Undeniable Authentic Evidences on Placing Hands on the Chest During Salah

Below are detailed arguments and evidences for placing hands on the chest during prayer. The original Arabic words of all the hadiths and their references are presented exactly as they are, so that the issue can be clarified in its original form.

Argument No. 1: Hadith of Wa’il bin Hujr (may Allah be pleased with him)

It is narrated from Wa’il bin Hujr (may Allah be pleased with him) that I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ praying,

“ثم وضع یدہ الیمنیٰ علی ظھر کفہ الیسریٰ والرسغ والساعد”

Then he placed his right hand on the left palm, wrist, and (forearm) arm.

Verification of the Chain of Narrators

1. Wa’il bin Hujr (may Allah be pleased with him): صحابیٔ جلیل
   Reference: (Taqreeb At-Tahdheeb: 7393)
2. Kulaib: صدوق
   Reference: (Taqreeb At-Tahdheeb: 5660)
3. Asim bin Kulaib: صدوق، رمی بالارجاء (He is a narrator of Sahih Muslim)
   Reference: (Taqreeb At-Tahdheeb: 3075)
4. Zaidah bin Qudamah: ثقۃ ثبت صاحب سنۃ
   Reference: (Taqreeb At-Tahdheeb: 6982)
5. Abu Al-Walid Hisham bin Abdul Malik At-Tayalisi: ثقۃ ثبت
   Reference: (Taqreeb At-Tahdheeb: 7301)
6. Al-Hasan bin Ali Al-Halwani: ثقۃ حافظ لہ تصانیف
   Reference: (Taqreeb At-Tahdheeb: 1262)

The authentication of all these narrators shows that this chain is authentic. نیموی also said in

:

“واسنادہ صحیح”

Explanation

• “الکف والرسغ والساعد” is actually an explanation of the word “Zira'”
  Reference: (Hadith Bukhari: 740)

  .

states:

“السَّاعِدُ: مَا بَیْنَ الْمِرْفَقِ الْکَفِّ مِنْ أَعْلٰی”

• Meaning ساعد refers to the upper part between the elbow and the palm.

Warning

• “السّاعد” refers to the entire السّاعد, not just a part of it. Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) says:

  “لأن العبرۃ بعموم اللفظ حتی یقوم دلیل علی التخصیص”

  Reference: (Fath al-Bari 261/12 under 2951)

  Until there is evidence to specify otherwise, the general meaning of the word is to be accepted.

• Therefore, it is necessary to place the hand on the entire السّاعد. Experience shows that if the hands are placed in this manner, they naturally come to rest on the chest.

Evidence Number 2

قال الامام احمد فی مسندہ: “ثنا یحیی بن سعید عن سفیان حدثنی سماک عن قبیصۃ بن ھلب عن ابیہ قال: رایت النبی ﷺ ینصرف عن یمینہ وعن شمالہ ورایتہ یضع ھذہ علی صدرہ وصف یحیی الیمنی علی الیسریٰ فوق المفصل”

It is narrated from Hilb al-Tai (may Allah be pleased with him) that he saw the Prophet ﷺ (after finishing the prayer) turning his greetings to the right and left sides and also saw that he placed his hands on his chest. Yahya (al-Qattan, the narrator) demonstrated by placing the right hand over the left hand (practically).

Verification of the Chain

1. Yahya bin Saeed (Al-Qattan): ثقۃ متقن، حافظ، امام، قدوۃ، کبار التاسعۃ
   Reference: (Taqreeb al-Tahdheeb: 7557)
2. Sufyan (Al-Thawri): ثقۃ حافظ، فقیہ، عابد، امام حجۃ، رؤس الطبقۃ السابعۃ، occasionally practiced tadlees (concealment).
   Reference: (Taqreeb al-Tahdheeb: 2445)
3. Samaak bin Harb: Truthful, and his narration especially from Ikramah is considered weak. Towards the end of his life, his memory deteriorated and sometimes he accepted prompting.
   Reference: (Taqreeb al-Tahdheeb: 262)

   Note: Here Samaak’s narration is not from Ikramah, so there is no fear of weakness. Furthermore, Sufyan Al-Thawri heard hadith from Samaak earlier, before his confusion, so this narration is authentically established here.

   Reference: (See Bazl al-Mujahood 483/4, authored by Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri Deobandi) Samaak’s narration is also present in Sahih Muslim, Bukhari in the commentary, and the four Sunan.
4. Qabeesah bin Halb (Al-Tai):

   Ibn Madini said: مجہول

5. An-Nasa’i said: مجہول
6. Al-Ajli said: ثقہ 
7. Ibn Hibban also counted him among ثقہ people
   Reference: (Tahdheeb al-Tahdheeb 314/7)

An Unfounded Objection

• نیموی حنفی صاحب says:

  “رواہ احمد واسنادہ حسن لکن قولہ علی صدرہ غیر محفوظ”

  Reference: (Athar al-Sunan p.87, Hadith 236)

  Meaning Ahmad narrated it and its chain is Hasan (good), but the words of “علی صدرہ” are not preserved.

Answer

• Nimwi Sahib’s statement is not correct; he used the uniqueness of Sufyan al-Thawri’s words as evidence of their unreliability. However, among the Muhaddithin, it is an established principle that a narrator’s uniqueness in a word only causes harm when that word contradicts a more trustworthy narrator. Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) states in
  Reference: Sharh Nukhbat al-Fikr

  :

  “وزیادۃ راویھا مقبولۃ مالم تقع منافیۃ لمن ہو اوثق”

  Reference: (Tuhfat ad-Durr, p. 19)

  Meaning, as long as an addition does not contradict a more trustworthy narrator, it is acceptable.

• Here, the words “علی صدرہ” are additions, not contradictions, therefore they are acceptable.

Evidence Number 1

Ibn Khuzaymah said in his Sahih: “نا ابوموسیٰ : نا مؤمل : نا سفیان عن عاصم بن کلیب عن ابیہ عن وائل بن حجر قال: صلیت مع رسول اللہ ﷺ ووضع یدہ الیمنیٰ علی یدہ الیسریٰ علیٰ صدرہ”
Our master Wa’il ibn Hujr (may Allah be pleased with him) said that I prayed with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and he ﷺ placed his right hand over his left hand on his chest.

Examination of the Chain

Some scholars have criticized its narrator Mu’mil ibn Isma’il.

Those who have declared him reliable:

1. Yahya bin Ma’in: ثقۃ
   Reference: (Tarikh Ibn Ma’in: 235)
2. Al-Dhiya Al-Maqdisi: اورد حدیثہ فی المختارۃ
   Reference: (345/1 H237)
3. Ibn Hibban: ذکرہ فی الثقات وقال: ربما اخطا
   Reference: (187/9)
4. Ahmad: روی عنہ
   Reference: (Majma’ al-Zawa’id 80/1)
5. Ibn Shaheen: ذکرہ فی کتاب الثقات
   Reference: (1416)
6. Al-Daraqutni: صحح لہ فی سننہ
   Reference: (186/2 H2261)
7. Sulaiman bin Harb: یحسن الثناء علیہ
   Reference: (Kitab al-Ma’rifah wal-Tarikh 52/3)
8. Al-Hakim: صحح لہ فی المستدرک
   Reference: (384/1)
9. Al-Dhahabi: کان من ثقات البصریین
   Reference: (Al-‘Ibar 350/1)
10. Al-Tirmidhi: صحح لہ فی سننہ
    Reference: (672)
11. Ibn Kathir: قواہ فی تفسیرہ (۴۳۲/۴)
12. Al-Haythami: ثقۃ وفیہ ضعف، المجمع
    Reference: (183/8)
13. Ibn Khuzaymah: اخرج عنہ فی صحیحہ (۲۴۳/۱ ح۴۷۹)
14. Al-Bukhari: اخرج عنہ تعلیقاً فی صحیحہ
    Reference: (See H2700)

etc…

Critics:

1. Abu Hatim: صدوق شدید فی السنۃ کثیر الخطا یکتب حدیثہ
   Reference: (Kitab al-Jarh wal-Ta’dil 374/8)
2. Ya’qub bin Sufyan: یروی المناکیر عن ثقات شیوخنا
   Reference: (Al-Ma’rifah wal-Tarikh 52/3)
3. Ibn Sa’d: ثقۃ کثیر الغلط
   Reference: (Tabaqat Ibn Sa’d 501/5)
4. Al-Daraqutni: صدوق کثیر الخطا
   Reference: (As’ilat al-Hakim lil-Daraqutni: 492)
5. Ibn Hajar: صدوق سیئ الحفظ
   Reference: (Taqrib al-Tahdhib: 7029)

This research shows that according to a large number of the Imams of Hadith, مؤمل بن اسماعیل are trustworthy or at least good narrators. The opinion of the majority is stronger evidence compared to that of the minority.

Warning

• Hafiz Muzi, Hafiz Zahabi, and Hafiz Ibn Hajar have narrated from Imam Bukhari without any chain of transmission that he said about Mu’mil: “منکر الحدیث” but this criticism is not found in any book of Imam Bukhari.
  Reference: Al-Tarikh Al-Kabir (49/8)

  In Bukhari, the biography of Mu’mil bin Ismail is presented but no criticism is made.

• Zafar Ahmad Thanvi Sahib has a principle:

  “کل من ذکرہ البخاری فی تواریخہ ولم یطعن فیہ فھو ثقۃ”

  Reference: (Qawa’id fi ‘Ulum al-Hadith p.223)

  According to this principle (which is originally false), Mu’mil bin Ismail is also considered trustworthy in Imam Bukhari’s opinion. Imam Bukhari called مؤمل بن سعید الرحبی as “منکر الحدیث”

  Reference: (Al-Tarikh Al-Kabir vol. 8 p.49)

  and these are narrators different from مؤمل بن اسماعیل.

• Bukhari, Ibn ‘Adi, Ibn Hibban, ‘Aqili, and Ibn al-Jawzi, etc., have not narrated any criticism about Mu’mil bin Ismail in their
  Reference: books of weak narrators

  . It is understood that Hafiz Muzi was mistaken in attribution and Hafiz Zahabi and Ibn Hajar followed him.

Application and Success

• The criticism of Jarh is general, while the adjustment of Ta’dil is specific; Yahya bin Ma’in specifically declared Mu’mil trustworthy in the narration of سفیان ثوری.
  Reference: (Al-Jarh wal-Ta’dil by Ibn Abi Hatim 374/8, Sharh ‘Ilal al-Tirmidhi by Ibn Rajab p.384, 385)
• The narration of Mu’mil from Sufyan al-Thawri has been declared authentic and strong by Ibn Khuzaymah, Darqutni, Hakim, Dhahabi, Tirmidhi, and Ibn Kathir.
  Reference: (See pp. 32, 33)
• None of the earlier scholars declared Mu’mil weak in the narration from Sufyan. For this reason, Zafar Ahmad Thanawi Deobandi also declared him trustworthy.
  Reference: (A’laa al-Sunan vol. 3 p.108)

Thus, the statements of Jarh and Ta’dil scholars are reconciled and the contradiction is resolved.

A Strange Principle of the Deobandis

Thanawi Sahib states:

“ان الراوی اذا کان مختلفا فیہ فھو حسن الحدیث وحدیثہ حسن”

According to this, since Mu’mil is a narrator with varying opinions, he will be counted among حسن الحدیث. Therefore, his narration will also be Hasan. If someone says that Mu’mil is alone in this narration, the answers are:

1. They are trustworthy in narrating from Sufyan Thawri, therefore the hadith is at least Hasan.
2. This narration is not against any trustworthy narrator.
3. Hafiz Ibn Qayyim has mentioned this hadith among the examples of “ترک السنۃ الصحیحۃ الصریحۃ”.
   Reference: (A’lam al-Muwaqqi’in 400/2)
4. Many narrations of this topic also appear in the evidences (for example, the earlier and later hadith).
5. If there is any weakness in this hadith, it is not due to Muwallal itself but some Muhaddithin have declared it weak because of سفیان الثوری کی تدلیس. Here it is presented as evidence for (حدیث) Hasan Ladhatihi. For more details, see the monthly “الحدیث” حضرو جلد اول شمارہ۱ ص۲۶۔.

Evidence Number 2

قال ابوداؤد فی سننہ:

“حدثنا ابوتوبۃ : ثنا الھیثم یعنی ابن حمید عن سلیمان بن موسیٰ عن طاؤس قال: کان رسول اللہ ﷺ یضع یدہ الیمنیٰ علیٰ یدہ الیسریٰ ثم یشد بھما علیٰ صدرہ وھو فی الصلاۃ”

It is narrated (Mursal) from Tawus Tabi’i that the Prophet ﷺ used to place his hands on his chest during prayer.

Abu Tubah al-Rabi’ ibn Nafi’ al-Halabi

• ثقۃ حجۃ عابد
  Reference: (Taqreeb al-Tahdheeb: 1903)
• He is a narrator of Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim and unanimously trustworthy.

Al-Haytham ibn Humayd

• صدوق، رمی بالقدر
  Reference: (Taqreeb al-Tahdheeb: 7362)
• The majority of the hadith scholars have authenticated him, therefore he is Hasan al-Hadith.

  Duhaim: اعلم الاولین والآخرین بمکحول

  Reference: (Al-Ma’rifah wa al-Tarikh 395/2 and his chain is authentic)
• Ahmad ibn Hanbal: ماعلمت الا خیراً
  Reference: (Al-Jarh wa al-Ta’dil 82/9 and his chain is authentic)
• Yahya ibn Ma’in: لا بأس بہ
  Reference: (Al-Jarh wa al-Ta’dil 82/9 and his chain is authentic)
• Darqutni: ثقۃ (سنن دارقطنی ۳۱۹/۱ ح۲۰۴ میں فرمایا: “کلھم ثقات”)
• Ibn Shaheen: ذکرہ فی کتاب الثقات (۱۵۴۹)
• Ibn Hibban: ذکرہ فی کتاب الثقات
  Reference: (235/9)
• Abu Zur’ah al-Dimashqi: اعلم اہل دمشق لحدیث مکحول واجمعہ لاصحابہ: الہیثم بن حمید ویحیی بن حمزۃ
  Reference: (Tarikh Abu Zur’ah: 902)
• Al-Dhahabi: “الفقیہ الحافظ”
  Reference: (Tadhkirat al-Huffaz 285/1, Mizan al-I’tidal 321/4 where he wrote “Sahih”)
• Bayhaqi: “ھٰذا اسناد صحیح ورواتہ ثقات”
  Reference: (Kitab al-Qira’ah Khalaf al-Imam p.62)
• Ibn Hajar: صدوق، رمی بالقدر
  Reference: (Taqreeb al-Tahdheeb: 7362)

In contrast, the statement of Abu Masher “کان ضعیفاً قدریاً” is rejected because it goes against the majority. Consequently, Al-Haytham ibn Humayd is trustworthy and truthful.

Thawr ibn Yazid ibn Ziyad al-Kala’i Abu Khalid al-Himsi

• Ibn Sa’d, Muhammad ibn Ishaq, Duhaim, Ahmad ibn Salih, Yahya ibn Ma’in, Yahya ibn Sa’id, Muhammad ibn ‘Awf, Nasa’i, Abu Dawood, and Al-‘Ajli said: He is trustworthy.
• Ibn Hibban mentioned him among the trustworthy people.
• Saji and Abu Hatim said: Truthful.
• Ibn ‘Adi said: “ھو مستقیم الحدیث صالح فی الشامیین”
  Reference: (Tahdheeb al-Tahdheeb vol. 2 p. 30, 32)
• He was Qadari but later renounced it as mentioned by Hafiz Dhahabi, and he is a narrator of Sahih al-Bukhari, therefore he is trustworthy.

Those who made Ta’dil (authentication):

1. Saeed bin Abdul Aziz: کان اعلم اہل الشام بعد مکحول
2. Duhaim: اوثق اصحاب مکحول سلیمان بن موسیٰ
   Reference: (Al-Jarh wa al-Ta’dil 141/4 and his chain is authentic)
3. Ibn Mu’een: ثقۃ
   Reference: (Tarikh Usman bin Saeed al-Darami: 26, 360)
4. Ibn ‘Adi: وھو عندی ثبت صدوق
   Reference: (Al-Kamil 1119/3)
5. Al-Daraqutni: من الثقات الحفاظ
   Reference: (Kitab al-‘Illal vol. 5 page 110, Mawsu’at Aqwal al-Daraqutni 303/1)
6. Ata bin Abi Rabah: اثنی علیہ
   Reference: (Kitab al-Ma’rifah wa al-Tarikh 405/2 and his chain is authentic)
7. Hisham bin ‘Ammar: ارفع اصحاب مکحول سلیمان بن موسیٰ
   Reference: (Kitab al-Ma’rifah wa al-Tarikh 396/2 and his chain is authentic)
8. Ibn Sa’d: کان ثقۃ، اثنی علیہ ابن جریج
   Reference: (Tabaqat Ibn Sa’d 457/7)
9. Al-Zuhri: اثنی علیہ
   Reference: (Musnad Ahmad 47/6 Hadith 24205 and his chain is authentic)
10. Ibn Hibban: ذکرہ فی الثقات وقال: کان فقیہاً ورعاً
    Reference: (Kitab al-Thiqat 379/6, 380)
11. Ibn al-Madini: من کبار اصحاب مکحول (No authentic chain found)
12. Al-Dhahabi: الامام الکبیر مفتی دمشق
    Reference: (Siyar A’lam al-Nubala 433/5)
13. Ibn Hajar: صدوق فقیہ، فی حدیثہ بعض لین، خولط قبل موتہ بقلیل
    Reference: (Taqrib al-Tahdhib: 2616)
14. Hakim: صحح لہ
    Reference: (Al-Mustadrak 168/2 Hadith 2706)

Critics:

1. Al-Bukhari: عندہ مناکیر
   Reference: (Al-Du’afa’ lil-Bukhari: 148)

   , وقال: منکر الحدیث انا لا اروی عنہ شیئا

2. Abu Hatim: محلہ الصدق وفی حدیثہ بعض الاضطراب
3. An-Nasa’i: احد الفقہاء لیس بالقوی فی الحدیث (الضعفاء: ۲۵۲)
4. Abu Zur’ah al-Razi: ذکرہ فی الضعفاء
   Reference: (633/2)
5. Al-‘Uqaili: ذکرہ فی الضعفاء
   Reference: (140/2)

According to the majority, Sulaiman bin Musa is trustworthy and truthful (he is also a narrator of Sahih Muslim), therefore there is no weakness in this hadith due to him that would make it unacceptable. “خولط بیسیر قبل موتہ” is also not proven, and here it is non-detrimental.

ابوداؤد remained silent on this hadith, therefore according to the principle of تھانوی صاحب, this narration is valid for use in argumentation. شیخ البانی said about this narration:

“رواہ ابوداؤد (۷۵۹) باسناد صحیح عنہ”

Warning

According to us, this narration is weak due to being mursal, because طاؤس

are Tabi‘een and students of Ibn Abbas and others. Mursal narration is considered weak in our tradition.

• However, according to the opposing party, mursal is a valid proof. Zafar Ahmad Usmani Sahib said:
  “قلت: والمرسل حجۃ عندنا”
  ( (A‘laa al-Sunan Vol. 1, p. 82)
• Also, this narration has been presented as supporting evidence.
  Reference: (See Muqaddimah Ibn al-Salah p. 38, discussion on mursal)

Another narration (Chain of Bayhaqi)

narrates from محمد بن حجر الحضرمی that:

“حدثنا سعید بن عبدالجبار بن وائل بن حجر عن ابیہ عن امہ عن وائل بن حجر قال: حضرتُ رسول اللہ ﷺ۔۔۔ ثم وضع یمینہ علی یسراہ علی صدرہ”

This narration is very weak because the narrations of محمد بن حجر are rejected, the authentication of امِ عبدالجبار is unknown, and سعید بن عبدالجبار is also criticized.

According to Zafar Ahmad Thanawi Sahib, these narrators (محمد بن حجر اور سعید بن عبدالجبار) differ in their reliability.

