الحمد للہ وحدہ، والصلوٰۃ والسلام علی من لا نبی بعدہ۔
Where should the hands be placed during standing in prayer? According to Ahl al-Sunnah, the proof is only the authentic and established ahadith. According to Ahl al-Hadith, it is Sunnah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to place the right hand over the left on the chest (as established in Sahih Muslim from Hazrat Wa’il bin Hujr رضي الله عنه and Qubaysah bin Hilb رضي الله عنه).
On the contrary, some people advocate placing the hands below the navel and rely on fabricated and rejected narrations for this. In this article, the narrations presented by Dr. Faiz Ahmad Chishti and Muhammad Nazim Abbasi will be examined, and it will be clarified in the light of the scholars of hadith that: ❖ All these chains of narration are severely weak or fabricated. ❖ There is no authentic narration about placing the hands below the navel.
✦ First Evidence: Attributed to Hazrat Ali رضي الله عنه (Sunan Abi Dawood)
Arabic text: «حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَحْبُوبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ غِيَاثٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ زِيَادِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي جُحَيْفَةَ، أَنَّ عَلِيًّا رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، قَالَ: مِنَ السُّنَّةِ وَضْعُ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى الْيُسْرَى فِي الصَّلَاةِ تَحْتَ السُّرَّةِ.»
Translation: It is narrated from Hazrat Ali رضي الله عنه that he said: The Sunnah is that a person places his right hand over the left below the navel during prayer.
✦ Verification of the Chain of Narration
The basis of this narration is Abdul Rahman bin Ishaq Al-Kufi (Abu Shaybah Al-Wasiti), upon whom the Imams have severely criticized:
① Imam Ahmad bin Hanbalؒ Arabic text: «عبد الرحمن بن إسحاق الكوفي متروك الحديث.» Translation: Abdul Rahman bin Ishaq Al-Kufi is a narrator whose hadith is abandoned (meaning his narration is discarded/not acceptable).
② Another statement of Imam Ahmad Arabic text: «ليس بشيء، منكر الحديث.» Translation: (This narrator) is not of a reliable grade and is munkar al-hadith (his narrations are rejected).
③ Narration of Imam Abu Dawoodؒ Arabic text: «سمعتُ أحمدَ بنَ حنبلٍ: يُضعِّفُ عبدَ الرحمنِ بنَ إسحاقَ الكوفيَّ.» Translation: I heard Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal saying that he considers Abdul Rahman bin Ishaq Al-Kufi weak.
📌 Conclusion:
Since the central narrator Abdul Rahman bin Ishaq Al-Kufi is explicitly criticized by the Imams (abandoned/munkar/weak), therefore the narration about tying the hand below the navel from Hazrat Aliؓ is not acceptable.
✦ Second Evidence: Statement of Ibrahim Nakha‘i (from Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah)
Arabic text: «حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنْ رَبِيعٍ، عَنْ أَبِي مَعْشَرٍ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، قَالَ: يَضَعُ يَمِينَهُ عَلَى شِمَالِهِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ تَحْتَ السُّرَّةِ.»
Translation: Ibrahim Nakha‘iؒ says that the worshipper places his right hand on the left below the navel during prayer.
✦ Verification of the Chain
In this chain is Al-Rabee‘ bin Subaih:
① Hafiz Ibn Hajarؒ: «الربيع بن صبيح، صدوق سيء الحفظ.»
Translation: Rabi’ ibn Sabih is truthful (saduq) but has a poor memory.
② Shu’aib al-Arna’oot (Contemporary Researcher): «بل ضعيف الحديث.» (Footnote on Taqrib al-Tahdhib)
Translation: Rather, he is weak in hadith (da’if al-hadith).
📌 Conclusion: This narration is not acceptable as evidence.
❖ Furthermore, the practice of Ibrahim al-Nakha’i praying with his hands left free (not clasped) is also narrated with an authentic chain:
Arabic text: «عَنْ الحَسَنِ وَمُغِيرَةَ، عَن إِبْرَاهِيمَ، أَنَّهُمَا كَانَا يُرْسِلَانِ أَيْدِيَهُمَا فِي الصَّلَاةِ.»
Translation: Yunus narrates from al-Hasan (al-Basri), and Mughirah from Ibrahim al-Nakha’i, that both of them (al-Hasan and Ibrahim) used to leave their hands free during prayer.
