Abu Dawud

759. Commentary:
Al-Hafiz al-Mizzi has written in "al-Atraf" in the book "al-Marasil" under the letter "Ta": "This narration has been mentioned by Abu Dawud (in Kitab al-Marasil, Bab: Ma Ja'a fi al-Istiftah, Hadith: 33, as per the verification of Shu'ayb al-Arna'ut), and likewise, Imam al-Bayhaqi has written it in 'al-Ma'rifah'." [عون المعبود]

◈ Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah states that although this narration is mursal, its chain of transmission is authentic (sahih al-isnad).
And according to the Hanafis, a mursal narration is, in any case, authentic and a valid proof. And it is supported by this narration from Sahih al-Bukhari:
«كَانَ النَّاسُ يُؤْمَرُونَ أَنْ يَضَعَ الرَّجُلُ اليَدَ اليُمْنَى عَلَى ذِرَاعِهِ اليُسْرَى فِي الصَّلاَةِ» [صحيح بخاري، حديث : 740]
That is, it is narrated from Hazrat Sahl bin Sa'd radi Allahu anhu that people were commanded that a man should place his right hand over his left arm in prayer.

It is narrated from Janab Hilb that «رايت النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم ينصرف عن يمينه وعن يساره ورايته قا ل يضع هذا على صدره» [مسند احمد : 5؍ 226]
"I saw the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, when he finished the prayer, turning to both his right and left sides, and he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would place his hands upon his chest."

◈ Allamah Shams al-Haqq Azimabadi has written in "Ghuniyat al-Alma'i" that the chain of transmission in Musnad Ahmad is strong, and that there is no defect in it that would undermine its authenticity.

Similarly, it is narrated from Hazrat Wa'il bin Hujr that «صليت مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ووضع يده اليمني على يده اليسري على صدره» [صحيح ابن خزيمه : 1؍ 243]
"I performed prayer in the company of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and (I saw that) he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam placed his right hand over his left and placed them upon his chest."

◈ Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah comments: "This hadith, in light of other ahadith, is authentic, and other narrations about placing the hands on the chest are its supporting witnesses."

Furthermore, there is no doubt regarding the narration of Sahih al-Bukhari, and any fair-minded Muslim can practically observe that when the hands are placed on the arm (i.e., the area between the wrist and the elbow), it is evident that they remain above the navel. Therefore, placing the hands on the chest is correct, or at the very least, they should remain above the navel. The narrations about placing the hands below the navel are extremely weak.

The Hadith about placing the hands on the chest in prayer is authentic

Hafiz Ibn al-Jawzi rahimahullah (d. 597 AH) said:

“Ibn al-Husayn informed us, he said: Ibn al-Madhhab informed us, he said: Ahmad ibn Ja‘far informed us, he said: ‘Abdullah ibn Ahmad informed us, he said: My father informed me, he said: Yahya ibn Sa‘id informed us, he said: Sufyan informed us, he said: Samak narrated to me from Qabisah ibn Hulb from his father, he said: I saw the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) placing this (right hand) upon this (left hand) on his chest. And Yahya described (it) as the right upon the left above the joint.”

Hulb al-Ta’i (radi Allahu anhu) narrates that I saw the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) placing this (right hand) upon this (left hand) on his chest.

And Yahya (al-Qattan) demonstrated by placing the right (hand) upon the left (hand) above the joint.

(al-Tahqiq fi Ikhtilaf al-Hadith 1/283, Hadith 477; another edition 1/338, Hadith 434)

In this hadith, “this upon this” (hadhihi ‘ala hadhihi) appears twice, which has been omitted in the printed editions of Musnad Ahmad, but the chain of Hafiz Ibn al-Jawzi up to Imam Ahmad is completely authentic, as is clearly evident from the following investigation of the narrators:

➊ Hibbatullah ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahid ibn Ahmad ibn al-Husayn al-Shaybani is trustworthy and of sound audition. (See: al-Muntazam by Ibn al-Jawzi 17/268, and my book: Tahqiqi Maqalat 1/397–398)

➋ Ibn al-Madhhab is, according to the majority of hadith scholars, trustworthy and reliable, and among the principal narrators of Musnad Ahmad. (See: Tahqiqi Maqalat 1/396–397, Tarikh Baghdad 14/36, Mizaan al-I‘tidal 1/511)

➌ Ahmad ibn Ja‘far al-Qat‘i is, according to the majority of hadith scholars, trustworthy and reliable, and among the principal narrators of Musnad Ahmad. (See: Tahqiqi Maqalat 1/393–396)

Ibn al-Madhhab heard from him before his confusion (ikhtilat). (Lisan al-Mizan 1/145–146)

Therefore, the objection of confusion here is also rejected.

➍ ‘Abdullah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal is, by consensus, trustworthy. (See: Tahqiqi Maqalat 1/392–393)

➎ Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal is, by consensus, trustworthy.

➏ Imam Yahya ibn Sa‘id al-Qattan is, by consensus, trustworthy.

