Source: Fatāwā ʿUlamāʾ-e-Ahl-e-Ḥadīth, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, Volume 1
ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) narrates:
❝ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهِ حَذْوَ مَنْكِبَيْهِ إِذَا افْتَتَحَ الصَّلاةَ ، وَإِذَا كَبَّرَ لِلرُّكُوعِ ، وَإِذَا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنْ الرُّكُوعِ رَفَعَهُمَا كَذَلِكَ ❞
(Narrated by al-Bukhārī: 735, Muslim: 390)
"The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ used to raise his hands to the level of his shoulders at the beginning of prayer, when going into rukūʿ, and when rising from rukūʿ."
Since Raf' al-Yadayn is a Sunnah practice, the one who performs it will receive reward and virtue. However, if someone does not perform it, there is no sin upon him, and his Salah will still be valid and complete.
It should also be noted that the narrations used to support the abandonment of Raf' al-Yadayn have been clearly declared weak (ḍaʿīf) by eminent Hadith scholars such as Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar and Imām Ibn al-Jawzī, and thus cannot be used as reliable evidence.
✔ Conclusion:
Raf' al-Yadayn is a firmly established Sunnah, and performing it is recommended. However, not performing it does not invalidate the Salah.
❖ Question:
Is Salah valid without performing Raf' al-Yadayn (raising the hands)? And is it true that the Prophet ﷺ sometimes performed Raf' al-Yadayn and sometimes did not?❖ Answer:
Performing Raf' al-Yadayn during Salah is a Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, and it is established through mutawātir (mass-transmitted) narrations.ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) narrates:
❝ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهِ حَذْوَ مَنْكِبَيْهِ إِذَا افْتَتَحَ الصَّلاةَ ، وَإِذَا كَبَّرَ لِلرُّكُوعِ ، وَإِذَا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنْ الرُّكُوعِ رَفَعَهُمَا كَذَلِكَ ❞
(Narrated by al-Bukhārī: 735, Muslim: 390)
"The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ used to raise his hands to the level of his shoulders at the beginning of prayer, when going into rukūʿ, and when rising from rukūʿ."
Since Raf' al-Yadayn is a Sunnah practice, the one who performs it will receive reward and virtue. However, if someone does not perform it, there is no sin upon him, and his Salah will still be valid and complete.
It should also be noted that the narrations used to support the abandonment of Raf' al-Yadayn have been clearly declared weak (ḍaʿīf) by eminent Hadith scholars such as Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar and Imām Ibn al-Jawzī, and thus cannot be used as reliable evidence.
✔ Conclusion:
Raf' al-Yadayn is a firmly established Sunnah, and performing it is recommended. However, not performing it does not invalidate the Salah.
