Ruling on Raising Hands in Duʿāʾ During Condolence Gatherings

❀ Ruling on Raising Hands in Supplication During Condolence ❀
Source: Fatawa al-Din al-Khalis, Vol. 1, Pg. 71

❖ Question:​

Is it permissible to raise the hands while supplicating during condolence?

❖ Answer:​

Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh. Ammā baʿd!

✿ The Virtue of Offering Condolence​

There is great virtue in offering condolence as per the Prophetic Sunnah. It is also established that supplicating on this occasion is Sunnah.

✿ The Noble Hadith​

Sayyidah Umm Salamah (رضي الله عنها) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ came to her after the demise of Abū Salamah (رضي الله عنه). His eyes were open, so the Prophet ﷺ closed them and said:


"When the soul is taken, the eyes follow it."


At this, the family began weeping loudly. The Prophet ﷺ then said:


"Supplicate for good for yourselves, for the angels say Āmīn to your supplications."


Then the Prophet ﷺ made the following supplication:


اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِأَبِي سَلَمَةَ، وَارْفَعْ دَرَجَتَهُ فِي الْمَهْدِيِّينَ، وَاخْلُفْهُ فِي عَقِبِهِ فِي الْغَابِرِينَ، وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلَهُ يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ، وَافْسَحْ لَهُ فِي قَبْرِهِ، وَنَوِّرْ لَهُ فِيهِ


(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1/311, Mishkāt 1/141)


This Hadith establishes that making duʿāʾ during condolence is Sunnah. However, there is no mention of raising the hands.

❖ Raising Hands During Condolence Supplication is an Innovation​

Raising hands while supplicating during condolence, gathering people for this purpose, and making it a regular practice is an innovation (bid‘ah). This is because:


◈ There is no evidence from the Prophet ﷺ or the noble Companions (رضي الله عنهم) supporting this practice.
◈ Despite many deaths occurring in their times, the Companions never engaged in this practice.
◈ If a practice repeatedly occurs but was never adopted by the Prophet ﷺ or his Companions as an act of worship, then establishing it as an act of worship is classified as bid‘ah.


(Fatāwā al-Barakāniyyah, Pg. 346)


Hence, while supplication at the time of condolence is Sunnah, raising the hands is not proven from the Sunnah.

❖ Refutation of the Argument for Raising Hands​

Some people quote the following narration to justify raising hands:


Abū ʿĀmir instructed Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī (رضي الله عنه) to ask the Prophet ﷺ to supplicate for his forgiveness. When the Prophet ﷺ was informed of this, he had water brought to him, performed ablution, then raised his hands and said: “O Allah, forgive Your servant Abū ʿĀmir…” I saw the whiteness of his underarms. Then he said: “O Allah, elevate him above many of Your creation.” I then said: “Please supplicate for me as well.” So the Prophet ﷺ said: “O Allah, forgive the sin of ʿAbdullāh ibn Qays and grant him an honorable place on the Day of Judgement.”


(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4068, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)


This narration cannot be used to justify raising hands during condolence supplication because:


➊ This duʿāʾ was not made at a condolence gathering, but to fulfill a bequest.
➋ It was a general supplication, not one specific to condolence.
➌ It is established that the Prophet ﷺ would sometimes raise his hands during general supplication, but never during condolence.


Therefore, using this narration to justify raising hands during condolence is an incorrect deduction.

❖ Summary​

Raising hands in supplication during condolence is an innovation due to the following reasons:


◈ It was not practiced by the Prophet ﷺ or the Companions (رضي الله عنهم).
◈ Despite the frequent occurrence of deaths, no authentic narration mentions raising hands during condolence.
◈ Supplicating during condolence is Sunnah, but raising hands in this context is not.
◈ The Hadith cited to support raising hands does not pertain to condolence supplication.


Therefore, duʿāʾ should be made at the time of condolence, but without raising the hands.


"Hādhā mā ʿindī wallāhu aʿlam bis-ṣawāb."