The Evidence for Raising Hands in Takbeerat of Eid Prayers

Authored by: Fadilat al-Sheikh Hafiz Zubair Ali Zai (May Allah have mercy on him)

Imam Ahl al-Sunnah, Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him) (d. 241 AH) states:

حدثنا يعقوب: حدثنا ابن أخي ابن شهاب عن عمه: حدثني سالم بن عبدالله أن عبدالله قال، كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا قام إلى الصلوة يرفع يديه، حتي إذا كانتا حذو منكبيه كبّر، ثم إذا أراد أن يركع رفعهما حتي يكونا حذو منكبيه ، كبر و هما كذلك، ركع، ثم إذا أراد إن يرفع صلبه رفعهما حتي يكونا حذو منكبيه، ثم قال بسمع الله لمن حمده، ثم يسجد، ولا يرفع يديه فى السجود، و يرفعهما فى كل ركعة و تكبيرة كبّر ها قبل الركوع، حتي تنقضي صلاته

Translation:


When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stood up for prayer, he would raise his hands until they were parallel to his shoulders, and then he would say the Takbeer. When he intended to bow (for Ruku), he would raise them until they were parallel to his shoulders and then say the Takbeer, and while his hands were in that position, he would bow. When he intended to lift his back, he would raise them until they were parallel to his shoulders and then say, "Sami Allahu liman Hamidah." Then he would prostrate and not raise his hands during the prostration. He would raise his hands in every Rak'ah and in every Takbeer before bowing until his prayer was complete.

[Musnad Ahmad, vol. 2, pp. 133, 134, Hadith 6175; Al-Mawsu'ah Al-Hadithiyyah, vol. 10, p. 315]

Discussion on the Chain of Narration:

This chain of narration is Hasan (good) in itself and Sahih (authentic) due to supporting evidence. Sheikh Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) says about this Hadith:هذا سند صحيح على شرط الشيخين

Translation:


This chain is authentic according to the conditions of Bukhari and Muslim.

[Irwa' al-Ghalil, vol. 3, p. 113, Hadith 640]

Imam Abdullah bin Ali bin al-Jarud al-Nisaburi (may Allah have mercy on him) (d. 307 AH) has narrated this Hadith in his book "Al-Muntaqa" with the chain of Ya'qub bin Ibrahim bin Sa'd.

[Hadith 178]

Hafiz Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) (d. 748 AH) states:

كتاب المنتقي فى السنن مجلد و احد فى الأحكام، لا ينزل فيه عن رتبة الحسن أبداً إلا فى لنا در فى أحاديث يختلف فيها اجتهاد النقاد

Translation:


The book "Al-Muntaqa" in Sunan is a single volume on rulings. Its Hadiths never fall below the grade of Hasan except for rare Hadiths where the efforts of the critics differ.

[Siyar A'lam al-Nubala, vol. 14, p. 239]

Ashraf Ali Thanawi Deobandi writes about a Hadith:

وأورد هذا الحديث ابن الجارود فى المنتقي فهو صحيح عنده فإنه لا يأتى إلا بالصحيح كما صرح به السيوطي فى ديباجة جمع الجوامع

Translation:


Ibn al-Jarud has included this Hadith in "Al-Muntaqa," so it is authentic according to him, as he only brings authentic narrations, as stated by Suyuti in the preface of "Jam' al-Jawami'."

[Bawadir al-Nawadir, p. 135]

Imam Darqutni (d. 385 AH) has also narrated this Hadith with the chain of Ya'qub bin Ibrahim.

[Sunan al-Darqutni, vol. 1, p. 289, Hadith 1104]
Verification of the Narrators of This Hadith

1. Ya'qub bin Ibrahim bin Sa'd


Thiqah Fazil, from the narrators of the six books.

[Taqreeb al-Tahdheeb: 7811]

2. Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Muslim, Ibn Akhi al-Zuhri


Saduq Hasan al-Hadith, trusted by the majority and from the narrators of the six books.

