✍ Written by: Shaykh Sayyid Badi' al-Din Shah Rashdi رحمه الله
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. The ultimate end is for the pious. Blessings and peace be upon His Messenger, and upon his family and all his companions.
To proceed:
Salah is among the greatest acts of worship. When a servant stands in Salah, it is as mentioned in the hadith:
❝ فَإِنَّهُ يُنَاجِي رَبَّهُ ❞
(For indeed he converses with his Lord)
Thus, one should avoid any act during Salah that opposes reverence. The prayer must be offered with humility and awe, signifying taqwā and fear of Allah. The chief organ of the body is the heart, as the Prophet ﷺ said:
❝ أَلَا وَإِنَّ فِي الْجَسَدِ مُضْغَةً إِذَا صَلَحَتْ صَلَحَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ، وَإِذَا فَسَدَتْ فَسَدَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ، أَلَا وَهِيَ الْقَلْبُ ❞
“There is a piece of flesh in the body; if it is sound, the whole body is sound. And if it is corrupt, the whole body is corrupt. Indeed, it is the heart.”
The heart resides in the chest, which is the abode of taqwā, as mentioned in the hadith:
❝ التَّقْوَى هَاهُنَا، وَيُشِيرُ إِلَى صَدْرِهِ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ ❞
“Taqwā is here,” and he pointed to his chest three times.
Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ used to place his hands on his chest during Salah. This reflects humility, befitting a servant who stands before his Lord. Shaykh Sa‘dī Shīrāzī expressed this secret poetically:
❝ نہ بینی کہ پیش خداوندِ جاہ
ستائیش کنان دست بر بر نہند ❞
“Do you not see that in the court of the Sovereign Lord, those who praise Him place their hands upon their chest?”
As for those who place their hands below the navel during Salah, there is no authentic hadith supporting this practice. In fact, doing so expresses disrespect. Even a noble person would find it offensive if someone stood before them with hands below the navel. How then can this posture be appropriate before the King of kings?
Hence, placing the hands on the chest is more dignified, symbolizing the presence of one’s heart in front of Allah. This was the practice of the Prophet ﷺ. This concise treatise has been written to guide the general public on this issue, hoping it becomes a beacon for seekers of truth. اللهم آمين
Narrated by Abū Ḥāzim from Sahl bin Saʿd al-Sāʿidī:
❝ People were commanded to place the right hand over the left forearm during Salah. Abū Ḥāzim said: I know of no other source of this command except the Prophet ﷺ himself. ❞
Explanation:
This is a Marfūʿ (attributed to the Prophet ﷺ) narration as clarified by the narrator. Who other than the Prophet ﷺ could have commanded the Companions to do this?
Hafiz Ibn Ḥajar and al-ʿAynī also affirmed this narration as Marfūʿ. From this hadith, placing the right hand over the left on the chest is evident, for when the hand is on the forearm, it naturally lies over the chest.
Narrated by Wāʾil bin Ḥujr رضي الله عنه:
❝ I prayed with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and he placed his right hand over his left hand on his chest. ❞
Validation:
Ibn Khuzaymah stated in his introduction that all narrations in his Ṣaḥīḥ are connected and authentic with reliable narrators.
This narration was also authenticated by:
Imam Nawawī, Hafiz Ibn Ḥajar, al-Zaylaʿī, Ibn Sayyid al-Nās, al-Shawkānī, al-Fayrūzabādī, al-Zabīdī, and others.
Narrated by Qabīṣah bin Hulb from his father:
❝ I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ turning right and left in Salah, and I saw him placing his right hand over his left on his chest. ❞
Authenticity:
This narration is Ṣaḥīḥ (authentic), as confirmed by Hafiz Ibn Ḥajar and others. All narrators are thiqāt (trustworthy) with a connected chain.
Narrated by Wāʾil bin Ḥujr رضي الله عنه:
❝ I saw the Prophet ﷺ placing his right hand over his left, then placing them on his chest. ❞
Classification:
Declared ḥasan (sound) by Sayyid Abū Turāb Rashdī in Darj al-Durar.
