Raising the hands in prayer

26-2-2004 | IslamWeb

Question:

What is the way according to the Sunnah to raise hands: When (while) rising from Ruku’ or after rising from Ruku’? How the hands should be raised: all the time (if rising from Ruku’) until completely straightening up or only once (putting them down before straightening up)?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

 

Raising hands in prayer is in three places as it is confirmed in Saheeh Al-Bukhari and Muslim, from the Hadeeth of Ibn 'Umar the text of which is as follows:

"The Prophet used to raise his hands to the level of his shoulders when beginning the prayer, when saying Allaahu Akbar when bowing down, and when standing up from Rukoo’ (bowing down position)."

Ibn Hajar said: "The majority of the scholars agreed on this, except the scholars of Koofah (Iraq)."

Besides, Ibn 'Abdul Bar said: "No one reported from Maalik that the Prophet used to pray without raising hands, apart from Ibn Al-Qaassim. The view we adopt is raising hands, according to the Hadeeth of Ibn 'Umar ; this is also the Hadeeth narrated by Ibn Wahab and others reported by Maalik, and nobody else reported from Maalik other than At-Tirmithi."

As regards when it is permissible to raise the hands; this is a matter which is easy. Al-Albaani said under the title “Raising hands”: "He (the Prophet ) used to raise his hands sometimes when saying ‘Allaahu Akbar’, sometimes after saying ‘Allaahu Akbar’, and sometimes before saying ‘Allaahu Akbar’ "

Allaah Knows best.