Written by: Abu al-Asjad Muhammad Siddiq Raza
(A Deobandi individual wrote a letter to the respected Abu al-Asjad Muhammad Siddiq Raza, may Allah protect him, regarding the practice of Raf' al-Yadain (raising hands during prayer). In response, he provided a compelling reply. Although the person who wrote the letter does not have a significant scholarly standing, the arguments presented are often cited by the elders of the followers of Taqleed (blind following) against the practice of Raf' al-Yadain during Ruku (bowing) and rising from it. At almost every point, before addressing each argument, Mr. Muhammad Siddiq Raza highlighted these points. For the benefit of the general public, we are publishing this response with minor modifications and with the approval of the learned responder.)
Alhamdulillah, Rabb al-'Alameen. Peace and blessings be upon the leader of the prophets and messengers, and upon his family and companions. After that:
(Respected …) Sir! Brother Anwar Qasim and Abdul Khaliq have provided a small note and a four-page document from you on the issue of Raf' al-Yadain and have requested a response.
Much has been written on this topic already, making further writing seem unnecessary. However, it has barely been a few days, and you have begun demanding a response with great intensity. Your tone suggests that you believe you have achieved something unprecedented with your four-page document and small note. Your aggressive stance, stating that "remaining silent and becoming a dumb devil in response is not permissible," [Your Document, p. 4], has compelled me to present some observations.
First, I would like to address some points related to your four-page document. Then, if Allah wills, I will also address your small note comprehensively. Let us examine your detailed document. Your first argument is a Tafsir (interpretation) narration that you have quoted as follows:
Allah Almighty says: "Those who are humble in their prayers." [23:2]
A few lines later… The meaning of Allah Almighty's verse, according to Imam al-Mufassirin (the leader of interpreters), our master Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), is:"They are humble and modest, do not turn their heads right or left, and do not raise their hands during prayer." [Tafsir Ibn Abbas, p. 359]
To achieve Khushu (humility), it is necessary not to perform Raf' al-Yadain in prayer. [Your Document, p. 1]
Response…
Sir, at the very least, you should have provided the translation of the text. It seems you have taken this argument from the "Deobandi book" Eight Issues [p. 19], where only this much is written, and there is no translation there either.
Amin Okra Dewandi has quoted this statement in his collection of essays [New Edition, Vol. 1, p. 150, published in Lahore] as follows:"Ibn Abbas said: 'Those who do not raise their hands in their prayers.'"
However, your quoted words are slightly different, although Habibullah Deewari has quoted this narration exactly in these words in his book "Noor al-Sabah" [p. 72, Second Edition]. I am providing his translation:"Humble and modest, who do not look right or left, nor do they perform Raf' al-Yadain in their prayers." [Noor al-Sabah, p. 72]
In the issue under discussion, this statement is significant, so it was necessary to translate the statement from a personality you acknowledge (i.e., Habibullah Deewari).
Coming to the main point! … Sir, kindly refer to the original source of this Tafsir. At the beginning of this Tafsir, you will find the chain of narrators, which is as follows: Muhammad bin Marwan al-Suddi from Muhammad bin al-Sa'ib al-Kalbi from Abu Salih from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him). In the long chain, these three names appear together. [Tafsir Ibn Abbas, p. 2, published by Qadimi Kutub Khana, Karachi]
This chain is known among scholars as "the chain of falsehood."The first narrator in this chain is Muhammad bin Marwan al-Suddi al-Kufi.He is known as al-Suddi al-Saghir or al-Suddi al-Asghar.
◈ Hafiz Dhahabi writes about him:
"He was abandoned, and some accused him of lying. He was a student of al-Kalbi." [Mizan al-I'tidal, 4/32]
➊ According to the Deobandi circles, the contemporary "Imam Ahl al-Sunnat" Sarfaraz Khan Safdar writes:
"Listen to the state of Muhammad bin Marwan al-Suddi al-Saghir:◈ Imam Bukhari says his narrations cannot be written." [Duafa Saghir, Imam Bukhari, p. 29]"And Imam Nasa'i says he is Matruk al-Hadith (abandoned in Hadith)." [Duafa Imam Nasa'i, p. 52]"Hafiz Dhahabi writes that the scholars abandoned him, and some accused him of lying.""Imam Ibn Ma'in says he is not trustworthy.""Imam Ahmad says I abandoned him.""Ibn 'Adi states that lying is evident in his narration." [Mizan al-I'tidal, 3/132]"Imam Bayhaqi says he is Matruk." [Kitab al-Asma wa al-Sifat, p. 394]"Hafiz Ibn Kathir says he is completely abandoned." [Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 3/515]"Allama Subki writes that he is weak." [Shifa al-Siqam, p. 37]"Allama Muhammad Tahir says he is a liar." [Tadhkirah al-Mawdu'at, p. 90]"Jarir bin 'Abd al-Hamid says he is a liar.""Ibn Numair says he is worthless.""Ya'qub bin Sufyan writes that he is weak.""Salih bin Muhammad says he was weak and fabricated Hadiths.""Abu Hatim says he is Matruk al-Hadith and his Hadith should not be written." [Izalat al-Rayb, p. 316]
➋ Sarfaraz Khan Safdar writes at another place:
"Following their elders, Sufi Sahib has quoted a narration, but it is of no benefit to them because 'Suddi' is insignificant in the field of narrations."◈ "Imam Ibn Ma'in says his narration contains weakness."◈ "Imam Jauzjani says: He is a liar and accursed."◈ "Imam Tabari says: His narration cannot be used as evidence."For more discussion on this narration, see [Izalat al-Rayb]. Such weak narrations cannot establish any religious issue. [Tafreeh al-Khawatir fi Radd Tanweer al-Khawatir, p. 77-78]
➌ He writes in another book:
"The name of Suddi is Muhammad bin Marwan."◈ "Imam Ahmad says I abandoned him."(It is surprising that a critical Hadith scholar like Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal abandoned his narration, but Maulvi Naimuddin and his group use his narration.) [Taqneed Matn, p. 168]
➍ He writes in another book:
"Suddi is a liar and fabricator." [Itmam al-Burhan, p. 455] The name of Sagheer is "Muhammad bin Marwan."◈ "Imam Jarir bin 'Abd al-Hamid says he is a liar."◈ "Salih bin Muhammad says he fabricated Hadiths, and other scholars have criticized him severely."Be fair and tell me which religious issue can be established from the narration of such a liar? [Itmam al-Burhan, p. 458]
➎ Sarfaraz Khan Safdar Deobandi writes:
"You people hold onto Suddi's 'tail,' and it is all yours." [Itmam al-Burhan, p. 457]
➏ He further writes:
"You have taken refuge in the house of 'Suddi the liar' based on Khazin, which is enough for your 'academic disgrace,' and this 'blemish' will always shine on your forehead." [Itmam al-Burhan, p. 458]Note: In the present times, those who argue against Raf' al-Yadain using the book "Tafsir Ibn Abbas" have held onto Suddi's tail, and this disgrace will always shine on their foreheads, according to Sarfaraz Khan Safdar.