Criticism and Verification of Ibn Akhi al-Zuhri:


Critics and Their Criticism:

Ibn Akhi al-Zuhri has received criticism from the following scholars:
  1. Yahya bin Ma'in:
    Weak
  2. Abu Hatim al-Razi:
    Not strong, his Hadith is recorded.
  3. Al-Aqeeli:
    Mentioned him in "Al-Du'afa".
  4. Ibn Hibban:
    Poor memory, makes many mistakes in narrations from his uncle, etc.
  5. Al-Daraqutni:
    Weak
  6. Al-Nasa'i:
    Not very strong, has some objectionable Hadiths from al-Zuhri.
[Summarized from Tahdheeb al-Tahdheeb, Dar al-Fikr 9/248, 249] and others.

Verification of Ibn Akhi al-Zuhri by Other Scholars:

Ibn Akhi al-Zuhri has been authenticated by the following scholars:
  1. Ibn Adi:
    I did not find anything wrong with his narrations when narrated by a reliable narrator.
    [Al-Kamil 7/363]
  2. Al-Bukhari:
    Used his narrations in his Sahih.
  3. Muslim:
    Used his narrations in his Sahih.
    [Sahih Muslim: 1449 and Dar al-Salam numbering 3589]
  4. Al-Saji:
    Saduq, unique in narrations from his uncle that were not supported by others.
    [Tahdheeb: 9/249]
  5. Al-Dhahabi:
    Saduq, reliable in Hadith, has some unique narrations from his uncle.
    [Mizan: 7743]
  6. Ibn Hajar:
    Saduq with some mistakes.
    [Taqreeb: 6049]
  7. Al-Tirmidhi:
    Declared his narrations authentic.
    [Al-Tirmidhi: 1188]
  8. Al-Busiri:
    Declared his narrations authentic.
    [Zawaid Ibn Majah: 1397]
  9. Ibn al-Jarud:
    Narrated from him in "Al-Muntaqa".
    [Al-Muntaqa: 178]
  10. Abu Na'im al-Asbahani:
    Narrated from him in his Sahih/Al-Mustakhraj.
    [Al-Mustakhraj: 3/120 Hadith 2356]
  11. Abu Awanah:
    Narrated from him in his Sahih.
    [Al-Mustakhraj: 2/331]
  12. Al-Dhiya al-Maqdisi:
    Narrated from him in "Al-Mukhtarah".
    [Al-Mukhtarah: 6/242 Hadith 2258]
  13. Al-Baghawi:
    Declared his narrations authentic.
    [Sharh al-Sunnah: 11/88 Hadith 2715]
  14. Abu Dawood:
    Thiqah
    (However, his narrator Abu Ubaid al-Ajari is unknown).
  15. Ahmad bin Hanbal:
    Praised him
    (However, his narrator Abu Ubaid al-Ajari is unknown).
  16. Yahya bin Ma'in:
    Praised him
    (However, his narrator Abu Ubaid al-Ajari is unknown).
[Summarized from Tahdheeb al-Tahdheeb 9/279, 280] and others.

From this detailed analysis, it is clear that according to the majority of scholars, Ibn Akhi al-Zuhri is Thiqah (trustworthy) and Saduq (truthful), and his Hadith is considered Sahih (authentic) or Hasan (good). However, it is important to note that any specific narrations in which he has been proven to have made mistakes or had doubts by the scholars, those specific narrations are considered weak. For instance, in the narration of Ibn Akhi al-Zuhri regarding "people stopping recitation with him," there is a mistake and doubt in the chain.

[See: Musnad Ahmad 5/345 Hadith 22922, Al-Mawsu'ah Al-Hadithiyyah with Takhrij, and Kitab al-Qira'at by al-Bayhaqi 325, 326]


Benefit:


The chain of narration from Ibn Akhi al-Zuhri through al-Zuhri from Salim from his father is found in Sahih Bukhari (5574) and Sahih Muslim (4/1471).

Note:


In the mentioned narration, which includes raising hands with every Takbeer, Ibn Akhi al-Zuhri is corroborated by Muhammad bin al-Waleed al-Zubaidi, as will be shown.

3. Muhammad bin Muslim al-Zuhri


Agreed upon for his greatness and precision / from the narrators of the six books.

[Taqreeb: 6296]

Imam al-Zuhri has clearly stated his hearing, thus the accusation of tadlis (concealment) in this narration is rejected.

