Then I was guided author, Muhammad al-Tijani al-Samawi, writes:

“I asked about the piece of clay on which they put their foreheads during the prayers and they call it ‘Al-Turbah al-Husayniyyah.’ He answered, ‘We all prostrate on the dust, but not for the dust, as some people claim that the Shi’a do, for the prostration is only for Allah, praise be to Him, the Highest. It is well established among our people, as well as among the Sunni’s, that the most favorable prostration is on earth or on the non-edible produce of the earth, and it is incorrect to prostrate on anything else. The Messenger of Allah (S) used to sit on the dust, and he had a piece of clay mixed with straw, on which he used to prostrate. He also taught his Companions to prostrate on the earth or on stones, and forbade them from prostrating on the edges of their shirts. We consider these acts to be necessary and important.

Imam Zayn al-Abideen ‘Ali Ibn al-Husayn [may Allah bless them both] took a Turbah [a piece of clay] from near the grave of his father Aba Abdillah Husayn (‘a), because the dust there is blessed and pure, for the blood of the chief martyr was spilt on it. Thus, his followers continue with that practice up to the present day. We do not say that prostration is not allowed but on Turbah, rather, we say that prostration is correct if it is done on any blessed Turbah or stone, also it is correct if it is done on a mat which is made of palm leaves or similar material.”1

The majority of Shi’a scholars state that sajdah should be performed on earth, and on those things that are neither edible nor worn, and on things which grow from earth (e.g. wood and leaves of trees). It is not permissible to perform sajdah on things that are used as food or dress (e.g. wheat, barley and cotton etc.), or on things that are not considered to be parts of the earth (e.g. gold, silver, etc.). And in the situation of helplessness, asphalt and tar will have preference over other non-allowable things.2

In the book Inquiries about Shi’a Islam3 page 68 by Sayed Moustafa Al-Qazwini we find the following:

“Other narrations say that the Holy Prophet (S) prohibited the Muslims from prostrating on materials other than the earth. One day he saw a man prostrating on some cloth from his turban. The Holy Prophet pointed to him and told him to remove his turban and to touch his actual forehead to the ground.”4

Despite the immense heat of the ground, the Holy Prophet (S) and his companions used to prostrate on it. A great companion of the Holy Prophet, Jabbir Ibn ‘Abdullah al-Ansari says, “I used to pray the noon prayers with the Messenger of Allah and I used to take a bunch of pebbles in my palm to cool them because of the enormous heat so I could prostrate on them.”5

Another companion of the Holy Prophet, Anas Ibn Malik narrates, “We used to pray with the Messenger of Allah during the enormous heat, and one of us would take the pebbles in his hand and, once they were cooled, put them down and prostrate on them.”6

Al-Khabbab Ibn al-Arth, another companion of the Holy Prophet says, “We complained to the Messenger of Allah about the intensity of the heat of the ground and its effects on our foreheads and palms (during prostration), and the Prophet did not excuse us from praying on the ground.”7

During the times of the first, second, third, and fourth caliphs the Muslims used to prostrate on the dust. Abu Umayyah narrates that the first caliph, Abu Bakr used to prostrate and pray on the earth.8

Prostrating on the earth was also the habit of the tabi’in (those who did not see the Holy Prophet but met his companions). Masruq Ibn al-Ajda’, member of the tabi’in, a faithful jurist, and a student of ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud made for himself a tablet from the dirt of Madina and used it to prostrate on, taking it with him on his trips, especially when he boarded ships.9

The people closest to the Holy Prophet (S), the Ahl Al-Bayt (‘a), were also very firm in their practice of prostrating on the earth, and in doing so, were following the tradition of their grandfather, the Messenger of Allah. Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a), the sixth imam said, “Prostration is not permitted except on the earth and whatever grows from it except on those things that are eaten or made of cotton.”10

When he was asked whether having one’s turban touch the earth instead of the forehead was acceptable, he replied that this was not sufficient unless the forehead actually touched the earth. His companion and student, Hisham Ibn al-Hakam asked him whether all seven positions (forehead, hands, knees, and big toes) needed to touch the earth during prostration. Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) replied that as long as the forehead touched the earth, there was no need for the other six areas to touch the earth as well.

Thus, people can use carpets or prayer rugs to pray on as long as the forehead itself touches the earth. However, prostrating by putting the forehead on a piece of cloth, carpet, nylon, sheet, wool, or anything that is not a product of the earth (excluding items which are eaten or worn; things which prostration is not permissible) would not be considered prostrating on the earth.

