This article is adapted from the book "Why Should I Perform Raf' al-Yadayn?" authored by the respected Abu Hamzah Abdul Khaliq Siddiqi.
Raising the hands is Sunnah during:
In Sahih al-Bukhari, it is narrated from Abdullah ibn Umar (رضي الله عنهما) that these are the instances for raising the hands.
Numerous books of Hadith establish that raising the hands is not performed when going into Sujood, rising from Sujood, or between the two prostrations.
Abdullah ibn Umar (رضي الله عنهما) states:
❝Whenever the Prophet ﷺ said the Takbir for prayer, he raised his hands level with his shoulders, and when he bowed in Rukū‘, he did the same. However, he did not do so between the two prostrations.❞
Ma’rifat al-Sahabah by Abu Nu’aym al-Asbahani, p. 21.
This narration is recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, Sahih Ibn Hibban, Musnad Abi ‘Awanah, Sunan al-Daraqutni, and several other books of Hadith, confirming that the Prophet ﷺ did not perform Raf' al-Yadayn during Sujood.
Similarly, there is not a single authentic, explicit narration contrary to the established Sunnah of Raf' al-Yadayn at Rukū‘.
❝When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood up for obligatory prayer, he would say ‘Allahu Akbar’ and raise his hands to his shoulders. After completing his recitation and intending to bow for Rukū‘, he would raise his hands again. Upon rising from Rukū‘, he would do the same. However, he would not raise his hands during the sitting (between the prostrations). After completing two Rak'ahs, when standing up, he would raise his hands and say ‘Allahu Akbar.’❞
(Sunan Abi Dawood, Kitab al-Salah, Hadith 744; Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 3423; Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 864; Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, Hadith 584; Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 717.)
Authenticity: Imam al-Tirmidhi and Shaykh al-Albani graded it Hasan Sahih. Ibn Khuzaymah and Ahmad Shakir authenticated it as Sahih.
Thus, from the statement of Ali (رضي الله عنه) as well, it is proven that Raf' al-Yadayn is not to be performed during prostrations.
At best, those claims only attempt to argue for adding Raf' al-Yadayn at Sujood alongside the already established practice at Rukū‘.
Such attempts do not and cannot abrogate the authentic and established Sunnah.
Principle:
It is a unanimously accepted principle among the scholars of Hadith that narrations from Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim are given precedence over other authentic or Hasan narrations.
Mulla Ali Qari (رحمه الله) stated:
❝Sahih al-Bukhari is the most authentic book after the Book of Allah.❞
(Mirqat Sharh Mishkat, 1/59)
❝All hadith scholars unanimously agree that the connected and raised (marfu‘) narrations in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim are undoubtedly authentic. These two books have reached their authors by way of Tawatur (mass-transmission), and whoever disrespects them is an innovator and opposed to the path of the Muslims.❞
(Hujjat Allah al-Balighah, p. 242.)
Wallahu A‘lam bis-Sawab!
❀ Not Performing Raf' al-Yadayn During Prostrations
Raf' al-Yadayn (raising the hands) enhances the beauty of Salah and displays extreme humility. A person, by raising his hands, demonstrates utter helplessness before Allah, the Exalted.Raising the hands is Sunnah during:
- Takbir al-Tahrimah,
- When going into Rukū‘,
- When rising from Rukū‘,
- When standing up after two Rak'ahs.
In Sahih al-Bukhari, it is narrated from Abdullah ibn Umar (رضي الله عنهما) that these are the instances for raising the hands.
Numerous books of Hadith establish that raising the hands is not performed when going into Sujood, rising from Sujood, or between the two prostrations.
Abdullah ibn Umar (رضي الله عنهما) states:
❝Whenever the Prophet ﷺ said the Takbir for prayer, he raised his hands level with his shoulders, and when he bowed in Rukū‘, he did the same. However, he did not do so between the two prostrations.❞
Ma’rifat al-Sahabah by Abu Nu’aym al-Asbahani, p. 21.