4. Salim bin Abdullah bin Umar


One of the seven jurists and was steadfast, devout, and virtuous / from the narrators of the six books.[Taqreeb: 2176]

5. Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)


A well-known companion / from the narrators of the six books.

[Taqreeb: 3490]

From this detailed analysis, it is evident that this narration is Hasan Li-Dhatihi (good in itself, i.e., reliable and accepted) due to Ibn Akhi al-Zuhri.

The Corroboration of Ibn Akhi al-Zuhri:


Ibn Akhi al-Zuhri is not the sole narrator of this Hadith regarding raising hands (Raf' al-Yadain). Rather, Muhammad bin al-Waleed al-Zubaidi (trustworthy and reliable, one of the prominent companions of al-Zuhri / from the narrators of Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawood, al-Nasa'i, and Ibn Majah / Taqreeb: 2376) has also corroborated him. Therefore, any objection against Ibn Akhi al-Zuhri in this narration is completely baseless. Alhamdulillah.

The narration corroborated by al-Zubaidi is found in Sunan Abi Dawood (722), Sunan al-Daraqutni (p. 288, Hadith 1098), and al-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Bayhaqi (3/292, 293).

The narration from al-Zubaidi is reported by Baqiyyah bin al-Waleed, and a group of narrators have narrated it from him. Ibn al-Turkmani has shown opposition for the sake of opposition by citing the criticisms of Ibn Hibban, Abu Musher, and Sufyan bin Uyaynah on Baqiyyah bin al-Waleed.

[Al-Jawhar al-Naqi 3/292, 293]

A detailed response to this is provided below:

Baqiyyah bin al-Waleed al-Himsi (The Authentic Verifications on the Reliability of Baqiyyah):


In this article, a brief overview of the criticisms and validations of the Hadith narrator Baqiyyah bin al-Waleed (may Allah have mercy on him) by the scholars of Hadith is presented.

Criticisms on Baqiyyah bin al-Waleed:

  1. Sufyan bin 'Uyaynah:
    "Do not listen to anything from Baqiyyah..."
  2. Al-'Aqeeli:
    Mentioned him in "Al-Du'afa" (The Weak Narrators).
  3. Abu Hatim al-Razi:
    "Not to be used as evidence."
  4. Abu Musher al-Ghassani:
    "Baqiyyah’s Hadiths are not pure, so be cautious with them."
  5. Ibn Khuzaymah:
    "I do not use Baqiyyah as evidence."
  6. Al-Jawzjani:
    "Baqiyyah is weak in Hadith, his Hadiths are not to be used as evidence."
  7. Abd al-Haqq al-Ishbili:
    "Not to be used as evidence."
  8. Ibn al-Qattan al-Fasi:
    (Details not provided in the source text.)
  9. Al-Dhahabi:
    (Details not provided in the source text.)
  10. Ibn Hazm:
    "Weak."
  11. Al-Bayhaqi:
    "They unanimously agreed that Baqiyyah is not a reliable source."
Al-Saji and Al-Khalili mentioned that there is disagreement regarding him.[Summarized from Tahdheeb al-Tahdheeb 1/474 - 478] and others.

The remarks of Al-Saji and Al-Khalili are not actual criticisms but rather indicate the presence of differing opinions about him.
Some other scholars have also criticized Baqiyyah for his mursal (interrupted) narrations and narrations from unknown and weak individuals. However, this criticism does not pertain to Baqiyyah's integrity and memory.

Contextual Understanding of Baqiyyah's Criticisms:


While some scholars have criticized Baqiyyah bin al-Waleed due to his narrations from unknown and weak individuals or his mursal narrations, these criticisms are not directly related to his integrity (adala) or his retention (dabt`). Many scholars acknowledged his reliability under certain conditions, particularly when his sources were known and trustworthy.

Scholarly Support for Baqiyyah bin al-Waleed:


Baqiyyah bin al-Waleed has also been praised by other scholars who considered his narrations reliable when the conditions of his narrations were clear and supported by other trustworthy narrators. The details of these scholarly validations were not provided in the original text but can be explored to present a balanced view of his narrations.
Overall, the reliability of Baqiyyah's narrations in the context of raising hands (Raf' al-Yadain) with every Takbeer in the Eid prayers remains strong, particularly due to the corroboration from other reliable narrators like Muhammad bin al-Waleed al-Zubaidi, thus reinforcing the credibility of this practice.


