During the standing in prayer (before bowing), placing the right hand over the left hand or binding them has been the practice of all the Prophets, peace be upon them. Our Prophet ﷺ and his Ummah have also been commanded to do the same. Although this command essentially implies obligation, in the light of authentic ahadith it is more accurate to call it a confirmed Sunnah. This is the Sunnah that the Companions, the Followers, and the Imams of the Ummah have followed.
In this article, we will present 33 evidences from the Quran, ahadith, and the practices of the Companions and Followers to clarify that:
- The Prophet ﷺ and the noble Prophets used to fold their hands in prayer.
- This practice is a confirmed Sunnah during the standing position.
- The Companions and Imams always followed this.
- There is no authentic evidence for placing the hands below the navel.
- The correct and established Sunnah is to place the hands on or near the chest.
① Ibn Hibban: Command to the Prophets—Right hand over left in prayer
1. Imam Ibn Hibban has authentically narrated with a reliable chain in his Sahih that: «عن ابن عباس أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال إنا معشرا لأنبياء أمرنا أن نؤخر سحورنا ونعجل فطرنا وأن نمسك بايماننا على شمالنا فى صلو تنا»
Meaning: Our Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that all the groups of the noble Prophets, peace be upon them, were commanded to delay the pre-dawn meal (Suhoor) for fasting and to hasten the breaking of the fast (Iftar) immediately at its time, and during the standing before bowing (Ruku’) in prayer, to hold the left hand with the right hand.
② Wa’il bin Hujr رضي الله عنه: Placing on the palm/wrist/forearm (Abu Dawood, etc.)
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Wa’il bin Hujr:
«ثم وضع يده اليمنى على ظهر كفه اليسرى والرسغ والساعد»
Meaning: I went to the Prophet’s service to learn the prayer of the Prophet, and I saw that after the Takbir al-Tahrima, he صلى الله عليه وسلم placed his right hand on the back of the left forearm, wrist, and palm.
The second chain of this hadith is present at number 33. Its essential meaning is that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to place his right hand on the wrist, forearm, and palm of the left hand. The chain of this hadith is authentic, and its implied meaning is that the hands should be placed on the chest.
③ Tafsir Aliؓ (فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ) — Right hand over left (Al-Bayhaqi)
Imam Baihaqi and numerous noble hadith scholars have narrated:
3: أخبرنا أبو عبدالله الحافظ: ثنا على بن حمشا د العدل: حدثنا هشام بن على ومحمد بن أيوب قالا حدثنا موسى بن إسماعيل: ثنا حماد بن سلمة عن عاصم الجحدرى عن عقبة بن صهبان عن على بن ابي طالب رضى الله عنه ﴿فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ﴾: قال هو وضع يمينك على شمالك فى الصلوة
That is, the Rightly Guided Caliph, Sayyiduna Ali Murtaza (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the meaning of the Quranic verse ﴿فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ﴾ is that in prayer, while standing, the right hand should be placed over the left hand
.
The chain of this hadith is narrated through several authentic routes up to Hammad bin Salamah, therefore there is no need to discuss the authentication and correction of narrators before Hammad. Hammad bin Salamah is among the trustworthy narrators of Sahih Muslim and many hadith books (general books of Rijal), and Asim Hajdari is also trustworthy
. Asim Hajdari narrated this hadith from Uqbah bin Suhban (Asim Hajdari’s meeting with Uqbah bin Suhban is noted. The correct understanding is that between them was Al-Ajjaj Al-Jahdari as an intermediary; see Al-Tarikh al-Kabir by Bukhari (437/6). Al-Ajjaj’s status is unknown; see my book “The Ruling and Position of Hand Folding in Prayer” p. 33. There is no explicit narration confirming Asim’s direct hearing from Uqbah. Due to the connected chains in Al-Mazid fi Muttasil al-Asanid, this narration is weak). Some chains of this narration also include the words “under the navel”
. Ibn al-Turkumani Hanafi writes: وفي سنده و متنه اضطراب and there is confusion in its chain and text
. Even an ordinary student knows that a narration with confusion is weak. To refute Ibn al-Turkumani, see the same topic pp. 22, 23, which are narrated from senior Tabi‘in and trustworthy narrators
. Uqbah bin Suhban narrated it from the Rightly Guided Caliph, Amir al-Mu’minin Ali Murtaza (may Allah be pleased with him), therefore considering the chain and text, this hadith is authentic and mursal, meaning it carries the ruling of a Prophetic hadith. It is not possible that any Sahabi, especially a Rightly Guided Caliph, would interpret a Quranic verse according to his own opinion unless there is a Quranic or Prophetic text narrated against that Sahabi’s interpretation making it impossible to reconcile and authenticate both.
④ Tafsir of Aliؓ — Placing the Right Hand over the Left (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah)
4. «قال الإمام ابن أبى شيبة: حدثنا وكيع: حدثنا يزيد بن زياد بن أبى الجعد عن عاصم الجحدري عن عقبة بن ظهير عن على فى قوله ﴿فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ﴾ He said, “Placing the right hand over the left in prayer”
This means that according to the mentioned chain of narration, the Rightly Guided Caliph, Sayyiduna Ali Murtaza, said that the meaning of the words mentioned in Surah Al-Kawthar is that in prayer, while standing before bowing (ruku), the right hand should be placed on the left hand. Also see
Dear viewers can see that the chain of this hadith differs from the chain of the previous hadith but the meaning is the same. The one who narrated it from Sayyiduna Ali Murtaza (may Allah be pleased with him) is Uqbah bin Zuhair, who is also called Uqbah bin Zubyan
. This means that in narrating from Sayyiduna Ali Murtaza (may Allah be pleased with him), Uqbah bin Zuhair bin Zubyan followed Uqbah bin Sahban. The mutual following of each other by both has increased the authenticity of this hadith.
⑤ Tafsir of Aliؓ — Placing the Hand on the Hand (Tafsir al-Tabari)
5. «قال الإمام ابن جرير: حدثنا ابن بشار قال: ثنا عبد الرحمن بن مهدي قال: حدثنا حماد بن سلمة عن عاصم الجحدري عن عقبة بن ظبيان عن أبيه عن على بن أبى طالب ﴿فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ﴾ He said: Placing the hand on the hand in prayer»
Meaning, from the mentioned chain it is narrated that Sayyiduna Ali Murtaza (may Allah be pleased with him) explained the interpretation of the mentioned verse by saying that in prayer, during the standing position before bowing, one hand, i.e., the left hand, should be placed under the other hand, i.e., the right hand.
The chain of this hadith is also authentic, and it has been transmitted from Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) by Uqbah bin Zubyan or Uqbah bin Zuhair from their father. This means that Uqbah also narrated this hadith from Sayyiduna Ali, and their fathers Zubyan or Zuhair also narrated it. Scholars know that when a narrator narrates a hadith from his father, he sometimes also gets the opportunity to narrate it from his father’s teacher. Therefore, in this respect, three trustworthy narrators have consecutively transmitted this hadith from Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), which further strengthens its authenticity. Ibn Hibban has declared Zubyan or Zuhair trustworthy, while Abu al-Fath az-Zadi has criticized them, but Abu al-Fath az-Zadi himself is a liar, so his statement is not reliable, and the statement of Hafiz Ibn Hibban remains valid.
It is Sunnah in prayer to bind the right hand over the left hand during the entire standing position before bowing:
All Imams of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah agree that in prayer, during the standing position before bowing and immediately with or shortly after the Takbir al-Tahrimah for standing, the right hand should be bound over the left hand.
This statement has been attributed to Imam Malik that instead of binding both hands, they should be left hanging, but researchers have rejected this attribution, and Imam Malik himself has clarified in his book Al-Muwatta, in the chapter “Placing one hand over the other in prayer,” with Al-Masaalik al-Mujaz, vol. 2, pp. 15 to 19, by narrating hadiths with this meaning, that the majority’s position is correct and applicable. Imam Malik has narrated two hadiths in support of this position, and we are also narrating the second hadith here.
