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THE PLACING OF THE HANDS INPRAYER DURING THE QIYAAM
Below is a translation from ýTuhfatul Ahwadhee bi sharh Jaami at-Tirmidheeý by Mubaarakfooree (rahimahullah), on the issue of where to place ones hands in prayer, (vol. 2, pp. 74+)
[Start of Quote from at-Tirmidhee]
"Chapter: what occurs with regards to placing the right hand upon the left in prayer
ý....and some of them were of the opinion that you place them above the navel, and some below the navel. And all of this was flexible according to them.ý [End of quote from at-Tirmidhee]
His saying, ýAnd all of this was flexible according to them (wa kullu dhaalik waasiýun ýindahum)ý
Itýs clear meaning is that the difference of opinion between them over placing the hands above or below the navel is one of choice and excellence. And know that the ahaadeeth and narrations that occur on this subject differ, and due to this there occurred a difference amongst the Imaams, may Allaah have mercy upon them. Here I shall mention the evidences (for each opinion) in 3 sections, alongwith an explanation of what is for them and against them.
Section One:
In explanation of the one who holds to placing the hands below the navel, and they stick to the following ahaadeeth:
1) The hadeeth of Waýil bin Hujr (radiAllahu anhu) reported by ibn Abee Shaybah in his ýMusannafý from Wakeeý from Musa bin Umar from ýAlqama bin Wail Bin Hujr from his father who said, ýI saw the Prophet (sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam) placing his right hand over his left below the navel.ý
al-Haafidh al-Qaasim bin Qatloobagaa said in his ýTakhreej Ahaadeeth al-Ikhtiyaar Sharh al-Mukhtaarý - ýthis sanad is good.ý
ash-Shaykh Abu at-Tayyib al-Madanee said in ýSharh at-Tirmidheeý - ýThis hadeeth is strong from the point of view of the sanad.ý
ash-Shaikh Aabid as-Sindee said in ýTawaali al-Anwaarý - ýitýs narrators are trustworthy.ý
I say: even if the isnaad of this hadeeth is good, affirming the words, ýbelow the navelý poses a serious problem.
Ash-Shaikh Muhammad Hayat as-Sindee said in his book, ýFath al-Ghafoor,ý ýthe addition, "below the navel", is problematic, in fact it is a mistake arising from neglect. For I checked the authentic text of the ýMusannafý and I saw this hadeeth in it with this sanad, with this wording but without the additional wording, "below the navel". After this hadeeth is mentioned the narration of an-Nakhaýi and itýs wording is close to the wording of this hadeeth, and at itýs conclusion are the words, "below the navel." So maybe the sight of the scribe (of the texts of the ýMusannafý) slipped from one place to the other and interpolated the wording of the mawqoof narration into the marfuý narration (as occurs in some of the texts of the ýMusannafý)ý
And the writer of ýad-Durra fee Adhýhaar Gash Naqd as-Surraý said, ýand as for the hadeeth of Wail which is depended upon, reported by ibn Abee Shaybah, then there is a lot of discussion on this hadeeth. For ibn Abee Shaybah reported this hadeeth, and after it narrated the narration of an-Nakhaýi and the wording of the two is close, and at the conclusion of the wording of the narration are the words, "below the navel." So the texts (of the ýMusannafý) differ, and in some of them occurs the mention of the hadeeth without specifying the place of the hands followed with the narration of an-Nakhaýi, and in other texts the hadeeth is mentioned with the additional wording without the narration of an-Nakhaýi following it. So it is possible that the addition arises from negligence on the part of the scribe (of the ýMusannafý) by his interpolating the wording of the narration into the hadeeth. Just as it is possible that the absence of the wording "below the navel" in the earlier texts (of the ýMusannafý arises from neglect of the writer). But the differing in this way shows that the wording of the narration got interpolated into the hadeeth.ý