Verification of Baqiyyah bin al-Waleed:

  1. Abu Ishaq al-Fazari:
    "Take from Baqiyyah what he narrates to you from trustworthy sources."
    [Al-Tirmidhi: 2859]
  2. Abdullah bin Mubarak:
    "Truthful in speech."
    [Sahih Muslim: 43 Dar al-Salam]
  3. Abu Zur’ah al-Razi:
    "When he narrates from trustworthy sources, he is reliable."
    [Al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil: 2/435]
  4. Yahya bin Ma’in:
    "Trustworthy."
    [Tareekh Uthman al-Darimi: 190]
  5. Al-Ajli:
    "Trustworthy when narrating from known sources."
    [Tareekh al-Ajli: 160]
  6. Muslim:
    He included him in his Sahih.
    [Sahih Muslim: 101, 1429 Fawaad Abdul Baqi]
  7. Ya’qub bin Shaybah:
    [Tareekh Baghdad: 7/126]
  8. Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi:
    "He was truthful."
    [Tareekh Baghdad: 7/123]
  9. Muhammad bin Sa’d:
    "He was trustworthy in his narrations from trustworthy sources."
    [Al-Tabaqat: 7/469]
  10. Al-Tirmidhi:
    He declared his narrations authentic in his Sunan.
    [Al-Tirmidhi: 1235, 1663]
  11. Ibn Adi:
    "When he narrates from the people of al-Sham, he is reliable."
    [Al-Kamil: 2/276]
  12. Ibn Shahin:
    He mentioned him among the trustworthy.
    [Al-Thiqat: 139]
  13. Ahmad bin Hanbal:
    "When Baqiyyah narrates from known sources like Buhayr bin Sa’d, it is accepted."
    [Al-Du’afa for al-Aqeeli: 1/162]
  14. Ibn Hibban:
    "I found him trustworthy and reliable, but he was a mudallis (one who practices tadlis)."
    [Al-Majroohin: 1/200]
  15. Ibn Hajar:
    "Truthful but practices a lot of tadlis."
    [Taqreeb: 734]
  16. Al-Haythami:
    "He is trustworthy but practices tadlis."
    [Majma' al-Zawaid: 1/190]
  17. Al-Iraqi:
    He mentioned his hadith with a good chain.
    [Takhrij al-Ihya: 2/154, Al-Saheehah: 1691]
  18. Al-Mundhiri:
    "He is trustworthy."
    [Al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib: 3/25 and Al-Saheehah: 353]
  19. Al-Hakim:
    "Reliable and acceptable."
    [Al-Mustadrak 1/273, Hadith 1008; see also 1/289, Hadith 1064]
  20. Al-Dhahabi:
    He said about his hadith: "According to the conditions of Muslim."
    [Talkhis al-Mustadrak: 2/616]
  21. Al-Bukhari:
    He cited him as evidence in his Sahih.
    [Sahih Bukhari: 707]
  22. Abu Ahmad al-Hakim:
    "Trustworthy in his hadith when narrating from known sources."
    [Tahdheeb: 1/477, corrected]
  23. Shu’bah:
    Narrated from him.
    [Shu’bah only narrates from those he considers trustworthy: Tahdheeb 1/4, 5]
  24. Ibn Khallad:
    Mentioned him among the trustworthy.
    [Hashiyat Tahdheeb al-Kamal: 1/369]
  25. Al-Zayla’i:
    "He was truthful."
    [Nasb al-Rayah: 1/48]
  26. Al-Daraqutni:
    "Trustworthy."
    [Kitab al-Du’afa wa al-Matroukeen: 230]
  27. Al-Jawzjani:
    "When you take his hadith from trustworthy sources, he is reliable."
    [Ahwal al-Rijal: 312]
  28. Ya’qub bin Sufyan:
    "He is trustworthy, etc."
    [Al-Ma'rifah wa al-Tarikh 2/464 and Tareekh Dimashq: 10/270]
  29. Ali bin al-Madini:
    "Righteous in what he narrates from the people of al-Sham."
    [Tareekh Baghdad 7/125, chain is weak]
  30. Al-Nasa’i:
    "When he says 'narrated to us' or 'informed us', he is trustworthy."
    [Tahdheeb al-Tahdheeb: 1/475, chain is weak]
  31. Ibn al-Turkmani:
    "He is truthful and has stated the narration."
    [Al-Jawhar al-Naqi: 1/147]
Also see: [Tawdih al-Kalam 1/317-321]

