The Masnoon Method of Going Down for Sajdah

Q: Salaah-571: Is it alright to first place the hands on the ground before the knees when proceeding into Sajdah?

Answer: If one has no valid excuse for doing otherwise, one should first place the knees on the ground before the hands. Doing otherwise without a valid excuse will conflict with the Sunnah. If one is very old or cannot do so for any reason, there will be harm in doing the opposite.

Umdatul Fiqh states that first the limbs closest to the ground are to be placed in the ground. followed by those higher above. Therefore. first the knees will be placed down, followed by the hands, the knees and finally the forehead. It is Waajib (compulsory) for most of the forehead to be placed on the ground. However, if a person is unable to do so because of old age or any other reason and has to place the hands before the knees, there will be no harm done. If one is unable to place both down ;t the same time, he should place the right knee and hand down before the left.

Fatawa Rahimiyyah vol.2