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Is it permissible to lay on your stomach?

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Fatwa-TT.com
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