Narrated by Ṭāʾūs رحمه الله:
❝ The Prophet ﷺ used to place his right hand over his left and bind them on his chest during prayer. ❞
Note:
Although it is a mursal (missing the Companion), the Ḥanafī school accepts such narrations from Tabiʿīn of the second and third centuries as ḥujjah (valid evidence). This narration is further strengthened by corroborating authentic reports.
Narrated by Wāʾil bin Ḥujr رضي الله عنه:
❝ The Prophet ﷺ entered the prayer area, raised his hands while saying takbīr, then placed his right hand over his left on his chest. ❞
Authentication:
Narrated in Musnad al-Bazzār and quoted by Hafiz Ibn Ḥajar in Fatḥ al-Bārī as ṣaḥīḥ or ḥasan, based on his criteria. Also validated by Sayyid Abū Turāb Rashdī and ʿAllāmah Ẓafar Aḥmad ʿUthmānī.
❝ فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ ❞
“So pray to your Lord and sacrifice.”
[al-Kawthar: 2]
Explanation by ʿAlī رضي الله عنه:
He interpreted the verse to mean:
❝ Place your right hand over your left forearm and then place them on your chest during Salah. ❞
Other Companions such as Anas رضي الله عنه and Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما gave the same interpretation.
❝ عَن عَلِيٍّ رضي الله عنه فِي قَوْلِهِ: ﴿فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ﴾ قَالَ: وَضَعَ يَدَهُ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى وَسَطِ سَاعِدِهِ الْيُسْرَى، ثُمَّ ضَعْهُمَا عَلَى صَدْرِهِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ ❞
Translation:
Amīr al-Muʾminīn ʿAlī bin Abī Ṭālib رضي الله عنه explained the verse ﴿فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ﴾ (al-Kawthar: 2) as follows:
“In Salah, place the right hand on the middle of the left forearm, then place both upon the chest.”
Authentication:
This narration has been declared ḥasan (sound) by Sayyid Abū Turāb Rashdī in Darj al-Durar.
Explanation:
Imām ʿAlī رضي الله عنه was a master of the Arabic language, hence his interpretation holds weight and serves as a valid explanation for Muslims. The same tafsīr is also found in the famous lexicon Tāj al-ʿArūs (vol. 3, p. 558), and is not solely from ʿAlī رضي الله عنه, but reported from other Companions as well. Imām al-Ḥākim said this tafsīr is superior to other explanations of the verse in al-Mustadrak (vol. 3, p. 537). Even some Ḥanafī scholars have accepted this interpretation, including al-Sakkākī in Miʿrāj al-Dirāyah, Mullā al-Haddād al-Jūnpūrī in Sharḥ al-Hidāyah (manuscript, fol. 47), and al-Bābarqī in al-ʿInāyah (vol. 1, p. 201).
They reconcile this interpretation with the view that the verse commands sacrifice. In reality, both meanings are valid as multiple rulings can derive from a single verse.
Narrated by Abū al-Shaykh and al-Bayhaqī:
❝ عن أنس رضي الله عنه عن النبي ﷺ مثله ❞
Translation:
Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه reported from the Prophet ﷺ the same explanation as given in Hadith 7.
Narrated by Ibn Abī Ḥātim, Ibn Shāhīn, Ibn Mardawayh, and al-Bayhaqī from Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما:
❝ ﴿فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ﴾ قَالَ: وَضَعَ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى الشِّمَالِ عِندَ النَّحْرِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ ❞
Translation:
Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما interpreted the verse as:
“In Salah, place the right hand over the left near the chest (نَحر – upper chest).”
Explanation:
Ibn ʿAbbās was a foremost authority in tafsīr, and the Prophet ﷺ made specific supplications for him regarding knowledge of Qur'an and Sunnah. This tafsīr is a strong proof regarding the issue.
Narrated by al-Ṭabarānī in al-Kabīr from ʿUqbah ibn Abī ʿĀʾishah:
❝ رَأَيْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ جَابِرٍ الْبَيَاضِيَّ صَاحِبَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَضَعُ إِحْدَى يَدَيْهِ عَلَى ذِرَاعِهِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ ❞
Translation:
I saw ʿAbdullāh ibn Jābir al-Bayāḍī al-Anṣārī, a Companion of the Prophet ﷺ, placing one hand (i.e., the right) over his left forearm during prayer.