Here are a few statements about Muhammad bin Marwan al-Suddi from the scholars of Hadith:
➊ Bukhari said:
"They abandoned him," [Al-Tarikh al-Kabir, 1/232]"His Hadith should not be written at all." [Duafa Saghir: 350]
➋ Yahya bin Ma'in said:
"He is not trustworthy." [Al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil, 8/86, its chain is authentic]
➌ Abu Hatim al-Razi said:
"He is worthless in Hadith, Matruk al-Hadith, and his Hadith should not be written at all." [Al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil, 8/86]
➍ Nasa'i said:
"He narrates from al-Kalbi, Matruk al-Hadith." [Duafa al-Matrukun: 538]
➎ Ya'qub bin Sufyan al-Farsi said: "He is weak, not trustworthy." [Ma'rifah wa al-Tarikh, 3/186]
➏ Ibn Hibban said:
"He used to narrate fabrications from trustworthy narrators. It is not permissible to write his Hadiths without scrutiny, nor to use them as evidence under any circumstances." [Al-Majruhin, 2/286]
➐ Ibn Numair said:
"He is a liar." [Duafa al-Kabir, al-'Aqili, 4/136, its chain is good]Note: In Duafa al-Kabir, it was mistakenly printed as "Ibn Nusayr" instead of "Ibn Numair."
➑ Hafiz Haythami said:
"He is Matruk." [Majma' al-Zawaid, 8/99]"There is consensus on his weakness." [Majma' al-Zawaid, 1/214]
➒ Hafiz Dhahabi said:
"Kufi, Matruk, accused." [Diwan al-Du'afa: 3969]
➓ Hafiz Ibn Hajar said:
"Accused of lying." [Taqrib al-Tahdhib: 6284]
Regarding him:◈ Sarfaraz Ahmad Khan Sahib wrote:"Hear about the condition of al-Kalbi... His name is Muhammad bin al-Sa'ib bin Bishr Abu al-Nadr al-Kalbi. Imam Mu'tamir bin Suleiman narrates from his father that there were two great liars in Kufa; one of them was al-Kalbi. Laith bin Abi Sulaym said there were two great liars in Kufa: one was al-Kalbi and the other was al-Suddi.◈ Imam Ibn Ma'in said: ليس بشيء (He is nothing).
◈ Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, said: Imam Yahya and Ibn Mahdi completely abandoned his narration.◈ Imam Ibn Mahdi said that Abu Juz'a testified: "I bear witness that al-Kalbi is a disbeliever." When I narrated this to Yazid bin Zurai', he also said: "I have heard this from him as well, that he said: أشهد أنه كافر (I testify that he is a disbeliever)." When asked the reason for this disbelief, he said:
"He says that Gabriel used to bring revelation to the Prophet (peace be upon him). Once the Prophet went for a need and Ali sat in his place, so Gabriel revealed to Ali."
This implies that Gabriel (peace be upon him) did not recognize the true recipient of revelation and mistakenly revealed it to Ali, thinking he was the Prophet (peace be upon him). Allah knows best how many other mistakes this naive Gabriel might have made and to whom else he might have revealed the divine message. It is possible that this secret revelation included instructions for Ali's immediate caliphate, whispered by Gabriel into Ali's ear.
There must be some basis for al-Kalbi's statement; it cannot be baseless. According to al-Kalbi's theory, it is possible that Gabriel might have mistakenly revealed the first message to Muhammad (peace be upon him), while his intended recipient was Ali. After all, one of al-Kalbi's contemporaries had a theory that:"When Gabriel came from the Creator to Muhammad, his real intention was Ali."
May Allah protect us from such blasphemy. Al-Kalbi turned the concept of Gabriel, the Prophet (peace be upon him), and divine revelation into a theatrical drama.
Moreover, al-Kalbi himself said that when I narrate any report or hadith from Abu Salih on the authority of Ibn Abbas, then "فهو كذب" (it is a lie). Imam Abu Hatim said that all the scholars agreed that he is Matruk al-Hadith (abandoned in hadith). None of his narrations should be presented.
◈ Imam Nasa'i said he is not trustworthy and his narrations cannot be written.
◈ Ali bin al-Junaid, Hakim Abu Ahmad, and Daraqutni, may Allah have mercy on them, said he is Matruk al-Hadith.
◈ Jauzjani said he is a liar and fallen.
◈ Ibn Hibban said his narrations are obviously false, and they cannot be used as evidence.
◈ Sa'ji said he is Matruk al-Hadith and very weak because he was a radical Shia.◈ Hafiz Abu Abdullah bin al-Hakim said he narrated false reports from Abu Salih.
◈ Hafiz Ibn Hajar wrote:"All trustworthy scholars agreed on his condemnation and the abandonment of his narrations in rulings and branches."
◈ Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "The entire Tafsir of al-Kalbi from beginning to end is false; it is not permissible to read it." [Tadhkirah al-Mawdu'at, p. 82]
◈ Allama Muhammad Tahir al-Hanafi wrote: "The weakest chain in the science of Tafsir is al-Kalbi from Abu Salih from Ibn Abbas. And if Muhammad bin Marwan al-Suddi al-Saghir is included in the chain, it is the chain of lies." [Tadhkirah al-Mawdu'at, p. 83 and Itqan, Vol. 2, p. 189]
◈ "And in this narration, these two lions are combined." [Izalat al-Rayb, p. 316] See also: [Taqneed Matn, pp. 167, 169]
Some scholars have authenticated Baadham, but this authentication is rejected in comparison to the majority of Hadith scholars who criticized him.
Dear Sir, you might know that terms like Matruk, Saqit, Mutaham bil-Kadhib, Kadhab, Yakthib, and Yadha' are severe criticisms. Narrators criticized with such terms are not considered reliable, and their narrations are not acceptable as evidence, especially when they are not authenticated by anyone. The three narrators of your quoted Tafsir narration bear such severe criticisms, making their narrations unacceptable. Presenting such false narrations from these narrators is not appropriate. Therefore, you must first establish their credibility, which you will not be able to do, and hence must publicly retract this narration.
Regarding the chain of your quoted narration:
Hafiz Jalaluddin al-Suyuti writes:
"The weakest of all chains is al-Kalbi from Abu Salih from Ibn Abbas. If Muhammad bin Marwan al-Suddi al-Saghir is added to this chain, it is called the chain of lies." [Al-Itqan fi Ulum al-Quran, Vol. 2, p. 416]
This chain is known as the chain of lies up to Abu Salih. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) are all just, but the narrators after them must also be just and trustworthy.
Secondly:
Even if this narration were authentic, it would still not benefit you. As translated by your recognized scholar Habibullah Deewari, you wrote from Eight Issues [p. 19]: "For Khushu' (humility), it is necessary not to perform Raf' al-Yadain in prayer." [p. 1] This is not specified for any particular moment of Raf' al-Yadain, but rather general, affecting even the Hanafi practice in certain instances. Do you not perform Raf' al-Yadain at the beginning of the prayer? Do you not perform it before the Qunoot in the third rak'ah of Witr? Do you not perform it during the extra Takbeers in the Eid prayers?
If you do, and certainly you do, then you are opposing this narration. How will you justify performing Raf' al-Yadain in these three instances and still claim to offer prayers with Khushu'? If, according to you, Khushu' requires the prayer to be free of Raf' al-Yadain, do you consider these three instances to be outside the scope of the prayer?
Thirdly:
You instructed us to provide explicit evidence from the Quran or authentic Hadith, as you wrote:"The answers to these questions must be given from an explicit verse of the Quran or an explicit, uncontradicted Hadith." [p. 4]You surely understand the meaning of "explicit," right? Clear, unambiguous. You set the condition that the evidence should be "explicit" if it is a verse or "explicit" if it is a Hadith.