⑥ Sahl bin Sa’d رضي الله عنه: “People were commanded”—Yemeni Ali Al-Yasari (Muwatta/Bukhari)
6. «مالك عن أبى حازم بن دينار عن سهل بن سعد الساعدى قال: كان الناس يؤمرون أن يضع الرجل اليد اليمنى على ذراعة اليسرى فى الصلوة، قال أبو حازم: ولا أعلم إلا أنه ينمي ذالك»
That is, Abu Hazim bin Dinar narrated from Sayyiduna Sahl bin Sa’d Sa’di that Sayyiduna Sahl, a companion (may Allah be pleased with him), said that people were commanded that a person should place his right hand on the left forearm during the standing position of prayer. Abu Hazim said that I only know that Sahl used to narrate this hadith from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in a mursal form
This hadith clearly states that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were commanded by the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم to place the right hand on the left hand before bowing in prayer, and it is known that the imperative form indicates obligation unless a reliable legal proof changes it from obligation to non-obligation. There are many hadiths with similar meaning, for example, the Prophet said:
⑦ Indeed, we, the community of the Prophets… Suhoor/Iftar/Hand folding (Tabarani/Ibn Hibban)
7: «إنا معشر الأنبياء أمرنا بتعجيل فطرنا وتأخير سحورنا وأن نضع أيماننا على شمائلنا فى الصلوة»
That is, the Prophets and Messengers (peace be upon them) were commanded (by Allah) to hasten in breaking the fast and delay the pre-dawn meal (Suhoor), and in prayer, to place their right hand over their left hand during the standing before the bowing (ruku).
(This hadith has been mentioned earlier.)
⑧ Practical Correction: The Prophet ﷺ made the worshiper place the right hand over the left (Abu Dawood/Nasa’i)
8. For this reason, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم saw a person (Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him) who was placing his left hand over his right hand during the standing in prayer, so he placed his right hand over his left hand.
⑨ Ibn Zubair (رضی اللہ عنہ): Aligning the feet and placing the hand over the hand is Sunnah
9. There are several texts that interpret the imperative verb in this hadith as indicating Sunnah Mu’akkadah (emphasized Sunnah) rather than obligation. Among them is a narration from Abdullah ibn Zubair ibn Awwam (رضی اللہ عنہما), who said:
«صف القدمين ووضع اليد على اليد من السنة»
Meaning, during prayer, aligning both feet and placing one hand over the other (before standing up from bowing) with the right hand over the left hand is among the Sunnahs of prayer.
From this hadith, it is understood that the commands given in the form of imperative during standing to place the right hand over the left hand are Sunnah, though it is better to call them Sunnah Mu’akkadah.
⑩ Mursal Hasan Basri: The scholars of Bani Israel used to fold their hands
10. It is narrated from Sayyiduna Imam Hasan Basri that:
«قال رسول اللـه صلى الله عليه وسلم كـأنـي أنـظـر إلى أحبار بنى إسرائيل واضعي أيمانهم على شمائلهم فى الصلوة»
That is, the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: I see Alā’, the jurists and leaders of the Children of Israel placing their right hands over their left hands during prayer.
This narration is mursal, meaning Hasan Basri directly reported it from the Prophet ﷺ without mentioning the intermediary (Companion).
▸ Grade of the narration
- The chain up to Hasan Basri is authentic, but since it is mursal, it is generally considered weak in principle.
- Imam Ibn al-Madini (teacher of Bukhari) states:
“Most of Hasan Basri’s mursal ahadith are authentic; very few are weak.”
▸ Clarification from Imam Hasan Basri himself
- Yunus ibn Ubaid asked him: “You narrate directly from the Prophet ﷺ even though you were not present during the Prophetic era?”
- Hasan Basri replied:
I actually heard these narrations from Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه.
- But due to the hardships during the time of Hajjaj ibn Yusuf, I did not mention Ali’s name and directly said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said.”
✔ From this, it is understood that this narration is actually through Sayyiduna Ali (RA), and in terms of meaning, it is connected and authentic.
⑪ Mursal of Tawus: “They used to tie it on the chest”
«قال الامام أبو داؤد حدثنا أبو توبة حدثنا الهيثم بن حميد عن ثور عن سليمان بن موسى عن طاؤس قال: كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يضع يده اليمنى على يده اليسرى ثم يشد بينهما على صدره وهو فى الصلاة»
That is, Imam Tawus Yamani said that during prayer, while standing before bowing, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, used to place his right hand on his left hand and bind them on his chest
.
The above hadith is mursal because Imam Tawus Yamani is a Tabi’i and he did not mention narrating it from any Sahabi. However, the chain up to Tawus is authentic, good, and reliable, details of which are in
.
A mursal hadith is absolutely authoritative according to Imam Abu Hanifa and all the Hanafis and Imam Malik, while according to Imam Shafi’i and other Imams, certain conditions exist on the basis of which a mursal hadith is considered authoritative. Details are in Abkar al-Manan, ‘Awn al-Ma’bood, and Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi. Also, we have mentioned ten reliable followers and supporting narrations for this mursal hadith. Therefore, due to so many followers and supporting narrations, this hadith is, in essence, connected, authentic, and authoritative. (In our research, a mursal hadith is weak; however, it can be presented as authentic or good in support of other hadiths.)
⑫ Effect of Aliؓ: Above the Navel—Grasping the Wrist (Abu Dawood)
«قال الإمام أبوداؤد: حدثنا محمد بن قدامة بن أعين عن أبى طالوت عبد السلام عن غزوان بن جرير الضبي عن أبيه قال: رأيت عليا رضى الله عنه يمسك شماله بيمينه على الرسغ فوق السرة»
Jarir Dabi said that I saw Sayyiduna Ali bin Abi Talib, the Rightly Guided Caliph, during prayer in the standing position (before bowing) placing his right hand over his left hand above the navel.
▸ Status of the narration
- The chain of this narration is authentic (details: Abkar al-Manan).
- This practice apparently is attributed to Aliؓ, but since the Companions acted according to the Quran and Sunnah, it is considered as a Marfoo‘ (attributed to the Prophet) in meaning.
- The Quran also commands following the “Uleem al-Amr” (those in authority), i.e., the Rightly Guided Caliphs, provided their actions do not contradict the texts.
▸ Meaning of “Above the Navel”
- Placing the hand above the navel means, in light of other authentic hadiths, that the hands should be placed on or near the chest.
- The practice of Sayyiduna Aliؓ, a Rightly Guided Caliph, was certainly exactly in accordance with the Prophetic Sunnah.
▸ Consensus practice of the Companions
- Previously, eleven authentic hadiths have passed that the Prophet ﷺ used to place his hands on the chest or slightly below it while standing.
- There is no authentic narration from any companion proving that hands were tied below the navel.
- Therefore:
The silent consensus of the companions is that the hands should be placed on or near the chest.
- Those who tie their hands below the navel are actually acting against the Sunnah and the consensus of the companions.
▸ Conclusion
- The practice of Sayyiduna Aliؓ clarifies that tying the hands above the navel means placing the hands on or near the chest.
- This is the Sunnah, this is the consensus of the companions, and this is the prophetic practice.
- There is no valid evidence for tying the hands below the navel.
⑬ The Collective Reasoning of the Quranic Text (Wanhar) Interpretation—Hands on the Chest
13, The interpretation of the Quranic verse ﴿فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَ انْحَرْ﴾ was given by Caliph Sayyiduna Ali by folding the hands on the chest:
The Caliph Rashid Sayyiduna Ali Murtaza narrated the above Hadith, which means that it is prescribed and Sunnah to fold the hands on the chest before bowing (Ruku) during prayer while standing. Similarly, many hadith scholars and commentators have narrated that Sayyiduna Ali Murtaza explained the meaning of the word ﴿انْحَرْ﴾ in the Quranic command ﴿فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَ انْحَرْ﴾ as folding both hands on the chest before bowing (Ruku) during prayer. This interpretation from Sayyiduna Ali Murtaza has been narrated by Imam Bayhaqi, Ibn Abi Shaybah, Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn Abi Hatim, al-Daraqutni, Abu al-Sheikh, al-Hakim, and Ibn Mardawayh, and the same interpretation is also narrated from Ibn Abbas and Anas bin Malik.
Sheikh Mulla Allah Dad wrote in the margins of Hidayah that since the hadith about folding hands below the navel is weak and he has narrated from Sayyiduna Ali Murtaza the interpretation of Surah Al-Kawthar ﴿وانْحَرْ﴾ as folding hands on the chest, therefore it is obligatory to adopt this interpretation.
Mulla Allah Dad Hanafi and Ayni Hanafi also considered the hadiths about folding hands on the chest as authentic and those about folding hands on or below the navel as weak and unreliable. A similar statement is mentioned in the famous Hanafi book “Al-Bahr al-Ra’iq”. Mirza Mazhar Janan and Qazi Sanaullah Panipati also supported folding hands on the chest, as detailed in our book “Zameer Ka Biharan” (this book is 469 pages, published by Idara al-Buhooth al-Ilmiyyah, Jamia Salafiyyah Banaras, India, and is an excellent book).
