An Analytical Review and Refutation of the Evidences Presented for Abandoning Raf‘ al-Yadayn in Salah

This article is written to examine the evidence of raising the hands (Raf’ al-Yadain) in prayer, its permanence, and the arguments presented for abandoning raising the hands. It includes the brief Arabic text of each important narration, its Urdu translation, and the reference to the original book. It is hoped that this will prove useful to you as an academic effort.

Raising the hands in prayer (lifting both hands up to the shoulders or ears) is an established Sunnah of the Noble Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, on which he declared permanence. Many companions narrated this Sunnah from him, and evidence of it is found in numerous hadith books including the Sahih Sitta. Despite this, some people advocate abandoning raising the hands and consider it the Prophet’s last act or an abrogated practice. This article clarifies the reality of these arguments and shows that raising the hands is not abrogated but rather a permanent and un-abrogated Sunnah of the Prophet, peace be upon him.

1) Hadith of Ibn Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) (Sahih Bukhari)

Arabic Text:

كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا قَامَ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى يَكُونَا حَذْوَ مَنْكِبَيْهِ، ثُمَّ كَبَّرَ، وَإِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَرْكَعَ فَعَلَ مِثْلَهُ، وَإِذَا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ فَعَلَ مِثْلَهُ…

Translation:

“When the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, stood for prayer, he would raise both his hands up to the shoulders and then say Takbir. When he intended to bow, he would raise his hands in the same way again, and when he raised his head from bowing, he would again raise his hands in the same manner…”

This hadith clearly shows that the Prophet (peace be upon him) regularly raised his hands at the beginning of the prayer, when going into bowing, and when raising his head from bowing. Similarly,

also contains a narration from Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) with the same meaning, indicating that this practice was not limited to a specific stage but continued until the last days of his blessed life.

2) Hadith of Wa’il ibn Hujr (May Allah be pleased with him) (Sunan Abi Dawood)

Arabic Text (Summary):

رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حِيْنَ دَخَلَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ، ثُمَّ وَضَعَ يَدَهُ الْيُمْنٰى عَلَى يَدِهِ الْيُسْرٰى عَلَى صَدْرِهِ… وَإِذَا رَكَعَ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ… وَإِذَا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ…

Translation (Meaning): “I saw the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, raising both hands at the beginning of the prayer. Then he placed his right hand over the left on his chest. When he bowed for rukūʿ, he raised both hands again, and when he lifted his head from rukūʿ, he raised both hands again…”

This hadith has also appeared in Musnad Ahmad and other books. All the chains together make this hadith strong.

3) The Practice of the Ummah Regarding the Non-Abrogation of Raising the Hands

If the raising of hands (Raf’ al-Yadain) had truly been abrogated, there would certainly be explicit hadiths regarding this change in such an important act of worship (prayer). However, neither did the Prophet ﷺ at any stage announce to the companions that “now do not raise your hands,” nor is there any clear teaching among the companions on this matter. Therefore, according to the majority of muhaddithin and fuqaha, raising the hands remains Sunnah. Imam Malik رضي الله عنه, Imam Shafi’i رضي الله عنه, Imam Ahmad رضي الله عنه, and their followers have always believed in and practiced this Sunnah. Even some Hanafi researchers, after investigation, have preferred this opinion.

1) The narration of Hazrat Ibn Mas’ud رضي الله عنه

Summary of the narration: Hazrat Alqama Tabi’i narrates that Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas’ud رضي الله عنه said:

“Shall I show you how the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, did not raise his hands in prayer?” After this, he raised his hands only at the first Takbir and then did not raise them throughout the prayer. In some narrations, these words are also mentioned that Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I prayed behind the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, and Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), and they did not raise their hands except at the Takbir al-Tahrima.”

This narration is mentioned in

But the scholars of hadith have criticized it as follows:

(a) Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him

Arabic text:

«سُئِلَ أَحْمَدُ عَنْ حَدِيثِ عَلْقَمَةَ عَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ: صَلَّيْتُ خَلْفَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَخَلْفَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ فَلَمْ يَرْفَعُوا أَيْدِيَهُمْ إِلَّا فِي الِافْتِتَاحِ؟ فَقَالَ أَحْمَدُ: هُوَ حَدِيثٌ وَاهٍ.»