✦ Third Evidence: Statement of Abu Mijlaz Laheq ibn Humaid
Arabic text: «حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا حَجَّاجُ بْنُ حَسَّانَ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ أَبَا مِجْلَزٍ… قَالَ: يَضَعُ بَاطِنَ كَفِّ يَمِينِهِ عَلَى ظَاهِرِ كَفِّ شِمَالِهِ أَسْفَلَ مِنَ السُّرَّةِ.»
Translation: Abu Mijlazؒ says: The one praying should place his right hand on the back of the left hand below the navel.
✦ Chain of Transmission Verification
Imam Bayhaqiؒ said:
Arabic text: «وأصحُّ أثرٍ روي في هذا الباب أثرُ سعيد بن جبير وأبي مجلز، على أنه فوق السرة.»
Translation: In this chapter, the most authentic narration is from Sa’id ibn Jubayr and Abu Mijlaz, and it is that the hands should be tied above the navel.
📌 Conclusion: The narration from Abu Mijlaz about placing the hands below the navel is not reliable; the correct position is above the navel.
✦ Fourth Evidence: Narration of Hazrat Aliؓ (Sunan Abi Dawood, Musnad Ahmad, etc.)
Arabic text: «أَنَّ عَلِيًّا رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: مِنَ السُّنَّةِ وَضْعُ الْيَدِ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى الْيَدِ الْيُسْرَى فِي الصَّلَاةِ تَحْتَ السُّرَّةِ.»
Translation: It is narrated from Hazrat Ali (RA) that the Sunnah is to place the right hand over the left below the navel during prayer.
✦ Chain of Transmission Verification
In all these chains, the central narrator is Abdul Rahman bin Ishaq al-Kufi.
➊ Imam Ahmad bin Hanbalؒ: «متروك الحديث» (العلل ومعرفة الرجال 2278) ➋ Abu Hatim al-Raziؒ: «ليس بشيء، منكر الحديث»
➌ Abu Dawoodؒ: «سمعت أحمد يضعفه» (Sunan Abi Dawood, under Hadith 748)
📌 Conclusion: This narration is not reliable due to the narrator being abandoned and rejected, hence it is not a proof.
✦ Fifth Evidence: Attributed to Hazrat Abu Hurairah (RA) (Al-Awsat by Ibn al-Mundhir)
Arabic text: «قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ: مِنَ السُّنَّةِ أَنْ يَضَعَ الرَّجُلُ يَدَهُ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى الْيُسْرَى تَحْتَ السُّرَّةِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ.»
Translation: Hazrat Abu Hurairah (RA) said: The Sunnah is that a person places the right hand over the left below the navel during prayer.
✦ Chain of Transmission Verification
This narration is also transmitted through the route of Abdul Rahman bin Ishaq al-Kufi, who is abandoned.
📌 Therefore, this narration is also not trustworthy.
✦ Sixth Evidence: Musnad Zaid bin Ali (Zaidiyyah)
Arabic text: «عَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: ثَلاثٌ مِنْ سُنَنِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ: تَعْجِيلُ الْفِطْرِ، وَتَأْخِيرُ السُّحُورِ، وَوَضْعُ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى الْيُسْرَى تَحْتَ السُّرَّةِ.»
Translation: Hazrat Ali (RA) said: Three things are among the Sunnahs of the Prophets: hastening to break the fast, delaying the pre-dawn meal (Suhoor), and placing the hands below the navel during prayer.
✦ Chain of Transmission Verification
In its chain is Amr ibn Khalid al-Wasiti, who is severely criticized:
➊ Imam Ahmadؒ: «متروك الحديث»➋ Yahya ibn Ma’inؒ: «غير ثقة ولا مأمون»➌ Ishaq ibn Rahwayhؒ: «كان يضع الحديث»➍ Abu Hatimؒ: «ذاهب الحديث»➎ Abu Zur’ahؒ: «كان يضع الحديث»➏ Nasaiؒ: «متروك الحديث»➐ Darqutniؒ: «كذاب»➑ Bukhariؒ: «منكر الحديث»➒ Bayhaqiؒ: «مشهور بالوضع»
📌 Conclusion: This narration is fabricated and not authoritative.
✦ Seventh Evidence: Narrated from Hazrat Anas ibn Malikؓ
Arabic text: «عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ: مِنْ أَخْلَاقِ النُّبُوَّةِ: تَعْجِيلُ الْإِفْطَارِ، وَتَأْخِيرُ السُّحُورِ، وَوَضْعُ الْيَدِ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى الْيُسْرَى فِي الصَّلَاةِ تَحْتَ السُّرَّةِ.»
