingly entitled a chapter:

(Chapter: Muslims Prostrating Alongside Polytheists, Although a Polytheist Is Impure and Is Without Ablution)

He said: “Ibn ʿUmar used to prostrate without ablution.” He also mentioned “the Prophet’s prostration upon reciting Sūrat al-Najm: when he prostrated, the Muslims and the polytheists prostrated with him.”

This hadith appears in the two Sahīh collections through two routes: the hadith of Ibn Masʿūd and that of Ibn ʿAbbās. They did this in following the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) when he recited His words:

“So prostrate to Allah and worship Him.”

It is well known that ritual purity is not a condition for worship in general; rather, it is required for prayer. Likewise, among the various forms of prostration, ritual purity is required for some—namely, prostration offered to Allah, such as prostration in prayer and the two prostrations for forgetfulness—unlike prostration upon Quran recitation, prostration of gratitude, and prostration on witnessing divine signs.

Further evidence for this is that Allah described the sorcerers’ prostration when they believed in Moses in a manner expressing approval of that prostration. Undoubtedly, they had neither performed ablution nor known what ablution was. It is thus clear that prostration to Allah on its own is among the things loved by