Yet, the first argument you presented against Raf' al-Yadain before and after Ruku' is "non-explicit," as it does not mention it explicitly. Instead, it uses the general words "do not raise their hands in prayer." Is this explicit? If principles are not just made to silence opponents, why do you not follow these general words yourself? Do you believe that when you raise your hands to your ears at the beginning of the prayer, you are not in the prayer? If you are in prayer, why do you raise your hands? Your quoted false narration says: "do not raise their hands in prayer." Then why do you raise your hands at the beginning of the prayer, and during Witr and Eid prayers?
Thus, these words are general. You can never explicitly prove from them that Raf' al-Yadain before and after Ruku' is forbidden. If you cannot prove every action with explicit evidence, how can you demand explicit evidence from your opponents? Unless you explicitly prove that these words forbid Raf' al-Yadain before and after Ruku', you cannot use this argument by your own principles.
Fourthly:
You quoted the verse from Surah Al-Mu'minun. This is a Makki Surah, as mentioned by your scholar Mahmood Hassan (Deobandi) in his translation of the Quran. Surah Al-Mu'minun was revealed in Makkah, indicating that the command for Khushu' and Khudu' in prayer was already given in Makkah. Now, let's examine the practice of Raf' al-Yadain by the Prophet (peace be upon him) according to your recognized scholar, up to the end of his life. Before that, let us see a Hadith from Sahih Bukhari:Abu Qilabah narrated:"I saw Malik bin al-Huwairith when he prayed, he said Takbir and raised his hands, and when he wanted to bow, he raised his hands, and when he raised his head from Ruku', he raised his hands. He narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) did the same." [Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 1, p. 102, Bab Raf' al-Yadain idha Kabara wa idha Raka'a wa idha Raf'a]
This Hadith is also in Sahih Muslim [Vol. 1, p. 168, Hadith 391] with the words "He used to do this."
Now listen to what your recognized scholar Sarfaraz Khan Safdar says:"Hafiz Ibn Hajar writes in Fath al-Bari [Vol. 2, p. 250]: 'Malik bin al-Huwairith came to Madinah when the preparations for Tabuk were ongoing and stayed with him for twenty nights.' The Battle of Tabuk took place in 9 AH when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was about 62 years old." [Khazain al-Sunan, Vol. 1, Part 2, p. 114, published by Maktabah Safdariyah, Gujranwala]
This reference shows that (according to Sarfaraz Khan Safdar) Malik bin al-Huwairith saw the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the last period of his life and stayed with him for twenty nights in Madinah. During this time, he saw the Prophet (peace be upon him) performing Raf' al-Yadain before and after Ruku' until the end of his prayer. This clearly indicates that according to this Hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) practiced Raf' al-Yadain up to the age of about 62 years. He was blessed with Prophethood at the age of 40. This shows that for 22 years after receiving Prophethood, the Prophet (peace be upon him) performed Raf' al-Yadain in his prayer, both before and after Ruku'.
Now, let's come back to your quoted Tafsir narration. This Tafsir is related to a verse from a Makki Surah that commands Khushu' and Khudu' in prayer. According to this Tafsir, performing Raf' al-Yadain is against Khushu' and Khudu', and not performing Raf' al-Yadain is in accordance with Khushu' and Khudu'. According to your presented Tafsir, the Prophet (peace be upon him) (Allah forbid) offered prayers without Khushu' and Khudu' up to the age of 62 years. We seek refuge in Allah from such disbelief.
Even if we consider the time of the revelation of this Surah to be the last part of the Makki period, it would still imply that the Prophet (peace be upon him) continued to perform Raf' al-Yadain against the command of Khushu' and Khudu' for nine years after these verses were revealed. Allah forbid, this Tafsir would imply that the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not understand the meaning of this verse for nine years and continued to pray with Raf' al-Yadain, which according to this Tafsir, is against Khushu'.
As you wrote:"For Khushu', it is necessary not to perform Raf' al-Yadain in prayer." [p. 1]
Respected Sir, may Allah elevate your status. If you consider this with an unbiased heart, free from prejudice and stubbornness, you will recognize the cunningness of your scholars in presenting this fabricated Tafsir narrated by the weak narrators Abu Salih, al-Suddi al-Saghir, and the dangerous enemy of Islam, al-Kalbi. You cannot deny the abomination and absurdity of this Tafsir, as it implies that the prayers of the Prophet (peace be upon him), the most humble and devout of all people, lacked Khushu' and Khudu'. (We seek refuge in Allah from such blasphemy). Can any person with even a small amount of faith ever imagine such a thing?
Indeed, no prayer can have more Khushu' and Khudu' than the prayer of the Prophet (peace be upon him). This is why he commanded his Ummah to pray as they saw him praying: "Pray as you have seen me praying." [Bukhari, no. 631] And it is agreed upon by us and you that the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not command anything without revelation.
Note:
All these abominations arise only when you claim, as you did by quoting from Eight Issues [p. 19], that:"For Khushu', it is necessary not to perform Raf' al-Yadain in prayer." [Your document, p. 1]
If you retract this claim, these abominations do not arise. I hope you will consider this. Otherwise, please present the real truth of all these matters.
Lastly, performing Raf' al-Yadain is not against humility, Khushu', and Khudu'; rather, it is an expression of humility, as your esteemed scholar Allama Abdul Hayy al-Hanafi al-Lucknawi stated:"Performing Raf' al-Yadain at the beginning of prayer and otherwise is an expression of humility, submission, supplication, reverence to Allah, and following the Sunnah of His Prophet (peace be upon him)." [Al-Ta'liq al-Mumajjad ala Muwatta Muhammad, Vol. 1, p. 375, footnote 3, published by Qadimi Kutub Khana]
Respected Sir, please reflect on this. Performing Raf' al-Yadain is an expression of humility and submission to the Lord, not only at the beginning of prayer but also at other instances, such as before and after Ruku' as confirmed by continuous Hadiths. Isn't it strange that your "renowned scholar and prolific author" acknowledges that performing Raf' al-Yadain at the beginning and other instances is an expression of humility, while you consider it contrary to Khushu' and Khudu'? And then you repeatedly perform this act during Witr and Eid prayers but still claim it is against Khushu'. Doesn't this show inconsistency and contradiction?
Question 1:
Can you explain why performing Raf' al-Yadain at the beginning of prayer, during Witr, and during Eid prayers is not against Khushu' and Khudu', but performing it before and after Ruku' is against Khushu' and Khudu'?
Question 2:
Can you provide specific evidence from the Quran and Hadith to support this particular claim?
Question 3:
You claimed that performing Raf' al-Yadain is prohibited during the prayer except at the beginning. [See your document, p. 2, lines 12-13] Can you prove that performing Raf' al-Yadain during Witr is not part of the prayer?
Question 4:
Can you present evidence from the Prophet (peace be upon him) for performing Raf' al-Yadain in the Witr prayer?
I hope my questions will receive the deserved answers. May Allah grant this! Ameen. Otherwise, according to your own statement, you will be considered a "silent devil."
Fifthly, you wrote:"For Khushu', it is necessary not to perform Raf' al-Yadain in prayer." [p. 1]
Certainly, Khushu' is necessary, especially since Allah and His beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) have emphasized its importance. For instance, Allah says:"Successful indeed are the believers, those who humble themselves in their prayers." [Al-Mu'minun, 23:1-2]
This shows that achieving success and prosperity requires Khushu', which is the first step to success.