Translation: It is narrated from Anas ibn Malikؓ that he said: Among the traditions of the Prophets is hastening to break the fast, delaying the pre-dawn meal (suhoor), and placing the right hand over the left below the navel during prayer.
✦ Verification of the Chain
The central narrator of this narration is Sa’id ibn Zarbi, who is severely criticized:
➊ Ibn Hajarؒ: «متروك الحديث»
➋ Yahya ibn Ma’inؒ: «ليس بشيء»➌ Abu Hatimؒ: «ضعيف الحديث، منكر الحديث، عنده عجائب»➍ Darqutniؒ: «متروك»➎ Ibn Hibbanؒ: «يروي الموضوعات عن الثقات»
📌 Conclusion: This narration is also fabricated/very weak.
✦ Eighth Evidence: Statement of Hazrat Aliؓ (Corrupted Text “Taht al-Thandwah”)
Some people present this narration:
Quoted text: «عَنْ عَلِيٍّ: وَضْعُ الْيَدِ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى الْيُسْرَى فِي الصَّلَاةِ تَحْتَ السُّرَّةِ.»
But in the original manuscript, the words are:
Arabic text: «عَنْ عَلِيٍّ قَالَ فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى {فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ}: وَضْعُ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى الْيُسْرَى تَحْتَ الثَّنْدُوَةِ.»
Translation: Hazrat Ali (RA) said regarding Allah’s command {فصل لربك وانحر}: In prayer, the right hand should be placed over the left below the chest.
✦ Clarification by the Muhaddithin
➊ Khateeb Baghdadiؒ also narrated this tradition and clarified that Imam Bukhariؒ also narrated it as “placing the hand on the chest”:
Arabic text (Imam Bukhari): «وَضَعَ يَدَهُ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى وَسَطِ سَاعِدِهِ عَلَى صَدْرِهِ.»
Translation: Statement of Hazrat Ali (RA): The right hand should be placed on the middle of the left forearm, on the chest.
📌 Conclusion: Changing “تحت الثندوة” (below the chest) to “تحت السرة” (below the navel) is distortion and scholarly betrayal.
✦ Ninth Point: Objection on Moomal bin Ismail
Some Hanafi scholars have criticized Moomal bin Ismail and tried to reject some of his narrations. But the reality is:
➊ Moomal bin Ismail has been authenticated by 28 Muhaddithin. ➋ The majority have called him truthful and a good narrator. ➌ If any weakness has been mentioned, it is of moderate degree, not severe.
📌 Therefore, due to Moomal, the hadiths about placing the hands on the chest are not rejected.
✦ Tenth Argument: Authentic Hadith (Qabeesa bin Hilb)
Arabic text: «عَنْ قَبِيصَةَ بْنِ هُلْبٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ: أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ كَانَ يَضَعُ يَدَهُ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى الْيُسْرَى عَلَى صَدْرِهِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ.»
Translation: Qubaysah bin Hilb narrates from his father that the Prophet ﷺ used to place his right hand over his left hand during prayer and bind them on his chest.
✦ Verification
➊ Imam Ibn Khuzaymah recorded this narration in his Sahih. ➋ Allama Ibn Abdul Barr and Ibn Hajar classified it as Hasan. ➌ Later hadith scholars (Al-Albani, Shu’ayb Arna’ut, etc.) also declared it Sahih/Hasan.
📌 This narration is absolutely authentic and is explicit evidence for placing the hands on the chest.
✦ Summary of the content
- In all the narrations about folding hands below the navel, the narrators are either abandoned, liars, or very weak:
Abdul Rahman bin Ishaq Al-Kufi (abandoned, munkar al-hadith)
- Rabee bin Subaih (poor memory)
- Amr bin Khalid Al-Wasiti (liar)
- Saeed bin Zarbi (abandoned)
- Changing “taht al-thandwa” (below the chest) to “taht al-surrah” (below the navel) is distortion and scholarly betrayal.
- It is proven from authentic and good chains of narration that the Prophet ﷺ folded his hands on the chest during prayer:
Wa’il bin Hujr رضي الله عنه
Reference: (Sahih Muslim) - Qabisa bin Hilb رضي الله عنه
Reference: (Musnad Ahmad, Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah)
- The unanimous decision of the majority of hadith scholars is that there is no authentic narration about folding hands below the navel.
Scans of Important References