Authentication:
This narration is ḥasan (sound) as stated by al-Haythamī.
Explanation:
Though technically mawqūf (a statement or action of a Companion), a similar narration exists with added words:
❝ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَفْعَلُهُ ❞
“The Prophet ﷺ used to do this.”
Therefore, it is also considered marfūʿ (attributed to the Prophet ﷺ). Placing hands this way keeps them on the chest, as previously explained.
رأيت عليا يمسك شماله بيمينه على الرسع فوق السترة
(Abū Dāwūd, vol. 1, p. 76)
"I saw ʿAlī (رضي الله عنه) holding his left hand with his right above the wrist, above the belt."
Commentary: ʿAllāmah Mubārakpūrī declared this narration ṣaḥīḥ in Tuḥfat al-Aḥwadhī (vol. 1, p. 215), and clarified that "above the navel" implies on the chest, based on preceding narrations and ʿAlī's own statements.
ثم ان يمسك شماله بيمينه و يضعها عليها فوق المفصل ثم يضعهما على صدره
"Then he ﷺ would hold his left hand with his right, placing it on the wrist, and then place them on his chest."
ثم يضع يمينه على يساره فوق صدره كذا في صحيح ابن خزيمة
"He ﷺ would place his right hand over his left on his chest, as recorded in Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah."
قبض بيمينه على ظهر يساره وجعلهما تحت صدره
"He ﷺ placed his right hand on the back of his left hand and both beneath his chest," i.e., near the chest.
"After takbīr, the Prophet ﷺ would place his right hand over his left hand, at chest level. This is affirmed in Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah."
كان يضع يده اليمنى على اليسرى ثم يشد بهما على صدره
"He ﷺ would place his right hand over his left and tighten them upon his chest."
"He ﷺ placed his right hand over his left on the chest. This is proven from Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah, and there is no ṣaḥīḥ narration about placing the hands below the navel."
It is evident that the Prophet ﷺ regularly placed his hands on his chest during Salah, as confirmed by:
✔ Ṣaḥīḥ narrations
✔ The explanation of senior Companions
✔ Research of classical scholars
﴿ لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ ﴾
"Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah ﷺ you have an excellent example..."
(Sūrah al-Aḥzāb 33:21)
قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ:
"من أحب سنتى فقد أحبني ومن أحبني كان معي فى الجنة"
"Whoever loves my Sunnah has loved me, and whoever loves me will be with me in Paradise."
(
Affirms that:
The narration often cited (that the Prophet ﷺ placed his hands below the navel) is reported via ʿAbd al-Raḥmān bin Isḥāq al-Wāsiṭī Abū Shaybah, who:
Hence, no reliance can be placed on this narration.
"No authentic narration determines the specific place for placing the hands in prayer except the ḥadīth of Wā’il."
Confirms the above.
Sayyidunā ʿAlī رضي الله عنه interpreted this as:
"Placing the right hand over the left below the chest, near the 'nāḥir' (jugular)."
This strengthens the opinion of placing hands on the chest.
Many scholars, including Shaykh Abū al-Ḥasan Sindhī and Shaykh Abū Turāb Rashdī, confirmed that:
A public challenge is issued:
“Bring one ṣaḥīḥ narration with full isnād proving that the Prophet ﷺ placed his hands below the navel in Salah. A reward of Rs. 1000 will be granted.”
Until today, no such narration exists in any reliable ḥadīth source.
① The authentic practice of the Prophet ﷺ was placing hands on the chest.
② No ṣaḥīḥ narration exists supporting below-navel placement.
③ Placing hands on the chest was the continuous and regular action of the Prophet ﷺ.
④ The Qur’ān supports this through interpretations of scholars.
⑤ Placing hands below the navel is not respectful, as that area is considered part of the ʿawrah.
⑥ It is obligatory to refer to muttasil, marfūʿ narrations in matters of fiqh.
May Allah guide the Muslims to the straight path, and grant us the ability to act upon the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ.
وآخر دعوانا أن الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على سيد المرسلين وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين
Introduction
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. The ultimate end is for the pious. Blessings and peace be upon His Messenger, and upon his family and all his companions.
