Correct Method of Rising in Prayer According to the Sunnah

✦ Authored by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Ameenpuri (ḥafiẓahullāh)
Enhanced for easier reading with headings and structured format.

✦ Why Is the Sunnah Method Important?​

Allah Almighty commands:
{وَأَقِیْمُوا الصَّلٰوۃَ} (Al-Baqarah 2:43)
“Establish the prayer.”

This is a general command. But how should prayer be established? The details are provided by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ:
’صَلُّوا كَمَا رَأَیْتُمُونِي أُصَلِّي‘
“Pray as you have seen me praying.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 631)

✦ Correct Method of Worship​

Imām Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (691–751 AH) said:

“The only valid method of worship is that which Allah has conveyed through His messengers. Worship is a right of Allah over His servants, and it can only be fulfilled in the manner Allah Himself has prescribed and is pleased with.”
(I’lām al-Muwaqqi’īn: 1/344)

From this we understand that worship is only accepted when it conforms to the Sunnah, and the Sunnah is known through “Ṣaḥīḥ” (authentic) Ḥadīths. Therefore, adopting methods based on “Ḍa‘īf” (weak) narrations is impermissible.

✦ Sunnah Method in Prayer​

Since prayer is a fundamental pillar of worship, it is essential that it is performed strictly according to the Sunnah, which is derived from the authentic sayings and actions of the Prophet ﷺ.

✦ Sitting of Rest (Jalsah al-Istirāḥah) and Rising After Tashahhud​

After the first and third rak‘ah, sitting briefly with calmness is called “Jalsah al-Istirāḥah”. Rising for the next rak‘ah after this sitting, as well as after the middle tashahhud, is Sunnah. Understanding the correct method of this rising is essential to ensure conformity with the Sunnah.

◈ Evidence ①: Narration from Imām Ayyūb al-Sakhtiyānī​

The famous Tābi‘ī, Imām Ayyūb al-Sakhtiyānī, narrated an important incident wherein Sayyidunā Mālik bin Ḥuwayrith (رضي الله عنه) led the prayer and stated:

“I am leading you in prayer so I can show you how the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to pray.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 824)

From this we learn that the method of the Prophet ﷺ was to sit after the second prostration and then support himself on the ground with his hands when rising for the next rak‘ah.

◈ Fatwa of Imām al-Shāfi‘ī​

Imām Muḥammad ibn Idrīs al-Shāfi‘ī said:
“We issue a fatwa in accordance with this ḥadīth: when one rises from prostration or tashahhud, he should place both hands on the ground. This is closer to humility, helpful in prayer, and prevents falling.”
(Kitāb al-Umm: 1/101)

◈ Chapter by Imām al-Bukhārī​

Imām Muḥammad ibn Ismā‘īl al-Bukhārī included a chapter:

“How a person should support himself on the ground when rising from the first and third rak‘ah.”

This implies that resting the hands on the ground while rising is a Sunnah practice.

◈ Evidence ②: Practice of Sayyidunā ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنهما)​

Azraq ibn Qays, a Tābi‘ī, said he saw ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنهما) using his hands as support when rising in prayer.
(Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 1/394)

◈ Evidence ③: Actions of Abū Qilābah and Ḥasan al-Baṣrī​

Khālid ibn Mihrān narrated seeing both Abū Qilābah and Ḥasan al-Baṣrī using their hands for support when rising during prayer.
(Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 1/395)

✦ Rising on Knees — Analysis and Rulings​

Some individuals adopt the method of rising on their knees after prostration or tashahhud. We examine whether this method is supported by Sunnah.

◈ Narration ①: Attributed to ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنهما)​

Text:
“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade placing the hands on the ground when rising in prayer.”
(Musnad Aḥmad: 2/147, Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 992)

Commentary:
This narration is considered “Shādh” (irregular) due to transmission errors by Muḥammad ibn ‘Abd al-Malik al-Ghazāl, who opposed stronger narrators. Hence, it is weak.

Al-Nawawī and al-Bayhaqī also classified it as weak.
(Ma‘rifat al-Sunan wa al-Āthār: 3/43)

◈ Authentic Narrations Clarify the Context​

Imām Aḥmad and others narrate from ‘Abd al-Razzāq that the Prophet ﷺ prohibited leaning on the left hand while sitting, not while rising.

◈ Authentic Ḥadīth from Sayyidunā ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنهما)​

“The Prophet ﷺ forbade a man from sitting while leaning on his left hand, saying: This is the sitting of the Jews.”
(al-Mustadrak: 1/272, al-Sunan al-Kubrā by al-Bayhaqī: 2/136 – Authentic Sanad)

◈ Narration of Nāfi‘, the Tābi‘ī​

“Ibn ‘Umar saw a man sitting with support on his left hand and said: Do not pray like this. This is the sitting of those under punishment.”
(al-Sunan al-Kubrā by al-Bayhaqī: 2/136 – Ḥasan Sanad)

◈ Narration ②: From Sayyidunā Wā’il ibn Ḥujr (رضي الله عنه)​

Text:
“I saw the Prophet ﷺ place his knees before his hands when prostrating, and lift his hands before his knees when rising.”
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 828, others)

Commentary:
This chain is weak due to Shurayk ibn ‘Abdullāh, a mudallis, and his lack of clear narration from his shaykh.

Al-Bayhaqī also graded it ḍa‘īf.
(al-Sunan al-Kubrā: 2/100)

◈ Narration ③: Wā’il ibn Ḥujr Again​

Text:
“The Prophet ﷺ used to rise on his knees, supporting himself on his thighs.”
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 736, 839)

Commentary:
This narration has a break (inqiṭā‘) in the chain — ‘Abd al-Jabbār ibn Wā’il did not hear directly from his father.

Al-Nawawī confirms this weakness.
(al-Majmū‘: 3/446)

◈ Narration ④: Attributed to Sayyidunā ‘Alī (رضي الله عنه)​

Text:
“It is Sunnah that after two rak‘ahs of an obligatory prayer, one should not support himself on the ground unless he is elderly or unable to rise.”
(Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 1/394–395)

Commentary:
Weak due to ‘Abd al-Raḥmān ibn Isḥāq al-Kūfī, deemed unreliable by majority of ḥadīth scholars.

◈ Narration ⑤: Statement of Ibrāhīm al-Nakha‘ī​

Text:
“He disliked rising with hands on the ground except for the elderly or sick.”
(Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 1/395)

Commentary:
Weak due to Hushaym ibn Bashīr, a mudallis, without clarification of hearing.

Moreover, it contradicts established Sunnah and the practice of Ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنهما).

✦ Conclusion (الحاصل)​

The Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ was to rise using both hands on the ground after Jalsah al-Istirāḥah or Tashahhud. This practice was also followed by Sayyidunā ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنهما) and endorsed as Sunnah by Sayyidunā Mālik bin Ḥuwayrith (رضي الله عنه). The Tābi‘īn upheld and transmitted this Sunnah to their students, and Ḥadīth scholars declared this narration authentic and preferred it.