Abadah bin al-Samit narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"Allah has obligated five prayers. Whoever performs ablution well for them, prays them on time, completes their Ruku' and Khushu', has a promise from Allah to forgive him. But whoever does not do that has no promise from Allah; if He wills, He will forgive him, and if He wills, He will punish him." [Muwatta Imam Malik, Bab al-Amr bil-Witr, no. 267, Sunan al-Nasa'i, Bab al-Muhafazah 'ala al-Salawat al-Khams, no. 462, Sunan Abi Dawood, Bab fi al-Muhafazah 'ala Waqt al-Salat, no. 1420, this narration is authentic]
This Hadith shows that those fortunate ones who maintain their Khushu' along with other requirements of prayer are promised forgiveness from Allah. Although many verses and Hadiths emphasize Khushu', it suffices to mention this for now. The purpose of mentioning these is to show that Khushu' is a desired and praiseworthy quality, so as you said, "For Khushu', it is necessary not to perform Raf' al-Yadain in prayer." [Your document, p. 1]
In short, Khushu' is necessary for prayer, and according to you, not performing Raf' al-Yadain is necessary for Khushu'. Remember this point.
Now, listen to what your senior, highly esteemed scholars have said about this:
Mufliqi Taqi Usmani (Deobandi), whom you call "Sheikh al-Islam," states:"There is a difference of opinion regarding Raf' al-Yadain during Ruku' and after rising from it. The Shafi'is and Hanbalis advocate for it at both instances, and a large group of Hadith scholars support their view. However, Imam Abu Hanifah and Imam Malik's view is to abandon it... It should be noted that this difference among the four Imams is merely about the preferred and non-preferred, not about permissibility and impermissibility. Both methods are permissible without dislike according to both parties." Further, he writes: "Some Shafi'is even ruled that abandoning Raf' al-Yadain invalidates the prayer, and among the Hanafis, the author of Minyat al-Musalli wrote that performing Raf' al-Yadain is disliked. However, the reality is as we stated, that neither is abandoning Raf' al-Yadain invalidating the prayer in the Shafi'i school, nor is it disliked in the Hanafi school." [Dars al-Tirmidhi, Bab Raf' al-Yadain 'inda al-Ruku', Vol. 2, p. 26]
Regarding the issue at hand, your "Sheikh al-Islam" Mufliqi Taqi Usmani has stated clearly that performing Raf' al-Yadain before and after Ruku' is permissible without dislike in the Hanafi school. He further emphasizes:"The purpose of our upcoming discussion on the issue of Raf' al-Yadain is not to prove that Raf' al-Yadain is impermissible or unsupported by Hadith." [Dars al-Tirmidhi, Bab Raf' al-Yadain 'inda al-Ruku', Vol. 2, p. 27, published by Maktabah Dar al-'Ulum Karachi]
Respected Brother, according to you, performing Raf' al-Yadain is against Khushu' and tranquility, as you quoted from Eight Issues [p. 19] that "For Khushu', it is necessary not to perform Raf' al-Yadain in prayer." Your "great Mufti" and "Sheikh al-Islam" states that performing Raf' al-Yadain is permissible without dislike, which he even calls the true Hanafi view. Can an act that disrupts Khushu', such a significant and necessary practice, be permissible without dislike? Certainly not! An act that disrupts Khushu' should be considered impermissible and disliked, especially when not performing it is necessary for achieving Khushu'.
However, your "Sheikh al-Islam" states:
that performing Raf' al-Yadain is permissible without dislike.
Thus, it is clear that performing Raf' al-Yadain is not against Khushu', but rather it is an act of following the Prophet (peace be upon him) and an expression of humility before Allah, as stated by your esteemed scholar Allama Abdul Hayy al-Lucknawi. It is also evident that those who consider it against Khushu' are unaware of their true Hanafi teachings, as their "Sheikh al-Islam and great Mufti" states it is permissible without dislike.
Respected Sir, would you like to explain whether your "Sheikh al-Islam and great Mufti" Taqi Usmani is stating the true Hanafi view, or are you misrepresenting the Hanafi view?
Remember, giving an answer is obligatory, and remaining silent, becoming a "dumb devil," is your own stated principle. [See your document, p. 4, last paragraph] Therefore, I believe you will not assume the undesirable role of a "dumb devil." Allah knows best and He is the best helper.
Sufi Abdul Hamid Swati Deobandi wrote:
"Not performing Raf' al-Yadain when going into and rising from Ruku' is better, but if one performs it, it is permissible." [Namaz Masnun, p. 349, published in 1986]
Question 1: You have declared that performing Raf' al-Yadain before and after Ruku' is abrogated. Can performing an abrogated act be permissible without dislike, especially if it is against Khushu'?Question 2: Can performing an abrogated act be permissible even with dislike?Question 3: According to you, performing Raf' al-Yadain before and after Ruku' is abrogated. According to your "Sheikh al-Islam and great Mufti," performing it is permissible without dislike. Is performing every abrogated act permissible without dislike, or only Raf' al-Yadain, despite being abrogated, is permissible?
Similarly, Sarfaraz Khan Safdar states:"Shah Waliullah Sahib wrote in Hujjat Allah al-Balighah [Vol. 2, p. 10]: 'The one who performs Raf' al-Yadain is more beloved to me than the one who does not, as the Hadiths about Raf' al-Yadain are more numerous and more authentic.'" [Khazain al-Sunan, Vol. 1, Part 2, p. 92]
According to your principle, did Shah Sahib favor those who acted against Khushu'? (These statements by Shah Waliullah and others are presented as allegations. Their acceptance of abandoning Raf' al-Yadain is rejected because it opposes authentic Hadiths.)
Abu Hamzah 'Imran bin Abi 'Ata' al-Asadi (a Tabi'i) said:
"I saw Ibn Abbas raising his hands when he started the prayer, when he bowed, and when he raised his head from Ruku'."
[Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, Vol. 1, p. 235, Hadith 2431 with a sound chain]
This narration is also found in Masail Imam Ahmad [Narration of Abdullah bin Ahmad, 1/244, Hadith 331], Musannaf Abdul Razzaq [3/69, Hadith 2523], and Juz Raf' al-Yadain by Bukhari [Hadith 21]. Tawus (a Tabi'i) said: "I saw Abdullah (bin Abbas) performing Raf' al-Yadain in prayer." [Juz Raf' al-Yadain, p. 28 with a sound chain] The practice of Raf' al-Yadain by Ibn Abbas in prayer clearly indicates that Raf' al-Yadain in prayer is not against Khushu'.
(A Deobandi individual wrote a letter to the respected Abu al-Asjad Muhammad Siddiq Raza, may Allah protect him, regarding the practice of Raf' al-Yadain (raising hands during prayer). In response, he provided a compelling reply. Although the person who wrote the letter does not have a significant scholarly standing, the arguments presented are often cited by the elders of the followers of Taqleed (blind following) against the practice of Raf' al-Yadain during Ruku (bowing) and rising from it. At almost every point, before addressing each argument, Mr. Muhammad Siddiq Raza highlighted these points. For the benefit of the general public, we are publishing this response with minor modifications and with the approval of the learned responder.)
Alhamdulillah, Rabb al-'Alameen. Peace and blessings be upon the leader of the prophets and messengers, and upon his family and companions. After that:
(Respected …) Sir! Brother Anwar Qasim and Abdul Khaliq have provided a small note and a four-page document from you on the issue of Raf' al-Yadain and have requested a response.
