What Can and Cannot Be Used for Prostration

Hadith.828 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) said: "Prostration (Sujood) on the earth is obligatory (fardh), while prostrating on other than that is a recommended practice (sunnah)."

Hadith.829 - Imam (as) said: "Prostrating on the clay from the grave of Imam Hussain ibn Ali (as) illuminates to the seventh layer of the earth."

"Prostration is to be done on what the earth produces, except for that which is eaten or worn."

I was praying on a piece of ṭabarī (a mat) upon which I had placed something. Imam (as) said to me: 'Why do you not prostrate on it? Is it not from what the earth produces?'"

Hadith.832 - Al-Mu'alla ibn Khunays asked Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) about praying on qufr (bare ground or desert soil) and qīr (a type of tar or pitch). Imam (as) said: "There is no issue with it”.

Hadith.833 - Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub asked Imam Abu al-Hasan (as) about gypsum (plaster) that was fired using dung and the bones of the dead, and whether it would be permissible to prostrate on it if a mosque was plastered with it. The Imam wrote back in his own handwriting: "Fire and water have purified it”.

Hadith.834 - Dawud ibn Abi Zayd asked Imam Abu al-Hasan al-Thalith (as) about prostrating on papers and documents with writing on them. The Imam wrote back: "It is permissible."

Hadith.835 - Ali ibn Yaqtin asked Imam Abu al-Hasan al-Awwal (as) about a man prostrating on a misḥ (a type of mat or rug) and on a carpet. The Imam said: "There is no issue if it is in a situation of taqiyya (precautionary dissimulation to protect oneself)."

Hadith.836 - Muawiya ibn Ammar asked Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) about praying on qār (bitumen or tar). The Imam said: "There is no issue with it”.

I asked him about a man prostrating while wearing a cap or a turban. Imam (as) said: 'If any part of his forehead touches the ground, between his eyebrows and his hairline, then it suffices.'"

Hadith.838 - Yunus ibn Ya'qub said: "I saw Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) leveling the pebbles at the place of his prostration between the two prostrations."

"I saw Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as), every time he prostrated and then raised his head, he would take the pebbles from his forehead and place them back on the ground."

Hadith.840 - Ammar al-Sabati narrate from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) that He said: "The area between the hairline and the tip of the nose is considered a place of prostration (masjid), so whatever part of it touches the ground suffices."

Hadith.841 - A man asked Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) bout a place with dust where he wanted to blow it away before prostrating. The Imam said: "There is no issue”.

"It is disliked (makruh) because it may cause harm to the person next to him."