First Warning:
The Hanafis generally trace the chain of their jurisprudential school to Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) and claim that just as it is unlikely for the Imams of the Hanafis, especially Imam Abu Hanifa, to err in any jurisprudential stance, similarly it is unlikely for Sayyiduna Ibn Mas’ud to err. However, it is authentically narrated in several hadith books with a reliable chain that Sayyiduna Ibn Mas’ud used to fold his hands in prayer by placing his left hand on his right hand before bowing while standing. Once, our Prophet ﷺ saw him folding his hands in this manner and then placed his right hand over his left hand.
Second Warning:
The Hanafi ruling is that in prayer, regarding the matter of folding both hands before bowing while standing, there is a distinction between men and women. Women should fold their hands on their chest, and men should fold them much lower than the chest, even below the navel. Their ridiculous ruling is, in any case, devoid of any Shariah evidence. There is no proof for their contradictory stance.
⑭ Refutation of the additional word “taht as-surra”—insertion in the narration of Wail
14: «أخرج غير واحد من المحدثين فى كتبهم بأسانيد هم إلى وكيع قال: حدثنا موسى بن عمير العنبرى عن علقمة بن وائل الحضر مي عن أبيه قال: رأيت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم واضعا يمينه على شماله فى الصلوة»
That is, Sayyiduna Wa’il bin Hujr Hazrami said that I saw the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, in prayer, that before bowing from the standing position, he placed his right hand over his left hand.
This hadith does not mention where the worshiper places both hands—on the chest, slightly below the chest, on the navel, or below the navel. However, in one manuscript of Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, some careless scribe or copyist mistakenly added the phrase “تحت السرة” (below the navel) at the end of this hadith, which made it appear that Sayyiduna Wa’il saw the Prophet, peace be upon him, in prayer placing his right hand on his left hand below the navel. But this phrase is not present in the common hadith books, and the famous Indian Hanafi traditionalist Naimwi has admitted that the phrase “تحت السرة” added at the end of this hadith in Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah is unauthentic and weak.
This phrase was either added by some traditionalist Hanafi scribe on his own as an addition, as is common among many Hanafis, or it was mistakenly inserted by a copyist. In any case, many Hanafi traditionalist scholars such as Naimwi, Sheikh Allahdad, etc., have declared this phrase as an insertion and unauthentic and unreliable. The reality is that there is an authentic chain from Sayyiduna Wa’il proving that he saw the Prophet, peace be upon him, in prayer standing with his hands folded on his chest, and the Prophetic instruction is صلوا كمارأيتموني أصلي “You people pray as you see me praying.” The hadith under consideration is firstly an insertion (wali) and unauthentic. Secondly, it contradicts authentic established hadiths. If this hadith were authentic, it would have been stated that both ways of folding hands in prayer are correct and permissible as the worshiper wishes. But it is necessary to reject a weak hadith when it contradicts established authentic hadiths. Thirdly, the narration from Sayyiduna Wa’il (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet, peace be upon him, folded his hands on his chest before bowing in prayer has already been mentioned and is authentic with supporting evidence. Therefore, the hadith under consideration contradicts authentic hadiths and is clearly unauthentic and an insertion. Hence, the hadith about folding hands below the navel is rejected. (The author has discussed in detail the narration of Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah and proved that the words “تحت السرة” are not present in the original manuscripts. See The Command and Place of Folding Hands in Prayer
)
These words were first presented by Qasim bin Qutlubgha
.
⑮ Hudaya/Ahnaf’s Evidence “إن من السنة تحت السرة” – A Sanad Review (Weak)
The author of Hidayah, in his book Hidayah, while arguing for the position known among the Hanafis as “Qal Quran,” said:
لقوله عليه السلام: إن من السنة وضع اليمين على الشمال تحت السرة
That is, we Hanafis have adopted this position because the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that in prayer, during the standing position before bowing, placing the right hand below the navel on the left hand is Sunnah
.
Regarding this ignorant subtlety of the author of Hidayah, his Urdu translator and commentator, Justice Amir Ali, said:
The translator says that apparently the phrase was بقول علي: إن من السنة الخ but those who wrote “Nadan” (ignorant) read the letter ‘Ain’ and considered it irrelevant and replaced it with “Laqulah” (peace be upon him), because the companion’s statement itself apparently proves it is Sunnah, meaning it is from the Prophet’s Sunnah, not that the Prophet himself said it, etc.
.
The author of Ain al-Hidayah said that the hadith under consideration is found in some manuscripts of Sunan Abi Dawood, narrated by Imam Ahmad, Dar Qutni, and Bayhaqi. Imam Nawawi said that the scholars of hadith agree on the weakness of this narration
.
We say that when even the Hanafi commentator has accepted the weakness of this hadith unanimously, then there can be no doubt about its being unreliable.
The chain of this hadith depends on Abdul Rahman bin Ishaq bin Saad bin al-Harith Abu Shaybah al-Wasiti al-Ansari, whom Imam Ahmad called ضعيف ، منكر الحديث ، ليس بشي. Imam Ibn Ma’in also gave a similar appraisal. Imam Ibn Saad, Yaqub bin Sufyan, Abu Dawood al-Sijistani, Nasai, Ibn Majah, and Ibn Hibban declared it weak. Imam Bukhari said فيه نظر. When Imam Bukhari gives such an appraisal, the narrator is considered very defective and unreliable. Imam Abu Zur’ah al-Razi said ليس بقوي, Abu Hatim al-Razi said ضعيف الحديث منكر الحديث لايحتج.
This is the summary from Tahdhib al-Tahdhib and Mizan al-I’tidal regarding the translation of Abdul Rahman bin Ishaq al-Wasiti.
Hafiz Ibn Hibban further said about him كان ممن يقلب الإسناد والأخبار وينفرد بالمناكير عن المشاهير لا يحل الاحتجاج بخبره
.
It is clear that this appraisal is also very severe; therefore, all the scholars of Jarh and Ta’dil have unanimously declared this hadith weak and unreliable, and Imam Bayhaqi has called it abandoned
.
Among the Hanafis, who are habitual in distorting facts and twisting realities and textual and semantic alterations in the Quran and Hadith, Ibn al-Turkumani, while commenting on Sunan Bayhaqi’s باب وضع اليدين على الصدر, in what he considered a demonstration of the Hanafi terminology’s honesty and research integrity, said regarding the hadith narrated from Sayyiduna Ali al-Murtaza عن على أنه قال فى هذه الآية ﴿فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَ انْحَرْ﴾ قال وضع يده اليمنى على وسط يده اليسرى ثم وضعها على صدره, expressing his research terminology قلت قد تقدم هذا الأثر فى باب الذى قبل هذا الباب وفي سنده و متنه اضطراب, meaning: I, Ibn al-Turkumani, say that the narration from Sayyiduna Ali mentioned in the previous chapter has already been discussed in the earlier chapter, and its chain and text have inconsistencies
.
However, in the earlier chapter, Ibn al-Turkumani did not indicate any doubt or inconsistency regarding the chain or text of this narration from Ali al-Murtaza, and he passed over it with great respect and without any expression of doubt, showing his well-known innocence, and from a research perspective, there is no inconsistency or defect in the chain or text of this hadith (see
).
The prophetic interpretation of the Quranic verse ﴿فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَ انْحَرْ﴾ is that in prayer, during the standing position before bowing, both hands should be folded on the chest.
Imam Abu Sheikh Abu Muhammad bin Hayyan said:
18: ثنا أبو الحريش الكلابي: ثنا شيبان: حدثنا حماد بن سلمة عن عاصم الجحدري عن أبيه
(1) عن عقبة بن صهبان كذا قال إن عـلـيـا رضى الله عنه وقال فى هذه الآية ﴿فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَ انْحَرْ﴾ قال: وضع يده اليمنى على وسط يده اليسرى ثم وضعها على صدره
Meaning, Uqbah bin Sahban said that Sayyiduna Ali al-Murtaza, the Rightly Guided Caliph, said that the meaning of the verse ﴿فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَ انْحَرْ﴾ from Surah Al-Kawthar is that the worshipper, during the standing position before bowing, places his right hand on the middle (center) of his left hand on the chest
.
