Bending the toes in sujood and sitting between the two sujood

Question

Praise be to Allah.

What your muallim (teacher) has told you, that in sujood the toes
should be bent and should touch the ground, is correct. It is a proven part of the sunnah
of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Al-Bukhaari (may Allaah
have mercy on him) reported in his Saheeh from Abu Humayd al-Saaidi that the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when he prostrated the tips
of his toes would be facing the qiblah

Abu Dawood reported from Abu Humayd al-Saaidi:
he would bend his toes when he prostrated.

Pointing the toes towards the qiblah is sunnah and is encouraged, but
if a person does not do it, his prayer or leadership of the prayer is still valid,
especially as many people do not have the ability to flex their toes in the manner
described. But everyone should put their toes on the ground when prostrating, because they
are counted among the seven parts of the body on which we are commanded to prostrate. If a
person lifts his feet off the ground when prostrating, and does not place the tips of his
toes on the ground, then his prayer or leadership of the prayer is not valid.

With regard to the way one should sit between sujoods, two ways of
doing this have been narrated from the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him).

Keeping the right foot upright and sitting on the left foot, as was
described in the saheeh hadeeth which describes how he sat between two sujoods: He
kept his right foot upright, and he pointed its toes towards the qiblah.
This is the most well known way, and it is the way he sat most of the time.

Keeping the right foot upright and sitting on the left foot, as was
described in the saheeh hadeeth which describes how he sat between two sujoods: He
kept his right foot upright, and he pointed its toes towards the qiblah.
This is the most well known way, and it is the way he sat most of the time.

Keeping both feet upright and sitting on the heels, as was described in
the saheeh hadeeth which describes how he sat between two sujoods: Sometimes he
would rest on both his heels and the balls on his feet.

Keeping both feet upright and sitting on the heels, as was described in
the saheeh hadeeth which describes how he sat between two sujoods: Sometimes he
would rest on both his heels and the balls on his feet.

If a person who is praying puts one foot on top of the other and sits
on them, he is doing something other than the sunnah, but his prayer or leadership of the
prayer is still valid. In all cases, we should guide people towards the sunnah and teach
them about it, because this is an important matter how could it be otherwise? The
Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Pray as you have seen
me praying.