I say: and the saying of these scholars is supported by the fact that Ahmad relates the hadeeth with the same sanad as ibn Abee Shaybah and the addition does not occur in it. So in the ýMusnadý of Ahmad occurs, Wakeeý narrated to us from Musa bin Umar al-ýInbaree from ýAlqama bin Wail al-Hadramee from his father who said, ýI saw the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam) placing his right hand upon his left in prayer.ý
And ad-Daaruqutnee also relates this hadeeth with the same sanad as ibn Abee Shaybah and there is no mention of the addition in it: al-Husain bin Ismaaýeel and Uthmaan bin Jaýfar bin Muhammad al-Ahwad both related to us from Yusuf bin Musa from Wakeeý from Musa bin Umar al ýInbaree from ýAlqama bin Wail al-Hadramee from his father who said, ýI saw the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam) placing his right hand upon his left in the prayer.ý
And this is also supported by the fact that ibn Turkamaanee, the Shaykh of al-Haafidh az-Zaylaýi mentioned in his ýal-Jawharý two weak hadeeth to support his madhab where he said, ýIbn Hazm said, "it is reported to us from Abu Hurayra who said, ýplace the hand upon the hand below the navel.ý And from Anas who said, ýthree are from the manners of the Prophethood: hastening the iftaar, delaying the suhoor, and placing the right hand upon the left below the navel in the prayer.ý"ý
And before these two hadeeth he quotes the narration of Abu Majliz in the ýMusannafý of ibn Abee Shaybah, ýIbn Abee Shaybah said in his ýMusannafý from Yazeed bin Haaroon from al-Hajjaaj bin Hisaan who said I heard Abu Majliz or I asked him, "how do I place (my hands)?" He said, "place the palm of the right hand on the back of the left hand below the navel"ý
And he does not quote any other narration from the ýMusannafý of ibn Abee Shaybah, and it is clear that the narration of Waýil in which the addition, ýbelow the navelý occurs was not in there. And if it was there with this addition then ibn Turkamaanee would have quoted it, for it is inconceivable that he would mention two daýeef hadeeth to support his madhab, and quote the narration of Abu Majliz from the ýMusannafý, and not quote the marfuý hadeeth of Waýil with this addition present and itýs saheeh sanad.
And this is also supported by the fact that ash-Shaikh Muhammad Hayat as-Sindee said in his letter, ýFath al-Ghafoorý, ýthat more than one of the Companions of Hadeeth reported this hadeeth and there was no mention of the words, "below the navel", in fact I have not seen or heard any of the people of knowledge mention this hadeeth with this addition except al-Qaasim.
And this is ibn Abd al-Barr the Haafidh of his time saying in ýat-Tamheed', ýand ath-Thawri and Abu Haneefah said, "below the navel" and this is narrated from Alee and Ibraaheem an-Nakhaýi but it is not authentic from them.ý
So if this authentic hadeeth with this additional wording was in the ýMusannafý he would have mentioned it because he often quotes from the ýMusannafý in this chapter and others.
And this ibn Hajr, the Haafidh of his time, saying in his ýFathý, ýand ibn Khuzaimah reported from Waýil that he placed them upon his chest, and in al-Bazzaar (the wording is) near his chest (ýinda sadrihi), and Ahmad reports a similar hadeeth from the hadeeth of Halb.ý
And he says in the ýTakhreej al-Hidaayahý that the narration of Alee is daýeef, and is contradicted by the hadeeth of Wail bin Hujr, "I prayed with the Messenger of Allaah(sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam)and he placed his right hand upon his left on his chest."
And he indicates this in ýTakhreej Ahaadeeth ar-Raafiýee.ý So if this addition was present in the ýMusannafý he would have mentioned it, and his books are replete with ahaadeeth and narrations.
And this is as-Suyutee, the Haafidh of his time, saying in ýWadhaaýif al-Yawn wa al-Lailý, ýhe used to place his right hand upon his left and place them firmly on his chest.ý
And he mentioned in his ýJaami al-Kabeerý about eight hadeeth of Wail from the ýMusannafý and the wording of some of them is, ýI saw the Prophet (sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam) place his right hand upon his left in prayer.ý And this is the wording that the author of ýNaqd as-Surraý mentioned with the addition, ýbelow the navelý and if this addition was present then as-Suyutee would have mentioned it.
