What is the Sunnah Distance Between the Feet in Qiyam?
بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
How Much Distance Should Be Kept Between the Feet During Qiyam?
Darulifta Ahlesunnat (Dawateislami)
Question
What do the noble scholars and jurists of Islamic law say about the following: How much distance should be kept between both feet during qiyām? Some people keep a wide gap between their feet, and some keep a smaller gap. What is the correct method? Please provide guidance. Muhammad Ahmad (Okara)
Answer
Salāh is a noble act of worship in which a person engages in communication with his Lord. For this very reason, salāh has been described as the Miʿrāj of a believer. Sharīʿah has instructed that this worship be offered with full inward attention, khushūʿ [i.e., humility], and khudūʿ [i.e., reverence]. Furthermore, the prescribed method for offering each rukn is such that it reflects utmost respect. Thus, regarding how much distance should be between the feet during qiyām, the Ḥanafī jurists رحمة اللہ عليهم have stated that it is sunnah and mustaḥab to keep a distance of four fingers between both feet because standing in this manner is most respectful and reflects greater humility. Therefore, we should act upon this.
Furthermore, keeping such a distance that appears odd is disrespectful. None of the four Imāms (i.e., Imām Aʿzam as well as Imām Shāfiʿī, Imām Mālik, and Imām Aḥmad Bin Hanbal رحمة اللہ عليهم) hold this view (of keeping an exaggerated gap) as Imām Shāfiʿī رحمة اللہ عليه holds the opinion that the distance of one hand-span should be kept, and Imām Mālik and Imām Aḥmad رحمة اللہ عليهما hold the opinion that a moderate distance should be kept. Therefore, keeping too much distance between the feet without necessity should be avoided.
The creator of the universe Almighty states regarding those who offer salāh with humility and reverence:
قَدْ اَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُوۡنَ ﴿۱﴾ الَّذِیْنَ هُمْ فِیْ صَلَاتِهِمْ خٰشِعُوْنَ (۲)
Translation (Kanz al-ʿIrfān): Certainly, the believers have succeeded: those who are deeply humble in prayers. (Part 18, Sūrah al-Muʾminūn, Verse 1-2)
While teaching proper etiquette to the one offering salāh, the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ stated:
ان المصلی یناجی ربہ فلینظر ما یناجیہ بہ
Translation: Undoubtedly, the one offering salāh engages in communication with his Lord so he should consider what he communicates. (Mishkāt al-Masābīḥ, Book of prayer, Topic: recitation in salāh, Ch. 2, p. 81, Publ. Karachi)
Under the above-mentioned ḥadīth, ʿAllāmah ʿAlī Qārī Ḥanafī رحمة اللہ تعالى عليه (d. 1014 AH/ 1605 CE) writes:
ای یحادثہ ویکالمہ وھو کنایۃ عن کمال قربہ المعنوی لان الصلاۃ معراج المومن
(Mirqāt al-Mafātīḥ, Vol. 02, p. 856, Publ. Dār al-Fikr, Beirut)
Regarding the placement of the feet during qiyām, there is a ḥadīth in Sunan Abī Dāwūd:
عن زرعة بن عبد الرحمن، قال: سمعت ابن الزبير يقول: صف القدمين ووضع اليد على اليد من السنة
Translation: It is narrated that Zurʿah Bin Abdul-Raḥmān states: I heard Ibn Zubair رضي اللہ تعالى عنه saying: It is sunnah to straighten the feet and place one hand on the other. (Sunan Abī Dāwūd, Vol. 01, Hadith No. 754, Publ. Al-Maktabah al-ʿAsriyah, Saida, Beirut)
Under the above cited ḥadīth, ʿAllāmah Badr-Uddīn ʿAynī رحمة اللہ تعالى عليه (d. 855 AH/1451 CE) writes:
وفيه مسألتان، الأولى: صف القدمين في القيام، وعن هذا قال أصحابنا: يستحب للمصلي أن يكون بين قدميه في القيام [قدر] أربع أصابع يديه، لأن هذا أقرب للخشوع
Translation: Two rulings have been mentioned in this ḥadīth. First: Aligning the feet in qiyām. Our scholars state regarding this that it is mustaḥab for the one offering salāh to keep a distance of four fingers between the feet, as this reflects greater humility. (Sharḥ Sunan Abī Dāwūd Lil-ʿAynī, Vol. 03, p. 354, Publ. Maktabah al-Rushd, Riyadh)
It is similarly stated in Bināyah, Sharḥ Hidāyah, Khizānah al-Muftīn, Fatāwā Hindiyah, and Maraq al-Falāḥ (cited from Maraq al-Falāḥ):
و"يسن "تفريج القدمين في القيام قدر أربع أصابع" لأنه أقرب إلى الخشوع
(Maraq al-Falāḥ ʿAlā Nūr al-Īdāḥ, p. 98, Publ. Al-Maktabah al-ʿAsriyah)
Aʿlā Ḥazrat, the Imām of Ahl as-Sunnah, Imām Aḥmad Razā Khān رحمة اللہ تعالى عليه (d. 1340 AH/ 1921 CE) states:
چار ہی انگل کا فاصلہ رکھنا چاہئے یہی ادب اور یہی سنت ہے اور یہی ہمارے امام ِ اعظم رضی اﷲ تعالٰی عنہ سے منقول ہے۔ ۔۔ مگر ایک ہاتھ کا فرق نہ کسی مذہب کی کتاب میں نظر سے گزرا نہ کسی طرح قابلِ قبول ہوسکتا ہے کہ بداہۃً طرز و روش ادب وخشوع سے جُدا ہے۔
Translation: Only the distance of four fingers should be kept; this is respectful, this is the sunnah, and this has been reported from our Imām Aʿzam رضي اللہ تعالى عنه… I did not come across the opinion of keeping the distance of one cubit in the book of any Mazhab, neither can it be accepted in any way as it is clearly contrary to the etiquettes of respect and humility. (Fatāwā Razawiyah, Vol. 06, p. 155-157, Publ. Razā Foundation, Lahore)
How much distance should be kept between both feet during salāh? Mentioning the opinions of the four Imāms in this regard, it is stated in al-Fiqh al-Islāmī Wa Adillatih and al-Fiqh ʿAlā Mazāhib al-Arbaʿah (cited from the first):
تفريج القدمين : قال الحنفية: يسن تفريج القدمين في القيام قدر أربع أصابع؛ لأنه أقرب إلى الخشوع وقال الشافعية: يفرق بين القدمين بمقدار شبر، ۔۔۔وقال المالكية والحنابلة: يندب تفريج القدمين، بأن يكون بحالة متوسطة بحيث لايضمهما ولايوسعهما كثيراً حتى يتفاحش عرفاً
(Al-Fiqh al-Islāmī Wa Adillatih, Vol. 02, p. 881, Publ. Dār al-Fikr, Sūriyah, Damascus)
وَ اللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہ اَعْلَم صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَ اٰلِہٖ وَ سَلَّم
(Allah Almighty knows best and His Messenger صَلَّی اللہُ عَلَیْہِ وَ اٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم knows best.)
Answered By: Mufti Muhammad Qasim Attari
Ref No: OKR-0131
Date: 07th Jumād al-ʾŪlā 1447 AH/ 30th October 2025