👐 Six Modes of Raising Hands in Duʿāʼ According to Authentic Aḥādīth
Source: Fatāwā al-Dīn al-Khāliṣ, Vol. 1, p. 210
❖ Question
What is the correct posture for raising the hands during duʿāʼ and istighfār? Up to what level should the hands be raised?
✦ The Response
All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:
ولا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله
❖ The Concept of Raising Hands in Duʿāʼ
✦ Raising the hands during duʿāʼ is proven from mutawātir (mass-transmitted) aḥādīth, which number up to 100. Among these, 30 aḥādīth are found in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim.
This is documented by Qāsimī in Qawāʿid al-Ḥadīth and Imām Nawawī رحمه الله in his commentary on Muslim.
Now let us examine the correct methods of raising hands in duʿāʼ, based on authentic narrations:
✦ Six Methods of Raising Hands in Duʿāʼ
➊ Raising Hands Up to the Chest
Narrated by Ibn ʿUmar (RA):
“This raising of hands beyond the chest is an innovation. The Messenger ﷺ did not go beyond this level.”
📘 Musnad Aḥmad (2/61), Mishkāt (1/196), Ḥadīth No. 2257
➋ Proper Position of the Palms While Supplicating
Narrated by Mālik ibn Yasār al-Sakūfī (RA):
“When you ask Allah, do so with the palms of your hands. Do not ask with the backs of your hands.”
📘 Abū Dāwūd (1/278), Ḥadīth No. 1486 — Authentic isnād
➌ Inward and Outward Orientation of the Hands
Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik (RA):
“I saw the Messenger ﷺ supplicating with both the outward and inward sides of his hands.”
Another narration in Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd states:
“The outward of his palms were toward his face, and the inward side was facing the ground.”
📘 Abū Dāwūd, Ḥadīth No. 1487
➍ Raising Hands to Shoulder Level
Narrated by Ibn ʿAbbās (RA):
“When asking (in duʿāʼ), raise your hands up to shoulder level; and for istighfār, point with a single finger.
For ibtihāl (deep supplication), extend both hands with the backs of the palms toward the face.”
📘 Abū Dāwūd (1/279), Mishkāt (1/196), Ḥadīth No. 2256 — Narrated through three chains
➎ Raising Two Fingers in Duʿāʼ
Narrated by Sahl ibn Saʿd (RA):
“The Prophet ﷺ would raise both index fingers up to shoulder level while supplicating.”
📘 Mishkāt (1/196), from al-Daʿawāt al-Kabīr
➏ Whiteness of the Underarm Being Visible
Narrated by Anas (RA):
“The Messenger ﷺ would raise his hands in duʿāʼ to the extent that the whiteness of his underarms would become visible.”
📘 Mishkāt (1/196), Ḥadīth No. 2253
❖ Key Learnings from the Aḥādīth
◈ The Sunnah is to raise both hands up to the chest level during duʿāʼ.
◈ The palms should face upward during supplication.
◈ In cases of ibtihāl (deep humility) — such as in Ṣalāt al-Istisqāʼ — it is permissible to invert the orientation of the palms.
◈ During istighfār, it is sufficient to gesture with one finger, a practice that has unfortunately been neglected today.
◈ Aḥādīth that appear to negate raising the hands in duʿāʼ are interpreted in context.
📚 For further details, refer to:
Tuhfat al-Aḥwadhī and al-Mirqāt (5/46–47)
✦ The ruling regarding wiping the face after duʿāʼ will be addressed, in shāʼ Allāh, in Issue No. 118.
ھٰذا ما عندي، واللّٰه أعلم بالصواب
This is what I hold; and Allah knows best what is correct.
