Ruling on Kissing the Thumbs and Placing Them on the Eyes During Adhan

Source: Fatawa ‘Ulama-e-Hadith, Kitab al-Salah, Volume 1, Pages 260–263

❀ Question:​

Is it Islamically permissible to kiss the thumbs and place them on the eyes upon hearing “Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah” during the Adhan? Are there any authentic Hadiths or legal verdicts supporting this act? Some claim it strengthens eyesight and attribute it to the Prophet ﷺ.

✔ Ruling:​

Kissing the thumbs and placing them on the eyes during the Adhan upon hearing the testimony “Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah” is a bid‘ah (innovation). There is no authentic basis for this act in reliable Hadiths or recognized fiqh sources. The narrations attributed to this practice are fabricated and baseless.

✿ Scholarly Views:​

• Imam Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti states in Taysir al-Maqal:
  "All Hadiths narrated regarding kissing the fingers and placing them on the eyes upon hearing the name of the Prophet ﷺ during Adhan are fabricated."
• Imam al-Shawkani, Mulla ‘Ali al-Qari, and other Hadith scholars have similarly declared this practice unauthentic and baseless.
• No such act is reported from any of the four major imams or the Companions (رضي الله عنهم), despite their immense love for the Prophet ﷺ.
• Shah ‘Abd al-‘Aziz Muhaddith Dehlawi (رحمه الله) stated in his fatwa:
  "Whoever considers this act to be Sunnah is an innovator, and this act is a bid‘ah."

✔ No Shar‘i Justification:​

This act lacks any Shar‘i support, and claims that it improves eyesight are also unfounded, with no evidence in authentic Hadith or fiqh literature.

✿ The Sunnah Method:​

◈ Upon hearing the Adhan, one should repeat the words of the Mu’adhdhin, including “Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah,” rather than kissing thumbs or touching the eyes.

◈ Reciting Salawat (Durud) after Adhan and making du‘a — such as اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ هذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ التَّامَّةِ — is recommended.

❀ Summary:​

◈ Kissing the thumbs and placing them on the eyes during Adhan is a bid‘ah.
◈ It has no foundation in authentic Hadiths or classical fiqh.
◈ Such practices should be avoided in favor of following the authentic Sunnah.

References:

• Mawlana ‘Ubaydullah Rahmani, Al-Muhaddith, Delhi, Volume 1, Issue 3
• Shah ‘Abd al-‘Aziz Muhaddith Dehlawi, Fatwa Taqbil al-‘Aynayn