A discussion of joining the ankles (ilsaq al-ka‘bayn) in ruku‘

Question

Question: is joining the ankles (ilsaq al-ka‘bayn) in the state of ruku‘ a sunna or not? Please write with proofs. In “al-Si‘aya”, p. 181, a proof is cited that it is not a sunna; if there are proofs refuting this, please write them.

Answer

The issue of joining the ankles in the state of ruku‘ is not found in the early matns of fiqh. From this it is clear that it is not an issue of the zahir al-riwaya, since the matns taken from the zahir al-riwaya are also devoid of it. Some commentaries, however, have declared it a sunna of ruku‘. It is evident that what is meant here is not literal joining (ilsaq haqiqi)

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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