◈ Guidance on Folding Hands After the Additional Eid Takbeerat ◈
✿ Written by: Abu al-Asqa‘ Qari Usama bin Abd al-Salam ✿
There is no explicit or authentic narration from any of the Companions رضي الله عنهم that they folded their hands after the additional Takbeerat in Eid prayers. On the contrary, available narrations indicate that they would leave their hands by their sides after each Takbeer.
"كان يرفع يديه في كل تكبيرة ثم يرسلهما"
(Musannaf Abd al-Razzaq: 5686)
Translation: "He would raise his hands with every Takbeer and then let them hang by his sides."
(A renowned Tabi‘i who transmitted the practices of the Companions)
"كانوا يرفعون أيديهم في كل تكبيرة ثم يرسلونها"
(Musannaf Abd al-Razzaq: 5687)
Translation: "They used to raise their hands with every Takbeer, then release them."
These reports clearly establish that the Companions did not fold their hands after the additional Takbeerat, but rather left them to hang.
There is no narration in Hadith, Athar, or Fiqh literature that attributes to any Companion the practice of folding hands after the additional Takbeerat in Eid prayers. Had such a view existed, the Hadith scholars would have documented it, just as they recorded the reports about leaving the hands by the sides.
"إذا كبر في العيدين سبعاً وخمساً، لم يضع يده في شيء منها على صدره، ولكن يرسلهما"
(Kitab al-Umm: 1/125)
Translation: "When the worshipper says seven and five Takbeerat in Eid prayers, he should not place his hands on his chest in any of them, but rather let them hang."
"المشهور من مذهب الشافعي وأصحابه أن المصلي في العيد يرسل يديه بعد التكبيرات، ولا يضع إحداهما على الأخرى"
(Al-Majmu‘ Sharh al-Muhadhdhab: 3/420)
Translation: "The well-known position of Imam al-Shafi‘i and his companions is that the worshipper should let his hands hang after the Takbeerat in Eid, and not place one over the other."
These statements reflect the consensus of the majority of scholars, including Imam Ahmad and others, in support of not folding hands after the additional Takbeerat in Eid prayers.
There is no authentic or explicit evidence proving that any Companion ever folded their hands after the additional Takbeerat in Eid prayers. In contrast, the existing narrations affirm the practice of leaving the hands by the sides.
The majority of later scholars, including Imam al-Shafi‘i, Imam al-Nawawi, and Imam Ahmad, also held the view that hands should be left hanging and not folded after the extra Takbeerat.
Therefore, those who argue for folding the hands do so based on analogical reasoning (Qiyas), not on authentic reports. The correct and established practice, based on the actions of the Companions and supported by scholarly consensus, is to leave the hands hanging after the additional Takbeerat in Eid prayer.
✿ Written by: Abu al-Asqa‘ Qari Usama bin Abd al-Salam ✿
❶ No Authentic Report from the Companions on Folding Hands After the Extra Takbeerat
There is no explicit or authentic narration from any of the Companions رضي الله عنهم that they folded their hands after the additional Takbeerat in Eid prayers. On the contrary, available narrations indicate that they would leave their hands by their sides after each Takbeer.
❷ Reports from the Companions Indicating Hands Were Left Hanging
(a) Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud رضي الله عنه
"كان يرفع يديه في كل تكبيرة ثم يرسلهما"
(Musannaf Abd al-Razzaq: 5686)
Translation: "He would raise his hands with every Takbeer and then let them hang by his sides."
(b) Imam Ibrahim al-Nakha‘i رحمه الله
(A renowned Tabi‘i who transmitted the practices of the Companions)
"كانوا يرفعون أيديهم في كل تكبيرة ثم يرسلونها"
(Musannaf Abd al-Razzaq: 5687)
Translation: "They used to raise their hands with every Takbeer, then release them."
These reports clearly establish that the Companions did not fold their hands after the additional Takbeerat, but rather left them to hang.
❸ Absence of Any Report Supporting Folding Hands
There is no narration in Hadith, Athar, or Fiqh literature that attributes to any Companion the practice of folding hands after the additional Takbeerat in Eid prayers. Had such a view existed, the Hadith scholars would have documented it, just as they recorded the reports about leaving the hands by the sides.
❹ Opinions of Later Fuqaha
(a) Imam al-Shafi‘i رحمه الله (d. 204 AH)
"إذا كبر في العيدين سبعاً وخمساً، لم يضع يده في شيء منها على صدره، ولكن يرسلهما"
(Kitab al-Umm: 1/125)
Translation: "When the worshipper says seven and five Takbeerat in Eid prayers, he should not place his hands on his chest in any of them, but rather let them hang."
(b) Imam al-Nawawi رحمه الله (d. 676 AH)
"المشهور من مذهب الشافعي وأصحابه أن المصلي في العيد يرسل يديه بعد التكبيرات، ولا يضع إحداهما على الأخرى"
(Al-Majmu‘ Sharh al-Muhadhdhab: 3/420)
Translation: "The well-known position of Imam al-Shafi‘i and his companions is that the worshipper should let his hands hang after the Takbeerat in Eid, and not place one over the other."
These statements reflect the consensus of the majority of scholars, including Imam Ahmad and others, in support of not folding hands after the additional Takbeerat in Eid prayers.
Conclusion
There is no authentic or explicit evidence proving that any Companion ever folded their hands after the additional Takbeerat in Eid prayers. In contrast, the existing narrations affirm the practice of leaving the hands by the sides.
The majority of later scholars, including Imam al-Shafi‘i, Imam al-Nawawi, and Imam Ahmad, also held the view that hands should be left hanging and not folded after the extra Takbeerat.
Therefore, those who argue for folding the hands do so based on analogical reasoning (Qiyas), not on authentic reports. The correct and established practice, based on the actions of the Companions and supported by scholarly consensus, is to leave the hands hanging after the additional Takbeerat in Eid prayer.
