Nasai

1186. Commentary:

➊ The first narration is brief; it only mentions the raising of the hands. This second narration is its elaboration. It clarifies that this raising of the hands was at the time of greeting (salam). In the beginning, the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum), when saying «السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ», would also raise their hands, just as one signals greeting to a person standing at a distance with both speech and a gesture of the hand, so that if he cannot hear, he may understand by the gesture. And this was an ijtihadi (independent reasoning) action of some of the Companions (radi Allahu anhum).

➋ Some of the Hanafis, ignoring this clear situation, have separated the two hadiths, claiming that the first narration negates the unrestricted raising of the hands, and the second narration negates the raising of the hands at the time of salam. However, the consensus of the hadith scholars (muhaddithin) is that both narrations are statements about the same matter. One is concise, the other is detailed. Both are narrated from the same Companion. The context supports this.

➌ Some of the Hanafis, even after accepting both narrations as one, have said: "In any case, your expression of displeasure at raising the hands and your command to remain still is also contrary to the raising of the hands at bowing (ruku‘) and other places, because that too is contrary to stillness." With due respect, it is submitted: Why are your words and expression of displeasure not contrary to the raising of the hands at the opening takbir (takbir tahrimah), the qunut of witr, and the two ‘Eids? Are those not also contrary to stillness? If your words abrogate the raising of the hands at bowing and other places, then you should also beware for yourselves. These words would also abrogate the aforementioned raising of the hands (which you accept and practice). Then, raising the hands would be abrogated entirely. Where there are three for you, there are three for us. Allah, Allah, may goodness prevail.

➍ The reality is that these words are only against raising the hand to the right side at the time of salam (not facing the qiblah), and raising the hand to the left side when saying salam to the left. This very act of raising the hands has been likened to the tails of horses being raised, because even the Hanafis themselves consider the raising of the hands at bowing and other places to be sunnah, only they consider it abrogated. That is, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and the Companions (radi Allahu anhum) used to do it before, but later it was abrogated. Can that raising of the hands, which was done in following the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), be the subject of these words? Can the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) liken his own action to the swishing of the tails of unruly horses? Never, by Allah! Every fair-minded person will understand the same meaning from these narrations as the hadith scholars have determined: that this prohibition is only regarding the raising of the hands at salam, which was not facing the qiblah, i.e., it was not even similar to the prescribed (masnun) raising of the hands, but rather it was raising the hands to the right and left, just as a horse sometimes swishes its tail to the right and sometimes to the left. (For further details on raising the hands, see hadiths: 877–880, 1025, 1027.)

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
(1)
FARAASHUN MIN DHABAB:
Golden moths;
the moths that fall upon the light of a lamp are meant here.

(2)
AL-MUQHIMAAT:
The meaning of “iqhaam” is
to make someone enter without thought or consideration.
“AQHAMA FARASAHU AN-NAHR” — “He forcibly made his horse enter the river.”
“AL-MUQHIMAAT”:
refers to those major sins which are the cause of a person’s destruction and ruin.

Benefits and Issues:
(1)
Sidrat al-Muntaha extends from the sixth heaven up to above the seventh heaven;
its roots are on the sixth heaven and its branches are on the seventh.

(2)
Due to the firmness of faith and good deeds of some people, all their sins will be forgiven;
this is the grace and favor of Allah, or after punishment proportionate to their crimes and sins, their sins will be finished and then they will enter Paradise.

Note:
The following three hadiths are recorded under the next chapter in Indian and Pakistani editions.
And they are also related to the next chapter.
But in the Beirut edition, they are under the above-mentioned chapter.

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 learned by the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum ajma'in).

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 that 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 brought it in the chapter of salutation (salam), and the correct reasoning is that at the time of salutation in the tashahhud, gesturing with the hands is prohibited, 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, in the section on raf‘ al-yadayn, states that the deduction of some scholars from the hadith of Jabir ibn Samurah (radi Allahu anhu) in denial of raising the hands in bowing 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 given any portion of knowledge cannot use this hadith as evidence for denying raising the hands in bowing. This hadith is well-known and famous; there is no difference of opinion regarding it. If the matter were as they claim (that raising the hands is absolutely prohibited), then raising the hands would also be prohibited in the first opening takbir (takbirat al-tahrimah) and in the takbirs of Eid, because the hadith does not make any exception for any raising of the hands. 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 fabricate things about the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) 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 Prophet’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, and denying it is something that ruins one’s worldly life and Hereafter. «اللهم ارنا الحق حقا وارزقنا اتباعه وارنا الباطل باطلا وارزقنا اجتنابه»

1319. Commentary: From this hadith, it is clear that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam’s likening of raising the hands to the tails of unruly horses refers to the act of greeting (salam) with the hands at the time of giving salam. It has no connection whatsoever to the raising of the hands (raf‘ al-yadayn) that is done when going into bowing (ruku‘) and when rising from bowing. To link it to that raising of the hands and to claim that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam prohibited it is an act of scholarly dishonesty. May Allah protect us from it. (For details, see Hadith: 1185, 1168)

1327. Commentary: See, Hadith: 1186, 1319.