Abu Dawud

1000. Commentary:
➊ It is obligatory to observe humility and submissiveness both outwardly and inwardly in prayer. Idle movements are impermissible and forbidden. Prayer should be performed in the manner demonstrated by the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and as the noble Companions radi Allahu anhum ajma‘in learned from him.
➋ The aforementioned hadith is also found in Sahih Muslim, Hadith Fawad: [656], Darussalam: [968], and Sunan an-Nasa’i, Hadith [1327]. It is an authentic hadith and is among the well-known evidences which the Hanafi brothers present with great confidence in rejection and denial of raising the hands (raf‘ al-yadayn) in bowing (ruku‘). However, Imam Abu Dawud, Imam Muslim, and Imam Nawawi have included it in the chapter regarding the salutation (salam), and the correct deduction is that it is prohibited to gesture with the hands at the time of salam in the tashahhud, because in this hadith, it is at this very occasion that gesturing with the hands while giving salam is forbidden, not the general act of raising the hands (raf‘ al-yadayn). Imam al-Bukhari rahimahullah states in the section on raf‘ al-yadayn that the deduction of some scholars from the hadith of Jabir ibn Samurah radi Allahu anhu (in denial of raf‘ al-yadayn in ruku‘) is not correct; in reality, this pertains to the tashahhud, not the standing (qiyam), because some people used to greet each other by raising their hands. So the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam forbade them from gesturing with the hand during the tashahhud. And whoever has been granted any portion of knowledge cannot use this hadith as evidence for denying raf‘ al-yadayn in ruku‘. This hadith is well-known and there is no disagreement about it. If the matter were as they claim (that raising the hands is absolutely prohibited), then raising the hands would also be forbidden in the initial takbir (takbir tahrimah) and in the takbirs of Eid, because the hadith does not make any exception for any kind of raf‘ al-yadayn. And in the narration of Mus‘ar, it is mentioned that the one praying should place his hand on his thigh, then give salam. (Imam al-Bukhari rahimahullah says) Such people should fear Allah, that they do not attribute to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam things which he did not say. Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, says:
«فَلْيَحْذَرِ الَّذِينَ يُخَالِفُونَ عَنْ أَمْرِهِ أَن تُصِيبَهُمْ فِتْنَةٌ أَوْ يُصِيبَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ» [النور۔ 63]
“Let those beware who oppose his (the Messenger’s) command, lest a trial befall them or a painful punishment befall them.” End quote. And it is evident that belittling the established Sunnah of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, mocking it, or denying it is something that ruins one’s worldly life and Hereafter. «اللهم ارنا الحق حقا وارزقنا اتباعه وارنا الباطل باطلا وارزقنا اجتنابه»

Benefits and Issues:
SA It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir radi Allahu anhu, who states:
«خرج علينا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقال: مالي أراكم رافعي أيديكم كأنها أذناب خيل شمس؟ اسكنوا فى الصلاة!»
“The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam came to us and said: What is the matter with me that I see you raising your hands like the tails of unruly horses? Be calm in prayer!” [صحيح مسلم181/1،ح:430] EA SH Commentary: EH

➊ In this “authentic” hadith, there is no negation of raising the hands (raf‘ al-yadayn) when going into bowing (ruku‘) or rising from it. Rather, the consensus of the noble hadith scholars is that this relates to the tashahhud and the salutation (salam), not to the standing (qiyam). The same narration of Tamim bin Tarfa is present in brief form in Musnad al-Imam Ahmad [93/5], in which «وهم قعود» (the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam issued this statement while the Companions were sitting in tashahhud) are the words. Its clarification and support is also found in another narration from Sayyiduna Jabir bin Samurah radi Allahu anhu in these words:
«كنا اذا صلينا مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قلنا: السلام عليكم ورحمه الله، السلام عليكم ورحمة الله، وأشار بيده الي الجانبين، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: علام تؤمون بأيديكم كأنها أذناب خيل شمس؟ انما يكفي أحدكم أن يضع يده على فخذه، ثم يسلم على أخيه من على يمينه وشماله.»
“When we used to pray (in congregation) with the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, we would say: ‘as-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullah, as-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullah,’ and he would gesture with his hand to both sides. Upon this, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: ‘Why do you gesture with your hands as if they are the tails of unruly horses? It is sufficient for one of you to place his hand on his thigh, then say salam to his brother praying with him on his right and left.’” [صحيح مسلم: 181/1 ح: 431]

This narration has also clarified the meaning of the previous narration. On top of this, the understanding of the hadith scholars is like gold upon gold. Therefore, to claim from this hadith that raising the hands (raf‘ al-yadayn) has been abrogated is not befitting for the people of truth. No hadith scholar has presented this hadith as evidence for not raising the hands. How can a believer accept that the very act which the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam himself used to do, when he saw his Companions doing it, he likened it to the movement of the tails of unruly horses?