Summary:

The detailed investigation shows that, according to the majority of scholars, Baqiyyah bin al-Waleed is trustworthy (Thiqah) and truthful (Saduq). When he explicitly narrates from reliable sources, his narrations are considered authentic (Sahih) or good (Hasan).

Hafiz al-Mundhiri states:"He is trustworthy according to the majority, but he is a mudallis."

[Al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib, vol. 4, p. 568]


Hafiz al-Dhahabi writes:"The majority considered him trustworthy in what he heard from trustworthy sources."

[Al-Kashif: 1/106, 107, no. 626]


This research confirms that Baqiyyah bin al-Waleed is considered reliable by the majority of hadith scholars, and his narrations are accepted when he explicitly mentions hearing from trustworthy narrators.

Criticisms of Baqiyyah bin al-Waleed:


The criticisms of Baqiyyah bin al-Waleed are primarily based on two points:

  1. Tadlis (Concealment in Narration):
    Baqiyyah's narrations where he uses "عن" (an) without explicitly stating his hearing (samaa) are considered weak.
  2. Narration from Unknown and Weak Narrators:
    Baqiyyah's narrations from unknown (majhool) and weak (da'eef) narrators are considered weak and rejected.
According to my knowledge, no renowned imam has criticized Baqiyyah's explicitly stated (musrrah bis-sama) narrations. All criticisms of Baqiyyah pertain to his non-explicit narrations or those with unknown or weak narrators from Homs, etc.

Conclusion of Research:

Baqiyyah bin al-Waleed is a truthful (saduq) and a mudallis (practices tadlis), and his hadith is considered authentic (sahih) or good (hasan) when he explicitly states his hearing (samaa).

Important Notes:

  1. Explicit Narrations from Buhayr bin Sa'd:
    If Baqiyyah narrates from Buhayr bin Sa'd, the narration is assumed to be based on hearing, whether Baqiyyah explicitly states it or not.[See: Ta'leeqah 'ala al-'Ilal by Ibn Abi Hatim, compiled by Ibn 'Abd al-Hadi, p. 124, Hadith 35/123]
  2. Narration from Muhammad bin al-Waleed al-Zubaidi in Sahih Muslim:
    Baqiyyah’s narration from Muhammad bin al-Waleed al-Zubaidi is present in Sahih Muslim.
    [101/1429]
  3. Statement of Imam Abu Ahmad al-Hakim (Sahib al-Kuna) on Baqiyyah:"He is trustworthy in his hadith when he narrates from trustworthy sources with known narrations. However, sometimes he narrates from people like al-Awza'i, al-Zubaidi, and 'Ubayd Allah al-'Umari, narrations that resemble fabricated ones, which he took from Muhammad bin 'Abd al-Rahman and Yusuf bin al-Saffar and others from the weak narrators, dropping their names from the chain and narrating them as if from those who narrated to him from them."
    [Tahdheeb al-Tahdheeb, vol. 1, p. 477]
    Summary of the Statement:

    Baqiyyah is a mudallis. If he explicitly states his hearing from trustworthy narrators, he is reliable. However, if he narrates from al-Awza'i, al-Zubaidi, and 'Ubayd Allah al-'Umari without explicit mention of hearing (tadlis) using "عن" (an), these narrations are weak, rejected, and possibly fabricated. This criticism pertains only to his tadlis, as is evident from the context. Some later scholars of the fifteenth century Hijri tried to generalize this criticism, but this is clearly incorrect.
  4. Exoneration from Tadlis al-Taswiyah:
    Baqiyyah is not guilty of Tadlis al-Taswiyah (a severe form of tadlis).
    [See: Al-Fath al-Mubeen fi Tahqeeq Tabaqat al-Mudalliseen, 4/117, Al-Dha'eefah by Sheikh Al-Albani, 12/105-112, Hadith 5557, and 'Ajala al-Raghib al-Mutamanni by Sheikh Salim al-Hilali, 2/876, Hadith 763]
Modern researchers like Sheikh Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) have declared Baqiyyah’s explicitly stated (musrrah bis-sama) narrations to be Hasan (good). Abdul Rauf bin Abdul Mannan bin Hakim Muhammad Ashraf Sandhu, in discussing a narration, writes that its chain is of Hasan grade due to Baqiyyah bin al-Waleed. Al-Hakim, Al-Dhahabi, and Al-Busiri have considered it authentic in "Misbah al-Zujajah" (466).