Much has been written on this topic already, making further writing seem unnecessary. However, it has barely been a few days, and you have begun demanding a response with great intensity. Your tone suggests that you believe you have achieved something unprecedented with your four-page document and small note. Your aggressive stance, stating that "remaining silent and becoming a dumb devil in response is not permissible," [Your Document, p. 4], has compelled me to present some observations.
First, I would like to address some points related to your four-page document. Then, if Allah wills, I will also address your small note comprehensively. Let us examine your detailed document. Your first argument is a Tafsir (interpretation) narration that you have quoted as follows:
Allah Almighty says: "Those who are humble in their prayers." [23:2]
A few lines later… The meaning of Allah Almighty's verse, according to Imam al-Mufassirin (the leader of interpreters), our master Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), is:"They are humble and modest, do not turn their heads right or left, and do not raise their hands during prayer." [Tafsir Ibn Abbas, p. 359]
To achieve Khushu (humility), it is necessary not to perform Raf' al-Yadain in prayer. [Your Document, p. 1]
Response…
Sir, at the very least, you should have provided the translation of the text. It seems you have taken this argument from the "Deobandi book" Eight Issues [p. 19], where only this much is written, and there is no translation there either.
Amin Okra Dewandi has quoted this statement in his collection of essays [New Edition, Vol. 1, p. 150, published in Lahore] as follows:"Ibn Abbas said: 'Those who do not raise their hands in their prayers.'"
However, your quoted words are slightly different, although Habibullah Deewari has quoted this narration exactly in these words in his book "Noor al-Sabah" [p. 72, Second Edition]. I am providing his translation:"Humble and modest, who do not look right or left, nor do they perform Raf' al-Yadain in their prayers." [Noor al-Sabah, p. 72]
In the issue under discussion, this statement is significant, so it was necessary to translate the statement from a personality you acknowledge (i.e., Habibullah Deewari).
Coming to the main point! … Sir, kindly refer to the original source of this Tafsir. At the beginning of this Tafsir, you will find the chain of narrators, which is as follows: Muhammad bin Marwan al-Suddi from Muhammad bin al-Sa'ib al-Kalbi from Abu Salih from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him). In the long chain, these three names appear together. [Tafsir Ibn Abbas, p. 2, published by Qadimi Kutub Khana, Karachi]
This chain is known among scholars as "the chain of falsehood."The first narrator in this chain is Muhammad bin Marwan al-Suddi al-Kufi.He is known as al-Suddi al-Saghir or al-Suddi al-Asghar.
◈ Hafiz Dhahabi writes about him:
"He was abandoned, and some accused him of lying. He was a student of al-Kalbi." [Mizan al-I'tidal, 4/32]
➊ According to the Deobandi circles, the contemporary "Imam Ahl al-Sunnat" Sarfaraz Khan Safdar writes:
"Listen to the state of Muhammad bin Marwan al-Suddi al-Saghir:◈ Imam Bukhari says his narrations cannot be written." [Duafa Saghir, Imam Bukhari, p. 29]"And Imam Nasa'i says he is Matruk al-Hadith (abandoned in Hadith)." [Duafa Imam Nasa'i, p. 52]"Hafiz Dhahabi writes that the scholars abandoned him, and some accused him of lying.""Imam Ibn Ma'in says he is not trustworthy.""Imam Ahmad says I abandoned him.""Ibn 'Adi states that lying is evident in his narration." [Mizan al-I'tidal, 3/132]"Imam Bayhaqi says he is Matruk." [Kitab al-Asma wa al-Sifat, p. 394]"Hafiz Ibn Kathir says he is completely abandoned." [Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 3/515]"Allama Subki writes that he is weak." [Shifa al-Siqam, p. 37]"Allama Muhammad Tahir says he is a liar." [Tadhkirah al-Mawdu'at, p. 90]"Jarir bin 'Abd al-Hamid says he is a liar.""Ibn Numair says he is worthless.""Ya'qub bin Sufyan writes that he is weak.""Salih bin Muhammad says he was weak and fabricated Hadiths.""Abu Hatim says he is Matruk al-Hadith and his Hadith should not be written." [Izalat al-Rayb, p. 316]
➋ Sarfaraz Khan Safdar writes at another place:
"Following their elders, Sufi Sahib has quoted a narration, but it is of no benefit to them because 'Suddi' is insignificant in the field of narrations."◈ "Imam Ibn Ma'in says his narration contains weakness."◈ "Imam Jauzjani says: He is a liar and accursed."◈ "Imam Tabari says: His narration cannot be used as evidence."For more discussion on this narration, see [Izalat al-Rayb]. Such weak narrations cannot establish any religious issue. [Tafreeh al-Khawatir fi Radd Tanweer al-Khawatir, p. 77-78]
➌ He writes in another book:
"The name of Suddi is Muhammad bin Marwan."◈ "Imam Ahmad says I abandoned him."(It is surprising that a critical Hadith scholar like Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal abandoned his narration, but Maulvi Naimuddin and his group use his narration.) [Taqneed Matn, p. 168]
➍ He writes in another book:
"Suddi is a liar and fabricator." [Itmam al-Burhan, p. 455] The name of Sagheer is "Muhammad bin Marwan."◈ "Imam Jarir bin 'Abd al-Hamid says he is a liar."◈ "Salih bin Muhammad says he fabricated Hadiths, and other scholars have criticized him severely."Be fair and tell me which religious issue can be established from the narration of such a liar? [Itmam al-Burhan, p. 458]
➎ Sarfaraz Khan Safdar Deobandi writes:
"You people hold onto Suddi's 'tail,' and it is all yours." [Itmam al-Burhan, p. 457]
➏ He further writes:
"You have taken refuge in the house of 'Suddi the liar' based on Khazin, which is enough for your 'academic disgrace,' and this 'blemish' will always shine on your forehead." [Itmam al-Burhan, p. 458]Note: In the present times, those who argue against Raf' al-Yadain using the book "Tafsir Ibn Abbas" have held onto Suddi's tail, and this disgrace will always shine on their foreheads, according to Sarfaraz Khan Safdar.
Here are a few statements about Muhammad bin Marwan al-Suddi from the scholars of Hadith:
➊ Bukhari said:
"They abandoned him," [Al-Tarikh al-Kabir, 1/232]"His Hadith should not be written at all." [Duafa Saghir: 350]
➋ Yahya bin Ma'in said:
"He is not trustworthy." [Al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil, 8/86, its chain is authentic]
➌ Abu Hatim al-Razi said:
"He is worthless in Hadith, Matruk al-Hadith, and his Hadith should not be written at all." [Al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil, 8/86]
➍ Nasa'i said:
"He narrates from al-Kalbi, Matruk al-Hadith." [Duafa al-Matrukun: 538]
➎ Ya'qub bin Sufyan al-Farsi said: "He is weak, not trustworthy." [Ma'rifah wa al-Tarikh, 3/186]
➏ Ibn Hibban said:
"He used to narrate fabrications from trustworthy narrators. It is not permissible to write his Hadiths without scrutiny, nor to use them as evidence under any circumstances." [Al-Majruhin, 2/286]
➐ Ibn Numair said:
"He is a liar." [Duafa al-Kabir, al-'Aqili, 4/136, its chain is good]Note: In Duafa al-Kabir, it was mistakenly printed as "Ibn Nusayr" instead of "Ibn Numair."