And this is al-Aini saying in the commentary of Bukhaaree, ýash-Shaafiýee relied upon the hadeeth of Waýil bin Hujr reported by ibn Khuzaimah in his ýSaheehý who said, "I prayed behind the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam) and he placed his right hand upon his left on his chest." And our Hanafee scholars seek support with evidences that are not strong (ghayru watheeqa).ý
So if this addition was present in the ýMusannafý he would have mentioned it, and his works are replete with quotes from it.
And this is ibn Ameer al-Haaj, who outdid his shaykh ibn al-Hammaam in research and depth of investigation, saying in ýSharh al-Maniyyahý, ýwhat is established in the Sunnah is to place the right hand upon the left in prayer, and there is no authentic hadeeth that establishes the place of placing them on the body except the aforementioned hadeeth of Waýil.ý
So if this hadeeth were present with this addition, Ibn Ameer al-Haaj would have mentioned it especially since his commentaries are overflowing with quotes from the ýMusannaf ." [End of quote from as-Sindee]
I say (in conclusion): the aforementioned hadeeth of Wail bin Hujr even though itýs sanad is good, there is a severe problem in affirming the wording, ýbelow the navelý as you have come to know.
2) The hadeeth of Alee (radiAllahu anhu) reported by Abu Dawood, Ahmad, ibn Abee Shaybah, ad-Daaruqutnee, al-Bayhaqee and Abu Juhayfah that Alee said, ýthe Sunnah is to place the hand upon the hand below the navel.ý
I say: itýs isnaad contains Abd ar-Rahmaan Ishaaq al-Waasitee, and this hadeeth revolves around him. And he is daýeef and it is not correct to depend upon him.
al-Haafidh az-Zaylaýi said in ýNasb ar-Raayahý after mentioning this hadeeth, ýibn Qattaan said, "Abd ar-Rahmaan bin Ishaaq, he is ibn al-Harb Abu Shaybah al-Waasitee and ibn Hanbal and Abu Haatim said about him, "rejected in hadeeth." And ibn Maýeen said, "he is nothing." And Bukhaaree said, "there is a problem in him." And al-Bayhaqee said in ýal-Maýrifahý, "itýs isnaad is not authentic, And ar-Rahmaan bin Ishaaq al-Waasitee is alone in reporting it and he is abandoned." And an-Nawawee said in ýal-Khulaasaý and ýSharh Saheeh Muslimý, "and it is a hadeeth which is weak by agreement for Abd ar-Rahmaan bin Ishaaq is weak by agreement."ý
Shaikh ibn al-Hammaam said in ýat-Tahreerý, ýwhen al-Bukhaaree says about someone, "there is a problem in him" then his hadeeth are not depended upon or used for support, or given any consideration.ý {1}
So when you come to know all of this, it becomes clear that this hadeeth of Alee is not to be depended upon, or used as support or given any consideration. Then it also contradicts the tafseer of Alee to the saying of Allaah, "wanhar" that he placed his hand upon the center of his left forearm and placed them upon his chest - reported by al-Bayhaqee, ibn Abee Shaybah, ibn al-Mundhir, ibn Abee Haatim, ad-Daaruqutnee, Abu ash-Shaykh, al-Haakim and ibn Mardawiyyah as in ýad-Durra al-Manthoorý. {2}
al-Faadil Mulla al-Haddaad said in ýHaashiyah al-Hidaayahý, ýso when the hadeeth of placing the hands below the navel is weak, and contradicts the narration of Alee that he explained His saying, "wanhar", by placing the right hand upon his left on his chest then it is obligatory to act upon the hadeeth of Waýil which an-Nawawee mentioned. Then this (daýeef) hadeeth of Alee is also to be considered abrogated according to the way of the Hanafiyyah. The author of ýad-Durra fee Idhýhaar Gash Naqd as-Surraý, and he is Hanafee in madhab, said, "Abu Dawood reports on the authority of Jarir ad-Dabbi that he said, ýI saw Alee placing his right hand upon his left wrist above the navel.ý So the principle of our scholars is that when the Companion acts contrary to what he narrates then this indicates the abrogation of what is narrated.ý
I say: the isnaad of the narration of Alee, I mean the one that Abu Dawood relates from Jarir ad-Dabbi is saheeh as you will come to know.