[Al-Qawl al-Maqbool, p. 620, Hadith 568; Also see: Al-Qawl al-Maqbool, p. 194, Hadith 108]

If someone argues that Allama Abdul Rahman Mubarakpuri (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

"However, this Hadith is also weak because it contains Baqiyyah, who is a mudallis and weak. Despite being weak, he is alone in narrating this phrase, and no one else narrates this phrase except him..."

[Al-Qawl al-Sadeed fee ma Yata'allaq bi Takbeerat al-Eid, p. 71]


This criticism is based on the fact that Baqiyyah is a mudallis and weak, and in that specific narration, he is alone in narrating that particular phrase. However, the general ruling remains that Baqiyyah is reliable in his explicitly stated (musrrah bis-sama) narrations.

Refutation of Criticisms on Baqiyyah bin al-Waleed:

1. Contrary to the Majority of Hadith Scholars:

The majority of hadith scholars, including renowned authorities, have authenticated Baqiyyah when he explicitly mentions hearing from trustworthy narrators. This is a well-established fact, and the majority opinion holds significant weight in hadith criticism.

2. Inconsistency in Allama Mubarakpuri’s Criticism:

Allama Mubarakpuri has mentioned Baqiyyah in his works like "Tuhfat al-Ahwazi" without criticizing him. Thus, his isolated criticism in another context does not reflect his consistent stance and may be considered abrogated by his other statements.

References in Tuhfat al-Ahwazi:

  • Volume 1, Page 97, Hadith 94
  • Volume 3, Page 5, Hadith 1635
  • Volume 3, Page 17, Hadith 1663
  • Volume 3, Pages 377-378, Hadith 2676
  • Volume 4, Page 36, Hadith 2859
  • Volume 4, Page 56, Hadith 2921

3. Incorrect Claim of Exclusivity:


Allama Mubarakpuri’s claim that Baqiyyah is unique in narrating certain phrases is incorrect because Ibn Akhi al-Zuhri has also narrated them.

Pakistani scholar Maulana Irshad al-Haq Athari:

has strongly defended Baqiyyah, stating: "This is strong evidence that according to the majority, he is trustworthy when he explicitly states hearing from trustworthy sources, especially when narrating from the scholars of al-Sham."

[Tawdih al-Kalam, vol. 1, p. 319, Chapter: Response to Criticism on Baqiyyah bin al-Waleed]
 
Last edited:

Additional Points:

Explicit Narrations from al-Zubaidi and Ibn Akhi al-Zuhri:


Narrations from al-Zubaidi (Thiqah) and Ibn Akhi al-Zuhri (Saduq) are sufficient evidence. If a trustworthy narrator mentions an addition, even if other reliable narrators do not, that addition is considered valid.

Example 1:

The Hadith, "It is enough for a man to be considered a liar if he narrates everything he hears," was narrated with an addition only by Ali bin Hafs al-Madaini.

[Sahih Muslim: 5/5, Sunan Abi Dawood: 4992]

Example 2:


In Sahih Bukhari, the narration of Muhammad bin 'Amr bin Halhala from Abu Humaid al-Sa'idi mentions raising hands only once. However, in Sunan Abi Dawood (730) and others, the narration of 'Abdul Hamid bin Ja'far mentions raising hands before and after bowing, and when standing after two Rak'ahs. Both narrations are authentic, showing that the addition by a trustworthy narrator is acceptable.

