This article is adapted from the book "Why Should I Perform Raf' al-Yadayn?" authored by the respected Abu Hamzah Abdul Khaliq Siddiqi.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ continued to offer his prayers with Raf' al-Yadayn until his final moments.
The following evidences clearly establish that this great Sunnah was never abrogated:
➋ None of the Hadith scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama‘ah have claimed under any Hadith of Raf' al-Yadayn that it was abrogated.
➌ The continuation of the Companions (رضي الله عنهم), the Tabi'un, and the Tabi' Tabi'un performing and advocating Raf' al-Yadayn even after the Prophet’s demise is a clear proof that Raf' al-Yadayn was not abrogated.
If it had been, they would have abandoned it.
➍ Imam al-Bukhari (رحمه الله) states:
❝Hasan al-Basri and Humayd ibn Hilal did not exclude any Companion of the Prophet ﷺ from practicing Raf' al-Yadayn.❞
(Juz’ Raf' al-Yadayn, p. 55)
➎ It has been mentioned earlier that after the Prophet’s ﷺ passing, Abu Humayd al-Sa‘idi (رضي الله عنه) demonstrated the Prophet’s ﷺ prayer, including Raf' al-Yadayn, before a group of Companions, saying:
❝This is how the Prophet ﷺ used to pray.❞
Had Raf' al-Yadayn been abrogated or abandoned, some Companion would certainly have objected.
Their unanimous silence indicates that Raf' al-Yadayn is a continuous Sunnah.
➏ Caliph ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz (رحمه الله) said:
❝We were taught Raf' al-Yadayn as children in Madinah.❞
This confirms that even after the Prophet’s ﷺ demise, the Companions and the Tabi'un continued practicing Raf' al-Yadayn in Madinah.
➐ Imam al-Bukhari wrote in Juz’ Raf' al-Yadayn:
❝None among the Imams possessed any authentic evidence proving that the Prophet ﷺ abandoned Raf' al-Yadayn.❞
➑ The teachers and students of Imam Abu Hanifah, Imam Malik, Imam Shafi‘i, and Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal — all acknowledged the authenticity, virtue, and reward of Raf' al-Yadayn.
Had it been abrogated or invalid, how could they have continued its practice?
➒ Declaring the Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim narrations as abrogated based on weak or fabricated narrations — and likening Raf' al-Yadayn to the tails of wild horses — is an act of extreme ignorance and a major slander against the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
➓ Wail ibn Hujr (رضي الله عنه), a late-arriving Companion, witnessed the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions performing Raf' al-Yadayn during Salah in the final months of 10 AH.
The Prophet ﷺ passed away in Rabi‘ al-Awwal, 11 AH.
Thus, for any claim of abrogation, it would have to be evidenced after Wail’s second arrival — something that absolutely does not exist.
Even if one lived the lifespan of Prophet Nuh (عليه السلام), Raf' al-Yadayn cannot be proven abrogated.
وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ!
❀ Raf' al-Yadayn Has Not Been Abrogated
The deniers of Raf' al-Yadayn (raising the hands) claim that it was initially legislated but later abrogated.◈ The Response:
Raf' al-Yadayn has certainly not been abrogated.The Messenger of Allah ﷺ continued to offer his prayers with Raf' al-Yadayn until his final moments.
The following evidences clearly establish that this great Sunnah was never abrogated:
❀ Evidences Against the Claim of Abrogation
➊ More than twenty Hadith scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama‘ah have transmitted the Ahadith of Raf' al-Yadayn, yet none of them established a chapter on its abrogation.➋ None of the Hadith scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama‘ah have claimed under any Hadith of Raf' al-Yadayn that it was abrogated.
➌ The continuation of the Companions (رضي الله عنهم), the Tabi'un, and the Tabi' Tabi'un performing and advocating Raf' al-Yadayn even after the Prophet’s demise is a clear proof that Raf' al-Yadayn was not abrogated.
If it had been, they would have abandoned it.
➍ Imam al-Bukhari (رحمه الله) states:
❝Hasan al-Basri and Humayd ibn Hilal did not exclude any Companion of the Prophet ﷺ from practicing Raf' al-Yadayn.❞
(Juz’ Raf' al-Yadayn, p. 55)
➎ It has been mentioned earlier that after the Prophet’s ﷺ passing, Abu Humayd al-Sa‘idi (رضي الله عنه) demonstrated the Prophet’s ﷺ prayer, including Raf' al-Yadayn, before a group of Companions, saying:
❝This is how the Prophet ﷺ used to pray.❞
Had Raf' al-Yadayn been abrogated or abandoned, some Companion would certainly have objected.
Their unanimous silence indicates that Raf' al-Yadayn is a continuous Sunnah.
➏ Caliph ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz (رحمه الله) said:
❝We were taught Raf' al-Yadayn as children in Madinah.❞
This confirms that even after the Prophet’s ﷺ demise, the Companions and the Tabi'un continued practicing Raf' al-Yadayn in Madinah.
➐ Imam al-Bukhari wrote in Juz’ Raf' al-Yadayn:
❝None among the Imams possessed any authentic evidence proving that the Prophet ﷺ abandoned Raf' al-Yadayn.❞
➑ The teachers and students of Imam Abu Hanifah, Imam Malik, Imam Shafi‘i, and Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal — all acknowledged the authenticity, virtue, and reward of Raf' al-Yadayn.
Had it been abrogated or invalid, how could they have continued its practice?
➒ Declaring the Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim narrations as abrogated based on weak or fabricated narrations — and likening Raf' al-Yadayn to the tails of wild horses — is an act of extreme ignorance and a major slander against the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
➓ Wail ibn Hujr (رضي الله عنه), a late-arriving Companion, witnessed the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions performing Raf' al-Yadayn during Salah in the final months of 10 AH.
The Prophet ﷺ passed away in Rabi‘ al-Awwal, 11 AH.
Thus, for any claim of abrogation, it would have to be evidenced after Wail’s second arrival — something that absolutely does not exist.
Even if one lived the lifespan of Prophet Nuh (عليه السلام), Raf' al-Yadayn cannot be proven abrogated.
❀ Conclusion
The core summary is:- Those who deny Raf' al-Yadayn have no authentic Hadith or Companions' practice to support their claim.
- All of their narrations and traces are either weak or fabricated.
وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ!