➑ Hafiz Haythami said:
"He is Matruk." [Majma' al-Zawaid, 8/99]"There is consensus on his weakness." [Majma' al-Zawaid, 1/214]
➒ Hafiz Dhahabi said:
"Kufi, Matruk, accused." [Diwan al-Du'afa: 3969]
➓ Hafiz Ibn Hajar said:
"Accused of lying." [Taqrib al-Tahdhib: 6284]
The Second Narrator: Muhammad bin al-Sa'ib al-Kalbi
Regarding him:◈ Sarfaraz Ahmad Khan Sahib wrote:"Hear about the condition of al-Kalbi... His name is Muhammad bin al-Sa'ib bin Bishr Abu al-Nadr al-Kalbi. Imam Mu'tamir bin Suleiman narrates from his father that there were two great liars in Kufa; one of them was al-Kalbi. Laith bin Abi Sulaym said there were two great liars in Kufa: one was al-Kalbi and the other was al-Suddi.◈ Imam Ibn Ma'in said: ليس بشيء (He is nothing).
◈ Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, said: Imam Yahya and Ibn Mahdi completely abandoned his narration.◈ Imam Ibn Mahdi said that Abu Juz'a testified: "I bear witness that al-Kalbi is a disbeliever." When I narrated this to Yazid bin Zurai', he also said: "I have heard this from him as well, that he said: أشهد أنه كافر (I testify that he is a disbeliever)." When asked the reason for this disbelief, he said:
"He says that Gabriel used to bring revelation to the Prophet (peace be upon him). Once the Prophet went for a need and Ali sat in his place, so Gabriel revealed to Ali."
This implies that Gabriel (peace be upon him) did not recognize the true recipient of revelation and mistakenly revealed it to Ali, thinking he was the Prophet (peace be upon him). Allah knows best how many other mistakes this naive Gabriel might have made and to whom else he might have revealed the divine message. It is possible that this secret revelation included instructions for Ali's immediate caliphate, whispered by Gabriel into Ali's ear.
There must be some basis for al-Kalbi's statement; it cannot be baseless. According to al-Kalbi's theory, it is possible that Gabriel might have mistakenly revealed the first message to Muhammad (peace be upon him), while his intended recipient was Ali. After all, one of al-Kalbi's contemporaries had a theory that:"When Gabriel came from the Creator to Muhammad, his real intention was Ali."
May Allah protect us from such blasphemy. Al-Kalbi turned the concept of Gabriel, the Prophet (peace be upon him), and divine revelation into a theatrical drama.
Moreover, al-Kalbi himself said that when I narrate any report or hadith from Abu Salih on the authority of Ibn Abbas, then "فهو كذب" (it is a lie). Imam Abu Hatim said that all the scholars agreed that he is Matruk al-Hadith (abandoned in hadith). None of his narrations should be presented.
◈ Imam Nasa'i said he is not trustworthy and his narrations cannot be written.
◈ Ali bin al-Junaid, Hakim Abu Ahmad, and Daraqutni, may Allah have mercy on them, said he is Matruk al-Hadith.
◈ Jauzjani said he is a liar and fallen.
◈ Ibn Hibban said his narrations are obviously false, and they cannot be used as evidence.
◈ Sa'ji said he is Matruk al-Hadith and very weak because he was a radical Shia.◈ Hafiz Abu Abdullah bin al-Hakim said he narrated false reports from Abu Salih.
◈ Hafiz Ibn Hajar wrote:"All trustworthy scholars agreed on his condemnation and the abandonment of his narrations in rulings and branches."
◈ Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "The entire Tafsir of al-Kalbi from beginning to end is false; it is not permissible to read it." [Tadhkirah al-Mawdu'at, p. 82]
◈ Allama Muhammad Tahir al-Hanafi wrote: "The weakest chain in the science of Tafsir is al-Kalbi from Abu Salih from Ibn Abbas. And if Muhammad bin Marwan al-Suddi al-Saghir is included in the chain, it is the chain of lies." [Tadhkirah al-Mawdu'at, p. 83 and Itqan, Vol. 2, p. 189]
◈ "And in this narration, these two lions are combined." [Izalat al-Rayb, p. 316] See also: [Taqneed Matn, pp. 167, 169]
Statements of Hadith Scholars about Muhammad bin al-Sa'ib Abu al-Nadr al-Kalbi:
- Sulaiman al-Taymi said: "In Kufa, there were two liars; one of them was al-Kalbi." [Al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil, 7/270 with an authentic chain]
- Qarah bin Khalid said: "People believed that al-Kalbi lied." [Al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil, 7/270 with an authentic chain]
- Sufyan al-Thawri said: "Al-Kalbi told us, 'Whatever is narrated to you from me on the authority of Abu Salih from Ibn Abbas is a lie; do not narrate from me.'" [Al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil, 7/271 with an authentic chain]
- Yazid bin Zurai' said: "Al-Kalbi was a Saba’i." [Al-Kamil by Ibn Adi, 5/2128 with an authentic chain]
- Muhammad bin Mehran said: "Al-Kalbi's Tafsir is false." [Al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil, 7/271 with an authentic chain]
- Jawzjani said: "He is a liar and fallen." [Ahwal al-Rijal, p. 37]
- Yahya bin Ma'in said: "He is nothing." [Tarikh Ibn Ma'in, narration of Al-Duri, no. 1344]
- Abu Hatim al-Razi said: "People agreed to abandon his Hadith; do not waste time on him. He is worthless in Hadith." [Al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil, 7/271]
- Hafiz Ibn Hajar said: "The interpreter is accused of lying and of being a Rafidi." [Taqrib al-Tahdhib, no. 5901]
- Hafiz Dhahabi said: "They abandoned him." [Al-Mughni fi al-Du'afa, no. 5545]
The Third Narrator: Baadham Abu Salih
- Abu Hatim al-Razi said: "His Hadith is written, but not used as evidence." [Al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil, 2/432]
- Nasa'i said: "He is weak and a Kufan." [Al-Du'afa wa al-Matrukun, no. 72]
- Bukhari mentioned him in his book on weak narrators. [Tuhfat al-Akhwa, p. 21]
- Hafiz Dhahabi said: "He is weak in Hadith." [Diwan al-Du'afa, no. 544]
- Hafiz Ibn Hajar said: "He is weak and sends mursal narrations." [Taqrib al-Tahdhib, no. 634]
Some scholars have authenticated Baadham, but this authentication is rejected in comparison to the majority of Hadith scholars who criticized him.
Dear Sir, you might know that terms like Matruk, Saqit, Mutaham bil-Kadhib, Kadhab, Yakthib, and Yadha' are severe criticisms. Narrators criticized with such terms are not considered reliable, and their narrations are not acceptable as evidence, especially when they are not authenticated by anyone. The three narrators of your quoted Tafsir narration bear such severe criticisms, making their narrations unacceptable. Presenting such false narrations from these narrators is not appropriate. Therefore, you must first establish their credibility, which you will not be able to do, and hence must publicly retract this narration.
Regarding the chain of your quoted narration:
Hafiz Jalaluddin al-Suyuti writes:
"The weakest of all chains is al-Kalbi from Abu Salih from Ibn Abbas. If Muhammad bin Marwan al-Suddi al-Saghir is added to this chain, it is called the chain of lies." [Al-Itqan fi Ulum al-Quran, Vol. 2, p. 416]
This chain is known as the chain of lies up to Abu Salih. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) are all just, but the narrators after them must also be just and trustworthy.