In the above narration, Sayyiduna Ali al-Murtaza, the Rightly Guided Caliph, explained the above verse of Surah Al-Kawthar that the worshipper places his right hand on the middle of his left hand, then folds both hands on his chest. The middle of the left hand, according to other hadiths, is the middle knuckle (the wrist joint) or above it, and placing the right hand on the knuckles (wrist joint) or slightly above it allows both hands to be placed on the chest or slightly below it, as described in this narration. The necessary implication is that the worshipper, during the standing position before bowing, will place both hands on the chest or slightly below it. Placing the folded hands below the navel would cause difficulty and discomfort for the worshipper, disturbing his peace and tranquility during prayer. Since the Shariah commands ease and tranquility in prayer and forbids hardship and difficulty, such a posture would cause distress and discomfort similar to the discomfort experienced during urination, defecation, or intense hunger while fasting, which Shariah forbids. The second implication is that the worshipper is prohibited by Shariah from placing both hands below the navel during prayer. Rather, this hadith explicitly commands placing the hands on the chest during prayer. Opposing this clear and explicit Shariah ruling is a grave error. Sayyiduna Ali’s statement is in harmony with the prophetic hadith because it is impossible that a Rightly Guided Caliph like him would knowingly act against the text (dalil) and rely on his own opinion or analogy. Such statements and actions of a companion carry the status of marfu’ (attributed to the Prophet) in meaning, especially since obedience to Allah and His Messenger and the command of the ruler is obligatory, provided that the companion’s statement is not contrary to Quranic and prophetic texts. Here, Sayyiduna Ali’s statement is not contrary to the texts but exactly in accordance with the Shariah text. كما سيأتي
Discussion on the Chain of Narration of the Mentioned Hadith:
The narrator of the mentioned hadith from Sayyiduna Ali Murtaza is Uqbah bin Sahban, who is a trustworthy and authentic hadith narrator of the third category according to Taqreeb al-Tahdheeb. This is mentioned in Taqreeb al-Tahdheeb and Tahdheeb al-Tahdheeb, Volume 7, page 315, and in general books of Rijal. The chain reaching up to Uqbah bin Sahban is reliable because the father of Asim al-Juhdari narrated this hadith from Uqbah bin Sahban. The title of Asim al-Juhdari’s chapter is Ajaj, and Ajaj’s real name is Abdullah bin Ruba al-Juhdari. He is a Mukhadram Tabi’i, and it is an established fact that a Mukhadram Tabi’i is trustworthy unless there are clear and authentic evidences proving otherwise. Only in such a case can that Mukhadram Tabi’i be considered untrustworthy. Multiple trustworthy narrators have transmitted from the aforementioned Ajaj al-Mukhadram Tabi’i, who are considered trustworthy by Imam Ibn Hibban and all other Imams, especially the Hanafis. Among those who narrated from them is Ibn Qattan, who adheres strictly to narrations from trustworthy narrators. For the biography and mention of Ajaj and his sons and father, refer to Tarikh Dimashq by Ibn Asakir. Imam Asim, who is trustworthy, narrated this hadith from Ajaj al-Mukhadram Tabi’i. In the book Al-Jarh wa al-Ta’dil by Imam Ibn Abi Hatim, he is explicitly stated as trustworthy, and the same is mentioned in Lisan al-Mizan. The one who narrated it from Asim al-Juhdari is Hammad bin Salamah, who is a strong, trustworthy narrator. The one who narrated it from Hammad bin Salamah is Shayban bin Farukh Abi Shaybah al-Hatti al-Aili, who is trustworthy, reliable, and truthful (according to general books of Rijal). From Shayban bin Farukh, the transmitter is Abu al-Harith Ahmad bin Isa al-Kalabi (the trustworthiness and truthfulness of Abu al-Harith is not established; in our research, this narration is weak in terms of chain, whereas according to the research of Maulana Muhammad Rais Nadwi, may Allah preserve him, this narration is certainly authentic. And Allah knows best). Several trustworthy narrators such as Abu al-Abbas Hashmar, two Abu al-Qasim bin Muhammad bin Shuayb bin Nahik bin Yazdad bin Ali bin Bashir bin Ziyad Dahistani, Imam Abu Bakr Ismaili, and others narrate from him
.
Imam Abu al-Sheikh bin Hayyan Asbahani narrated this hadith from Abu al-Harith. His trustworthiness and reliability are very clear and can be seen in general books of Rijal. Imam Abu al-Sheikh was prolific in writing, and Imam Bayhaqi narrated this hadith from one of his books. However, officially between Abu al-Sheikh and Imam Bayhaqi, Abu Bakr Ahmad bin Muhammad, a jurist, is the intermediary. It is evident that he is trustworthy.
⑯ The First Following of Tafsir Aliؓ: Tareekh Kabeer—“On His Chest”
Imam Bukhari said in his book Tarikh Kabir, translation by Uqbah bin Zubyan:
16: أنبأ موسى بن إسماعيل عن حماد بن سلمة سمع عاصم الجحدري عن أبيه عن عقبة بن ظبيان عن على ﴿فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَ انْحَرْ﴾ He placed his right hand on the middle of his left forearm on his chest
Meaning, from the mentioned chain of narration it is reported that Sayyiduna Ali Murtaza (may Allah be pleased with him) explained the meaning of the mentioned Quranic verse as that the worshipper, while standing before bowing (ruku), should place his right hand between the forearm of his left hand, and both hands should remain on the chest.
Dear viewers, you can see that according to the chain of narration of this hadith, Uqbah bin Zubyan narrated it from Sayyiduna Ali after following the narrator Uqbah bin Sahban in the previous chain, and from Uqbah bin Zubyan it was narrated by Ajaj, from Ajaj by Asim, and from Asim by Hammad bin Salamah. We have already discussed the authentication of Ajaj, Asim, and Hammad bin Salamah. From Hammad bin Salamah, this narration was transmitted by Musa bin Ismail, meaning Musa bin Ismail followed Shayban bin Faroukh Al-Abli in narrating from Hammad. The mutual following of these two trustworthy narrators increases the strength of this chain. In the previous hadith’s chain, Abu al-Harith’s implicit following was authenticated by Imam Bukhari, a highly esteemed Amir al-Mu’minin in hadith. According to this detailed explanation, this hadith, consisting of two chains, has certainly become authentic, which is clear evidence that the Rightly Guided Caliph Sayyiduna Ali Murtaza (may Allah be pleased with him) explained the meaning of the mentioned verse as that the worshipper, while standing, should bind or place both hands on the chest.
⑰ Second Compliance: “Placing them on the knees” (Bayhaqi from Bukhari/Qutaibah)
نقل البيهقي عن الإمام البخارى قال لنا قتيبة عن حميد بن عبد الرحمن عن يزيد بن زياد بن ابي الجعد عن عاصم الجحدري عن عقبة من أصحاب على عن على رضى الله عنه وضعهما على الكرسوع
That is, Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) placed the right fist over the left fist
The essential meaning conveyed in this hadith is that according to the interpretation narrated by Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) ﴿فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَ انْحَرْ﴾, the right fist was placed over the left fist because by folding the hands in this manner, both hands necessarily remain on the chest or slightly below the chest. In this way of placing the hands, it is impossible to fold both hands below the navel or on the navel. Anyone can verify this by trying it themselves. Moreover, when this hadith is viewed in the context of the previous hadiths and reconciling and harmonizing both types of narrations, it necessarily follows that Ali, may Allah honor his face, folded his hands on the chest and, following his stated interpretation of the verse from Surah Al-Kawthar, folded his hands on the chest. All the narrators of this hadith are trustworthy, and the chain of transmission is continuous. There is no defect or flaw in the chain or text of this hadith.
⑱ Effect of Ali (رضي الله عنه): Holding the rope with the right hand throughout the standing position—up to the bowing (Author Ibn Abi Shaybah)
18: قال الإمام ابن أبى شيبة حدثنا وكيع: حدثنا عبد السلام بن شداد الحريري أبو طالوت قال: نا غزوان بن جرير الضبي عن أبيه قال: كان على إذا قام فى الصلوة وضع يمينه على رسغ يساره ولا يزال كذالك حتى يركع متى ماركع إلا أن يصلح ثوبه أو يحك جسده
That is, when Sayyiduna Ali Murtaza (may Allah be pleased with him) would stand in prayer, he would place his right hand on the knuckles of his left hand and keep both hands in this manner throughout the standing position, except when he needed to adjust his clothing or if there was an itch on his body, in which case he would adjust his clothing or scratch the itchy area.
The necessary meaning of this hadith is that Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) did not fold both hands below the navel or on the navel during the standing position in prayer, but rather placed his right hand on the knuckles of his left hand. By placing the right hand on the knuckles of the left hand, anyone can see that both hands can only be placed on the chest or slightly below the chest. They cannot be placed below the navel or on the navel. Both ways are proven in different prayers or rak’ahs, and either one can be followed, that is, on the chest or slightly below the chest.