Besides the issue of validity of prostration, prostrating on the earth has very significant indications and lessons for the believer. Prostrating itself is a gesture of humility and insignificance before the Almighty, and if it is done on the dirt then it will have more effect than prostrating on a carpet. The Messenger of Allah says, “Make your faces dusty and cover your noses with dust.”11

When Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) was asked about the philosophy behind prostrating on the earth, he said, “Because prostration is surrendering and humility to the Almighty. Therefore, it shouldn’t be on what is worn and eaten because people are slaves of what they eat and wear, and prostration is the worshipping of Allah, so one should not put his forehead during prostration on that which is worshipped by the people (food and clothing) and that which conceits people.”12

The first to prostrate on the soil of Karbala (where Imam Husayn was beheaded and buried) was his son, ‘Ali Ibn al-Husayn Zayn al-Abidin (‘a) the fourth imam of the school of Ahl Al-Bayt, the great-grandson of the Messenger of Allah. Immediately after he buried his father in Karbala, he took a handful of the soil, made the earth into a solid piece and used it to prostrate on.

After him, his son Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (‘a) and his grandson, Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) did the same. Imam Zayn al-Abidin (‘a) and Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) made prayer beads from the burial dust of Imam Husayn (‘a), and Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) narrates that the daughter of the Messenger of Allah, Lady Fatimah az-Zahra’ (‘a) used to carry prayer beads made from twisted wooden threads with which she would praise and glorify Allah, the Exalted. But after Hamzah Ibn ‘Abd al-Mutalib13 was killed in the Battle of Uhud, she took the soil from his grave and made prayer beads from it and used them to glorify Allah. People learned her habit and did the same when Imam Husayn (‘a) was martyred; taking the soil of his grave and using it to make prayer beads.14“

In Mifatihul Jinan by Sheikh Abbas Al-Qummi we find the following about the merits of Turbah:

Imam ar-Ridha’ (‘a) said “Whoever uses the rosary made of the clay of Imam Husayn’s (‘a) tomb repeating the following statements with each bead Almighty Allah shall record for him six thousand excellent points, erase six thousand evil doings of him, raise him six thousand ranks and decide for him six thousand times of intercession.

• Subhana Allah (Glory be to Allah)

• Al-Hamdu lil-Lah (Praise be to Allah)

• La ilaha illa Allah (There is no god but Allah)

• Allahu Akbar (God is the Greatest)”

Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) said “Whoever uses the rosary made of the clay of Imam Husayn’s (‘a) tomb imploring for Almighty Allah’s forgiveness one time only, shall be considered to have implored his forgiveness seventy times. Whoever holds in his hand such a rosary without uttering any statement of glorification, shall be considered to have uttered seven statements of glorification for each bead.”

• 1. Then I Was Guided, by Dr. Muhammad al-Tijani al-Samawi in the chapter “A Meeting with Al-Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al Sadr,” page 44. Online at:
  https://www.al-islam.org/then-i-was-guided-muhammad-al-tijani-al-samawi
• 2. For example see Islamic Laws by Ayatollah Sayed Sistani #1085 and also Islamic Laws by Ayatollah Sayed as-Sadiq Shirazi Islamic pages 150-151
• 3. Online at:
  https://www.al-islam.org/inquiries-about-shia-islam-sayyid-moustafa-al-q...
• 4. al-Hiythami, Sunan al-Bayhaqi. Vol. 2. 105. Ibn Hajar, al-Isabah li Ma’rifat al-Sahabah. Vol. 2. 201.
• 5. Sahih al-Nisa’i. Vol. 2. 204. al-Hiythami, Sunan al-Bayhaqi. Vol.1.
• 6. al-Hiythami, Sunan al-Bayhaqi. Vol. 2. 105. Nayl al-Awtar. Vol. 2.
  268.
• 7. al-Hiythami, Sunan al-Bayhaqi. Vol. 2. 106.
• 8. Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Kanz al-Ummal. al-Hiythami, Sunan al-Bayhaqi. Sunan al-Kubra. Vol. 4. 212. Vol. 2
• 9. Ibn Sa’ad, al-Tabaqat al-Kubra. Vol. 6. 53.
• 10. Wasa’il al-Shi’ah. Vol. 3. 592.
• 11. Al-Targhib wal-Tarhib. Vol. 1. 581.
• 12. Wasa’il al-Shi’ah. Vol. 3. 591.
• 13. The uncle, close friend and beloved companion of the Prophet.
• 14. Tarikh Ibn Asakir. Vol. 4. 342. Hafiz al-Kanji, al-Kifayah. 293.