✿ The Method of Folding Hands in Salah
The correct method of folding hands in Salah is clearly evident from the Sunnah of the Noble Prophet ﷺ. The following narrations shed light on where and how the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would place his hands during prayer:
✦ The Prophet ﷺ Placing Hands on the Chest
Narrated by Sayyiduna Wa’il ibn Hujr (رضي الله عنه):
"I prayed with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and he placed his right hand over his left hand and positioned them on his chest."
(Ibn Khuzaymah 1/342, Hadith 974 — Declared authentic by Ibn Khuzaymah)
Sayyiduna Hulb (رضي الله عنه) reports:
"I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ placing his hands on his chest."
(Musnad Ahmad 5/622, Hadith 31322 — Declared authentic by Hafiz Ibn Abd al-Barr and Allama Azimabadi)
✦ Placing the Right Hand Over the Left
Narrated by Sayyiduna Sahl ibn Sa’d (رضي الله عنه):
"People were instructed to place their right hand over the left forearm during Salah."
(Bukhari, Book of Adhan, Chapter: Placing the Right Hand Over the Left, Hadith 740)
Sayyiduna Wa’il ibn Hujr (رضي الله عنه) further describes the Salah of the Prophet ﷺ:
"He placed his right hand on the back of his left palm, on the wrist and forearm."
(Nasa’i, Book of Opening of Prayer, Chapter: The Position of the Right Hand Over the Left in Prayer, Hadith 890; Ibn Hibban, Hadith 485; Ibn Khuzaymah, Hadith 480 — All authenticated)
✔ Practice Derived from Authentic Ahadith
From all these authentic narrations, the following conclusions can be drawn:
① The right hand should be placed over the back of the left hand, wrist, and forearm.
② Both hands should be positioned on the chest.
③ This is the comprehensive method derived from all the authentic narrations.
✦ The Narration Regarding Placing Hands Below the Navel
There is a narration attributed to Sayyiduna Ali (رضي الله عنه):
"The Sunnah is to place one palm over the other below the navel."
(Abu Dawood, Book of Salah, Chapter: Placing the Right Hand Over the Left in Salah, Hadith 657)
❀ The View of Hadith Scholars on This Narration
◈ Imam Bayhaqi and Hafiz Ibn Hajar classified it as weak (da‘eef).
◈ Imam Nawawi stated: “There is consensus on the weakness of this narration.”
Reasons for its Weakness:
The chain of narration includes two problematic narrators:
① Abdur Rahman bin Ishaq al-Kufi al-Wasiti – weak
② Ziyad bin Zaid – unknown
Conclusion
Based on all the authentic and reliable narrations, it is evident that:
◈ The correct method of folding hands in Salah is to place the right hand over the back of the left hand, wrist, and forearm, and fold them on the chest.
◈ The narration regarding folding hands below the navel is weak in its chain of narration, and thus cannot be acted upon.
