وعن سالم بن عبد الله (بن عمر) عن أبيه: أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يرفع يديه حذو منكبيه إذا افتتح الصلاة، وإذا كبر للركوع وإذا رفع رأسه من الركوع رفعهما كذلك (أيضا) ، وقال: سمع الله لمن حمده ربنا ولك الحمد، وكان لا يفعل ذلك فى السجود
Salim bin Abdullah bin Umar narrated from his father that “the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, when he began the prayer, and when he said Allah-u-Akbar for bowing, and when he raised his head from bowing, would raise his two hands up to his two shoulders, and say سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ, رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الحَمدُ, and he did not raise his hands during prostration.”
“Imam al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, narrated this hadith through Imam Malik, from Ibn Shihab, from Salim.”
Research and takhrij: Bukhari 736, 735, 739, 738; Muslim: 390
وفي رواية شعيب عنه: رأيت النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم افتتح التكبير فى الصلاة ، فرفع يديه حين يكبر حتى جعلهما حذو منكبيه
In the narration of Shu’ayb, with the same meaning: “I saw the Prophet ﷺ begin the takbir in the prayer; he raised his hands when he said the takbir until he made them level with his shoulders.”
Research and takhrij: Bukhari: 738
وفي رواية ابن جريج عنه: (إذا قام (إلى) الصلاة رفع يديه حتى يكونا حذو منكبيه ثم كبر)
In the narration of Ibn Jurayj, with the same meaning: “When the Prophet ﷺ stood for the prayer, he would raise his hands until they were level with his shoulders, then say Allah-u-Akbar.”
Research and takhrij: Muslim: 390
وكذلك فى رواية يونس: حتى يكونا حذو منكبيه، ثم كبر
Likewise, in the narration of Yunus: “Until his hands were level with his shoulders, then he ﷺ said Allah-u-Akbar.” All of these are in Muslim.
Research and takhrij: Bukhari: 736
Benefits:
➊ The first takbir in the prayer is obligatory. Raising the hands during the first takbir is correct by unanimous agreement.
➋ One should raise both hands and then say الله اكبر. It is also correct to raise both hands at the same time as saying الله اكبر. It is also correct to raise the hands after saying Allah-u-Akbar, and it is correct even if the hands are raised after saying Allah-u-Akbar.
➌ Raising the hands (rafa’ al-yadayn) is sunnah. The difference of opinion is whether raising the hands is more virtuous or not raising them is more virtuous. Many hadiths indicate that the Prophet ﷺ never prayed any prayer without raising the hands. Ahl al-Hadith regard it as sunnah and consider doing it to be more virtuous. Nothing is found about excessive raising of the hands in prayer. Raising the hands is obligatory only at the first takbir; raising them at bowing, at rising from bowing, and when rising for the third rak’ah after two rak’ahs are established as sunnah. Raising the hands while going into prostration, sitting, or giving the salam is not found to be permissible. (Allah knows best)
➍ There are two kinds of narrations about how high to raise the hands: up to the shoulders or up to the earlobes. Reconciling them means following both hadiths: place the hands between the earlobes and the shoulders. However, it is not correct to bring the earlobes to the thumbs of both hands.