Secondly:
Even if this narration were authentic, it would still not benefit you. As translated by your recognized scholar Habibullah Deewari, you wrote from Eight Issues [p. 19]: "For Khushu' (humility), it is necessary not to perform Raf' al-Yadain in prayer." [p. 1] This is not specified for any particular moment of Raf' al-Yadain, but rather general, affecting even the Hanafi practice in certain instances. Do you not perform Raf' al-Yadain at the beginning of the prayer? Do you not perform it before the Qunoot in the third rak'ah of Witr? Do you not perform it during the extra Takbeers in the Eid prayers?
If you do, and certainly you do, then you are opposing this narration. How will you justify performing Raf' al-Yadain in these three instances and still claim to offer prayers with Khushu'? If, according to you, Khushu' requires the prayer to be free of Raf' al-Yadain, do you consider these three instances to be outside the scope of the prayer?
Thirdly:
You instructed us to provide explicit evidence from the Quran or authentic Hadith, as you wrote:"The answers to these questions must be given from an explicit verse of the Quran or an explicit, uncontradicted Hadith." [p. 4]You surely understand the meaning of "explicit," right? Clear, unambiguous. You set the condition that the evidence should be "explicit" if it is a verse or "explicit" if it is a Hadith.
Yet, the first argument you presented against Raf' al-Yadain before and after Ruku' is "non-explicit," as it does not mention it explicitly. Instead, it uses the general words "do not raise their hands in prayer." Is this explicit? If principles are not just made to silence opponents, why do you not follow these general words yourself? Do you believe that when you raise your hands to your ears at the beginning of the prayer, you are not in the prayer? If you are in prayer, why do you raise your hands? Your quoted false narration says: "do not raise their hands in prayer." Then why do you raise your hands at the beginning of the prayer, and during Witr and Eid prayers?
Thus, these words are general. You can never explicitly prove from them that Raf' al-Yadain before and after Ruku' is forbidden. If you cannot prove every action with explicit evidence, how can you demand explicit evidence from your opponents? Unless you explicitly prove that these words forbid Raf' al-Yadain before and after Ruku', you cannot use this argument by your own principles.
Fourthly:
You quoted the verse from Surah Al-Mu'minun. This is a Makki Surah, as mentioned by your scholar Mahmood Hassan (Deobandi) in his translation of the Quran. Surah Al-Mu'minun was revealed in Makkah, indicating that the command for Khushu' and Khudu' in prayer was already given in Makkah. Now, let's examine the practice of Raf' al-Yadain by the Prophet (peace be upon him) according to your recognized scholar, up to the end of his life. Before that, let us see a Hadith from Sahih Bukhari:Abu Qilabah narrated:"I saw Malik bin al-Huwairith when he prayed, he said Takbir and raised his hands, and when he wanted to bow, he raised his hands, and when he raised his head from Ruku', he raised his hands. He narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) did the same." [Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 1, p. 102, Bab Raf' al-Yadain idha Kabara wa idha Raka'a wa idha Raf'a]
This Hadith is also in Sahih Muslim [Vol. 1, p. 168, Hadith 391] with the words "He used to do this."
Now listen to what your recognized scholar Sarfaraz Khan Safdar says:"Hafiz Ibn Hajar writes in Fath al-Bari [Vol. 2, p. 250]: 'Malik bin al-Huwairith came to Madinah when the preparations for Tabuk were ongoing and stayed with him for twenty nights.' The Battle of Tabuk took place in 9 AH when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was about 62 years old." [Khazain al-Sunan, Vol. 1, Part 2, p. 114, published by Maktabah Safdariyah, Gujranwala]
This reference shows that (according to Sarfaraz Khan Safdar) Malik bin al-Huwairith saw the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the last period of his life and stayed with him for twenty nights in Madinah. During this time, he saw the Prophet (peace be upon him) performing Raf' al-Yadain before and after Ruku' until the end of his prayer. This clearly indicates that according to this Hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) practiced Raf' al-Yadain up to the age of about 62 years. He was blessed with Prophethood at the age of 40. This shows that for 22 years after receiving Prophethood, the Prophet (peace be upon him) performed Raf' al-Yadain in his prayer, both before and after Ruku'.
Now, let's come back to your quoted Tafsir narration. This Tafsir is related to a verse from a Makki Surah that commands Khushu' and Khudu' in prayer. According to this Tafsir, performing Raf' al-Yadain is against Khushu' and Khudu', and not performing Raf' al-Yadain is in accordance with Khushu' and Khudu'. According to your presented Tafsir, the Prophet (peace be upon him) (Allah forbid) offered prayers without Khushu' and Khudu' up to the age of 62 years. We seek refuge in Allah from such disbelief.
Even if we consider the time of the revelation of this Surah to be the last part of the Makki period, it would still imply that the Prophet (peace be upon him) continued to perform Raf' al-Yadain against the command of Khushu' and Khudu' for nine years after these verses were revealed. Allah forbid, this Tafsir would imply that the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not understand the meaning of this verse for nine years and continued to pray with Raf' al-Yadain, which according to this Tafsir, is against Khushu'.
As you wrote:"For Khushu', it is necessary not to perform Raf' al-Yadain in prayer." [p. 1]
Respected Sir, may Allah elevate your status. If you consider this with an unbiased heart, free from prejudice and stubbornness, you will recognize the cunningness of your scholars in presenting this fabricated Tafsir narrated by the weak narrators Abu Salih, al-Suddi al-Saghir, and the dangerous enemy of Islam, al-Kalbi. You cannot deny the abomination and absurdity of this Tafsir, as it implies that the prayers of the Prophet (peace be upon him), the most humble and devout of all people, lacked Khushu' and Khudu'. (We seek refuge in Allah from such blasphemy). Can any person with even a small amount of faith ever imagine such a thing?
Indeed, no prayer can have more Khushu' and Khudu' than the prayer of the Prophet (peace be upon him). This is why he commanded his Ummah to pray as they saw him praying: "Pray as you have seen me praying." [Bukhari, no. 631] And it is agreed upon by us and you that the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not command anything without revelation.
Note:
All these abominations arise only when you claim, as you did by quoting from Eight Issues [p. 19], that:"For Khushu', it is necessary not to perform Raf' al-Yadain in prayer." [Your document, p. 1]
If you retract this claim, these abominations do not arise. I hope you will consider this. Otherwise, please present the real truth of all these matters.
Lastly, performing Raf' al-Yadain is not against humility, Khushu', and Khudu'; rather, it is an expression of humility, as your esteemed scholar Allama Abdul Hayy al-Hanafi al-Lucknawi stated:"Performing Raf' al-Yadain at the beginning of prayer and otherwise is an expression of humility, submission, supplication, reverence to Allah, and following the Sunnah of His Prophet (peace be upon him)." [Al-Ta'liq al-Mumajjad ala Muwatta Muhammad, Vol. 1, p. 375, footnote 3, published by Qadimi Kutub Khana]
Respected Sir, please reflect on this. Performing Raf' al-Yadain is an expression of humility and submission to the Lord, not only at the beginning of prayer but also at other instances, such as before and after Ruku' as confirmed by continuous Hadiths. Isn't it strange that your "renowned scholar and prolific author" acknowledges that performing Raf' al-Yadain at the beginning and other instances is an expression of humility, while you consider it contrary to Khushu' and Khudu'? And then you repeatedly perform this act during Witr and Eid prayers but still claim it is against Khushu'. Doesn't this show inconsistency and contradiction?
Question 1:
Can you explain why performing Raf' al-Yadain at the beginning of prayer, during Witr, and during Eid prayers is not against Khushu' and Khudu', but performing it before and after Ruku' is against Khushu' and Khudu'?
Question 2:
Can you provide specific evidence from the Quran and Hadith to support this particular claim?
