Derived from: Fatāwā Amunpūrī by Shaykh Ghulām Mustafa Zaheer Amunpūrī
Are the narrations about raising the hands (Rafʿ al-Yadayn) while going into rukūʿ and rising from it considered mutawātir (mass-transmitted)?
Upon examining the statements of the eminent scholars of Islam regarding the narrations of Rafʿ al-Yadayn, it becomes evidently clear that these narrations are indeed transmitted through tawātur (mass transmission).
"These narrations are clear and mutawātir. They are reported from ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar, Abū Ḥumayd as-Sāʿidī, Abū Qatādah, Wāʾil ibn Ḥujr, Mālik ibn Ḥuwayrith, Anas ibn Mālik, and other Companions. They provide definitive knowledge."
(al-Muḥallā bil-Āthār: 3/9)
"Rafʿ al-Yadayn is a mutawātir Sunnah."
(Siyar Aʿlām an-Nubalāʾ: 5/293)
"The narrations of Rafʿ al-Yadayn nearly reach the level of tawātur."
(at-Tanbīh ʿalā Mushkilāt al-Hidāyah: 2/567)
"The claim that the ahādīth of Rafʿ al-Yadayn (other than the opening Takbīr) do not reach tawātur is questionable. From the speech of Imām al-Bukhārī in Juzʾ Rafʿ al-Yadayn, it is apparent that these narrations are indeed mutawātir."
(al-Muʿtabar fī Takhrīj Aḥādīth al-Minhāj wal-Mukhtaṣar: p. 136)
"Rafʿ al-Yadayn is established at three points (beginning of prayer, going into rukūʿ, and rising from it), and the abundance of narrators raises it to the level of tawātur. There are over 400 narrations and athār (Companions’ statements) on this matter. It was also narrated by members of the ‘Asharah Mubashsharah (the ten promised Paradise). The Prophet ﷺ continued practicing it until his passing, and nothing contrary to this has been authentically proven."
(Safar as-Saʿādah, p. 34)
"The claim by Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Kathīr that the Rafʿ al-Yadayn at the beginning of prayer is mutawātir, while that of rukūʿ is not, is questionable. All the narrators who reported the initial Rafʿ al-Yadayn also reported the other occurrences."
(Muwāfaqat al-Khabar al-Khabar: 1/409)
"Rafʿ al-Yadayn is mutawātir."
(al-Azhār al-Mutanāthirah fī al-Aḥādīth al-Mutawātirah, p. 16)
"Rafʿ al-Yadayn is mutawātir in both isnād (chain of transmission) and practice. There is no room for doubt in it. Not a single word of it has been abrogated."
(Nayl al-Faraqadayn fī Masʾalat Rafʿ al-Yadayn, p. 22)
◈ The narrations of Rafʿ al-Yadayn before and after rukūʿ are supported by massive chains of transmission (tawātur) from multiple respected Companions.
◈ These reports have been recognized as mutawātir by leading scholars of all centuries—muhaddithīn, fuqahāʾ, and ʿusūliyyūn alike.
◈ Both textual evidence (naql) and practical continuity (ʿamal) firmly establish that Rafʿ al-Yadayn was a continuous Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ until his death, with no valid evidence of abrogation.
❖ Question:
Are the narrations about raising the hands (Rafʿ al-Yadayn) while going into rukūʿ and rising from it considered mutawātir (mass-transmitted)?
❖ Answer:
Upon examining the statements of the eminent scholars of Islam regarding the narrations of Rafʿ al-Yadayn, it becomes evidently clear that these narrations are indeed transmitted through tawātur (mass transmission).
✿ Statements of the Scholars on the Tawātur of Rafʿ al-Yadayn:
① Imām Ibn Ḥazm رحمه الله (d. 456 AH) said:
"These narrations are clear and mutawātir. They are reported from ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar, Abū Ḥumayd as-Sāʿidī, Abū Qatādah, Wāʾil ibn Ḥujr, Mālik ibn Ḥuwayrith, Anas ibn Mālik, and other Companions. They provide definitive knowledge."
(al-Muḥallā bil-Āthār: 3/9)② Ḥāfiẓ adh-Dhahabī رحمه الله (d. 748 AH) described:
"Rafʿ al-Yadayn is a mutawātir Sunnah."
(Siyar Aʿlām an-Nubalāʾ: 5/293)③ ʿAllāmah Ibn Abī al-ʿIzz رحمه الله (d. 792 AH) wrote:
"The narrations of Rafʿ al-Yadayn nearly reach the level of tawātur."
(at-Tanbīh ʿalā Mushkilāt al-Hidāyah: 2/567)④ ʿAllāmah az-Zarkashī رحمه الله (d. 794 AH) commented:
"The claim that the ahādīth of Rafʿ al-Yadayn (other than the opening Takbīr) do not reach tawātur is questionable. From the speech of Imām al-Bukhārī in Juzʾ Rafʿ al-Yadayn, it is apparent that these narrations are indeed mutawātir."
(al-Muʿtabar fī Takhrīj Aḥādīth al-Minhāj wal-Mukhtaṣar: p. 136)⑤ ʿAllāmah al-Fayrūzābādī رحمه الله (d. 816 AH) said:
"Rafʿ al-Yadayn is established at three points (beginning of prayer, going into rukūʿ, and rising from it), and the abundance of narrators raises it to the level of tawātur. There are over 400 narrations and athār (Companions’ statements) on this matter. It was also narrated by members of the ‘Asharah Mubashsharah (the ten promised Paradise). The Prophet ﷺ continued practicing it until his passing, and nothing contrary to this has been authentically proven."
(Safar as-Saʿādah, p. 34)⑥ Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī رحمه الله (d. 852 AH) refuted a doubt:
"The claim by Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Kathīr that the Rafʿ al-Yadayn at the beginning of prayer is mutawātir, while that of rukūʿ is not, is questionable. All the narrators who reported the initial Rafʿ al-Yadayn also reported the other occurrences."
(Muwāfaqat al-Khabar al-Khabar: 1/409)⑦ ʿAllāmah Jalāluddīn as-Suyūṭī رحمه الله (d. 911 AH) also declared:
"Rafʿ al-Yadayn is mutawātir."
(al-Azhār al-Mutanāthirah fī al-Aḥādīth al-Mutawātirah, p. 16)⑧ ʿAllāmah Anwar Shāh al-Kashmīrī رحمه الله (d. 1353 AH) wrote:
"Rafʿ al-Yadayn is mutawātir in both isnād (chain of transmission) and practice. There is no room for doubt in it. Not a single word of it has been abrogated."
(Nayl al-Faraqadayn fī Masʾalat Rafʿ al-Yadayn, p. 22)✔ Summary:
◈ The narrations of Rafʿ al-Yadayn before and after rukūʿ are supported by massive chains of transmission (tawātur) from multiple respected Companions.
◈ These reports have been recognized as mutawātir by leading scholars of all centuries—muhaddithīn, fuqahāʾ, and ʿusūliyyūn alike.
◈ Both textual evidence (naql) and practical continuity (ʿamal) firmly establish that Rafʿ al-Yadayn was a continuous Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ until his death, with no valid evidence of abrogation.