Authentication of the mentioned Hadith:
When Ibn al-Turkmani, like his fellow Hanafi imitators who are the most extreme and ignorant even of the basics of the scholarly and research field, saw that the above-mentioned narration was a strong refutation against the Hanafi school of thought, he, following his usual habit, hastened to declare it weak, especially because Ibn al-Turkmani saw that Imam Bayhaqi had called its chain of narration good (hasan). Using his imitative weapon, he said:
جرير أبو غزوان لا يعرف كذا ذكر صاحب الميزان
Meaning, in this chain of narration, Jarir Abu Ghazwan, who narrated from Ali al-Murtaza (may Allah be pleased with him), was called لا يعرف by the author of Mizan, Imam adh-Dhahabi, meaning that the mentioned Jarir Abu Ghazwan is an unknown and obscure narrator, therefore the chain of narration of the mentioned hadith is unreliable. Whereas Bayhaqi called its chain good (hasan), meaning that a hadith narrated through a good chain is among the categories of authentic and authoritative narrations. Therefore, based on the mentioned reason, Ibn al-Turkmani considered it his duty, like his fellow imitators, to declare it weak and unreliable.
We say that Imam Bukhari mentioned this hadith in his Sahih with a conditional statement but with full certainty, and it was transmitted by Imam Bukhari’s teacher Muslim ibn Ibrahim and Ibn Abi Shaybah
. When Imam Bukhari’s conditional statement is with certainty, it is considered authentic and at least good (hasan). They were mentioned among the trustworthy narrators by Hafiz Ibn Hibban (Thiqaat Ibn Hibban vol. 4 p. 108). And in contrast to authentication, disparagement is null and void, therefore their trustworthiness remains intact. Hence, Ibn al-Turkmani’s claim that they are لا يعرف according to adh-Dhahabi is completely wrong. Also, Imam Bayhaqi, while transmitting the hadith under consideration, said that Jarir had a great attachment to Ali al-Murtaza (may Allah be pleased with him), as his words are:
أنه كان شديد اللزوم لعلي بن أبى طالب
. Jarir is a Tabi‘i (successor), and this hadith was transmitted from him by his son Ghazwan ibn Jarir, and those who transmitted it from them, their descendants, are trustworthy like them.
The narrators from Ghazwan of this hadith are Abdullah ibn Shaddad, Abu Hazim Abdi Qaisi, Abu Talut Basri, who are trustworthy
. From Abdus-Salam, its transmitter is Imam Waki‘, and from Waki‘ it was transmitted by Imam Ibn Shaybah. This chain is continuous and, combined with its numerous evidences and corroborations, is considered better than good (hasan), reaching the level of authentic (sahih).
⑲ Abu Dawood: Explanation of “He holds his left hand with his right … above the navel”
The fourth semantic corroboration and testimony of the mentioned Hadith:
19 : قال الإمام أبـو داؤد: حدثنا محمد بن قدامة بن أعين عن أبى بدر عن أبى طالوت عبد السلام بن شداد أبى حازم عن ابن جرير الضبي عن أبيه قال: رأيت عليا رضى الله عنه يمسك شماله بيمينه على الرسغ فوق السرة
Jarir Dabi said: I saw that during prayer, while standing, before bowing, Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) had his right hand placed on the left hand’s wrist (joint) above the navel, tied there.
The chain of narration of the above Hadith is also Hasan (good), and combined with its semantic evidences and corroborations, it becomes authentic. In this Hadith, the phrase فوق السرة refers, based on other authentic Hadiths, to the fact that above the navel, on the chest, Sayyiduna Ali Al-Murtaza (may Allah be pleased with him) used to fold both hands during prayer while standing before bowing. This is because multiple reliable narrations have established and confirmed that Sayyiduna Ali Al-Murtaza (may Allah be pleased with him) used to place the right hand on the left hand in such a way that both hands were folded on the chest. It is absolutely inappropriate to take another meaning contrary to this established fact. Rather, it is explained and clarified that Sayyiduna Ali Al-Murtaza (may Allah be pleased with him) used to place the right hand on the left hand in such a way that both hands were folded or kept on the chest above the navel. Regarding the statement of any esteemed companion and rightly guided caliph, unless very explicit narrations clearly indicate two different meanings, the preferred meaning should be the one that does not cause contradiction, conflict, or genuine disagreement in the sayings and actions of the rightly guided caliphs. According to the meaning we have explained, there is no real contradiction or conflict between this narration of Ali Al-Murtaza and the authentic Hadiths narrated from him. The word فوق السرة itself is evidence that both hands are placed so high above the navel that they remain on the chest or slightly below it.
The word يمسك is derived from the root “Amsak,” which also means to cling or hold tightly, as explicitly stated in Munjid’s translation of Misbah al-Lughat. And when the worshipper places the right hand on the left wrist in such a way that the fingers of the right hand remain on the elbow, as clarified in other Prophetic Hadiths (كـمـا سيأتي وقد مر بعضها), it is impossible for both hands to be below or on the navel; rather, in this case, the hands will be on the chest or just slightly below it.
Warning :
Some Hanafis, contrary to their usual practice, somehow felt that the hadith under consideration contradicts the Hanafi school of thought and supports the Ahl al-Hadith school. Therefore, the leader of the Deobandi sect, Pir-o-Murshid Shauq Naeemwi, declared the word فوق السرة in this hadith as unreliable and invalid.
However, this is merely a pretense and a meaningless tune. (This hadith was also declared weak by Sheikh Albani, may Allah have mercy on him, but the truth is that this hadith is Hasan.)
In the interpretation of any Quranic verse, the statement of a Sahabi, especially the Rightly Guided Caliphs, holds the status of a Marfu’ Hadith, provided there is no Quranic or Prophetic text contradicting the Sahabi’s statement. Multiple statements of the Sahabah can exist in the interpretation of the same verse; in such cases, the Sahabi’s statement will be considered as a Prophetic text in a metaphorical sense, provided there is no such difference among these statements that makes reconciliation or harmonization impossible. In the case of such differences, every knowledgeable person has the right, with scholarly honesty, to prefer whichever aspect they consider stronger. There is no doubt that a single word in a Quranic verse can have multiple meanings, and according to principles, all these meanings can be accepted, or one can be preferred and another rejected. All lexicons agree that one of the meanings of the word نحر is to place or strike the hand on the chest, and the word for striking (hitting) has been used in several authentic hadiths to mean placing. The implication of this research is that in prayer, while standing before bowing, the worshipper places their hands on the chest, and there are sufficient evidences to support this implication.
Imam Bukhari has narrated in his book Tarikh Kabir in the translation of Uqbah bin Zubyan, and many hadith scholars and commentators have also transmitted:
⑳ Tareekh Kabeer/Bayhaqi/Tabari: Emphasis again on “Ala Sadrihi”
20 : أنبا موسى بن إسماعيل عن حماد بن سلمة سمع عاصم الجحدري عن أبيه عن عقبة بن ظبيان عن على ﴿فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَ انْحَرْ﴾ He placed his right hand on the middle of his left forearm on his chest.
That is, Ali Murtaza (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the interpretation of the mentioned verse of Surah Al-Kawthar is that the worshiper, while standing before bowing (ruku), places his left hand on the middle of his left forearm, that is, in the middle of the forearm, and folds it on the chest.
The explicitness of the hadith is presented in the forthcoming detailed research.
The chain of narration of this hadith is transmitted through multiple routes up to Asim Jahdari in such a way that it is undeniable that Asim Jahdari narrated it with certainty, and Asim Jahdari, according to Ibn Ma’in and Ibn Hibban, is trustworthy.
No Imam of Jarh wa Ta’dil has given him even the slightest criticism. Asim Jahdari transmitted it from his father Ajaj, whose original name was Abdullah bin Ruba (see p. 6, 24; the strongest opinion about Ajaj is that he is no one other than Abdullah bin Ruba. And Allah knows best). Some scholars have called Abdullah bin Ruba a companion (Sahabi), and some have called him a Mukhadram Tabi’i. A Mukhadram Tabi’i is one who lived during the Prophetic era and embraced Islam but did not have the opportunity to see the Prophet. Mukhadram Tabi’in who lived during the Prophetic and Sahabi eras are considered trustworthy, and Imam Ibn Asa, in the translation of his son Ruba, has referred to them with the term لا باس به.
لاباس به is also a term of authentication; indeed, Imam Ibn Ma’in and many other scholars consider it synonymous with the word ثقة. Ajaj Jahdari transmitted this hadith from Uqbah bin Zubyan or Uqbah bin Zuhair, both of whom are companions, and Uqbah the companion transmitted this hadith from our master Ali Murtaza, the Rightly Guided Caliph. This means that this hadith with this chain is authentic and reliable, and there is no defect in it. The commentator of Sunan Dar Qutni, Imam Shams al-Haq, in Ta’liq al-Mughni, called this hadith and its chain صالح ليس فى سنده مجروح. Nevertheless, it is unknown why Hafiz Ibn Kathir said that وقيل المراد بقوله وانحر وضع اليد اليمنى على اليسرى تحت النحر يروى هذا عن على ولا يصح وعن الشعبي مثله, meaning it has also been said that the word انحر in Surah Al-Kawthar means that the hands should be folded below the throat (nahr) during prayer. This statement is narrated from Ali Murtaza, the Rightly Guided Caliph, and Amr al-Sha’bi, but it is not correct.