To proceed:
Salah is among the greatest acts of worship. When a servant stands in Salah, it is as mentioned in the hadith:
❝ فَإِنَّهُ يُنَاجِي رَبَّهُ ❞
(For indeed he converses with his Lord)
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 207, vol. 1
Thus, one should avoid any act during Salah that opposes reverence. The prayer must be offered with humility and awe, signifying taqwā and fear of Allah. The chief organ of the body is the heart, as the Prophet ﷺ said:
❝ أَلَا وَإِنَّ فِي الْجَسَدِ مُضْغَةً إِذَا صَلَحَتْ صَلَحَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ، وَإِذَا فَسَدَتْ فَسَدَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ، أَلَا وَهِيَ الْقَلْبُ ❞
“There is a piece of flesh in the body; if it is sound, the whole body is sound. And if it is corrupt, the whole body is corrupt. Indeed, it is the heart.”
Reference: Mishkāt: vol. 2, p. 241
The heart resides in the chest, which is the abode of taqwā, as mentioned in the hadith:
❝ التَّقْوَى هَاهُنَا، وَيُشِيرُ إِلَى صَدْرِهِ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ ❞
“Taqwā is here,” and he pointed to his chest three times.
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: vol. 2, p. 317 with Nawawi
Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ used to place his hands on his chest during Salah. This reflects humility, befitting a servant who stands before his Lord. Shaykh Sa‘dī Shīrāzī expressed this secret poetically:
❝ نہ بینی کہ پیش خداوندِ جاہ
ستائیش کنان دست بر بر نہند ❞
“Do you not see that in the court of the Sovereign Lord, those who praise Him place their hands upon their chest?”
As for those who place their hands below the navel during Salah, there is no authentic hadith supporting this practice. In fact, doing so expresses disrespect. Even a noble person would find it offensive if someone stood before them with hands below the navel. How then can this posture be appropriate before the King of kings?
Hence, placing the hands on the chest is more dignified, symbolizing the presence of one’s heart in front of Allah. This was the practice of the Prophet ﷺ. This concise treatise has been written to guide the general public on this issue, hoping it becomes a beacon for seekers of truth. اللهم آمين
◈ Hadith Evidence Supporting Placing Hands on the Chest in Salah
✿ Hadith ①
Narrated by Abū Ḥāzim from Sahl bin Saʿd al-Sāʿidī:
❝ People were commanded to place the right hand over the left forearm during Salah. Abū Ḥāzim said: I know of no other source of this command except the Prophet ﷺ himself. ❞
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī
Explanation:
This is a Marfūʿ (attributed to the Prophet ﷺ) narration as clarified by the narrator. Who other than the Prophet ﷺ could have commanded the Companions to do this?
Hafiz Ibn Ḥajar and al-ʿAynī also affirmed this narration as Marfūʿ. From this hadith, placing the right hand over the left on the chest is evident, for when the hand is on the forearm, it naturally lies over the chest.
✿ Hadith ②
Narrated by Wāʾil bin Ḥujr رضي الله عنه:
❝ I prayed with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and he placed his right hand over his left hand on his chest. ❞
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah: vol. 1, p. 243
Validation:
Ibn Khuzaymah stated in his introduction that all narrations in his Ṣaḥīḥ are connected and authentic with reliable narrators.
This narration was also authenticated by:
Imam Nawawī, Hafiz Ibn Ḥajar, al-Zaylaʿī, Ibn Sayyid al-Nās, al-Shawkānī, al-Fayrūzabādī, al-Zabīdī, and others.
✿ Hadith ③
Narrated by Qabīṣah bin Hulb from his father:
❝ I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ turning right and left in Salah, and I saw him placing his right hand over his left on his chest. ❞
Reference: Musnad Aḥmad: vol. 5, p. 226
Authenticity:
This narration is Ṣaḥīḥ (authentic), as confirmed by Hafiz Ibn Ḥajar and others. All narrators are thiqāt (trustworthy) with a connected chain.
✿ Hadith ④
Narrated by Wāʾil bin Ḥujr رضي الله عنه:
❝ I saw the Prophet ﷺ placing his right hand over his left, then placing them on his chest. ❞
Reference: Abū Shaykh al-Aṣbahānī, Bayhaqī: vol. 2, p. 35
Classification:
Declared ḥasan (sound) by Sayyid Abū Turāb Rashdī in Darj al-Durar.
