From the above hadiths, the four Sunnah methods of folding hands in prayer have become clear. Now the question is, where should the hands be placed when folded in prayer? According to the most authentic hadiths from the Prophet ﷺ, it is established to fold the hands on the chest, while the narrations mentioning folding the hands below the navel are weak in terms of chain of transmission.
For detailed evidence regarding folding hands in prayer, see these articles. Below are some hadiths related to folding hands on the chest:
1- Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah
«عن وائل بن حجر قال: صليت مع رسول الله ﷺ فوضع يده اليمنى على يده اليسرى على صدره»
Translation: Wa’il bin Hujr, may Allah be pleased with him, says: I prayed with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and he placed his right hand over his left hand on his chest.
🔎 Imam Ibn Khuzaymah clarifies at the beginning of his “Sahih”:
“This is a concise collection of authentic hadiths that reach the Messenger of Allah ﷺ with an authentic and connected chain of transmission, and there is no defective or weak narrator among them.”
2- Musnad Imam Ahmad
«عن قبيصة بن هلب، عن أبيه، قال: رأيت رسول الله ﷺ يضع هذه على صدره، يعني اليمنى على اليسرى فوق المفصل»
Translation: Qabeesa bin Hilb Tabi’i narrates from his father that he saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ placing his right hand over his left hand on his chest during prayer.
✔️ The chain of this narration has been declared authentic by Imam Ibn Saeed Al-Nas, Hafiz Ibn Hajar, Allama Naimi, and Allama Mubarakpuri.
3- Narration of Wa’il bin Hujr
«عن سفيان الثوري، عن عاصم بن كليب، عن أبيه، عن وائل: أنه رأى النبي ﷺ وضع يمينه على شماله ثم وضعهما على صدره»
Translation: Wa’il bin Hujr رضي الله عنه says that he saw the Prophet ﷺ placing his right hand over his left hand, then placing both on his chest.
4- Sunan Kubra and Mu’jam Tabarani
«عن وائل بن حجر قال: حضرت رسول الله ﷺ فرفع يديه بالتكبير، ثم وضع يمينه على يساره على صدره»
Translation: Wa’il bin Hujr رضي الله عنه says: I came to the Prophet ﷺ, he said Takbir and placed his right hand over his left on his chest.
🔎 Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani mentioned this hadith in Fath Al-Bari (2/224) and said that the hadiths he mentions in his commentary and remains silent on are authentic or good.
🖊️ Statements of the Muhadditheen
- Imam Ibn Khuzaymah: “In my Sahih, there are only authentic hadiths with connected chains.”
- Hafiz Ibn Hajar: “If I mention a narration in Fath al-Bari and do not comment on it, then it is authentic or good.”
- Allama Mubarakpuri: “And all the narrators of this hadith are trustworthy and its chain is connected.” (Tuhfat al-Ahwazi)
- Allama Zafar Ahmad Usmani Thanvi: “These narrations are authentic and established Sunnah.” (Ina al-Sakan)
📌 Summary
From the aforementioned authentic and explicit hadiths, it is clear that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in prayer:
- Placed the right hand over the left hand.
- And placed both on the chest.
This manner was described by many companions, may Allah be pleased with them, and the hadith scholars have declared it authentic. Therefore, according to the Prophetic Sunnah ﷺ and authentic hadiths, the place to fold the hands in prayer is the chest; there is no authentic narration to the contrary.