Content Discussion:

Some have objected that this narration does not specify the method for Eid prayers but rather general prayers. However, the narration explicitly mentions raising hands in the following situations:

  1. Takbir al-Tahrimah (Opening Takbeer)
  2. Before Ruku'
  3. After Ruku'
  4. In every Rak'ah
  5. In every Takbeer before Ruku'

Hadith Text:


"He would raise his hands in every Rak'ah and in every Takbeer before Ruku' until his prayer was complete."[Musnad Ahmad: 2/134]

The question arises: Are the Takbeers of Eid before Ruku' or after? If before, they are included in the general rule of this Hadith. Imam al-Bayhaqi mentioned this Hadith both for the Takbeers of Eid and the Sunnah of raising hands with every Takbeer for Ruku'.

[Al-Sunan al-Kubra: 3/292, 2/83]

This shows that, according to Imam al-Bayhaqi, the Hadith proves raising hands both in Ruku' and in the Takbeers of Eid.

An Important Point


By the grace of Allah, we are Ahl al-Hadith, i.e., Salafi Ahl al-Hadith. We consider the Quran, Hadith, and consensus (Ijma) as authoritative. We believe the meanings of the Quran and Hadith are valid as understood and established by the Salaf al-Salih (pious predecessors). We consider it permissible to rely on the interpretations and ijtihad (reasoning) of the Salaf al-Salih. The following Salaf al-Salih used the mentioned Hadith to support raising hands during the Takbeerat of Eid:

  1. Imam al-Bayhaqi (may Allah have mercy on him):[Al-Sunan al-Kubra: 3/292, 293, Chapter on Raising Hands in the Takbeerat of Eid]
  2. Imam Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin al-Mundhir al-Nisaburi:[Al-Talkhis al-Habir: 2/86, Hadith 692]
None of the Salaf al-Salih rejected this reasoning. Therefore, the views of Allama Mubarakpuri and Sheikh al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on them) are incorrect because they contradict the reasoning of the Salaf al-Salih.

Maulvi Muhammad Afzal Athari (from Maktabah al-Sunnah, Karachi) writes:"After mentioning the reasoning of Imam al-Bayhaqi and Imam Ibn al-Mundhir, Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani states:

'In my opinion, it is preferable to leave raising the hands because there is no explicit text on this matter, and it is not proven explicitly by an authentic raised Hadith.'

This same point is mentioned by Allama Shams al-Haq Azimabadi, Maulana Abdul Rahman Mubarakpuri, Maulana Ubaidullah Mubarakpuri (may Allah have mercy on them), and Allama Albani. They state that there is no explicit Hadith proving this practice.

[Dhamimah Hadiyya al-Muslimeen, p. 97, unauthorized print]

In this statement, Maulvi Muhammad Afzal Athari has falsely attributed a statement to Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, a statement from which Hafiz Ibn Hajar is entirely free.

See: [Al-Talkhis al-Habir, vol. 2, p. 86, Hadith 692]

This clear falsehood is a second lie and fabrication. Attributing the statement of Sahib Mirat al-Mafatih (Sheikh Ubaidullah Mubarakpuri, may Allah have mercy on him) to Hafiz Ibn Hajar, making it appear as his statement, is indeed a lie and fabrication.

It is noteworthy that the statements and "research" of Maulana Shams al-Haq Azimabadi, Maulana Abdul Rahman Mubarakpuri, Maulana Ubaidullah Mubarakpuri, and Sheikh Albani (may Allah have mercy on them) regarding the Takbeerat of Eid are rejected because they are contrary to the interpretations of the Salaf al-Salih such as Imam Ata bin Abi Rabah, Imam al-Awza'i, Imam Malik, Imam al-Shafi'i, and Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on them).

Summary of the Research:


The conclusion of this research is that the narration from Ibn Akhi al-Zuhri and Baqiyyah is authentic, and using it to support the practice of raising hands during the Takbeerat of Eid is entirely valid. Alhamdulillah.