Translation: “Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about the hadith narrated by Alqama from Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that: ‘I prayed behind the Prophet (peace be upon him) and Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them); they only raised their hands at the beginning of the prayer.’ Imam Ahmad said: This is a weak (fabricated) narration.”

(b) Imam Yahya ibn Adam, may Allah have mercy on him

Arabic text:

«قُلْتُ لِيَحْيَى بْنِ آدَمَ: حَدِيثُ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ فِي تَرْكِ الرَّفْعِ، فَقَالَ: لَا يَصِحُّ.»

Translation: “I asked Yahya bin Adam about the narration of Ibn Mas’ud (رضي الله عنه) in which raising the hands is mentioned as being abandoned, and he said: This is not authentic.”

Reference: This statement has been quoted by several narrators; for example, see:

(c) Imam Abu Hatim al-Razi, may Allah have mercy on him

Arabic text:

«هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ خَطَأٌ.»

Translation: “This hadith (in its current wording) is false.”

Reference:

(d) Imam Bazzar, may Allah have mercy on him

Arabic text:

«لَا يَصِحُّ هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَلَا يَثْبُتُ.»

Translation: “This hadith is not authentically established from the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) by any correct means, nor does it reach the level of authenticity.”

Conclusion of Criticism

1. Discrepancies in the chain of narration and conflicting statements of the narrators.
2. The text contradicts other authentic narrations.
3. Opposite reports from the students of Ibn Mas’ud (رضي الله عنه), which affirm raising the hands.
4. The scholars of hadith explicitly declare it as “fabricated,” “false,” and “not established.”

For all these reasons, the majority of the muhaddithin have considered this narration to be unreliable. This is why the commentators of the Sahih Sitta also agree on its weakness.

2) The narration of Hazrat Bara bin Azib (RA)

Summary of the narration: It is mentioned in this narration that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) raised his hands only during the first Takbeer and did not raise them afterward. The narrator is Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Abi Layla, who had a weak memory.

(a) Imam Sufyan bin Uyaynah (RA)

The muhaddithin have stated that Sufyan bin Uyaynah did not consider this hadith to be reliable, and therefore he refrained from narrating it. Other scholars agree that this narration is not reliable.

• A brief statement of Sufyan bin Uyaynah is recorded in several biographical books that he did not consider the narrations of Ibn Abi Layla to be strong, especially those narrations that contradict authentic hadiths.

(b) Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (RA)

They also declared this narration weak because of Ibn Abi Layla, as he was not a reliable narrator. According to Imam Ahmad, the statement of Bara bin Azib رضي الله عنه is not authentic when Ibn Abi Layla is the narrator and the text contradicts the well-known narration.

(c) Imam Bukhari’s رحمہ اللہ indication

Imam Bukhari رحمہ اللہ declared the narration of Bara bin Azib رضي الله عنه weak in his “Juz’ Raf’ al-Yadain” and, speaking about Ibn Abi Layla, stated that it does not have a sound and preserved chain.

Arabic Text (from Tahdhib al-Kamal or Taqreeb al-Tahdheeb)

«قَالَ يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الْقَطَّانُ: كَانَ ضَعِيفًا فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ.»

«قَالَ ابْنُ حِبَّانَ: كَانَ رَدِيءَ الْحِفْظِ يَكْثُرُ الْخَطَأُ.»

Translation: “Yahya bin Saeed al-Qattan said: He (Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Abi Layla) was weak in everything (narration). Ibn Hibban said: His memory was very poor and many mistakes would occur from him.”

Reference:

Result of the Criticism

1. The main narrator of this narration, Ibn Abi Layla, is weak.
2. The text contradicts authentic hadiths narrated by dozens of trustworthy narrators.
3. Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him), Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him), Imam Sufyan (may Allah have mercy on him), and others did not consider its chain reliable.