We say that the wording and chain with which this hadith reached Hafiz Ibn Kathir must have been weak because he quoted it from Tafsir Ibn Jarir, whereas in Tafsir Ibn Jarir, the hadith is narrated with the wording that Hafiz Ibn Kathir mentioned, but it is narratively transmitted and Hafiz Ibn Kathir’s attributed book contains this hadith with the chain including Muhammad bin Humayd Razi, who is considered weak as a narrator, although some Imams have authenticated him. However, the chain and text with which we have quoted it from Tareekh Kabir by Al-Bukhari and Sunan Bayhaqi, we have already explained that this chain is continuous and narrated by reliable narrators. Therefore, the narration quoted by Hafiz Ibn Kathir in Tafsir Ibn Jarir is weak in terms of chain and text because the trustworthy narrators transmitted it with the wording that is authentic and correct. Hence, the hadith in Tafsir Ibn Jarir is weak and not authentic, but in a meaningful sense, it is a follower or witness to the authentic hadith with the chain and text we mentioned. Similarly, the narration with this meaning from the Rightly Guided Caliph Ali Murtaza is transmitted through several other chains, but the detailed research above is sufficient and adequate to establish the point. Also, this Quranic word انحر has the same interpretation narrated from several companions, which further strengthens this hadith.
The summary of this detail is that including Ali Murtaza, several companions have transmitted this Quranic word with this interpretation, and this is evidence that the mentioned hadith is legally mursal, i.e., a Prophetic hadith. If several companions have explained the Quranic word انحر with this meaning, and other companions or the same companions have given other meanings of this word, then as long as it is not impossible to reconcile them, all these meanings are valid proofs, and it is the principle of scholars to accept them as legally binding and valid in the sense of a Prophetic hadith.
㉑ Tabari (Mehrān Sind): “Then he placed them on his chest”
قال الإمام ابن جرير الطبرى: حدثنا ابن حميد قال: حدثنا مهران عن حماد بن سلمة عن عاصم الجحدري عن عقبة بن ظهير عن أبيه وفي رواية عقبة بن ظبيان(عن) على رضى الله عنه ﴿فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَ انْحَرْ﴾ He said: He placed his right hand on the middle of his left forearm and then placed both on his chest.
That is, Zuhair, a companion, and Tabyan, a companion, said that Ali Murtaza used to explain the meaning of the verse ﴿فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَ انْحَرْ﴾ as that the one praying, while standing, before bowing, places his right hand on the middle of the left wrist (in the center) in such a way that both hands are folded on the chest.
The narrators of this chain, Zuhair bin Rafi’ al-Ansari and Bayan bin Amarah, are both companions
and it is established that every companion is trustworthy. Their sons, Uqbah, narrate from them. Their reliability has been especially demonstrated in the presence of mutaba’at (following) and witness. Uqbah narrated it to Asim al-Juhdari, whose trustworthiness has also been established. From Asim al-Juhdari, Imam Hamad bin Salamah transmitted it, whose authenticity as a narrator is known. From Hamad bin Salamah, it was narrated by Mihran bin Abi… Abu Abdullah al-Razi (if the chain up to Mihran is authentic, then his narration is considered good). He is generally trustworthy, although some criticisms against him are ambiguous and are disregarded as they do not contradict his authentication. He is known to be error-prone and inconsistent in narrating from Sufyan al-Thawri, who called him absolutely unreliable; this statement is specifically limited to narrations from Sufyan al-Thawri. According to our view, reviewing his biographies in all the books of Rijal (narrators’ evaluation) leads to this conclusion.
All the narrations of this meaning and concept transmitted from Hamad bin Salamah have been followed by the narrators mentioned in the previous narrations, and Mihran has maintained this following in the narration under consideration, which is evidently strong. Muhammad bin Hamid al-Razi (Muhammad bin Hamid is a very weak narrator) al-Tamimi transmitted this hadith from Mihran bin Abi Ata. There is disagreement regarding his authentication and criticism; some Imams have called him absolutely trustworthy and truthful, some have severely criticized him, some have even denied him, and some have given mild criticism. No indication of falsehood is found in the hadith under consideration, and since this hadith is also transmitted through several other authentic chains, it is considered correct in terms of the text and serves as a mutaba’ and witness in terms of the chain.
㉒ Tabari (Abu Saleh Khorasani Sanad): “On His Chest”
23 : قال الإمام ابن جرير الطبري: ثنا أبو صالح الخراساني :
㉓ Tabari’s Third Strengthening: Another Way of “On His Chest”
ثنا حماد بن سلمة عن عاصم الجحدري عن أبيه عن عقبة بن ظبيان أن على بن أبى طالب رضى الله عنه قال فى قول الله تعالي ﴿فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَ انْحَرْ﴾ He said: He placed his right hand on the middle of his left forearm, then placed both on his chest.
This means the meaning of the mentioned verse as explained by Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) is that the right hand should be placed on the middle of the left forearm (between the wrists) in such a way that both hands remain on the chest during the standing position of prayer.
Dear viewers can see that Abu Saleh Ahmad bin Ibrahim Khorasani has followed many reliable narrators who narrated from Hammad bin Salamah. Imam Ibn Abi Hatim said about him: الحديث الذى رواه صحيح meaning the hadith he narrated is authentic, so he must be trustworthy, truthful, and authentic in hadith. Therefore, those who called him unknown are meaningless and invalid.
㉔ Anas رضي الله عنه Mawkufan: Tafsir of (Wanhar) = Hand on the Chest
قال أبو الشيخ: ثنا ابو الحريش: ثنا شيبان: ثنا حماد ثنا عاصم الأحول عن رجل عن أنس مثله
That is, according to the mentioned chain of narration, it is reported on the authority of Sayyiduna Anas that the meaning of the verse of Surah Al-Kawthar is that the worshipper, while standing before bowing (ruku), should fold both hands on the chest.
In this narration, the رجل تابعي mentioned as the narrator from Sayyiduna Anas is in any case consistent with the meaning of the above narrations. Although the name of رجل تابعي is not known and hence he is considered unknown, all the narrators of this narration except the “man” are reliable. It is evident that this suspended (mauquf) narration is, in meaning, elevated (marfu‘). (This narration is weak in terms of chain of narration.)
㉕ Anas رضي الله عنه Marfu‘: The narration of placing the hand on the chest
The above hadith with the same chain is also reported marfu‘, i.e., from the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم (this is also a weak narration).
㉖ Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه: “At the Nahr”—placing the hand on the nahr/chest
قال الإمام البيهقي: أخبرنا أبو زكريا بن أبى إسحاق أنبأ الحسن بن يعقوب بن البخارى: أنبأ يحيى بن أبى طالب أنبأ زيد بن الحباب : ثنا روح بن المسيب قال: حدثني عمرو بن مالك النكرى عن أبى الجوزاء عن ابن عباس فى قول الله تعالى ﴿فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَ انْحَرْ﴾ He said: Placing the right hand over the left in prayer at the time of bowing
That is, Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) explained the meaning of the mentioned verse that the worshiper, while standing before bowing, places his right hand over the left hand near نحر that is, on the chest.
Correction of the mentioned narration:
Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas was called the translator of the Quran and the scholar of Islam by the Companions and the Followers. Being a Companion, his trustworthiness is established. Abu al-Jawza, the transmitter of this narration, had a close relationship with Ibn Abbas. Imam Ajli, Ibn Hibban, and Ibn Adi have authenticated him. Since he is a narrator of the two Sahihs, he is highly trustworthy, as Imam Muslim explicitly stated. Imam Bukhari’s statement “in his chain, look” does not mean he criticized him; rather, it means that in the chain where a particular narration is transmitted from him, Imam Bukhari commented on some narrator in that chain. Otherwise, Imam Bukhari would not have narrated from him in his Sahih. Imam Muslim also narrates from him. Details of this are found in Tahdhib al-Tahdhib and other extensive books of Rijal.