Evidence from the Salaf al-Salih:


The following are the evidences from the Salaf al-Salih regarding the permissibility of raising hands during the Takbeerat of Eid:

  1. Imam Abdul Rahman bin Amr al-Awza'i al-Shami (may Allah have mercy on him):Al-Walid bin Muslim (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates:"I asked al-Awza'i: Should I raise my hands with every Takbeer in Eid as I do in the prayer?" He replied: "Yes, raise your hands with all of them."
    [Ahkam al-Eidain by al-Firyabi: 136, and its chain is authentic]
  2. Imam Malik bin Anas al-Madani (may Allah have mercy on him):Al-Walid bin Muslim narrates:"I asked Malik bin Anas about this, and he said: 'Yes, raise your hands with every Takbeer,' and I did not hear anything about it."
    [Ahkam al-Eidain: 137, and its chain is authentic]

Clarification:


Imam Malik’s statement "ولم أسمع فيه شيئاً" can be understood in two ways:

  1. I have not heard any Hadith about this practice.
  2. I have not heard any Hadith opposing this practice.
Regarding the first interpretation, if Imam Malik did not hear the Hadith of Baqiyyah bin al-Waleed and Ibn Akhi al-Zuhri or the Athar of 'Ata bin Abi Rabah, it does not imply that these evidences are weak.

Conclusion:


Therefore, the practice of raising hands during the Takbeerat of Eid is validated by authentic narrations and supported by the practices of the Salaf al-Salih. Any opposition to this practice by later scholars, such as Allama Mubarakpuri, Sheikh al-Albani, or others, is not in accordance with the understanding and practices of the Salaf al-Salih, and thus their opposition is not considered valid.

Clarification on Raising Hands during Takbeerat of Eid:

2. Note:

In Majmu' Sharh al-Muhadhdhab by al-Nawawi (5/26), Al-Awsat by Ibn al-Mundhir (4/282), and the unauthenticated book Al-Mudawwanah (1/169), the reports opposing this practice are baseless and weak due to lack of reliable chains of narration.

  1. Imam Muhammad bin Idris al-Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him):See: [Kitab al-Umm, vol. 1, p. 237]
  2. Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him):See: [Masa'il al-Imam Ahmad, narration of Abu Dawood, p. 60]
  3. Imam Yahya bin Ma'in (may Allah have mercy on him):See: [Tareekh Ibn Ma'in, narration of al-Duri: 2284]
It is evident that in Makkah, Madinah, and al-Sham, the Salaf al-Salih were in favor of raising hands during the Takbeerat of Eid. In contrast, the opposition from Muhammad bin al-Hasan al-Shaybani (considered a fabricator, according to Kitab al-Du'afa by al-Aqeeli: 4/52, with an authentic chain; Al-Hadith Hazro: 7/17) is documented in Kitab al-Asl (1/374, 375) and Al-Awsat by Ibn al-Mundhir (4/282). Similarly, Sufyan al-Thawri is also reported to have opposed this practice.

[Majmu': 5/26; Al-Awsat: 4/282]

However, these opinions are rejected due to the absence of authentic chains. Some Hanafis have reported without any continuous chain that Qadi Abu Yusuf did not practice raising hands during the Takbeerat of Eid. This report is also rejected for two reasons:

  1. It is without a chain.
  2. Imam Abu Hanifah said about his student Qadi Abu Yusuf:"Do you not wonder at Ya'qub (Abu Yusuf)? He says things about me that I do not say."
    [Tareekh al-Saghir by Bukhari, vol. 2, p. 210, Wafayat: 90-100 AH, and its chain is Hasan with corroborative evidence, thus authentic]

This indicates that Imam Abu Hanifah considered his student Qadi Abu Yusuf unreliable.

Clarification on a Report:


A narration states that Ata bin Abi Rabah al-Makki (may Allah have mercy on him) supported raising hands during the additional Takbeerat of Eid. [Musannaf Abdul Razzaq, 3/297, Hadith 5699] However, the main narrator, Abdul Razzaq bin Hammam, is a mudallis, and the narration is Mu'an'an (ambiguous). Sufyan al-Thawri, another mudallis, corroborated Abdul Razzaq's narration.

[See: Al-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Bayhaqi, 3/293] Therefore, the narration is weak due to these two chains.

Conclusion:


Raising hands during the Takbeerat of Eid is a completely valid practice. The opposition by Allama Mubarakpuri, Sheikh al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on them), and others is incorrect and rejected. وما علينا إلا البلاغ (Our duty is only to convey the message).
 
Back
Top