◈ Regarding this hadith, the Deobandi “Shaykh al-Hind” Mahmood Hasan Deobandi says:
“To respond with the narration of the tails of horses is not correct according to justice, because it is about the salam.” [تقارير شيخ الهند:65، مطبوعه اداره تاليفات اشرفيه ملتان]

◈ Regarding this hadith, Muhammad Taqi Usmani Hayati Deobandi says:
“But the just thing is that the Hanafi argument from this hadith is dubious and weak, because in the narration of Ibn al-Qabtiyyah, there is a clear statement about the time of salam, and in its presence, the apparent and most likely meaning is that this hadith of Sayyiduna Jabir radi Allahu anhu is about raising the hands at the salam. To consider the two hadiths as separate, when the narrator is the same and the text is almost identical, is not free from remoteness. The reality is that it is one hadith and relates to raising the hands at the salam. The method of Ibn al-Qabtiyyah is detailed, and the other is brief and general, so the second should be interpreted in light of the first. Perhaps this is why Hazrat Anwar Shah Kashmiri Nur Allah Marqadahu did not mention this hadith among the Hanafi evidences.”

◈ The famous Hanafi, Imam Ibn Abi al-‘Izz rahimahullah (d. 792H) writes regarding this hadith:
«وما استدل به من حديث جابر بن سمرة رضى الله عنه قال: خرج علينا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال: مالي أراكم رافعي أيديكم كأنها أذناب خيل شمس ؟ اسكنوا فى الصلاة! رواه مسلم، وأن الأمر بالسكون فى الصلاة ينافي الرفع عندالركوع والرفع منه لا يقوي، لأنه قد جاء فى رواية أخري لمسلم عنه، قال: صلينا مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فكنا اذا سلمنا، قلنا بأيدينا: السلام عليكم، فنظر الينا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقال : ما لكم تشيرون بأيديكم كأنها أذناب خيل شمس، اذا سلم أحدكم فليلتفت الي صاحبه، ولا يؤمي بيده۔ وأيضا فلا نسلم أن الأمر بالسكون فى الصلا ينافي الرفع عند الركوع والرفع منه، لأن الأمر بالسكون ليس المراد منه ترك الحركة فى الصلاة مطلقا، بل الحركة المنافية للصلاة بدليل شرع الحركة للركوع والسجود ورفع اليدين عند تكبيرة الافتتاح وتكبير القنوت وتكبيرات العيدين، فان قيل: خرج ذلك بدليل، قيل: وكذلك خرج الرفع عند الركوع والرفع منه بدليل، فعلم أن المراد منه الاشارة بالسلام باليد.»
“And as for the argument from the authentic Muslim narration of Sayyiduna Jabir radi Allahu anhu that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam forbade raising the hands like the tails of unruly horses and commanded calmness in prayer, and the claim that the command for calmness in prayer negates raising the hands when going into and rising from ruku‘, this is not a strong argument. Because in another narration from Jabir radi Allahu anhu in Sahih Muslim, it is narrated: ‘We (the Companions) used to pray in congregation with the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. When we would say salam, we would gesture with our hands and say as-salamu alaykum. The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam looked at us and said: What is the matter with you that you gesture with your hands as if they are the tails of unruly horses? When one of you says salam, let him turn his face to his (praying) brother, and not gesture with his hand.’ Likewise, we do not accept that the command for calmness in prayer negates raising the hands when going into and rising from ruku‘, because the command for calmness does not mean that all movement in prayer is to be abandoned, but rather it negates the movement that is contrary to prayer. The evidence is that raising the hands is legislated (mashru‘) with ruku‘, prostration (sujud), the opening takbir (takbir tahrimah), the takbir of qunut, and the takbirs of the two ‘Eids (that too is movement). If someone says that this movement is excluded by evidence (from prohibition), then the same answer applies: raising the hands when going into and rising from ruku‘ is also excluded by evidence (from prohibition). Thus, it is clear that what is meant by this (Sahih Muslim hadith of Jabir radi Allahu anhu) is gesturing with the hand at the time of salam.” [التنبيه على مشكلات الهداية لابن ابي العز الحنفي: 570/2، 571]
↰ Even after such clarification, if someone presents this hadith against the beloved sunnah of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam of raising the hands, then it is regrettable that he makes such far-fetched and strange statements based on ignorance!

