The ruling on raising the hands and Sayyiduna Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him
Raising the hands before and after bowing (ruku) in prayer is established through mutawatir hadiths.
It is also explicitly established from the companions of the Prophet, for example, the Commander of the Faithful Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, the Commander of the Faithful Sayyiduna Umar, and the Commander of the Faithful Sayyiduna Ali, and others. May Allah be pleased with them all.
Indeed, the Commander of the Faithful in the hadith Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
ولم يثبت عن أحد من أصحاب النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم إنه لا يرفع يديه
And it is not established that any one companion did not raise the hands.
In this brief article, the hadith of the Commander of the Faithful Sayyiduna Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, is presented with an investigation of its chain of narration, from which it is proven that raising the hands both verbally and practically is established. And all praise is due to Allah.
Abdullah ibn al-Qasim says:
بينما الناس يصلون فى مسجد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذ خرج عليهم عمر بن الخطاب رضى الله عنه فقال: اقبلوا على بوجوهكم أصلي بكم صلوة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم التى كان يصلي و يأمر بها فقام مستقبل القبلة و رفع يديه حتى حاذا بهما منكبيه و كبر ثم غض بصره ثم رفع يديه حتى حاذا بهما منكبيه ثم كبر ثم ركع و كذلك حين رفع قال للقوم: هكذا كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يصلى بنا.
People were praying in the mosque of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, when suddenly Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, came to them and said: O people! Turn your faces towards me, I will show you the prayer of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, which he used to pray and command. So he stood facing the Qiblah and raised his hands up to his shoulders and said Allahu Akbar. Then he lowered his gaze, then he raised his hands again until both his hands were at shoulder level. Then he said Takbir, then he bowed (ruku) and did the same (raising the hands). When he rose from bowing, he told the people that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, used to lead us in prayer in this manner.
Now a brief introduction of the narrators of this hadith is presented:
① Abdullah bin Al-Qasim, the freed slave of Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq:
You are a student of Abdullah bin Umar, Abdullah bin Abbas, and Abdullah bin Al-Zubair, may Allah be pleased with them all, and others. Fudail bin Ghazwan, Qurrat bin Khalid, and Abu Isa Sulayman bin Kaysan Al-Khurasani have narrated from you.
Imam Bukhari and Abu Hatim Al-Razi did not criticize him. Hafiz Ibn Hibban has called him trustworthy.
Zafar Ahmad Thanvi Deobandi says:
وكذا كل من ذكره البخاري فى تواريخه ولم يطعن فيه فهو ثقة ، فإن عادته ذكر الجرح والمجروحين قاله ابن تيمية
And similarly, every narrator whom Bukhari mentioned in his histories without criticism is trustworthy because it is his habit to mention criticism and those who are criticized. This statement (Majd Al-Din Abdus Salam bin Abdullah) was said by Ibn Taymiyyah.
Zafar Ahmad Thanvi’s statement is weak, however, Deobandis should consider this principle and declare the mentioned narrator trustworthy. It should be noted!
Ibn Al-Qattan Al-Fasi has called the mentioned Abdullah bin Al-Qasim unknown.
This criticism is rejected for several reasons:
➊ When authentication is established, statements like unknown or concealed automatically become rejected. There are many narrators whom Imam Abu Hatim and others called unknown, while other muhaddithin consider them trustworthy, and practice is based on their authentication. See Qawa’id fi Ulum Al-Hadith
➋ Ibn Al-Qattan Al-Fasi has a particular principle that he calls narrators unknown whose explicit authentication he does not find from their contemporaries, although such narrators are present even in the Sahihain. See Qawa’id Al-Deobandiyyah fi Usool Al-Hadith
➌ It is established in the principles of Hadith that if two trustworthy narrators narrate from someone, he is not unknown in essence but is called unknown or concealed if authentication is lacking. Such a person’s narration is accepted according to Imam Abu Hanifa.
Although this statement is weak, those who write books like أجلى الأعلام أن الفتوى مطلقا على قول الإمام and declare:
“But except for the statement of the Imam and someone else, it is far from reason to establish proof upon us.”
Why do they reject some trustworthy narrators by calling them concealed or unknown?
Their principles are so contradictory that every sound-minded person is amazed after knowing them how to reconcile them? For example:
Zafar Ahmad Thanvi says:
إن رواية المستور من القرون الثلاثة مقبول عندنا معشر الحنفية
According to us Hanafis, the narration of the concealed of the three centuries is accepted (authentic and proof).