✿ Hadith ⑤
Narrated by Ṭāʾūs رحمه الله:
❝ The Prophet ﷺ used to place his right hand over his left and bind them on his chest during prayer. ❞
Reference: Marāsīl Abī Dāwūd: p. 6; Maʿrifah al-Sunan: vol. 1, p. 197
Note:
Although it is a mursal (missing the Companion), the Ḥanafī school accepts such narrations from Tabiʿīn of the second and third centuries as ḥujjah (valid evidence). This narration is further strengthened by corroborating authentic reports.
✿ Hadith ⑥
Narrated by Wāʾil bin Ḥujr رضي الله عنه:
❝ The Prophet ﷺ entered the prayer area, raised his hands while saying takbīr, then placed his right hand over his left on his chest. ❞
Reference: al-Kubrā: vol. 2, p. 30; Majmaʿ al-Zawāʾid: vol. 2, p. 124
Authentication:
Narrated in Musnad al-Bazzār and quoted by Hafiz Ibn Ḥajar in Fatḥ al-Bārī as ṣaḥīḥ or ḥasan, based on his criteria. Also validated by Sayyid Abū Turāb Rashdī and ʿAllāmah Ẓafar Aḥmad ʿUthmānī.
✦ Qur'anic Support and Interpretations by the Companions
✿ Verse-Based Evidence:
❝ فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ ❞
“So pray to your Lord and sacrifice.”
[al-Kawthar: 2]Explanation by ʿAlī رضي الله عنه:
He interpreted the verse to mean:
❝ Place your right hand over your left forearm and then place them on your chest during Salah. ❞
Reference: Tafsīr al-Durr al-Manthūr: vol. 6, p. 403
Other Companions such as Anas رضي الله عنه and Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما gave the same interpretation.
✿ Hadith ⑦: Commentary on the Verse ﴿فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ﴾
❝ عَن عَلِيٍّ رضي الله عنه فِي قَوْلِهِ: ﴿فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ﴾ قَالَ: وَضَعَ يَدَهُ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى وَسَطِ سَاعِدِهِ الْيُسْرَى، ثُمَّ ضَعْهُمَا عَلَى صَدْرِهِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ ❞
Reference: Tafsīr al-Durr al-Manthūr: vol. 6, p. 403; Tafsīr Fatḥ al-Qadīr: vol. 5, p. 49
Translation:
Amīr al-Muʾminīn ʿAlī bin Abī Ṭālib رضي الله عنه explained the verse ﴿فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ﴾ (al-Kawthar: 2) as follows:
“In Salah, place the right hand on the middle of the left forearm, then place both upon the chest.”
Authentication:
This narration has been declared ḥasan (sound) by Sayyid Abū Turāb Rashdī in Darj al-Durar.
Explanation:
Imām ʿAlī رضي الله عنه was a master of the Arabic language, hence his interpretation holds weight and serves as a valid explanation for Muslims. The same tafsīr is also found in the famous lexicon Tāj al-ʿArūs (vol. 3, p. 558), and is not solely from ʿAlī رضي الله عنه, but reported from other Companions as well. Imām al-Ḥākim said this tafsīr is superior to other explanations of the verse in al-Mustadrak (vol. 3, p. 537). Even some Ḥanafī scholars have accepted this interpretation, including al-Sakkākī in Miʿrāj al-Dirāyah, Mullā al-Haddād al-Jūnpūrī in Sharḥ al-Hidāyah (manuscript, fol. 47), and al-Bābarqī in al-ʿInāyah (vol. 1, p. 201).
They reconcile this interpretation with the view that the verse commands sacrifice. In reality, both meanings are valid as multiple rulings can derive from a single verse.
✿ Hadith ⑧
Narrated by Abū al-Shaykh and al-Bayhaqī:
❝ عن أنس رضي الله عنه عن النبي ﷺ مثله ❞
Reference: al-Durr al-Manthūr: vol. 6, p. 403
Translation:
Anas ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه reported from the Prophet ﷺ the same explanation as given in Hadith 7.
