The Sitting of Rest (Jalsatul-Istirahah) is Not Obligatory

Question :

Is the sitting of rest before standing up from the first Rak'ah for the second, and before standing from the third for the fourth in prayer obligatory or an emphasized Sunnah?

Answer:

Scholars agree that the sitting of rest after raising the head from the second prostration of the first and third Rak'ahs before standing up for what follows it is not one of the obligatory actions of the prayer, nor is it an emphasized Sunnah.

But they disagreed over whether it is a Sunnah only, whether it is part of the prayer at all, or whether it should only be performed by those who need to do it, due to weakness, old age, illness or being overweight.

Ash-Shafi'i and a number of the scholars of Hadith said that it is Sunnah, and it is one of the two narrations attributed to Imam Ahmad, based upon what Al-Bukhari and others from the compilers of the Sunan narrated on the authority of Malik bin Al-Huwairith, that he saw the Prophet praying, and when he was performing his Witr prayers, he would not rise until he had relaxed in a sitting position.

But the majority of the scholars do not hold this view, including Abu Hanifah and Malik, and it is also the case in the other narration from Ahmad - may Allah have mercy on them all due to the fact that there are no other Hadiths mention this sitting, and due to the possibility that what was mentioned in the Hadith of Malik bin Al-Huwairith regarding sitting was towards the end of the Prophet's life, when his body became heavy, or because of some other reason.

A third group reconciled the Hadiths by saying that this sitting is in case of need, saying that it is lawful in these circumstances and no others. What is apparent is that it is recommended in general, and the fact that it is not mentioned in other Hadiths does not prove that it is not recommended; in fact, it merely proves that it is not obligatory.

The opinion that it is recommended is strengthened by two points: The first is that the basic principle regarding actions of the Prophet is that he performed them in order to legislate them, so that he may be followed in them. The second point is that this sitting is confirmed by the Hadith of Abu Humaid As- Sa'idi, which was narrated by Ahmad and Abu Dawud with a sound chain of narration, and in which he described the prayer of the Prophet to ten of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, and they confirmed what he said in this matter.

Source:
The Permanent Committee
Fatawa Islamiyah, Vol. 2 Pages 166-167