Contradiction in Deobandi Stance on Raf‘ al-Yadayn and Jalsah al-Istirahah

Written by: Muhammad Zubair Sadiqabadi

❖ You Decide for Yourself!​

Sayyiduna Malik bin Huwayrith (رضي الله عنه) was a noble companion of the Prophet ﷺ, and all groups within Ahl al-Sunnah unanimously agree on his companionship.


He narrated that the Prophet ﷺ performed Raf‘ al-Yadayn (raising the hands) at the beginning of prayer, before bowing into ruku‘, and upon rising from ruku‘. Sayyiduna Malik bin Huwayrith (رضي الله عنه) himself also practiced in this exact manner.


Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 1, p. 102; Darsi Edition of Sahih al-Bukhari with Urdu translation: Zahoore al-Bari, Vol. 1, p. 174

❖ Deobandi Position on Raf‘ al-Yadayn​

Āl-e-Deoband do not perform Raf‘ al-Yadayn at the time of bowing (ruku‘) and claim that this practice belongs to the early period of the Prophet’s ﷺ life.
For example, Deobandi scholar Ilyas Faisal writes:


“The narrations about Raf‘ al-Yadayn pertain to the early period; how can they be used as evidence?”
Reference: Namaz-e-Payghambar ﷺ, p. 174


Sayyiduna Malik bin Huwayrith (رضي الله عنه) also narrated that the Prophet ﷺ performed Jalsah al-Istirahah — that is, he would sit briefly after the second prostration in odd-numbered rak‘ahs before standing up.


Malik bin Huwayrith (رضي الله عنه) also personally practiced this exactly as he had narrated it.


Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 1/13; Darsi Edition with Urdu Translation: Zahoore al-Bari (Deobandi), Vol. 1, p. 410; Khazain al-Sunan, Vol. 2, p. 114

❖ Deobandi Position on Jalsah al-Istirahah​

Āl-e-Deoband also do not perform Jalsah al-Istirahah, and argue that it was a personal practice of the Prophet ﷺ in old age.
Again, Ilyas Faisal Deobandi writes:


“The inclusion of Jalsah al-Istirahah in the Hadith corpus relates to a personal condition of old age.”
Reference: Namaz-e-Payghambar ﷺ, p. 194

❖ The Twenty-Day Argument​

Āl-e-Deoband collectively agree that Sayyiduna Malik bin Huwayrith (رضي الله عنه) remained with the Prophet ﷺ for only twenty days. For example:


✔ Sarfaraz Khan Safdar (Deobandi "Imam") said:


“Malik bin Huwayrith stayed in the company of the Prophet ﷺ for just twenty days.”
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 1, p. 88; Khazain al-Sunan, p. 358


✔ Ameen Okarvi (Deobandi) wrote:


“In Sahih al-Bukhari, pp. 88 and 95, it is explicitly mentioned that he remained with the Prophet ﷺ for only twenty nights.”
Reference: Tajalliyat-e-Safdar, Vol. 2, p. 275


✔ Deobandi debater Ismail Jhangvi wrote:


“Malik bin Huwayrith (رضي الله عنه) was a companion who stayed with the Prophet ﷺ for twenty days, then returned to his homeland and never got another opportunity to return.”
Reference: Tukhna Ahl-e-Hadith, Part 2, p. 106


✔ Zahoore al-Bari (Deobandi commentary) also notes:


“As for Malik bin Huwayrith (رضي الله عنه), it is clearly stated in Sahih al-Bukhari, p. 88, that he stayed with the Prophet ﷺ for only twenty nights.”
Reference: Tafheem al-Bukhari, Vol. 1, p. 375

❖ Reader, Now You Decide!​

According to Āl-e-Deoband’s own principles, Sayyiduna Malik bin Huwayrith (رضي الله عنه) was only with the Prophet ﷺ for twenty days. During those twenty days, he witnessed the Prophet ﷺ performing both Raf‘ al-Yadayn and Jalsah al-Istirahah.


❖ Deobandis label one of these acts (Raf‘ al-Yadayn) as a practice from the early period,
❖ and the other (Jalsah al-Istirahah) as a practice from the late period.


So how is it logically possible for both an “early practice” and a “late practice” to be observed within the same twenty-day period?


Was the entire prophetic era only twenty days long?


— Certainly not!


If twenty days were extended to twenty years, even then the Deobandi explanation could not hold. Sayyiduna Malik bin Huwayrith (رضي الله عنه) practiced both acts exactly as he narrated them.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“The consensus among all Prophets from the beginning has been on this: If you have no shame, then do as you please.”
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari (Urdu translation), Vol. 3, p. 430; Zahoore al-Bari (Deobandi)