Question 3:
You claimed that performing Raf' al-Yadain is prohibited during the prayer except at the beginning. [See your document, p. 2, lines 12-13] Can you prove that performing Raf' al-Yadain during Witr is not part of the prayer?
Question 4:
Can you present evidence from the Prophet (peace be upon him) for performing Raf' al-Yadain in the Witr prayer?
I hope my questions will receive the deserved answers. May Allah grant this! Ameen. Otherwise, according to your own statement, you will be considered a "silent devil."
Fifthly, you wrote:"For Khushu', it is necessary not to perform Raf' al-Yadain in prayer." [p. 1]
Certainly, Khushu' is necessary, especially since Allah and His beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) have emphasized its importance. For instance, Allah says:"Successful indeed are the believers, those who humble themselves in their prayers." [Al-Mu'minun, 23:1-2]
This shows that achieving success and prosperity requires Khushu', which is the first step to success.
Abadah bin al-Samit narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"Allah has obligated five prayers. Whoever performs ablution well for them, prays them on time, completes their Ruku' and Khushu', has a promise from Allah to forgive him. But whoever does not do that has no promise from Allah; if He wills, He will forgive him, and if He wills, He will punish him." [Muwatta Imam Malik, Bab al-Amr bil-Witr, no. 267, Sunan al-Nasa'i, Bab al-Muhafazah 'ala al-Salawat al-Khams, no. 462, Sunan Abi Dawood, Bab fi al-Muhafazah 'ala Waqt al-Salat, no. 1420, this narration is authentic]
This Hadith shows that those fortunate ones who maintain their Khushu' along with other requirements of prayer are promised forgiveness from Allah. Although many verses and Hadiths emphasize Khushu', it suffices to mention this for now. The purpose of mentioning these is to show that Khushu' is a desired and praiseworthy quality, so as you said, "For Khushu', it is necessary not to perform Raf' al-Yadain in prayer." [Your document, p. 1]
In short, Khushu' is necessary for prayer, and according to you, not performing Raf' al-Yadain is necessary for Khushu'. Remember this point.
Now, listen to what your senior, highly esteemed scholars have said about this:
Mufliqi Taqi Usmani (Deobandi), whom you call "Sheikh al-Islam," states:"There is a difference of opinion regarding Raf' al-Yadain during Ruku' and after rising from it. The Shafi'is and Hanbalis advocate for it at both instances, and a large group of Hadith scholars support their view. However, Imam Abu Hanifah and Imam Malik's view is to abandon it... It should be noted that this difference among the four Imams is merely about the preferred and non-preferred, not about permissibility and impermissibility. Both methods are permissible without dislike according to both parties." Further, he writes: "Some Shafi'is even ruled that abandoning Raf' al-Yadain invalidates the prayer, and among the Hanafis, the author of Minyat al-Musalli wrote that performing Raf' al-Yadain is disliked. However, the reality is as we stated, that neither is abandoning Raf' al-Yadain invalidating the prayer in the Shafi'i school, nor is it disliked in the Hanafi school." [Dars al-Tirmidhi, Bab Raf' al-Yadain 'inda al-Ruku', Vol. 2, p. 26]
Regarding the issue at hand, your "Sheikh al-Islam" Mufliqi Taqi Usmani has stated clearly that performing Raf' al-Yadain before and after Ruku' is permissible without dislike in the Hanafi school. He further emphasizes:"The purpose of our upcoming discussion on the issue of Raf' al-Yadain is not to prove that Raf' al-Yadain is impermissible or unsupported by Hadith." [Dars al-Tirmidhi, Bab Raf' al-Yadain 'inda al-Ruku', Vol. 2, p. 27, published by Maktabah Dar al-'Ulum Karachi]
Respected Brother, according to you, performing Raf' al-Yadain is against Khushu' and tranquility, as you quoted from Eight Issues [p. 19] that "For Khushu', it is necessary not to perform Raf' al-Yadain in prayer." Your "great Mufti" and "Sheikh al-Islam" states that performing Raf' al-Yadain is permissible without dislike, which he even calls the true Hanafi view. Can an act that disrupts Khushu', such a significant and necessary practice, be permissible without dislike? Certainly not! An act that disrupts Khushu' should be considered impermissible and disliked, especially when not performing it is necessary for achieving Khushu'.
However, your "Sheikh al-Islam" states:
that performing Raf' al-Yadain is permissible without dislike.
Thus, it is clear that performing Raf' al-Yadain is not against Khushu', but rather it is an act of following the Prophet (peace be upon him) and an expression of humility before Allah, as stated by your esteemed scholar Allama Abdul Hayy al-Lucknawi. It is also evident that those who consider it against Khushu' are unaware of their true Hanafi teachings, as their "Sheikh al-Islam and great Mufti" states it is permissible without dislike.
Respected Sir, would you like to explain whether your "Sheikh al-Islam and great Mufti" Taqi Usmani is stating the true Hanafi view, or are you misrepresenting the Hanafi view?
Remember, giving an answer is obligatory, and remaining silent, becoming a "dumb devil," is your own stated principle. [See your document, p. 4, last paragraph] Therefore, I believe you will not assume the undesirable role of a "dumb devil." Allah knows best and He is the best helper.
Sufi Abdul Hamid Swati Deobandi wrote:
"Not performing Raf' al-Yadain when going into and rising from Ruku' is better, but if one performs it, it is permissible." [Namaz Masnun, p. 349, published in 1986]
Question 1: You have declared that performing Raf' al-Yadain before and after Ruku' is abrogated. Can performing an abrogated act be permissible without dislike, especially if it is against Khushu'?Question 2: Can performing an abrogated act be permissible even with dislike?Question 3: According to you, performing Raf' al-Yadain before and after Ruku' is abrogated. According to your "Sheikh al-Islam and great Mufti," performing it is permissible without dislike. Is performing every abrogated act permissible without dislike, or only Raf' al-Yadain, despite being abrogated, is permissible?
Similarly, Sarfaraz Khan Safdar states:"Shah Waliullah Sahib wrote in Hujjat Allah al-Balighah [Vol. 2, p. 10]: 'The one who performs Raf' al-Yadain is more beloved to me than the one who does not, as the Hadiths about Raf' al-Yadain are more numerous and more authentic.'" [Khazain al-Sunan, Vol. 1, Part 2, p. 92]
According to your principle, did Shah Sahib favor those who acted against Khushu'? (These statements by Shah Waliullah and others are presented as allegations. Their acceptance of abandoning Raf' al-Yadain is rejected because it opposes authentic Hadiths.)
Abu Hamzah 'Imran bin Abi 'Ata' al-Asadi (a Tabi'i) said:
"I saw Ibn Abbas raising his hands when he started the prayer, when he bowed, and when he raised his head from Ruku'."
[Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, Vol. 1, p. 235, Hadith 2431 with a sound chain]
This narration is also found in Masail Imam Ahmad [Narration of Abdullah bin Ahmad, 1/244, Hadith 331], Musannaf Abdul Razzaq [3/69, Hadith 2523], and Juz Raf' al-Yadain by Bukhari [Hadith 21]. Tawus (a Tabi'i) said: "I saw Abdullah (bin Abbas) performing Raf' al-Yadain in prayer." [Juz Raf' al-Yadain, p. 28 with a sound chain] The practice of Raf' al-Yadain by Ibn Abbas in prayer clearly indicates that Raf' al-Yadain in prayer is not against Khushu'.