3) The hadeeth of Abu Hurayra reported by Abu Dawood from Abu Waaýil who said, ýAbu Hurayra said, hold the hand with the hand below the navel.ý
I say: the isnaad of this hadeeth also contains Abd ar-Rahmaan bin Ishaaq al-Waasitee. So this hadeeth is also not fit to depend upon, or use as a support or give any consideration to as you have just come to know.
4) The hadeeth that ibn Hazm mentions in ýal-Muhallaý in taýleeq form from Anas with the wording, ýthree are from the manners of the Prophethood: hastening the iftaar, delaying the suhoor, and placing the right hand upon the left below the navel in the prayer.ý
I say: I have not come across the sanad of this hadeeth, and the Hanafee scholars mention it in their books and depend upon it but they do not mention itýs isnaad. And if the isnaad of something is not known then it is not correct to depend upon it, or use it as support or give it any consideration.
The author of ýad-Durraý said, ýand as for the hadeeth of Anas, "from the manners of the Prophethood is placing the right hand upon the left below the navel" about which al-Aini said that it is reported by ibn Hazm, then itýs sanad is not known so as to look into itýs narrators and see if they are acceptable or not. And this hadeeth has been reported by more than one of the Muhadditheen without the addition, "below the navel", and an addition (to the wording of a hadeeth) is only acceptable from known and reliable narrators.ý
Ash-Shaikh Haashim as-Sindee said in his letter, ýDiraahim as-Surraý, ýand from them is what az-Zaahidee mentioned in his ýSharh al-Qudooreeý, and ibn Ameer al-Haaj and ibn Najeem mentioned in ýal-Bahr ar-Raaýiqý, that it is reported from the Prophet(sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam), "three are from the habit of the Messengers: hastening the iftaar, delaying the suhoor, and placing the right hand upon the left below the navel in prayer." He said: I have not come across the sanad to this hadeeth except that az-Zaahidee added that it is reported by Alee bin Abu Taalib (radiAllahu anhu) {3} from the Prophet (sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam). But ibn Ameer al-Haaj and ibn Najeem said, "that the reporters of hadeeth do not know the wording, ýbelow the navelý from a marfoo or mawqoof narration."ý
So these ahaadeeth that are depended upon to place the hands below the navel as you have come to know that none of them are correct to use as evidence.
Section 2:
In mention of the one who sticks to holding the hands above the navel.
I have not come across a marfuý hadeeth that lends evidence to this position. Yes there is the narration of Alee (radiAllahu anhu) which indicates this, as reported by Abu Dawood in his ýSunaný from Jareer ad-Dabbi who said, ýI saw Alee grasping his left wrist with his right hand above the navel.ý
I say: this isnaad is saheeh or hasan, but it is the action of Alee and is not marfuý. Also the clear meaning of his saying, ýabove the navelý is a place raised from the navel, i.e. upon the chest or near the chest, as occurs in the hadeeth of Waýil bin Hujr and the hadeeth of Halb at-Taaýee and the mursal of Tawwoos, and these three ahaadeeth will follow. And this interpretation is supported by his (radiAllahu anhu) tafseer of His saying, "wanhar" by placing the hands upon the chest in the prayer as has preceded.
Section 3:
In mention of the one who holds to placing the hands upon the chest.
These depend on some ahaadeeth, from them the hadeeth of Waýil bin Hujr who said, ýI prayed with the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam) and he placed his right hand upon his left on his chest in the prayer.ý
Reported by ibn Khuzaimah, and this hadeeth is authentic, authenticated by ibn Khuzaimah as was made clear by ibn Sayyid an-Naas in his ýSharh at-Tirmidhee.ý
ash-Shaikh Muhammad Qaaýim as-Sindee al-Hanafee acknowledges this in his letter, ýFawz al-Kiraamý that this hadeeth fulfills the conditions of ibn Khuzaimah where he says, ýI believe that this hadeeth fulfills the conditions of ibn Khuzaimah, and this is strongly suggested in the manner of al-Haafidh in ýal-Ittihaafý, and is obvious from the words of ibn Sayyid an-Naas after he mentioned the hadeeth of Waýil bin Hujr in ýSharh at-Tirmidheeý - "and ibn Khuzaimah authenticated it".ý
ibn Ameer al-Haaj, who outdid his shaykh ibn al-Hammaam in research and depth of investigation, said in ýSharh al-Minniyyahý, ýWhat is established in the Sunnah is to place the right hand upon the left in prayer, and there is no authentic hadeeth that establishes the place of placing them on the body except the aforementioned hadeeth of Waýil.ý
And this was likewise said by the author of ýal-Bahr ar-Raaýiqý as is found in ýFath al-Ghafoorý of Shaikh Hayat as-Sindee.