Therefore, it is not correct to use it as evidence for abandoning the raising of hands.

3) Hadith of Jabir bin Samurah (the narration of Khail Shams)

This hadith has come in Sahih Muslim and others that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

«مَا بَالِي أَرَاكُمْ رَافِعِي أَيْدِيكُمْ كَأَنَّهَا أَذْنَابُ خَيْلٍ شُمْسٍ؟ اسْكُنُوا فِي الصَّلَاةِ.»

Opponents consider this as a prohibition of raising hands, whereas:

1. According to the context, this refers to the gesture of greeting and unnecessary waving of hands, as explained in
   Reference: Sahih Muslim

   , where it is mentioned that the Companions used to gesture with their right and left hands while greeting, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade it.

2. Imam Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) and other commentators of the hadith have explicitly stated that this hadith does not mention raising hands at the time of bowing, but rather prohibits unnecessary movements during prayer.

Imam Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) says:

«هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ لَيْسَ فِيهِ تَرْكُ الرَّفْعِ عِنْدَ الرُّكُوعِ وَرَفْعِ الرَّأْسِ مِنْهُ، وَإِنَّمَا فِيهِ النَّهْيُ عَنْ الْإِشَارَةِ بِالْيَدِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ بِغَيْرِ حَاجَةٍ.»(“This hadith does not mention abandoning the raising of hands during bowing and rising from bowing, rather it prohibits unnecessary movement (or gestures) of the hands during prayer.”)

Reference:

Therefore, it is clear that the subject of the hadith about “Khail Shams” is different and it does not conflict with the Sunnah of raising the hands.

4) Attributing the abandonment of raising hands to Hazrat Umar, Hazrat Ali, Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them)

Some narrations mention that Sayyiduna Umar, Sayyiduna Ali, etc., only raised their hands at the first Takbir. But all these narrations:

1. They are weak or anomalous chains of narration, generally transmitted through Ibrahim Nakha’i and others, which became prevalent in Kufa.
2. They contradict other authentic hadiths. Because Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه‘s son, Sayyiduna Ibn Umar رضي الله عنه, was consistently committed to raising the hands at every bowing and would reprimand those who omitted it. If his own father had abandoned it, Ibn Umar رضي الله عنه would certainly have followed that.
3. There is no authentic chain from Hazrat Ali رضي الله عنه indicating the abandonment of raising the hands. It is mentioned in one narration in Imam Muhammad’s Muwatta, but even that is not considered reliable by hadith scholars.
4. There is not a single strong direct chain regarding Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq رضي الله عنه that he (God forbid) had abrogated the raising of hands.

Therefore, these narrations presented in favor of the Rightly Guided Caliphs abandoning the raising of hands are weak according to the principles of hadith and have not been accepted by the reliable Imams.

Part Three: Summary and Conclusions

1. Raising the hands (Raf’ al-Yadain) is an established and continuously practiced Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
2. There is no authentic hadith indicating its abrogation or abandonment.
3. The arguments against raising the hands are mostly based on weak, rare, or contradictory hadith and reports, which the muhaddithin have not accepted as authentic.
4. Numerous narrations with authentic chains regarding raising the hands are found in Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abi Dawood, Sunan Nasai, Jami’ at-Tirmidhi, and other hadith collections.
5. A large group of the Sahabah and Tabi’in believed in and practiced it. There is no established attribution of abandoning raising the hands from the Rightly Guided Caliphs (Rashidun).
6. According to the majority of muhaddithin and jurists, the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ is to raise both hands at the Takbir al-Tahrima, when going into Ruku’, and when rising from Ruku’.

Therefore, it is best that a person follows this Sunnah without any hesitation and does not abandon the established Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ in such an important pillar of prayer based on any weak or rare narration.

وَمَا عَلَى الرَّسُولِ إِلَّا الْبَلَاغُ المُبِيْن

(And your duty is only to convey [the message] clearly)

Supplication

May Allah Almighty grant all Muslims the ability to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ above all prejudices. Ameen!