The narrator Abu al-Jawza’s real name was Aws ibn Abdullah Rabi’i from Basra, killed in 83 AH. He was among the senior Followers. This narration from Abu al-Jawza was transmitted by Amr ibn Malik al-Nakri Abu Yahya Abu Malik al-Basri (Amr ibn Malik al-Nakri is considered weak by the majority of hadith scholars, so his narration is weak according to the majority). He died in 129 AH. Imam Ibn Hibban called him trustworthy and further said: يعتبر حديثه من غير رواية ابنه عنه يخطى يغرب
. In Taqreeb al-Tahdhib, he is described as صدوق له أوهام and صدوق لـه أوهام. A narrator with such description whose narration is verified for occurrence and doubt is not reliable without a follower; otherwise, if there is a follower, he is reliable. There is no doubt that more than fifty of the narrations under consideration are meaningful followers. Therefore, there is no room for criticism in this narration. However, Ibn al-Turkmani, unfamiliar with the sciences and arts, overwhelmed by the emotions of blind imitation, wrote a refutation on Sunan al-Bayhaqi regarding the mentioned Amr al-Fikri, saying قال ابن عدى عمرو النكري منكر الحديث عن الثقات يسرق الحديث ضعفه أبو يعلى الموصلي ذكره ابن الجوزى
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We say that scholars have declared the justification of Ibn Adi and Abu Ya’li invalid. Hafiz Dhahabi called Amr ibn Malik al-Nakri and Amr ibn Malik al-Janbi, i.e., both, trustworthy.
. It has already been mentioned that Hafiz Ibn Hajar called him صدوق لــه أوهام. Against this authentication, Ibn Adi’s baseless justification is invalid. Many hadiths supporting and following this narration exist. Hafiz Dhahabi’s (according to Ibn al-Turkmani) favorite statements are frequently quoted by Ibn al-Turkmani. Ibn al-Turkmani does not see the authentication of Nakri? What else could be the reason besides blind imitation? His unreliable narrations relate only to Thabit and Yazid al-Raqashi, whom Ibn al-Turkmani cannot distinguish well. If he sits to refute Sunan al-Bayhaqi, what will happen? And Yaruwi (a narrator criticized by the majority is unreliable and loses justice due to fabricated narrations). Being a fabricator does not necessarily mean the narrator is reliable. This narration from Amr al-Nakri was transmitted by Ruh ibn al-Musayyib al-Kalbi, whom Imam Bazzaz called trustworthy, Imam Ibn Ma’in said he was truthful and reliable, and Abu Hatim al-Razi said he was good but not strong.
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Those who narrate from such narrators habitually call the hadiths “good and authentic” for the Deobandi sect’s unqualified claimants of research. Their book “A’la al-Sunan” is full of such statements (and) other books as well.
Those who narrate from him include Zayd ibn al-Habbab, who is well-known and trustworthy (according to general Rijal books). This narration from Zayd ibn al-Habbab was transmitted by Yahya ibn Abi Talib Ja’far ibn Abdullah ibn al-Zubayrqan (Abu Bakr, died 275 AH). Regarding him, Ibn al-Turkmani wrote with reference to Tarikh al-Khatib Baghdad: عن موسى بن هارون قال: أشهد أنه يكذب إلخ. Ibn al-Turkmani did not understand its meaning. Hafiz Dhahabi, whose statements Ibn al-Turkmani habitually quotes, explained its meaning: عني فى كلامه ولم يعن فى الحديث, meaning that in narrating hadith, they do not have the justification of Musa ibn Harun. Also, وثقه الدارقطني وغيره إلى أن قال والداقطنى من اخبر الناس به, meaning that Dar Qutni and others called him trustworthy, and Dar Qutni was much more knowledgeable about his condition (compared to Musa).
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The Tarikh al-Khatib reference from which Ibn al-Turkmani quoted this justification explicitly states: ذكــــر الدارقطني يحيى بن أبى طالب فقال: لا بأس به عندي ولم يطعن فيه أحد بحجة, meaning Imam Dar Qutni called Yahya ibn Abi Talib لا باس به, i.e., trustworthy, and also said that someone criticized him without evidence.
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From this, it is clear that Ibn al-Turkmani declared Yahya mentioned above as criticized without evidence, merely by trickery. Imam Barqani said that Imam Dar Qutni ordered him to include the hadiths of Yahya ibn Abi Talib and Harith ibn Abi Usama in أحاديث صحيحة. Imam Abu Hatim al-Razi called them محله الصدق.
From this detailed explanation, it is clear that Ibn al-Turkmani was so immersed in the ocean of blind imitation that he was unaware of what was around him, before him, or behind him. In conclusion, the noble Imams declared the mentioned Yahya trustworthy and authentic in hadith.
From Yahya ibn Abi Talib, Hasan ibn Ya’qub al-Bukhari (died 344 AH) narrated that Imam Dhahabi called him الصدوق النبيل, meaning he was trustworthy. Hafiz Dhahabi also called him “Adl” (trustworthy).
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This hadith was transmitted from him by Abu Zakariya Yahya ibn Abi Ishaq Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Naysaburi (died 414 AH). Hafiz Dhahabi said about him: الشيخ الإمام الصدوق ، القدوة الصالح, meaning he was a true Sheikh, Imam, exemplar, and virtuous.
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Hafiz Dhahabi further said: وكان شيخا ثقه ، نبيلا خيرا، زاهدا ورعا متقنا ، ما كان يحدث إلا وأصله بيده يعارض ، حدث بالكبير. He was a trustworthy, noble, pious, abstinent, and strong trustworthy. Whenever he narrated hadith, he would constantly refer to his original book in his hand. He narrated many hadiths. (Also p. 296). Imam Bayhaqi narrated this hadith from him. Therefore, from this investigation, it is clear that this hadith is authentic, sound, and good (this narration is weak due to al-Nakri).
Narration of Imam Saeed bin Jubair (may Allah have mercy on him) from 29/28/27:
قال الإمام البيهقي وأخبرنا أبو زكريا بن أبى اسحاق أنبأ الحسن بن يعقوب: ثنا يحيى بن أبى طالب: أنبأ زيد بن الحباب: ثنا سفيان عن ابن جريج عن أبى الزبير قال أمرني عطاء أن أسأل سعيدا أين تكونان اليدان فى الصلوة فوق السرة أو أسفل من السرة فسألته عنه فقال: فوق السرة ، يعنى به سعيد بن جبير
That is, Imam Ata bin Abi Rabah instructed Abu al-Zubair to ask Saeed bin Jubair where to place both hands in the standing position of prayer before bowing—below the navel or above the navel (meaning on the chest). Saeed bin Jubair said that it should be above the navel, that is, on the chest or slightly below the chest.
This narration is also authentic and reliable (the chain of this narration is weak due to the tadlees of Sufyan (Thawri) and Ibn Jurayj. However, Imam Abdul Razzaq bin Hammam al-Saffani, may Allah have mercy on him, said: انبا ابن جريج قال: وأنبأ نا أبو الزبير قال: قال لي عطاء بن أبى رباح : سئل سعيد بن جبير ، أين موضع اليدين فى الصلوة ؟ فقال: فوق السرة meaning: Ata bin Abi Rabah said that Saeed bin Jubair was asked where to place the hands in prayer, and he replied: above the navel. (Amali Abdul Razzaq / Al-Fawaid La Bayn Manda Vol. 2 p.234 Hadith 1899) Its chain is completely authentic. With this authentic narration, the narration of Baythi mentioned above is also considered authentic, and praise be to Allah. This is evidence that among the senior Tabi‘in, Saeed bin Jubair issued a fatwa for the praying person in the standing position to place the hands on the chest. It is evident that Imam Ata bin Abi Rabah also followed Saeed bin Jubair’s fatwa and instructed Abu al-Zubair to seek this fatwa, so in reality, these three narrations are one and the same.
㉚ Al-Bayhaqi’s ruling: “The most authentic narration” = Saeed bin Jubair and Abu Mujaliz
Hafiz Al-Bayhaqi transmitted the narration of Saeed bin Jubair and said:
30: كذالك قاله أبو مجلز لا حق بن حميد أصح أثر روى فى هذا الباب أثر سعيد بن جبير وأبي مجلز
That is, the ruling given by the famous Tabi’i Abu Mujaliz Laheq bin Humaid is like that of Saeed bin Jubair. Among the narrations transmitted in this regard, the most authentic narration is that of Saeed bin Jubair and the narration of Abu Mujaliz Laheq bin Humaid.
Al-Bayhaqi’s statement means that the narration transmitted from Imam Saeed bin Jubair with the chain and text states that the worshiper, while standing, should fold both hands فوق السرة, which means that in Saeed bin Jubair’s statement it is explained that the worshiper, while standing, should fold both hands on the chest or slightly below the chest. With the same chain and text, this narration is also transmitted from the Tabi’i Abu Mujaliz.
