This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amanpuri's book Mas'alah Raf' al-Yadain.
There is no authentic hadith proving that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ raised his hands between the prostrations. The review of the arguments presented on this matter is as follows:
① It is narrated from Sayyiduna Malik bin Hawairith (RA):
[إنه رأى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم رفع يديه في صلاته إذا ركع، وإذا رفع رأسه من الركوع، وإذا سجد، وإذا رفع رأسه من السجود، حتىٰ يحاذي بهما فروع أذنيه]
The Noble Prophet ﷺ used to raise his hands when going into bowing (ruku'), when rising from bowing, when prostrating, and when rising from prostration, raising them until they were level with the lobes of both ears.
Reference: Sunan an-Nasa'i: Hadith 1086, 1144
Commentary:
This narration is "weak" (da'if). In it, Qatadah is a "mudallis" (one who conceals the source of his narration), and the isnad (chain of narration) is not explicitly stated. Allama Tahawi Hanafi (may Allah have mercy on him) called him a "mudallis."
Reference: (Sharh Mushkil al-Athar: 226/3)
Allama Aini Hanafi writes:
[إن قتادة مدلس، لا يحتج بعنعنته إلا إذا ثبت سماعه]
Qatadah is a mudallis; his mu'anna narration is not to be taken as proof unless the isnad is firmly established.
Reference: Umdat al-Qari: 261/1
Benefit:
This narration is present in Sunan al-Kubra by al-Nasa'i
Reference: (228/1, Hadith: 673, and in his copy: 343/1, Hadith: 676, Mu'assasat al-Risalah)
through the chain of Ibn Abi 'Adi from Sa'id from Qatadah, also see
Reference: Al-Jawhar al-Naqi by Ibn al-Turkumani Hanafi (137/2)
. This is authentic. Shubah from Qatadah is a scribal error (miswriting).② Nazar bin Kathir Abu Suhail Azdi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
In Mina, in the Mosque of Khayf, Abdullah bin Tawus prayed beside me. When he raised his head from the first prostration, he raised his hands in front of his face. I found this strange and mentioned it to Wahib bin Khalid, saying that I have not seen anyone do this. Wahib said to Abdullah bin Tawus: Do you do this? I have not seen anyone do this. Abdullah bin Tawus said: I saw my father do this, and my father said that he saw Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, do this. He said: I have seen the Messenger of Allah ﷺ do this.
Reference: Sunan al-Nasa'i: 1147
Commentary:
Its chain of narration is "weak". In it, Nazar bin Kathir is "weak".
Reference: Al-Kashif by Al-Dhahabi: 180/3, Taqreeb al-Tahdheeb by Ibn Hajar: 7147
③ Our master Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
[إن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يرفع يديه في الركوع والسجود]
The Prophet ﷺ used to raise his hands during bowing (ruku) and prostration (sujood).
Reference: Musnad Abi Ya'la: 399/6, Hadith: 3752, and its chain is authentic
Commentary:
① This hadith has no relation to this issue; rather, it is evidence for raising the hands when going into ruku and when rising from ruku. Its meaning and translation is:
The Prophet ﷺ used to raise his hands before bowing (ruku) and during prostration (after standing from ruku before going into sujood).
❀ This narration is also reported with the same chain in these words:
[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, going into ruku, and when rising from ruku.
Reference: Musnad Abi Ya'la: 3793
The hadiths explain each other.
Benefit:
❀ Yahya bin Abi Ishaq, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
[رأيت أنس بن مالك يرفع يديه بين السجدتين]
I saw Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, raising his hands during the prostrations.
Reference: Part on Raising the Hands in Bukhari: 105, and its chain is authentic
❀ Here, the prostrations refer to two units of prayer, meaning that after completing two units, the Prophet ﷺ would raise his hands. In this way, the practice of Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, aligns with authentic hadiths. If it is taken to mean the prostrations themselves, then this practice would be unacceptable because it contradicts authentic hadiths.
As Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, states:
[حديث النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أولىٰ]
The hadith of the Noble Prophet ﷺ (in terms of acceptance and practice) is more authoritative.
If the raising of hands during prostration is taken literally, then those who invalidate it based on weak and unclear narrations, claiming that raising hands during prostration is abrogated, will be proven wrong, because Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, continued this practice after the life of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Therefore, reconciling and applying the elevated hadiths and the practices of the Companions is better.
④ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them):
[إن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يرفع يديه عند التكبير للركوع، وعند التكبير حين يهوي ساجدا]
When the Noble Prophet ﷺ said Allahu Akbar for going into Ruku, he would raise his hands, and when he said Allahu Akbar for going into prostration after Ruku, he would raise his hands.
Reference: Al-Mu'jam al-Awsat by al-Tabarani: 39/1, Hadith: 16
Commentary:
This is a strong proof for raising the hands when going into Ruku and when rising the head from Ruku. There is no mention here of raising the hands for either of the two prostrations.
⑤ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him):
[رأيت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يرفع يديه في الصلاة حذو منكبيه حين يفتتح الصلاة، وحين يركع، وحين يسجد]
I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ raising his hands when starting the prayer, going into Ruku, and prostrating.
Reference: Sunan Ibn Majah: Hadith 860
Commentary:
① This narration is "weak". The narration of Ismail bin Ayyash from the Hijazis is considered "weak" by the majority. His teacher Salih bin Kaysan is also a Hijazi, therefore this narration is weak according to the majority of hadith scholars.
② This is evidence for raising the hands when going into Ruku and when rising the head from Ruku.
[حين يسجد] means that when after Ruku he would stand up and go to prostration, he would raise his hands.
⑥ Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) states:
[كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا كبر للصلاة جعل يديه حذو منكبيه، وإذا ركع فعل مثل ذٰلك، وإذا رفع للسجود فعل مثل ذٰلك، وإذا قام من الركعتين فعل مثل ذٰلك]
When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said Allahu Akbar for prayer, he would raise both his hands to the level of his shoulders; when he went into bowing (ruku), he did the same; when he rose from bowing to go into prostration, he did the same; and when he rose after two units (rak'ahs), he also raised his hands in this manner.
Reference: Sunan Abi Dawood: 738, and its chain is Hasan
Commentary:
This hadith is a strong proof for raising the hands at the start of prayer, going into bowing, rising from bowing, and rising after two units. ولله الحمد!
Hafiz Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) explains the meaning of رَفَعَ لِلسُّجُودِ as follows:
[يعني، رفع رأسه من الركوع]
That is, he would raise his hands when rising from bowing.
Reference: Khulasat al-Ahkam: 352/1
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) writes:
[وإذا ركع، وإذا رفع للسجود، وهو مفسر للرواية الأولى التي فيها: وإذا سجد، وأن المراد بها: وإذا رفع من الركوع للسجود]
وإذا ركع، وإذا رفع للسجودThis hadith explains the first narration, which mentions raising the hands when going into prostration. This means that when he raised his head from bowing to go into prostration.
Reference: Muwafaqat al-Khabar: 410/1
⑦ Haseen bin Abdul Rahman says:
That we went to Ibrahim Nakha'i, then Amr bin Murrah said: We prayed in the mosque of Hadramaut, then Alqamah bin Wa'il narrated from his father Wa'il (may Allah be pleased with him) that he saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ:
[يرفع يديه حين يفتتح الصلاة، وإذا ركع، وإذا سجد]
He ﷺ would raise his hands when starting the prayer, going into bowing, and prostrating.
Ibrahim Nakha'i said that in my opinion, your father saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ only on that one day, so you remembered this. Abdullah did not remember it, then Ibrahim Nakha'i said: Raising the hands is only at the beginning of the prayer.
Reference: Sunan al-Daraqutni: 291/1, Hadith: 1108
Commentary:
❀ This hadith is evidence for raising the hands (raf' al-yadain) at the beginning of the prayer, when going into rukoo, and when raising the head from rukoo. Its meaning is that the Prophet ﷺ, when starting the prayer, when intending to go into rukoo, and when (after rukoo, in standing) intending to prostrate, would raise his hands. Because
Reference: Sahih Muslim (Hadith: 401)
contains the narration of Sayyiduna Wail bin Hujr رضي الله عنه regarding the proof of raising the hands, which clarifies the meaning and implication of this hadith. It mentions raising the hands after rukoo.❀ As for the statement of Ibrahim Nakha'i, it is not acceptable because it contradicts these mutawatir hadiths and the practices of the Companions and the Tabi'in.
Therefore, these two hadiths serve as evidence for raising the hands when going into rukoo and when raising the head from rukoo.
Allama Abdul Haq Dehlavi رحمه الله (1052 AH) says:
[لم يصح رفع اليدين في السجدتين والرفع عنهما]
Raising the hands between the two prostrations and when rising from prostration is not established.
Reference: Lama'at al-Tanqih: 548/2
Summary:
It is not established with an authentic chain from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that raising the hands between the two prostrations is proven.
