Question:
| Is it permissible to lay on your stomach other than sleeping. For eg when one has a stomach ache or maybe just to read a book. Jazakumullahu Khairan |
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
It is discouraged for one to lay on his/her stomach is due to the following Hadith of the Prophet (SallAllāhu ῾Alayhi Wasallam):
عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ، قَالَ مَرَّ بِيَ النَّبِيُّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ وَأَنَا مُضْطَجِعٌ عَلَى بَطْنِي فَرَكَضَنِي بِرِجْلِهِ وَقَالَ “ يَا جُنَيْدِبُ إِنَّمَا هَذِهِ ضِجْعَةُ أَهْلِ النَّارِ ” .
It was narrated that Abu Dharr said:
“The Prophet(ﷺ) passed by me and I was lying on my stomach. He nudged me with his foot and said: ‘O Junaidib! This is how the people of Hell lie.'(Sunan Ibn Majah 3724)
The above mentioned hadith clearly mentions that for one to lie on his/her stomach is disliked by Allah Ta’ala, therefore, one should abstain from doing so.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Arshad Ali
