Some hold that it is an obligation to uncover some of the parts upon which a Muslim prostrates himself while doing Sujuud (prostration), and that one must do Sujuud on the earth or whatever is of its kind.
Anas (RA) said:
'We used to perform Salaah led by the Prophet (peace and blessing of Allaah be on him) under the scorching heat of the sun. Whenever we did Sujuud, we used to spread a part of our clothes on the ground to prostrate on due to the ground's burning heat.' [Bukhaaree]
Ash-Shawkaanee said:
'[The scholars] inferred from this hadeeth the permissibility for the one performing Salaah to prostrate himself on a part of his clothes. An- Nawawee stated that this opinion was held by Abu Hanifah and the majority. Ash-Shaafi'ee held the same opinion provided that the cloth on which one prostrates be separated from one's own clothes. There is no contradiction whatsoever between the aforementioned hadeeth and the one that states: 'We complained for the Prophet (peace and blessing of Allaah be on him) from the scorching heat of the ground that our fore heads and hands got hurt from, but he (peace and blessing of Allaah be on him) did not respond to our complaint.' [Bayhaqee]
The Sahaabah complained for the Prophet (peace and blessing of Allaah be on him) that he may delay performing the Salaah till the heat decreases when the sun declines; they did not ask his permission to use a piece of clothe on which one may prostrate for this was already permitted; for it is affirmed that he (peace and blessing of Allaah be on him) used to perform his Salaah on a khumrah [piece of cloth].
The aforementioned hadeeth that begins with "I was ordered to prostrate myself on seven [bones] ..." indicates that one does not have to uncover these parts when doing prostration for prostration means that these parts should touch the ground. Accordingly, doing Salaah wearing gloves is permissible, just like wearing socks or shoes. It was mentioned earlier – while discussing mistakes people make regarding the places on which they do Salaah - that it is a bid'ah to have a piece of the land of Karbalaa' on which one does one's prostration. This bid'ah is practiced by the Raafidah (Shites) and their followers. And every Muslim should abandon it for two reasons:
The first: to avoid doing Bid'ah.
The second: to keep oneself a way from accusation.
This article was culled from the publications of Deen Communication Limited