✿ Hadith ⑨
Narrated by Ibn Abī Ḥātim, Ibn Shāhīn, Ibn Mardawayh, and al-Bayhaqī from Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما:
❝ ﴿فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ﴾ قَالَ: وَضَعَ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى الشِّمَالِ عِندَ النَّحْرِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ ❞
Reference: al-Durr al-Manthūr: vol. 6, p. 403
Translation:
Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما interpreted the verse as:
“In Salah, place the right hand over the left near the chest (نَحر – upper chest).”
Explanation:
Ibn ʿAbbās was a foremost authority in tafsīr, and the Prophet ﷺ made specific supplications for him regarding knowledge of Qur'an and Sunnah. This tafsīr is a strong proof regarding the issue.
✿ Hadith ⑩
Narrated by al-Ṭabarānī in al-Kabīr from ʿUqbah ibn Abī ʿĀʾishah:
❝ رَأَيْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ جَابِرٍ الْبَيَاضِيَّ صَاحِبَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَضَعُ إِحْدَى يَدَيْهِ عَلَى ذِرَاعِهِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ ❞
Reference: Majmaʿ al-Zawāʾid: vol. 2, p. 105; al-Thiqāt by Ibn Ḥibbān: vol. 5, p. 228
Translation:
I saw ʿAbdullāh ibn Jābir al-Bayāḍī al-Anṣārī, a Companion of the Prophet ﷺ, placing one hand (i.e., the right) over his left forearm during prayer.
Authentication:
This narration is ḥasan (sound) as stated by al-Haythamī.
Explanation:
Though technically mawqūf (a statement or action of a Companion), a similar narration exists with added words:
❝ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَفْعَلُهُ ❞
“The Prophet ﷺ used to do this.”
Therefore, it is also considered marfūʿ (attributed to the Prophet ﷺ). Placing hands this way keeps them on the chest, as previously explained.
◈ Narration from Sayyidunā ʿAlī رضي الله عنه
رأيت عليا يمسك شماله بيمينه على الرسع فوق السترة
(Abū Dāwūd, vol. 1, p. 76)
"I saw ʿAlī (رضي الله عنه) holding his left hand with his right above the wrist, above the belt."
Commentary: ʿAllāmah Mubārakpūrī declared this narration ṣaḥīḥ in Tuḥfat al-Aḥwadhī (vol. 1, p. 215), and clarified that "above the navel" implies on the chest, based on preceding narrations and ʿAlī's own statements.
✿ Scholarly Statements on Placing Hands on the Chest in Salah
① Imām Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله – Kitāb al-Ṣalāh (vol. 18, p. 7)
ثم ان يمسك شماله بيمينه و يضعها عليها فوق المفصل ثم يضعهما على صدره
"Then he ﷺ would hold his left hand with his right, placing it on the wrist, and then place them on his chest."
② Shaykh Muḥammad Dāwūd al-Dīn al-Fayrūzābādī – Safar al-Saʿādah (p. 9)
ثم يضع يمينه على يساره فوق صدره كذا في صحيح ابن خزيمة
"He ﷺ would place his right hand over his left on his chest, as recorded in Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah."
③ ʿAllāmah ʿImād al-Dīn Yaḥyā ibn Abī Bakr al-ʿĀmirī – Bahjat al-Maḥāfil (vol. 2, p. 313)
قبض بيمينه على ظهر يساره وجعلهما تحت صدره
"He ﷺ placed his right hand on the back of his left hand and both beneath his chest," i.e., near the chest.
④ Shaykh ʿAbd al-Ḥaqq Dihlawī – Sharḥ Safar al-Saʿādah (p. 47)
"After takbīr, the Prophet ﷺ would place his right hand over his left hand, at chest level. This is affirmed in Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah."
⑤ Imām al-Suyūṭī – ʿAmal al-Yawm wa al-Laylah
كان يضع يده اليمنى على اليسرى ثم يشد بهما على صدره
"He ﷺ would place his right hand over his left and tighten them upon his chest."
⑥ Shaykh Abū Turāb Rashdullāh Shāh al-Rāshidī – Shamar Ākhirat (p. 26)
"He ﷺ placed his right hand over his left on the chest. This is proven from Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah, and there is no ṣaḥīḥ narration about placing the hands below the navel."