ash-Shawkanee said in ýNailý, ýand ibn Khuzaimah reported in his ýSaheehý and authenticated it.ý
al-Haafidh said in ýFath al-Baareeý{4}, ýand he did not mention (i.e. Sahl bin Saýd) the place to put them on the body. And ibn Khuzaimah reported from Waýil that "he placed them upon his chest", and in al-Bazzaar (the wording is) "near his chest" (ýinda sadrihi), and Ahmad reports a similar hadeeth from the hadeeth of Halb. And in the ýZawaaýid al-Musnadý is the hadeeth of Alee that he placed his hands below the navel and itýs isnaad is daýeef.ý
And it is clear from the words of al-Haafidh that he considered the hadeeth of Waýil to be saheeh or hasan, because he mentioned here three hadeeth for the purpose of appointing the place where the hands are to be placed: the hadeeth of Waýl, the hadeeth of Halb and the hadeeth of Alee. And he declared the hadeeth of Alee to be daýeef, and was silent about the hadeeth of Waýil and Halb, and if these were also weak according to him then he would have made that clear...And also al-Haafidh made clear in ýad-Diraayahý, after mentioning the hadeeth of Waýil reported by ibn Khuzaimah, ýit is in Muslim without the words, "upon his chest"ý.
So it is clear from the words of al-Haafidh that this hadeeth is reported in Muslim, with the same text and sanad, but without mentioning where the hands were to be placed.
In conclusion the hadeeth of Waýil bin Hujr is saheeh and acceptable to depend upon and to derive evidence that placing the hands on the chest in prayer is totally correct.
And from the ahaadeeth that these scholars depend upon is the hadeeth of Halb at-Taaýee reported by Imaam Ahmad in his ýMusnadý that Yahya bin Saýeed narrated to us from Sufyaan, from Samaak bin Qabeesa bin Halb from his father that, ýI saw the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam) turn from his left to right, and place these on his chest, and Yahya al-Yamanee depicted this by placing the right hand upon the left (on the chest) above the level of the elbows.ý
And the narrators of this hadeeth are all trustworthy, and the isnaad is linked ....[biographies of the narrators omitted]....and the author of ýAathar as-Sunaný acknowledged that it was hasan, so to derive evidence from this that the place for the hands in prayer is on the chest is correct.
And from the ahaadeeth these scholars depend upon is the hadeeth of Tawoos reported by Abu Dawood in ýal-Maraaseelý who said, ýAbu Tawba narrated to us from al-Haytham i.e. ibn Humaid from Thawr from Sulaiman bin Musa from Tawoos who said, ýThe Messenger of Allaah (sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam) placed his right hand upon his left and placed them firmly upon his chest while in prayer.ý{5}
And this hadeeth is found in some of the texts of Abu Dawood. al-Haafidh al-Mizzi said in ýal-Atraafý under the letter ýtaaý from the book ýal-Maraaseelý, ýthe hadeeth is reported by Abu Dawood in ýKitaab al-Maraaseelý and this was likewise stated by al-Bayhaqee in ýal-Maýrifahý. And the hadeeth of Tawoos is mursal, because Tawoos is a Taabiýee (so he could not have seen the Messenger(sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam) and itýs isnaad is hasan. And the mursal hadeeth is considered a proof with Abu Hanifah and Maalik and Ahmad in general. And according to Shaafiýee it is a proof when supported by something that occurs via another route that builds upon the first route be it musnad or mursal. And this mursal hadeeth is supported by the aforementioned hadeeth of Waýil and Halb at-Taaýiee. So deriving evidence from these to place the hands upon the chest in prayer is correct.{6}
Addendum: Some of the Hanafiyyah try to claim that the hadeeth of Waýil is mudtarib (confused/confounded) because ibn Khuzaimah reports this hadeeth with the wording ýupon the chestý and al-Bazzar with the wording ýnear the chestý and ibn Abee Shaybah with the wording ýbelow the navelý.