➐ Imam Sufyan al-Thawri is, by consensus, trustworthy, and he was also a mudallis, but in this narration he has explicitly stated hearing (sama‘), so the objection of tadlis here is also rejected.

➑ Samak ibn Harb is among the principal narrators of Sahih Muslim and, according to the majority of hadith scholars, trustworthy and reliable. (See my article: Nasr al-Rabb fi Tawthiq Samak ibn Harb, and my book: The Ruling and Status of Placing the Hands in Prayer, pp. 39–49)

Imam Sufyan al-Thawri rahimahullah, a student of Samak, said: “No hadith of Samak ibn Harb is to be discarded.” (Tarikh Baghdad 9/215, and its chain is authentic)

Note that Imam Sufyan al-Thawri’s hearing from Samak was before Samak’s confusion (ikhtilat). (See: The Ruling and Status of Placing the Hands in Prayer, p. 47)

➒ Qabisah ibn Hulb al-Ta’i rahimahullah

The following hadith scholars have explicitly or by authenticating his hadith declared Qabisah trustworthy and reliable:

(1) al-‘Ijli (He said: Tabi‘i, trustworthy / Tarikh al-Thiqat: 1379)

(2) Ibn Hibban (mentioned him in al-Thiqat 5/319)

(3) al-Tirmidhi (declared his hadith hasan: 252, 301, 1565)

(4) al-Baghawi (Sharh al-Sunnah 3/31, Hadith 570, and said about his hadith: This is a hasan hadith)

(5) Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr (al-Isti‘ab fi Asma’ al-Ashab 2/329, and said about his hadith: And it is a sahih hadith)

The statement of Imam Ibn al-Madini and Imam al-Nasa’i that Qabisah ibn Hulb is unknown (majhul) is not correct in the face of the majority’s authentication; rather, due to the preference of the majority, authentication is given precedence here.

➓ Hulb al-Ta’i (radi Allahu anhu) is a Companion.

Summary of the investigation: The summary of this investigation is that, according to the principles of hadith and the methodology of the hadith scholars, this hadith is absolutely hasan li-dhatihi or sahih, i.e., it is a proof.

For the original article, see: Tahqiqi wa ‘Ilmi Maqalat (vol. 6, pp. 99–104) by Shaykh Hafiz Zubair ‘Ali Zai rahimahullah

Placing the Hands on the Chest in Prayer

Written by: Muhaddith al-Asr Hafiz Zubair Ali Zai rahimahullah

❀ From Sahl bin Sa’d, he said: “The people were ordered that a man should place his right hand on his left forearm in the prayer.” [بخاري : 102/1 ح 740، و موطأ امام مالك 159/1 ح 377 باب وضع اليدين احداهما على الاخريٰ فى الصلوٰة، ورواية ابن القاسم بتحقيقي : 409]

Sahl bin Sa’d radi Allahu anhu states that people (by the command of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) were ordered that every person should place his right hand on his left arm during prayer. [بخاري : 102/1 ح 740، و موطأ امام مالك 159/1 ح 377 باب وضع اليدين احداهما على الاخريٰ فى الصلوٰة، ورواية ابن القاسم بتحقيقي : 409]

Benefits:

➊ From this hadith, it is understood that the hands should be placed on the chest during prayer. If you place your right hand on your left forearm (arm), both hands will naturally come upon the chest. In another hadith, it is mentioned that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam placed his right hand on the back of his left palm, wrist, and forearm. [سنن نسائي مع حاشية السندهي : ج1 ص 141 ح 890، ابوداود : ج1 ص112 ح 727]

? Ibn Khuzaymah [243/1 ح 48] and Ibn Hibban [الاحسان : 202/2 ح 485] have declared it authentic.

❀ The confirmation of placing the hands on the chest is also found in the narration in which it is mentioned: “He (the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would place these (hands) on his chest…” etc. [مسند احمد ج 5 ص 226 ح 22313، واللفظ له، التحقيق لا بن الجوزي ج 1 ص 283 ح 477 و فى نسخة ج 1 ص 338 و سنده حسن]

? The narration found in Sunan Abi Dawud [ح 756] and others regarding placing the hands on the navel is weak due to ‘Abdur Rahman bin Ishaq al-Kufi. Criticism upon this person is present in the very chapter referenced in Sunan Abi Dawud.

◈ Imam Nawawi said:

“‘Abdur Rahman bin Ishaq is weak by consensus.” [نصب الراية للزيلعي الحنفي314/1]

◈ Nīmwi states:

“In it is ‘Abdur Rahman bin Ishaq al-Wasiti, and he is weak.” [حاشيه آثار السنن ح 330]

? For further criticism, see books such as al-Binayah fi Sharh al-Hidayah by ‘Ayni al-Hanafi [208/2] and others.

◈ In the marginal notes of al-Hidayah al-Awwalin [17، 102/1], it is written that this narration is weak by consensus.