Correction of the narrations of Saeed bin Jubair, Abu Mujaliz, and Ata bin Abi Rabah:
And on that, under Hadith number 17, the chain and text that we have transmitted and the authentication of this chain have also been clarified. With slight variation, this chain is narrated from Ata bin Abi Rabah, Saeed bin Jubair, and Abu Mujaz Laheq bin Humaid. The narrators of this hadith from Abu Zubair Muhammad bin Muslim bin Tadrus are among the narrators of Sahihain and other hadith books; therefore, their reliability is unanimous. However, they were mudallis (those who conceal defects in the chain). Hence, any narration of theirs in which tadlees (concealment) occurs and is contradicted by evidence and followers should be considered weak. In the chain of the narration under consideration, there is no tadlees but rather a dialogue with Ata, so its chain is free from the defect of tadlees. The narrators from Abu Zubair are Ibn Jurayj, who has many books on hadith and tafsir, and this hadith must have been transmitted from one of his books.
The transmitter of this narration from Abu Zubair is Sufyan Thawri (here Sufyan Thawri is meant, who was a mudallis; see
) or Sufyan bin Uyaynah, and both are trustworthy. From Sufyan, the narrator Zaid bin Al-Habab is a well-known trustworthy muhaddith, and it has also been explained that Yahya bin Abi Talib, who transmitted from him, is trustworthy. Similarly, Hasan bin Yaqub, who narrated from him, and Abu Zakariya, who narrated from Hasan, are also shown to be trustworthy. Therefore, this chain is authentic, and the evidence for this is that these four venerable senior Tabi‘in used to instruct placing the hand on the chest during prayer while standing. It is evident that these senior Tabi‘in performed this act themselves and issued fatwas for others to do so, keeping in mind these Marfu‘ (Prophetic) hadiths and Mawquf (Companion) reports, which are essentially Marfu‘ hadiths in meaning, and people acted upon their fatwas.
㉛ Aamir Shaabi (RA): Fatwa—Chest/Above the Navel
Imam Aamir Shaabi, according to the Hanafi school (also accepted as an Imam by Barelvi and Deobandi scholars) and based on the explanation and narration of Imam Ibn Jarir Tabari, used to issue a fatwa regarding placing the hands on the chest during prayer while standing
. This narration, along with its evidences and corroborations, is authentic and reliable. The Deobandi and Barelvi sects consider Aamir Shaabi as the greatest teacher and Sheikh al-Hadith of Imam Abu Hanifa, a view we have examined in our other book اللمحات الي ماني انوار الباري من الظلمات. Abu Zubair Muhammad bin Muslim bin Tadrus is also considered by Hanafi scholars as a teacher of Imam Abu Hanifa.
㉜ Abu al-Jawzaa (RA): Command to His Companions—Right Hand Over Left
قال الإمام ابن أبى شيبة: حدثنا عبد الأعلى عن المستمر بن الريان عن أبى الجوزاء كان يامر أصحابه أن يضع أحدهم يده اليمنى على اليسرى وهو يصلى
That is, Abu al-Jawza Aws ibn Abdullah Rabi used to instruct his companions to place their right hand over the left hand during prayer while standing.
It has already been mentioned that Abu al-Jawza Aws ibn Abdullah Rabi narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas, the interpreter of the Qur’an, that one meaning of the verse ﴿فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَ انْحَرْ﴾ from Surah Al-Kawthar is that during the standing position in prayer, people should place their hands on their chest. It is evident from the apparent meaning that the interpretation Abu al-Jawza heard and memorized from Ibn Abbas, the interpreter of the Qur’an, was the basis of his personal practice and the ruling he gave to his companions. Abu al-Jawza also had many students among the Tabi‘in.
In total, there were six prominent Tabi‘in from whom it is explicitly transmitted, both in word and practice and ruling, that during the standing position in prayer, the hands should be placed or folded on the chest. There is no authentic transmission with reliable chains from any Sahabi or Tabi‘i that the hands should be placed or folded below the navel instead of on the chest.
㉝ Wa’il ibn Hujr (may Allah be pleased with him): Palm/Wrist/Forearm—Comprehensive Text (Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah 480)
قال الإمام ابن خزيمة: حدثنا محمد بن يحيي نا معاويه بن عمرو: نا زائدة: نا عاصم بن كليب الـجـرمـى: حـدثـنـي أبـي أن وائل بن حجر أخبره قال: قلت لأ نظر إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كيف يصلي؟ قال فنظرت إليه قال : فكبر ورفع يديه حتى حاذتا أدنيه ثم وضع يده اليمنى على ظهر كفه اليسرى و الرسغ والساعد
We have also transmitted this hadith through other chains; its essential meaning is that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to place his right hand on the wrist, forearm, and palm of his left hand. The chain of this hadith is authentic, and its implied meaning is that the hands should be placed on the chest.
Conclusion:
We have written this book on this subject according to our knowledge and understanding. Esteemed viewers can easily realize by looking at it that there is not a single authentic mursal text from the Prophet or a Quranic verse, nor a saying of a companion or a follower, that supports placing the hand on the disliked hair below the navel during prayer before the bowing position and after the Takbir al-Tahrima. Then, on what basis this baseless innovation became prevalent among the sect of Ahl al-Ra’y Murji’ah and its sub-branches, and those who claim Islam and faith, and even those attributed to knowledge and virtue, adopted it as their religion and faith? And the most astonishing thing is that those who call themselves Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah in this clear Sunnah matter always lead prayers contrary to the Sunnah of the Prophet. Our Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, whom Allah Almighty has declared as “Uswah Hasanah” (the best example) for us, from the time of his mission until his death, used to pray by placing both hands on the chest or slightly below the chest during the standing position before bowing, and he commanded his Ummah to pray in this manner and emphasized by saying صلوا كمار أيتموني أصلي “Pray your prayer as you see me praying,” (common hadith books).
The sect of Ahl al-Rawi Murji’ah and all its sub-branches, including Deobandi and Barelvi, despite attributing themselves to knowledge and virtue, somehow abandoned this mutawatir Sunnah, especially in the matter of prayer, and chose another path. والله يهدى من يشاء إلى صراط مستقيم
Appendix: Objections of the Followers and Their Answers
Summary of Ibn al-Turkumani’s Objections
- Objection 1: Al-Bayhaqi wrote the fatwa of Abu Mujaliz (above the navel) on his own accord.
Answer: Al-Bayhaqi cited the same chain of narration as that of Saeed bin Jubair’s fatwa. Therefore, this accusation is false.
Objection 2: The reports of Ali (RA) and Ibn Abbas (RA) are weak.
- Answer: These two reports are authentic and proven through multiple chains of narration. Ibn al-Turkumani’s statement is baseless.
Objection 3: Yahya bin Abi Talib is weak in the narration of Saeed bin Jubair (RA).
- Answer: Yahya bin Abi Talib has been declared trustworthy by the majority of hadith scholars; criticism against him is rejected.
Objection 4: It is not correct to call the statement of a Tabi‘i an “Athar” (report).
- Answer: Hadith scholars and jurists have included the sayings of prominent Tabi‘in among the “Athar” (e.g., Muwatta, Ma‘ani al-Athar).
Traditions of Folding Hands Below the Navel
- The narration “below the navel” reported from Ali (RA) is weak, and Al-Bayhaqi himself called it abandoned.
- Narrations attributed to Abu Hurairah (RA) and Anas (RA) are also weak (their narrators are severely criticized).
Schools of the Imams
- Imam Malik (RA): In Muwatta, he brought the hadith of folding hands and himself practiced it—meaning on the chest or slightly below it.
- Imam Shafi’i (RA), Imam Ahmad (RA), Imam Ishaq (RA): Their consensus is that during Qiyam, the right hand is placed over the left, on the chest or near it.
- Words of Imam Ahmad (RA): “Some place it on the palm and some on the arm… and it extends beyond the wrist and forearm” (meaning up to the elbow).
Conclusion: There is no authentic narration for folding hands below the navel, whereas there are numerous hadiths and the practice of the Imams for folding on the chest.
Additional Hadiths (for reinforcement)
- Wa’il bin Hujr (RA): “I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ placing his right hand over the left and folding them on the chest” (Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, Bayhaqi, etc.).
- Halb (RA) (Yazid bin ‘Adi RA): “I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ folding his hands on the chest” (Musnad Ahmad).
The narrators Qubaysah bin Halb and Samak bin Harb are Hasan al-Hadith, and Sufyan al-Thawri narrated from them before the mixing of narrations.
- Therefore, this narration is authentic and strongly follows the earlier narrations.
Summary
- All authentic evidences agree on placing the hands on the chest or slightly below it.
- The narrations about placing the hands below the navel are either weak or fabricated additions.
- The four Imams (Ahmad, Shafi’i, Malik) and the senior Tabi’in all advocate placing the hands on the chest.