I say: it is firmly established in the Usul of Hadeeth that if the hadeeth simply differs in itýs wordings then this does not necessitate idtiraab. Rather from itýs conditions is that the different aspects of the narrations be equivalent in authenticity, so if one of the narrations is found to be stronger then it takes precedence, and if they are equivalent then one can find a reconciliation according to the principles of the Scholars of hadeeth. {7}
And in this case the aspects of difference are not equivalent, for indeed affirming the wording of Ibn Abee Shaybah ýbelow the navelý poses a serious problem as has preceded. And as for the wording of ibn Khuzaimah, ýupon the chestý, and the wording of al-Bazzar, ýnear the chestý, then the first is stronger and takes precedence over the second, the reason being that the first has supports with the hadeeth of Halb and the mursal of Tawoos, contrary to the second for it has no witnesses.......and even if we were to accept that they were equivalent then a reconciliation is possible - that the two narrations were reported with regards to two different prayers. And similar to this difference is the difference of the wording of the ahaadeeth to do with raising the hands to the level of the shoulders or to the level of the ears. [i.e. the narrations depict different prayers and it is permissible to do either/or]. So the saying of the Hanafiyyah that the hadeeth of Waýil is mudtarib is not to be given any attention.
[the next three pages (83-85) go on to refute the claim of the Hanafiyyah that the hadeeth of Waýil is shaadh (odd/irregular) and why the narrations here are not shaadh and the hadeeth of ibn Masud ýthen he did not repeat thatý is]{8}
End of commentary .
FOOTNOTES:
{1} See also ýIrwaa al-Ghaleelý (no.353)
{2} al-Albaanee discusses this narration of Alee (radiAllahu anhu) in his introduction to the first edition of the new print of ýSifah as-Salaahý (pp14-17) and declares it correct to use as a witness.
{3} This is the narration that the author of ýAlbani Unveiledý quotes as ýproofý on pg. 34 of the book, may Allaah guide him!
{4} Fath al-Baaree 2/285 Chapter: Placing the right hand upon the left. The hadeeth of Sahl bin Saýd is: ýthe people were commanded that a person place the right hand on the back of the left hand in the Prayer.ý
{5} After mentioning this hadeeth in ýSunan Abu Dawoodý 1/194 no.758 there occurs a footnote taken from ýAwn al-Maýboodý, "...according to the traditionists (Ahlul Hadeeth) the tradition is sound. Hence the folding hands on the chest in prayer, in their opinion, is the established Sunnah of the Prophet (sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam). The traditions regarding the folding of hands above or below the navel are not established as coming from the Prophet (sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam)." (1/275-77)
This footnote occurs directly after the quote that the author of ýAlbani Unveiledý mentions on page 33, why does he not bother to quote this?
{6} The discussion on the hadeeth of Halb and Tawoos can be found in the aforementioned introduction to ýSifah as-Salahý pg13-14.
{7} See also the discussion of al-Albaanee on this principle, and likewise his refutation to the above claim on p16 of the intro to ýSifah as-Salaahý (AR.)
{8} So yet again we can see the truth of al-Albaaneesý claim that, "To place them on the chest is what is proved in the Sunnah, and all that is contrary to it is either daýeef or totally baseless.ý And it is strange that the author of ýAlbani Unveiledý expects al-Albaanee to give every daýeef hadeeth on the issue! This is not the case, and it is not required for al-Albaanee to relate the daýeef and baseless hadeeth, rather it is required upon him to relate the authentic ahaadeeth on the issue as he does in the main text.
Love for Ahlus-Sunnah wa Hadeeth Aboo Zaahid
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jalil.meekins
02-06-2010 @ 1:19 AM
