✦ Bada’i al-Sana’i and the Research on Rafʿ al-Yadayn ✦
Source: Fatawa of the Scholars of Hadith, Kitab al-Salah, Volume 1
❖ Question:
Is the Hadith regarding Rafʿ al-Yadayn (raising the hands in Salah) found in Bada’i al-Sana’i?
❖ Answer:
“Bada’i al-Sana’i” is a well-known book of Hanafi jurisprudence, authored by the jurist Imam al-Kasani رحمه الله. This book is not a compilation of Hadith, but rather a detailed fiqh (jurisprudential) work. It primarily discusses legal rulings instead of narrating or verifying Hadith.
❖ Examination of the Cited Report:
The narration in question is:
“When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed Rafʿ al-Yadayn, we also did it; and when he abandoned it, we also abandoned it.”
This narration does not reach the level of authenticity and has no verified chain or origin in the well-established Hadith collections. According to the scholars of Hadith, this narration is unsubstantiated and unreliable.
❖ Research on Rafʿ al-Yadayn:
✔ Evidences Supporting Rafʿ al-Yadayn:
There are clear and strong Hadiths found in Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, and other authentic Hadith compilations which establish the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn. These narrations have been reported by a large number of Companions of the Prophet ﷺ.
✘ Evidences Against Rafʿ al-Yadayn:
Most of the narrations that are presented against the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn are either weak or unauthentic, including the narration discussed above.
❖ Summary:
- Bada’i al-Sana’i is not a Hadith book, but a Hanafi fiqh manual.
- It does not contain any authentic Hadith regarding Rafʿ al-Yadayn.
- The narration mentioned is not proven and is considered unreliable by Hadith scholars.
- On the other hand, numerous authentic Hadiths exist that establish Rafʿ al-Yadayn as part of the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ.
وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