This narration is recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, Sahih Ibn Hibban, Musnad Abi ‘Awanah, Sunan al-Daraqutni, and several other books of Hadith, confirming that the Prophet ﷺ did not perform Raf' al-Yadayn during Sujood.
Similarly, there is not a single authentic, explicit narration contrary to the established Sunnah of Raf' al-Yadayn at Rukū‘.
❀ Supporting Evidence from Imam Ahmad and Ali (رضي الله عنه)
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (رحمه الله) narrated from Ali ibn Abi Talib (رضي الله عنه) that:❝When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood up for obligatory prayer, he would say ‘Allahu Akbar’ and raise his hands to his shoulders. After completing his recitation and intending to bow for Rukū‘, he would raise his hands again. Upon rising from Rukū‘, he would do the same. However, he would not raise his hands during the sitting (between the prostrations). After completing two Rak'ahs, when standing up, he would raise his hands and say ‘Allahu Akbar.’❞
(Sunan Abi Dawood, Kitab al-Salah, Hadith 744; Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 3423; Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 864; Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, Hadith 584; Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 717.)
Authenticity: Imam al-Tirmidhi and Shaykh al-Albani graded it Hasan Sahih. Ibn Khuzaymah and Ahmad Shakir authenticated it as Sahih.
Thus, from the statement of Ali (رضي الله عنه) as well, it is proven that Raf' al-Yadayn is not to be performed during prostrations.
❀ Refutation of the False Practice
The claims promoting Raf' al-Yadayn during Sujood are merely a cause of confusion and deception.At best, those claims only attempt to argue for adding Raf' al-Yadayn at Sujood alongside the already established practice at Rukū‘.
Such attempts do not and cannot abrogate the authentic and established Sunnah.
- If any narrations about Raf' al-Yadayn during Sujood are cited, they are either weak (ضعيف) according to scholars,
- Or, even if considered authentic, they are abandoned and outweighed (مرجوح) by the stronger, more authentic narrations.
Principle:
It is a unanimously accepted principle among the scholars of Hadith that narrations from Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim are given precedence over other authentic or Hasan narrations.
Mulla Ali Qari (رحمه الله) stated:
❝Sahih al-Bukhari is the most authentic book after the Book of Allah.❞
(Mirqat Sharh Mishkat, 1/59)
❀ Scholarly Consensus on the Authenticity of Sahih Bukhari and Muslim
Shah Waliullah al-Dihlawi (رحمه الله) says:❝All hadith scholars unanimously agree that the connected and raised (marfu‘) narrations in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim are undoubtedly authentic. These two books have reached their authors by way of Tawatur (mass-transmission), and whoever disrespects them is an innovator and opposed to the path of the Muslims.❞
(Hujjat Allah al-Balighah, p. 242.)
❀ Statements of Other Scholars
- Fatawa Rizwiyah (4/46):
❝It is absolutely against the methodology of the Mujtahideen to refute a hadith of Bukhari using scattered narrations.❞
- Ahmad Raza Khan (رحمه الله):
❝Extreme partisanship has blinded some to the grand hadiths of Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, making them treat them as if they belonged to the lowest grade. Shame! Shame! Shame!❞
(Hayat al-Mawat, Bayan fi Sama’ al-Amwat.)
- Habib al-Rahman Kandhlawi (رحمه الله):
❝Bukhari is recognized by the entire Ummah, after the Quran, as the most authentic and reliable book. Even if thousands of conflicting books exist, they would be rendered void against its narrations.❞
(Mazahibi Dastanain, 2/157.)
- Abdul Sami‘ Rampuri (رحمه الله):
❝The agreed-upon rule among the Hadith scholars is that the Ahadith of the Sahihayn (Bukhari and Muslim) take precedence over the narrations of all other Hadith collections, even if those narrations are also authentic.❞
(Anwar Sati‘ah, p. 41.)
Wallahu A‘lam bis-Sawab!
