Manners of Standing and Sitting Positions in Salah (prayer)

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘When you stand up for Salah (prayer) do not allow one foot to touch the other, leave between them a distance of one finger at the least and one Shibr (about 8 inches) at most. Allow your shoulders to relax and leave your hands alone. Do not crisscross your fingers. Instead they should be kept on your thighs on its front side and your eyes should look at the place for prostration. During Ruku‘ position line up your feet with a distance of one shibr in between them, allow your fingers to hold on to your knees. Place your right palm on your right knee before placing the left palm on your left knee. Allow your fingers to reach to the sides of your knees and stretch your fingers when placed on your knees. If during Ruku‘ the tips of your fingers reach your knees it is sufficient but I like that your palm should rest on your knees so you can allow your finger to hold to your knees while they (knees) are kept apart. Your back should be straight, your neck stretched forward and your looks should be kept between your feet. “When you are ready for prostration, raise your hands for saying “Allah is great”, then bow down for prostration. First your hands should be placed on the ground, before your knees, together but do not place your forearms on the ground as beasts do. You must not place your forearms on your knees or thighs but open them up as wings with your elbows. You must not touch your knees with your palms and do not place them very close to your face. Place them in between level with your shoulders. You must not place them in front of your knees. Place them a little out, extend them on the ground and keep them a little toward you. If there is some cloth underneath, it does not matter, and if you allow them to be placed on the ground it is better. You must not keep your fingers apart from each other during your sajdah but keep them close side by side.’ The Imam said, ‘When you sit up straight for reading the testimonies, keep your knees touching the ground and a little apart from each other. The back of your left foot should be on the ground, the back of you right foot should be placed on the bottom of your left foot and both hips should be placed on the ground as well as the tip of the big toe of your right foot. You should never sit on both your feet; it may hurt you. You should not sit on the ground; in this way some parts of you are sitting on the others and you cannot bear sitting this way for reading the testimonies and supplications.’”

“I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about the words of Allah, ‘Perform Salah (prayer) for the sake of your Lord and offer sacrifice. . . .’(108:2) He (the Imam) said, ‘Offering sacrifice’ is a reference to standing in a level posture by keeping one’s back and neck level.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘You must not place your hand on your other hand; Majus (Zoroastrians) people would do so. You must not cover your mouth, do not hold your limbs tightly together and do not squat (sit on one’s heels) and do not place your arms flat on the ground.’” (Ahadith 7-9 above and the following chapters are best explained in the form of fatwa).