❖ Summary of Prophetic Practice
It is evident that the Prophet ﷺ regularly placed his hands on his chest during Salah, as confirmed by:
✔ Ṣaḥīḥ narrations
✔ The explanation of senior Companions
✔ Research of classical scholars
✿ Qur'anic Support
﴿ لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ ﴾
"Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah ﷺ you have an excellent example..."
(Sūrah al-Aḥzāb 33:21)
❖ The Love of Sunnah
قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ:
"من أحب سنتى فقد أحبني ومن أحبني كان معي فى الجنة"
"Whoever loves my Sunnah has loved me, and whoever loves me will be with me in Paradise."
(
Reference: Tirmidhī
)✿ Acceptance of the Practice by Ḥanafī Scholars
① ʿAllāmah Badr al-Dīn al-ʿAynī – ʿUmdat al-Qārī (vol. 5, p. 79)
Affirms that:
- Imām al-Shāfiʿī used the narration from Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah to prove placing hands on the chest.
- The narration about placing hands below the navel is attributed to ʿAlī, but its isnād is not authentic.
✿ Criticism of the Weak Narration about Placing Below the Navel
The narration often cited (that the Prophet ﷺ placed his hands below the navel) is reported via ʿAbd al-Raḥmān bin Isḥāq al-Wāsiṭī Abū Shaybah, who:
- Is labelled “Munkar al-Ḥadīth” by Imām Aḥmad and Abū Ḥātim
- Declared “Matrook” by Imām Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn
- Known for fabrications and manipulation of isnād
(Source: Mīzān al-Iʿtidāl 2/548, Tahdhīb al-Tahdhīb 1/134)
Hence, no reliance can be placed on this narration.
✿ Affirmations from Other Ḥanafī Sources
② Ibn Nujaym – Baḥr al-Rā’iq (vol. 1, p. 320)
"No authentic narration determines the specific place for placing the hands in prayer except the ḥadīth of Wā’il."
③ Ibn Amīr al-Ḥājj – Sharḥ Maniyyat al-Muṣallī
Confirms the above.
❖ Interpretation of Ayah ﴿فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ﴾
Sayyidunā ʿAlī رضي الله عنه interpreted this as:
"Placing the right hand over the left below the chest, near the 'nāḥir' (jugular)."
This strengthens the opinion of placing hands on the chest.
❖ Final Verdict from Notable Ahl al-Ḥadīth Scholars
Many scholars, including Shaykh Abū al-Ḥasan Sindhī and Shaykh Abū Turāb Rashdī, confirmed that:
- The correct and continuous practice of the Prophet ﷺ was to place hands on the chest.
- No ṣaḥīḥ narration exists about placing them below the navel.
✿ Open Challenge to Ḥanafīs
A public challenge is issued:
“Bring one ṣaḥīḥ narration with full isnād proving that the Prophet ﷺ placed his hands below the navel in Salah. A reward of Rs. 1000 will be granted.”
Until today, no such narration exists in any reliable ḥadīth source.
❖ Testimonies from Pious Figures
- Mirzā Maẓhar Jān-i-Jānān – Spiritual leader of Naqshbandiyyah, known to place hands on the chest.
- Shaykh Abū al-Ḥasan Sindhī Kabīr – Suffered imprisonment in Madinah but did not abandon the Sunnah of chest placement.
- Sayyid Abū Turāb Rashdullāh Shāh al-Rāshidī – Authored Durr al-Durar fī Waḍʿ al-Aydī ʿalā al-Ṣadr, affirming:
❖ "From the Prophet ﷺ until the end of time, the proven method in Ṣalāh is placing the hands on the chest."
❖ "No narration with authentic chain proves placing hands below the navel."
✿ Summary Points
① The authentic practice of the Prophet ﷺ was placing hands on the chest.
② No ṣaḥīḥ narration exists supporting below-navel placement.
③ Placing hands on the chest was the continuous and regular action of the Prophet ﷺ.
④ The Qur’ān supports this through interpretations of scholars.
⑤ Placing hands below the navel is not respectful, as that area is considered part of the ʿawrah.
⑥ It is obligatory to refer to muttasil, marfūʿ narrations in matters of fiqh.
❖ Final Words
May Allah guide the Muslims to the straight path, and grant us the ability to act upon the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ.
وآخر دعوانا أن الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على سيد المرسلين وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين
