Where Should Hands Be Placed During Salah?

Author: Sheikh Mubashar Ahmad Rabbani (حفظه الله)

Question:​

What is the evidence for folding hands during Salah? Should the hands be placed on the chest or below it? Kindly provide clarification.

Answer:​

Hands should be folded on the chest during Salah, as this is supported by authentic Ahadith:

1. Narration of Wa'il bin Hujr (رضي الله عنه):
   
   "I prayed with the Prophet (ﷺ), and he placed his right hand over his left hand on his chest."
   (Ibn Khuzaymah: 479; Al-Bayhaqi: 2/30)
2. Narration of Hulb (رضي الله عنه):
   
   "I saw the Prophet (ﷺ) turning to his right and left, and I also saw him placing his hands on his chest."
   (Ahmad: 5/226)
   Sheikh Shu'ayb Al-Arna'oot deemed this narration authentic except for the specific wording 'placing hands on the chest', which he considered weak. (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith No. 21967)
3. Supportive Evidence - Marasil:
   A similar narration has been transmitted as a Mursal report by Imam Abu Dawood:
   
   "Tawoos (رحمه الله) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) would place his right hand over his left hand and tie them on his chest during Salah."
   (Abu Dawood, Kitab al-Salah, Hadith No. 759)

Weakness of Narrations Regarding Placement Below the Navel:​

The narration about placing hands below the navel is considered extremely weak. Imam Nawawi (رحمه الله) stated in Sharh Muslim:

"There is consensus on the weakness of this narration."

The narration in Abu Dawood that mentions placing hands below the navel is weakened by the presence of Abdur Rahman bin Ishaq Al-Wasiti, who is a weak narrator.

Ruling:​

Based on the above Ahadith, the hands should be folded on the chest during Salah. Narrations supporting placement below the navel are not reliable and are considered weak.