• According to Thanawi Sahib’s principle, مختلف فیہ راوی is at least Hasan (good) in hadith grading.
• The unknown status of Umm ‘Abd al-Jabbar does not affect them, because Thanawi Sahib states:

  “والجہالۃ فی القرون الثلاثۃ لا یضر علینا”

  Reference: (A‘laa al-Sunan 161/3)

Summary of the Investigation

• The narration with قبیصہ بن ہلب is حسن لذاتہ in terms of chain, and based on supporting evidence reaches the level of صحیح لغیرہ.
• This entire investigation makes it clear that in prayer, for both men and women, folding the hands سینے پر is Sunnah.
  واللہ الموفق

Final Warning (Author Ibn Abi Shaybah and an Additional Phrase)

It is necessary to mention a mistake or scholarly betrayal by some Deobandi scholars. In recent times, مصنف ابن ابی شیبہ has been published by Idarat al-Quran wal-Uloom al-Islamia (Karachi). In it, a hadith is printed as follows:

وضع یمینہ علی شمالہ فی الصلوٰۃ تحت السرۃ

Whereas in the older printed editions of مصنف ابن ابی شیبہ

, the ending of this hadith is at “علی شمالہ فی الصلوٰۃ” and the words “تحت السرۃ” are not present at all.

• These words are not found in the author’s old manuscripts. Allama Muhammad Hayat Sindhi also wrote in
  Reference: ‘Aun al-Ma’bud (462/2)

  that he did not find these words in the author’s manuscript.

• The author’s handwritten manuscript available at Ustadh Muhtaram Syed Muhibullah Shah Rashidi’s Maktaba Amira is also free from this addition.
• Anwar Shah Kashmiri writes:

  “فانی راجعت ثلاث نسخ للمصنف فما وجدتہ فی واحدۃ منھا”

  Reference: (Faiz al-Bari 267/2)
• Meaning, I have seen three handwritten manuscripts of Ibn Abi Shaybah, and in none of them are these words (“تحت السرۃ”) present.

1. This narration is also found through Imam Waki’
   Reference: Musnad Ahmad (316/4 H18846), Sharh al-Sunnah (30/3 H569), Sunan Dar Qutni (286/1 H1088)

   , where the words of “تحت السرۃ” are not present.

2. Reference: Sunan Nasai (125/2, 126 H888) and Sunan Dar Qutni (286/1 H1091)

   mention that Abdullah bin Mubarak followed Waki’, and there too these words are not found.

3. Abu Nu’aym al-Fadl bin Dukain narrated the same hadith from Musa bin Umair without “تحت السرۃ”.
   Reference: (Kitab al-Ma’rifah wa al-Tarikh by al-Farsi 121/3, al-Sunan al-Kubra 28/2, al-Mu’jam al-Kabir by al-Tabarani 9/22 H1, Tahdhib al-Kamal 499/18)
4. If these words were originally present, the earlier Hanafi scholars
   Reference: (Tahawi, Ibn Turkamani, and Ibn Hummam, etc.)

   would certainly have mentioned them.

• An-Nawawi, Ibn Hajar, and others are also silent on this.
• Therefore, the Idarah al-Quran wa al-Ulum al-Islamiyyah should clarify from which manuscript they derived these words of “تحت السرۃ”, because these words are not found in any ancient authentic manuscript.

Historical Background

• In the ninth century, قاسم بن قطلوبغا حنفی
  Reference: (whom Al-Buqai called liars, see Al-Daw’ Al-Lami’ 186/6)

  for the first time inserted these words on their own in the author Ibn Abi Shaybah.

• Now the Idarah al-Quran wal-Uloom al-Islamiyyah (Deobandiyyah) has included these fabricated words in the text, even though in نیموی نے آثار السنن this addition was considered unreliable.
• On the other hand, the narration of Ibn Khuzaymah “علی صدرہ” is present in all copies and has also come with the words of “عند صدرہ” in مسند بزار.
  Reference: (See Fath al-Bari 178/2)

Supplication

اللھم ارنا الحق حقاً وارزقنا اتباعہ وارنا الباطل باطلاً وارزقنا اجتنابہ، آمین