As is evident from the definitions of the lexicographers...

As is evident from the definitions of the lexicographers, the highest level of humility is prostration on the ground and, especially, the soil while the ground cannot be applied to rug or eatable or clothing things growing from the earth. So, in addition to the arguments, which will follow, prostration should essentially be on the ground or soil, unless of course there is enough evidence that prostration on things other than the earth is lawful.

Yet, as we will see later on, there is only support for prostration on the ground and uneatable and unclothing things growing from it. Traditions about Prostration The traditions about prostration are generally of the following kinds: جُعِلَتْ لِيَ الأرْضُ مَسْجِداً وَطَهوراً.

The Prophet (a.s): The earth is set as the place for my prostration ( masjid ) and as cleaner.[^4] As you see, in this uninterruptedly reported tradition, the ground is especially mentioned as the place of prostration proving that there must be a reason for this specification. This tradition at least shows that prostration is not permissible on anything and, as a result, it is only permitted on the things allowed in the religion and not on uncertain things.

It may be claimed that the honorable tradition means that worship in Islam is not limited to special places like the synagogues of the Jews or the churches of the Christians, and it is possible in any place on the earth. The tradition is therefore, not related to prostration. In response, this meaning is not in contrast with the issue of prostration, and that prostration is not allowed on all things.

In other words, the former meaning is included in the latter and is a requirement for it because if all the places on earth are suitable for prostration (and this is prostration in prayer, because of the concept of ‘clean’ afterwards,) worship can be done on all the places on the earth.

Accordingly, Sunni master scholars, like Ibn Hajar[^5], Muhammad Ashraf Azim Abadi[^6], Qastalani[^7] and Amir Al-San’ani[^8] have all accepted and rather preferred the meaning of prostration place for ‘ masjid ,’ in the tradition. … كُنْتُ أُصّلّي الظّهرَ معَ رَسولِ اللهِ صلّى اللهُ عليهِ وسلَّم فأخَذَ قَبضَةً مِن الحَصى لِتَبرُدَ في كَفّي أضَعُها لجَبهَتي أسْجُد عَليها لِشدَّةِ الحَرِّ. Jabir Ibn Abdullah Ansari said:[^9] I was performing the Noon Prayer.