And he says:
الجهالة فى القرون الثلاثة لا يضر عندنا
And being unknown in the three centuries is not harmful according to us.
While in the same volume, the same Thanvi says:
قلت ففيه رجل مجهول فلا يحتج به
There is a man “Rajul min Aal Al-Harith” who was a student of Sayyiduna Ibn Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him, who is unknown; therefore, it is not correct to take proof from him.
انا لله وإنا إليه راجعون
Due to these contradictory and inconsistent policies of Thanvi Sahib, an Arab researcher Sheikh Adab Mahmoud Al-Tamash wrote about A’laa Al-Sunan:
طبع هذا الكتاب مع مقدماته الثلاثة فى واحد وعشرين جزءا وفي هذا الكتاب بلايا وطامات مخجلة.
This book was published in twenty-one volumes with its three introductions, and in this book there are calamities and shameful destructions.
➍ A narration in Sunan Abi Dawood
and Sunan Tirmidhi
is from the chain of ”عن أبى نصيرة عن مولى لأبي بكر عن أبى بكر“.
Regarding this, Hafiz Ibn Kathir says:
وقول على بن المديني والترمذي لميس إسناد هذا الحديث بذاك، فالظاهر أنه لأجل جهالة مولى أبى بكر ولكن جهالة مثله لا تضر لأنه تابعي كبير ويكفيه نسبته إلى أبى بكر فهو حديث حسن والله أعلم
The statement of Ibn Madini and Tirmidhi: The chain of this hadith is not strong is apparently due to the ignorance of Mawla Abi Bakr, but such a person’s ignorance is not harmful because he is a great Tabi’i and his relation to Abu Bakr is sufficient for him. So this hadith is Hasan, and Allah knows best!
Although this statement is weak, it is understood that Abdullah bin Al-Qasim is Hasan Al-Hadith according to Hafiz Ibn Kathir.
Hafiz Zailai said: لكن جهالته لا تضر إذ تكفيه نسبته إلى الصديق His ignorance is not harmful because his relation to Siddiq is sufficient
➎ Imam Abu Dawood remained silent on a hadith of Abdullah bin Al-Qasim.
Mundhiri and others consider the hadith Hasan based on Abu Dawood’s silence.
This statement is also weak but is proof for those who consider Abu Dawood’s silence as evidence of authenticity.
Benefit: Our Sheikh Al-Ustadh Hafiz Abdul Hamid Azhar, may Allah preserve him, wrote a treatise on Abu Dawood’s silence proving that Imam Abu Dawood’s silence on any narration is not proof of its authenticity.
From the above discussion, it is understood that Abdullah bin Al-Qasim is Hasan Al-Hadith. It is logically unlikely that the freed slave of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, did not meet Sayyiduna Umar, may Allah be pleased with him; therefore, due to contemporaneity, it is preferable that this chain is connected. Hafiz Muzi writes about the mentioned Abdullah bin Al-Qasim: رأى عمر بن الخطاب
He saw Umar bin Al-Khattab.
② Abu Isa Sulayman bin Kaysan Al-Khurasani:
A group has narrated hadith from him. Hafiz Ibn Hibban and Hafiz Dhahabi have called him trustworthy.
Therefore, the statement of Ibn al-Qattan al-Fasi “his status is unknown” is rejected.
③ Haywah bin Shurayh:
He is a narrator of Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, and the four Sunan, and is trustworthy.
④ Abdullah bin Wahb Al-Qurashi:
He is a narrator of Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, and the four Sunan, and is a trustworthy Hafiz and worshipper.
⑤ Hajjaj bin Ibrahim Al-Azraq:
He is narrating this hadith from Ibn Wahb. كما نقله ابن سيد الناس A group has narrated from him and Abu Hatim Al-Razi called him trustworthy.
Indeed, Ibn Hibban, Al-A’jli, and others have also called him trustworthy.
In Taqreeb al-Tahdheeb it is mentioned: ثقة فاضل
⑥ Ahmad bin Al-Hasan Al-Tirmidhi:
الراوي عن حجاج بن إبراهيم He is a narrator of Sahih Bukhari and ثقه حافظ.
⑦ Abu Bakr Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Khuzaymah:
الراوي عن أحمد بن الحسن الترمذي Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah’s author and a famous trustworthy Imam, indeed Sheikh al-Islam.
