spreads his/ her arms [in prostration] as dogs do [when they sit] and sticks to one place in the mosque when doing Sal?t as camels stick to their resting places’. (1)
Yaz?d Ibn Ab? ‘Ubaid said: ‘I used to accompany Salamah Ibn Al-’Akwa’to the mosque. He used to perform his Sal?t towards the pole nearby the stand on which the Mushaf used to be placed. I enquired: ‘O Ab? Muslim, I noticed that you are keen to do your Sal?t towards that pole !’ He said: ‘Indeed. I saw the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) doing his Sal?t towards it frequently’. (2)
There is no contradiction between Yaz?d’s had?th and Abdur Rahman’s for the former assigns the place in which the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) used to do his non -obligatory (3) Sal?t and the Sah?b? wanted to follow this Sunnah. So, Salamah’s had?th specifies the generalisation in Abdur Rahm?n’s had?th. Indeed, the Sah?bah -who are the most knowledgeable of the prophet’s ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) words- are the most knowledgeable of what is general and specific.
Yaz?d’s had?th indicates that a muslim should follow the prophet’s ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) acts and deeds and the times and places in which they used to be done .
Ibn Hajar describes the pole -mentioned in the had?th- in his “Fathul B?r?” saying: ‘Some of our reverend Shaikhs stated that this
(1) Narrated by Ahmad in “Al-Musnad” (vol. 3 / no. 428, 444), Ad-D?rim? in “As-Sunan” (vol. 1 / p. 303), Ibn Hibb?n in his “Sah?h” (no. 476), An-Nas?’? in “Al-Mujtab?” (vol. 2 / p. 214), Ab? D?w?d in “As-Sunan” (no. 862), Ibn M?jah in “As-Sunan” (no. 1429), Al-H?kim in “Al-Mustadrak” (vol. 1 / p. 229) traced back to Tam?m Ibn Muhammad from Abdur Rahm?n Ibn Shibl.
Al-H?kim said: ‘The had?th’s chain of narrators is sound’, Ath-Thahab? held the same opinion although this is strange for he reported in “Al-M?z?n” (vol. 1 / p. 360) that Al-Bukh?r? stated that Tam?m’s had?th is doubted for ‘Uthm?n Ibn Abdir Rahm?n At- Tar?’if? narrated from him’. !!
At-Tar?’if? died in 202H or 203H; Tam?m is a T?bi‘?, so how could the former relate from the later. This is of Ath- Thahab?s’s illusions. The truth is that no one narrated the hadith from Tamim but Abdull?h Ibn H?kim who also narrated the previous had?th. The previous had?th is sound as is stated by Ahmad in his “Musnad” (vol. 5 / no. 446, 447), Al-Baghaw? in “Mukhtasar Al-Mu‘jam” (vol. 9 / pp.31 - 2) and As-Silsilah As-Sah?hah (no. 1168).
(2) Narrated by Al-Bukh?r? in his “Sah?h” (no. 502).
(3) As is stated in some narrations, see: “Sharh Thulathiyy?t Al-Musnad” (vol. 2 / p. 781).