◈ Hafiz Ibn al-Mulaqqin rahimahullah (723–804H) writes about this hadith:
«وهو حديث جابر بن سمرة، فجعله معارضا لما قدمناه من أقبح الجهالات لسنة سيدنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، لأنه لم يرد فى رفع الأيدي فى الركوع والرفع منه، وانما كانوا يرفعون أيديهم فى حالة السلام من الصلاة ويشيرون بها الي الجانبين، يريدون بذلك السلام على من على الجانبين، وهذا لا اختلاف فيه بين أهل الحديث، ومن له أدني اختلاط بأهله، وبرهان ذلك أن مسلم بن الحجاج رواه فى صحيحه من طريقين.»
“It is the hadith of Jabir bin Samurah radi Allahu anhu. To make it contrary to the narrations we have presented (about raising the hands) is the most reprehensible ignorance of the sunnah of our Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, because this hadith is not about going into or rising from ruku‘. The real matter is that the Companions, at the time of turning for salam from the prayer, would raise their hands and gesture to both sides, intending to give salam. There is no difference of opinion about this among the hadith scholars and those even slightly connected to them. The evidence is that Imam Muslim narrated this hadith in his Sahih with two chains...” [البدر المنير لابن الملقن:485/3]

◈ The commentator of Sahih Muslim, Hafiz Nawawi rahimahullah (d. 676H) writes:
«وأما حديث جابر بن سمرة، فاحتجاجهم به من أعجب الأشياء، وأقبح أنواع الجهالة بالسنة، لأن الحديث لم يرد فى رفع الأيدي فى الركوع والرفع منه، ولكنهم كانوا يرفعون أيديهم فى حالة السلام من الصلاة ويشيرون بها الي الجانبين، يريدون بذلك السلام على من عن الجانبين، وهذا لا خلاف فيه بين أهل الحديث ومن له أدني اختلاط بأهل الحديث، ويبينه أن مسلم بن الحجاج رحمه الله رواه فى صحيحه من طريقين.»
“As for the hadith of Sayyiduna Jabir bin Samurah radi Allahu anhu, their (the Hanafis’) taking it as evidence is a great wonder and the most reprehensible example of ignorance of the sunnah of the Messenger, because this hadith is not about raising the hands when going into or rising from ruku‘, but rather the Companions, at the time of turning for salam from the prayer, would raise their hands and gesture to both sides, intending to give salam to both sides. There is no difference of opinion about this among the hadith scholars and those even slightly connected to them. This is clarified by the fact that Imam Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj rahimahullah narrated this hadith in his Sahih with two chains.” [المجموع:403/3]

◈ Imam Ibn Hibban rahimahullah (d. 354H) established a chapter on this hadith as follows:
«ذكر الخبر المقتضي للفظة المختصرة التى تقدم ذكرنا لها، بأن القوم انما بالسكون فى الصلاة عند الاشارة بالتسليم دون رفع اليدين عند الركوع.»
“The explanation of the hadith which necessitates that what is meant by the brief words we mentioned earlier is that the Companions were commanded to be calm only when gesturing salam in prayer, not when raising the hands in ruku‘.” [صحيح ابن حبان:تحت حديث:1880]

◈ The Commander of the Faithful in Hadith, the jurist of the ummah, Sayyiduna Imam Bukhari rahimahullah (d. 256H) writes about this hadith of Jabir bin Samurah radi Allahu anhu:
«فانما كان هذا التشهد، لا فى القيام، كان يسلم يعضهم على بعض، فنهي النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم عن رفع الأيدي فى التشهد، ولا يحتج بهذا من لا حظ من العلم، هذا معروف مشهور، لا اختلاف فيه، ولو كان كما ذهب اليه لكان رفع الأيدي فى أول التكبيرة وأيضا تكبيرات صلاة العيدين منهيا عنها، لأنه لم يستثن رفعا دون رفع، وقد بينه حديث.»
“This hadith was about the tashahhud, not about the standing (qiyam). The Companions would say salam to each other (by raising their hands), so the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam forbade raising the hands in tashahhud. No one who has any share of knowledge would take this hadith as evidence (for the prohibition of raising the hands). This is well-known and there is no difference of opinion about it. If the matter were as the objector (to raising the hands) claims, then raising the hands with the first takbir and the takbirs of ‘Eid should also be prohibited, because (in this hadith) the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam did not exclude any occasion for raising the hands. Then (the other) hadith has also clarified this.” [جزء رفع اليدين للامام البخاري:ص61۔62]

➋ If raising the hands is contrary to calmness in prayer, then why is it done at the beginning of the prayer, as well as in witr and the two ‘Eids? The raising of the hands at the beginning of the prayer is part of the prayer, as is narrated from Sayyiduna Malik bin Huwairith radi Allahu anhu: «كان اذا كبر رفع يديه.» “When the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would say Allahu Akbar, he would raise his hands.” [صحيح مسلم: 168/1 ح: 391] It is established that the prayer begins with the opening takbir (takbir tahrimah).

Conclusion:
The hadith of Jabir bin Samurah radi Allahu anhu is, by consensus, related to the salam. According to Imam Bukhari, Hafiz Nawawi, and Hafiz Ibn al-Mulaqqin rahimahumullah, anyone who takes it as evidence for not raising the hands is ignorant, and according to Mahmood Hasan Deobandi and Taqi Usmani Deobandi, such a person is unjust.