Raf‘ al-Yadayn in Salah – Fixed Positions and Ruling for Eid and Funeral Prayers
Source: Fatawa Arkan-e-Islam
Is Raf‘ al-Yadayn (raising the hands) established in positions other than the four well-known places in Salah?
Should it also be done in the funeral prayer and Eid prayers?
Alhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ‘ala Rasulillah, amma ba’d!
Authentic ahadith confirm Raf‘ al-Yadayn in these four positions:
Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (RA):
«كان النبی ﷺ يرفع يديه إذا كبر للصلاة، وإذا كبر للركوع، وإذا قال: سمع الله لمن حمده» قال: «وكان لا يفعل ذلك في السجود»
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith: 735; Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 390)
Meaning: The Prophet ﷺ raised his hands when beginning the prayer, when saying the takbir for ruku‘, and when saying Sami‘a Allahu liman hamidah after rising from ruku‘. He did not do so in sujood.
Ibn ‘Umar (RA) was meticulous in following the Prophet’s ﷺ prayer exactly. He confirmed clearly that the Prophet ﷺ:
He also explicitly affirmed that the Prophet ﷺ did not raise his hands in sujood, indicating certainty rather than assumption.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
Source: Fatawa Arkan-e-Islam
❖ Question
Is Raf‘ al-Yadayn (raising the hands) established in positions other than the four well-known places in Salah?
Should it also be done in the funeral prayer and Eid prayers?
❖ Answer
Alhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ‘ala Rasulillah, amma ba’d!
Four Established Positions for Raf‘ al-Yadayn
Authentic ahadith confirm Raf‘ al-Yadayn in these four positions:
- At Takbir al-Tahrimah (opening takbir at the start of Salah)
- Before going into ruku‘
- After rising from ruku‘
- When standing after the first tashahhud
Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (RA):
«كان النبی ﷺ يرفع يديه إذا كبر للصلاة، وإذا كبر للركوع، وإذا قال: سمع الله لمن حمده» قال: «وكان لا يفعل ذلك في السجود»
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith: 735; Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 390)
Meaning: The Prophet ﷺ raised his hands when beginning the prayer, when saying the takbir for ruku‘, and when saying Sami‘a Allahu liman hamidah after rising from ruku‘. He did not do so in sujood.
Practice of Ibn ‘Umar (RA)
Ibn ‘Umar (RA) was meticulous in following the Prophet’s ﷺ prayer exactly. He confirmed clearly that the Prophet ﷺ:
- Raised his hands at the start of prayer,
- When going into ruku‘,
- When rising from ruku‘,
- And when standing after the first tashahhud.
He also explicitly affirmed that the Prophet ﷺ did not raise his hands in sujood, indicating certainty rather than assumption.
Raf‘ al-Yadayn in Funeral and Eid Prayers
- In the funeral prayer (Salat al-Janazah) and the Eid prayers, it is legislated (mashru‘) to perform Raf‘ al-Yadayn with each takbir.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