(8) Abu Ahmad Al-Husayn ibn Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Yahya:
حسينك الراوي عن ابن خزيمة Al-Khatib said: ”كان ثقة حجة“
⑨ Abu Abdullah Al-Hafiz:
الحاكم النيسابوري الراوي عن حسينك صاحب المستدرك على الصحيحين A famous trustworthy and truthful Imam.
⑩ Imam Al-Bayhaqi Sahib Al-Khilafiyat:
The narrator from Al-Hakim: He is a well-known trustworthy person unanimously, the Imam and author of Al-Sunan Al-Kubra, etc. From this research, it is understood that this chain is Hasan (good).
There are multiple evidences from Amir al-Mu’minin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) affirming the raising of hands, for example:
⟐ حديث الحكم قال: رأيت طاؤسا يرفع يديه إذا افتتح الصلوة وإذا ركع وإذا رفع من الركوع رفعهما، فسألت بعض أصحابه فقال: أنه يحدثه عن ابن عمر عن عمر عن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم
Al-Hakim has declared it authentic. Here بعض أصحابه is not harmful because Al-Khatib Al-Baghdadi dedicated a chapter ” من اجتزأ بالسماع النازل مع كون الذى حدث عنه موجودا“ on this hadith proving that Hukm bin Utaybah narrated this hadith in front of Tawus.
Since Tawus’s denial is not established, this narration is connected from Al-Hakim through Tawus. Therefore, the criticism of Sahib Al-Imam on it is not correct.
⟐حديث خلف بن أيوب البلخي عن مالك بن أنس عن الزهري عن سالم عن أبيه عن عمر
Imam Dar Qutni states that no one followed Khalaf.
(Khalaf is a different narrator in it, Abu Hatim Al-Razi says)
Note: The chain of this narration is weak.
⟐حديث: راشد بن سعد عن محمد بن سهم عن سعيد بن المسيب قال: رأيت عمر بن الخطاب يرفع يديه حذو منكبيه إذا افتتح الصلاة وإذا ركع وإذا رفع رأسه من الركوع.
The biography of Muhammad bin Sahm is mentioned in Al-Tarikh Al-Kabir by Al-Bukhari and in Al-Jarh wa Al-Ta’dil by Ibn Abi Hatim. Ibn Hibban mentioned him among the trustworthy narrators.
Rashid bin Saad is a frequent transmitter.
And if it refers to Rushdain bin Saad, then it is weak.
It is understood that the chain of this narration is also weak.
There are other evidences as well.
In one narration, it is mentioned that Umar bin Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) raised his hands in the first Takbir but did not do so again.
Its chain is weak due to the tadlis (concealment) of Ibrahim Anthi and there are other defects in it.
From this brief research, it is understood that raising the hands before and after Ruku’ is established from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and is also established from Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) both practically and verbally.
The ruling is established from كان يأمر بها and it is also supported by the hadith in which the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) ordered Malik bin Huwayrith (may Allah be pleased with him) that (صلوا كما رأيتموني أصلي)
And it is established from Malik bin Huwayrith (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed raising his hands.
Therefore, the ruling of raising the hands is established.
Many issues are understood from the hadith of Sayyiduna Umar bin Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), for example:
● The teacher himself should teach the students by praying in front of them.
● The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) commanded raising the hands.
● Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was filled with the blessed spirit of following and propagating the Sunnah.
● In every prayer, as much as possible, facing the Qiblah is necessary.
● Raising the hands up to the shoulders is correct and not abrogated.
● The abrogation of raising the hands is not established. If such a thing were true, someone from the people would have objected to the Amir al-Mu’minin, but this is absolutely not reported.
● Saying Takbir first and then raising the hands is correct. Similarly, according to other hadiths, saying Takbir first and then raising the hands or Takbir with raising the hands is also correct.
● One should keep their gaze lowered in prayer.
● From the words of ثم قام قدر ما يقرأ بأم القرآن و سورة من المفصل, the legitimacy of Surah Al-Fatiha in prayer is established.
● It is correct to spread the palms on the knees during Ruku’.
● Straightening the pillars (Arkan) is necessary.
● Only three Tasbihat (glorifications) in Ruku’ and Sujud are correct.
● If the prayer is only two Rak’ahs, it is correct and Sunnah to leave (stop) at the end of the second Rak’ah during Tashahhud.
ثم صلى ركعة أخرى مثلها ثم استوى جالسا فنحى رجليه عن مقعدته وألزم مقعدته الأرض
● The way to exit the prayer is by saying Salam (As-Salamu Alaykum).