➌ The issue that men should place their hands below the navel and women on the chest is not established by any authentic or even weak hadith. The distinction made between the prayer of men and women—that men place their hands below the navel and women on the chest, and that men keep their arms raised from the ground during prostration while women spread their arms flat on the ground—are all subtleties of the people of opinion (Ahl al-Ra’y). According to the teachings of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the form of prayer from the opening takbir to the salam is the same for both men and women, except in matters of clothing and covering, as a woman cannot pray with her head uncovered and her ankles must not be exposed. According to the Ahl al-Hadith, any distinction proven by a clear text is valid, and baseless or weak matters are considered rejected.

➍ The narration attributed to Sayyiduna Anas radi Allahu anhu regarding “below the navel” is severely weak due to Sa’id bin Zarbī.

◈ Hafiz Ibn Hajar said:

“Munkar al-hadith (his hadith is rejected).” [تقريب التهذيب : 2304]

[ديكهئے مختصر الخلافيات للبيهقي : 342/1، تاليف ابن فرح الاشبيلي و الخلافيات مخطوط ص 37 ب و كتب اسماء الرجال]

➎ Some people present the narration from Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah regarding “below the navel,” whereas in the original manuscript and printed editions of Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, the words “below the navel” are not present. Qasim bin Qutlubugha [كذاب بقول البقاعي / الضوء اللامع 186/6] fabricated this addition.

◈ Anwar Shah Kashmiri Deobandi states:

“Indeed, I have seen three (manuscript) copies of the Musannaf, and in none of them is the phrase ‘below the navel’ present.” [فيض الباري 267/2]

➏ According to the Hanbalis, both men and women should place their hands below the navel. [الفقه على المذاهب الاربعة 251/1]

➐ In the unreliable and doubtful book al-Mudawwanah of the Muqallid Malikis, it is written that Imam Malik rahimahullah said regarding placing the hands: “I do not know of its proof in the obligatory prayer.” Imam Malik rahimahullah considered it disliked. If the standing in voluntary prayers is long, then there is no harm in placing the hands, as in this way one can support oneself. [ديكهئے المدونة 76/1] The chaptering of Muwatta’ Imam Malik and the hadith narrated by Imam Malik rahimahullah from Sahl bin Sa’d radi Allahu anhu is sufficient to refute this unproven reference.

➑ Those who pray with their hands hanging at the sides use as evidence a narration from al-Mu’jam al-Kabir of Tabarani [74/20 ح 139], in which one of the narrators is Khasib bin Hajdar, a liar. [ديكهئے مجمع الزوائد 102/2]

? It is clear that this narration is fabricated, so its existence or non-existence is the same.

➒ Sa’id bin Jubayr (Tabi’i) states that in prayer, the hands should be placed above the navel, i.e., on the chest. [امالي عبدالرزاق / الفوائد لابن مندة 234/2 ح 1899 و سنده صحيح]

➓ For further research on placing the hands on the chest, see the author’s book “The Ruling and Position of Placing the Hands in Prayer.” In this book, detailed answers to the objections of the opponents have been given. And all praise is due to Allah!

It is established from the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam that he used to place his hand on his chest (during prayer). See: [مسند احمد 226/5 ح22313 و سنده حسن، هدية المسلمين ص33 ح11]

Some Deobandi scholars present a narration from Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah with the wording of «تحت السرة“», but these words are not found in the old printed and commonly available manuscript copies of the Musannaf.

Regarding this “evidence” of the Deobandis, Muhammad Taqi Usmani said:

“But in my humble opinion, deducing from this narration is weak, firstly because the words of «تحت السرة“» are not found in the printed copies of Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah. Although Allamah Taimuri rahimahullah has referenced several copies of the ‘Musannaf’ in ‘Aathaar al-Sunan’ in which this addition is mentioned, even then, the presence of this addition in some copies and its absence in others certainly makes it doubtful…” [درسِ ترمذي ج2 ص23]

Anwar Shah Kashmiri said: I have seen three copies of the Musannaf, and in none of them is this phrase («تحت السرة») present. [فيض الباري ج2 ص267 مترجما]

It is clear that the Deobandis do not have any authentic narration for placing the hands below the navel. As for the statements of Imam Ishaq ibn Rahwayh and other scholars, deducing from them is incorrect for two reasons:

➊ After the arrival of an authentic hadith from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, there is no need to look towards statements that oppose this hadith.

➋ The famous Tabi‘i Sa‘id ibn Jubayr rahimahullah said: The hands should be placed above the navel in prayer. [امالي عبدالرزاق بحواله الفوائد لابن منده ج2 ص234 ح1899، وسنده صحيح]

If someone says, “Women should place their hands on their chest, and this is a means of modesty for them,” then the response is that this claim is incorrect for several reasons, for example:

➊ This distinction is not established by any authentic hadith.

➋ This distinction is not established from any Companion or Tabi‘i.

➌ This distinction is not established from Imam Abu Hanifah with a sound chain.

… See the original article …

Fatawa ‘Ilmiyyah (Tawdih al-Ahkam), vol. 2, p. 77