Rafʿ al-Yadayn in the Final Practice of the Prophet ﷺ

Source: Extracted from Nūr al-ʿAynayn fī Ithbāt Rafʿ al-Yadayn ʿinda ar-Rukūʿ wa Baʿdah fī aṣ-Ṣalāh
By: Muḥaddith al-ʿAṣr Ḥāfiẓ Zubayr ʿAlī Zāʾī رحمه الله

The Practice of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in His Final Life: Rafʿ al-Yadayn​

الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلوة والسلام على رسوله الأمين، أما بعد:

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to raise his hands (rafʿ al-yadayn) before bowing (rukūʿ) and after rising from bowing in prayer. This ḥadīth has been narrated by many Companions رضي الله عنهم and is mutawātir. Among these Companions, the narrations of five Companions—along with research, commentary, and benefits—are presented below. These Companions prayed behind the Prophet ﷺ in the final period of his life and were present in Madīnah Ṭayyibah at the time of his death.

① Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما​

It is narrated from Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنه that:

صلى بنا النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم العشاء فى آخر حياته فلما سلم قام…

“The Prophet ﷺ led us in the ʿIshāʾ prayer during the final period of his life. When he completed the salām, he stood up…”

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1/22 ḥadīth 116; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2/310 ḥadīth 2537

This proves that Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنه prayed behind the Prophet ﷺ in the last phase of his life.

It is also narrated from Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنه that when the illness of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ intensified, he said:

“Command Abū Bakr to lead the people in prayer…”

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 682

This incident also occurred in the final days of the Prophet’s ﷺ life.

Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما narrated:

رأيت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا قام فى الصلاة رفع يديه حتى تكونا حذو منكبيه…

“I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: when he stood for prayer, he raised his hands up to his shoulders; he did so when bowing for rukūʿ, and he did so when raising his head from rukūʿ.”

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1/102 ḥadīth 736; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1/168 ḥadīth 390

Practice of the Narrator​

➊ Imām Sālim ibn ʿAbdullāh رحمه الله said:
رأيت أبي يفعله
“I saw my father (ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar) doing this.”

Reference: Ḥadīth as-Sirāj 2/34–35 ḥadīth 115

➋ Imām Nāfiʿ رحمه الله said that Ibn ʿUmar used to raise his hands at the beginning of prayer, at rukūʿ, and when saying Samiʿa Allāhu liman ḥamidah.

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 739

➌ Muḥārib ibn Dithār رحمه الله said:
“I saw ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar raise his hands at the start of prayer, before rukūʿ, and after rising from rukūʿ.”

Reference: Juzʾ Rafʿ al-Yadayn by al-Bukhārī: 48

➍ Abū az-Zubayr رحمه الله said:
“I saw Ibn ʿUmar and Ibn az-Zubayr raising their hands at rukūʿ and upon rising.”

Reference: Kitāb al-ʿIlal lil-Athram, cited in at-Tamhīd 9/217

It should be remembered that no authentic or ḥasan narration proves the abandonment of rafʿ al-yadayn by Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما.

② Sayyidunā Anas ibn Mālik al-Anṣārī رضي الله عنه​

Anas رضي الله عنه narrated that during the illness in which the Prophet ﷺ passed away, Abū Bakr رضي الله عنه led the people in prayer. On Monday, when the rows were formed, the Prophet ﷺ lifted the curtain of his room and looked towards them…

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 680; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 419

He passed away the same day, proving that Anas رضي الله عنه was present near the Prophet ﷺ on the day of his death.

Abū Yaʿlā al-Mawṣilī رحمه الله narrated:

رأيت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يرفع يديه إذا افتتح الصلاة وإذا ركع وإذا رفع رأسه من الركوع

“I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ raising his hands when starting the prayer, when bowing, and when rising from bowing.”

Reference: Musnad Abī Yaʿlā 6/424–425 ḥadīth 1038

Practice of the Narrator​

➊ ʿĀṣim al-Aḥwal رحمه الله said that Anas رضي الله عنه raised his hands at the beginning of prayer, at rukūʿ, and after rukūʿ.

Reference: Juzʾ Rafʿ al-Yadayn: 20

➋ Ḥumayd aṭ-Ṭawīl رحمه الله narrated the same practice from Anas رضي الله عنه.

Reference: Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah 1/235 ḥadīth 2433

There is no authentic narration from Anas رضي الله عنه indicating abandonment of rafʿ al-yadayn.

③ Sayyidunā Abū Bakr aṣ-Ṣiddīq رضي الله عنه​

It is established that Abū Bakr رضي الله عنه led the prayers during the Prophet’s ﷺ final illness and on the day of his death.

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 680; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 419

Abū Bakr رضي الله عنه said:

“I prayed behind the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He raised his hands at the beginning of prayer, before rukūʿ, and after rukūʿ.”

Reference: as-Sunan al-Kubrā lil-Bayhaqī 2/73

Practice of the Narrator​

ʿAbdullāh ibn az-Zubayr رضي الله عنه said:

“I prayed behind Abū Bakr aṣ-Ṣiddīq رضي الله عنه. He raised his hands at the start of prayer, before rukūʿ, and after rukūʿ.”

Reference: as-Sunan al-Kubrā lil-Bayhaqī 2/73

④ Sayyidunā Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī رضي الله عنه​

Abū Mūsā رضي الله عنه narrated that during the Prophet’s ﷺ illness, Abū Bakr رضي الله عنه was commanded to lead the prayer.

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 678; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 420

Abū Mūsā رضي الله عنه demonstrated the prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and raised his hands before and after rukūʿ.

Reference: Sunan ad-Dāraqutnī 1/292 ḥadīth 1111

⑤ Sayyidunā Jābir ibn ʿAbdullāh al-Anṣārī رضي الله عنه​

Jābir رضي الله عنه narrated that he heard the Prophet ﷺ three days before his death say:

“None of you should die except while having good expectations of Allah.”

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 2877

He also narrated that he saw the Prophet ﷺ praying with rafʿ al-yadayn at the start of prayer, before rukūʿ, and after rukūʿ.

Reference: Musnad as-Sirāj: 39 ḥadīth 92; Sunan Ibn Mājah: 868

Practice of the Narrator​

Abū az-Zubayr رحمه الله said:

“I saw Jābir رضي الله عنه raising his hands at the beginning of prayer, before rukūʿ, and after rukūʿ.”

Reference: Musnad as-Sirāj: 92

Conclusion​

It has been firmly established through authentic and sound narrations that the Companions who witnessed the final life of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ narrated and practiced rafʿ al-yadayn before rukūʿ and after rukūʿ. Neither the abandonment of rafʿ al-yadayn nor its abrogation is proven from the Prophet ﷺ or any Companion with a ṣaḥīḥ or ḥasan sanad. Therefore, declaring rafʿ al-yadayn as abandoned or abrogated is false and invalid.

وما علينا إلا البلاغ
(13 Shawwāl 1433 AH | 1 September 2012 CE)