the spot of prostration with the weight of his head and neck until the forehead rests firmly. Thus, if he were to prostrate on cotton, straw, or any padded surface, he must press down until the padding is compressed and an imprint would appear on a hand imagined beneath it. Failing to do so renders the prostration invalid—according to the sound position within the Shafi‘i school. Imam al-Haramayn, however, maintained: “In my view it suffices merely to lower the head; no pressing is required, whatever the surface of prostration may be.” Al-Nawawi (3/423) remarks: “The authoritative view is the first one, and this was categorically affirmed by Shaykh Abu Muhammad al-Juwayni and by the authors of al-Tatimmah and al-Tahdhib.” I say: This is the correct position, for adopting the opinion of the aforementioned Imam would negate the firm placement stipulated in the hadith, and that is plainly impermissible. (1) Reported by Ibn Khuzaymah (1/80/1 = 1/322, no. 638) with a sound chain; his wording reads “fa-ithbit” (“make it firm”) instead of “fa-amkanta.” (2) This is the hadith of Abd Allah ibn Abbas. It is recorded by al-Daraqutni (no. 133) and, through him, by al-Bayhaqi (2/104) and al-Hakim (1/270) via the chain: al-Jarrah ibn Makhlad – Abu Qutaybah – Sufyan al-Thawri – Asim al-Ahwal – Ikrimah – Ibn Abbas. Al-Daraqutni also transmitted it through the same al-Jarrah with the wording: “Abu Qutaybah narrated to us; Shu‘bah narrated to us from Asim…” Al-Bayhaqi likewise related it through Sulayman ibn Abd Allah al-Ghaylani: “Abu Qutaybah Muslim ibn Qutaybah narrated to us; Shu‘bah and al-Thawri narrated to us from Asim al-Ahwal…,” and his is the wording cited here. Al-Hakim said: