❖ Ruling on Raising Hands in Du‘a After Eating – Backed by 6 Shar‘i Evidences ❖
Source: Fatawa al-Deen al-Khalis, Volume 1, Page 233
What is the ruling on raising hands while making du‘a after eating? Is this practice permissible, especially since it is widespread in our society?
All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:
✔ Making du‘a after eating is Sunnah and a rewardable act.
However, raising the hands during this du‘a, whether individually or collectively, is not established from any authentic Hadith.
Hence, this falls under the category of innovation (bid‘ah) and may lead to undesirable consequences.
The Prophet ﷺ has taught multiple du‘as to be recited after eating. However, none of these narrations mention raising the hands.
"الحمد لله الذي أطعمني هذا الطعام ورزقنيه من غير حول مني ولا قوة"
“All praise is for Allah who fed me this food and provided it for me without any strength or power from me.”
"الحمد لله حمداً كثيراً طيباً مباركاً فيه غير مكفي ولا مودع ولا مستغنى عنه ربنا"
“All praise is due to Allah — abundant, pure, and blessed praise — not one that is dispensed with, or left, or independent of our Lord.”
"الحمد لله الذي أطعمنا وسقانا وجعلنا مسلمين ومن المسلمين"
“All praise is for Allah who fed us, gave us drink, and made us Muslims or included us among the Muslims.”
➤ This narration contains a narrator whose identity is unknown, thus rendering it weak.
Reference: Mishkat (5/46)
In his Sharh Mishkat, Imam al-Tibi (رحمه الله) writes:
“This Hadith indicates that the Prophet ﷺ neither raised his hands nor wiped his face during these du‘as. This is a significant restriction, because the Prophet ﷺ made many du‘as on various occasions—during prayer, after prayer, during ṭawāf, before and after sleep, before and after eating, etc.—but in these instances, he neither raised his hands nor wiped his face.”
Reference: Mishkat (1/196)
A well-established legal maxim is:
“Raising hands in general du‘a is proven.
However, when a specific du‘a or dhikr is legislated for a particular time or place by the Sharī‘ah,
then raising the hands is not established there.”
◈ Du‘a upon entering or exiting the mosque
◈ Du‘a when entering the restroom
◈ Du‘as for sleeping or waking up
◈ Du‘a during marital relations
◈ And similar occasions —
→ Raising the hands in such du‘as is considered an innovation (bid‘ah).
References:
✔ Ahsan al-Fatawa (1/365)
✔ Majmu‘ al-Fatawa, Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (22/512)
✔ Du‘a after eating is Sunnah,
Raising hands during it is not proven from any authentic Hadith,
⚠ Therefore, raising hands at this specific occasion is considered an innovation (bid‘ah).
هذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
Source: Fatawa al-Deen al-Khalis, Volume 1, Page 233
❖ Question:
What is the ruling on raising hands while making du‘a after eating? Is this practice permissible, especially since it is widespread in our society?
❖ Answer:
All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:
❖ The Shar‘i Status of Du‘a After Eating:
✔ Making du‘a after eating is Sunnah and a rewardable act.
However, raising the hands during this du‘a, whether individually or collectively, is not established from any authentic Hadith.Hence, this falls under the category of innovation (bid‘ah) and may lead to undesirable consequences.
❖ Du‘as Narrated from the Prophet ﷺ After Eating:
The Prophet ﷺ has taught multiple du‘as to be recited after eating. However, none of these narrations mention raising the hands.
➊ Hadith from
"الحمد لله الذي أطعمني هذا الطعام ورزقنيه من غير حول مني ولا قوة"
“All praise is for Allah who fed me this food and provided it for me without any strength or power from me.”
➋ Hadith from
"الحمد لله حمداً كثيراً طيباً مباركاً فيه غير مكفي ولا مودع ولا مستغنى عنه ربنا"
“All praise is due to Allah — abundant, pure, and blessed praise — not one that is dispensed with, or left, or independent of our Lord.”
➌ Hadith from
"الحمد لله الذي أطعمنا وسقانا وجعلنا مسلمين ومن المسلمين"
“All praise is for Allah who fed us, gave us drink, and made us Muslims or included us among the Muslims.”
➤ This narration contains a narrator whose identity is unknown, thus rendering it weak.
Reference: Mishkat (5/46)
❖ Commentary by Imam al-Tibi (رحمه الله):
In his Sharh Mishkat, Imam al-Tibi (رحمه الله) writes:
“This Hadith indicates that the Prophet ﷺ neither raised his hands nor wiped his face during these du‘as. This is a significant restriction, because the Prophet ﷺ made many du‘as on various occasions—during prayer, after prayer, during ṭawāf, before and after sleep, before and after eating, etc.—but in these instances, he neither raised his hands nor wiped his face.”
Reference: Mishkat (1/196)
❖ A General Shar‘i Principle:
A well-established legal maxim is:
“Raising hands in general du‘a is proven.
However, when a specific du‘a or dhikr is legislated for a particular time or place by the Sharī‘ah,
then raising the hands is not established there.”
According to this principle:
◈ Du‘a upon entering or exiting the mosque
◈ Du‘a when entering the restroom
◈ Du‘as for sleeping or waking up
◈ Du‘a during marital relations
◈ And similar occasions —
→ Raising the hands in such du‘as is considered an innovation (bid‘ah).
References:
✔ Ahsan al-Fatawa (1/365)
✔ Majmu‘ al-Fatawa, Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (22/512)
❖ Conclusion:
✔ Du‘a after eating is Sunnah,
Raising hands during it is not proven from any authentic Hadith,⚠ Therefore, raising hands at this specific occasion is considered an innovation (bid‘ah).
هذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
