The PR

‫أف ل ال ولين‬
‫في م أل رفع الي ين‬

‫تأليف‬
‫بن ف ر‬ ‫ع‬
The Preferred Opinion

Regarding the Issue of Rafʿ al-Yadayn
By ʿUthmān bin Fār”q
The )ssue of Raf al-Yadayn ‫م أل رفع الي ين‬
Contents
Introduction ‫ م م‬................................................................................................... 4
About the Author ................................................................................................... 8
Acknowledgements ............................................................................................... 9
Legend .................................................................................................................. 10
Glossary ................................................................................................................ 11
Evidences Against Performing of Rafʿ al-Yadayn .............................................. 14
The Ḥadīth attributed to )bn Mas ”d Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn: ................... 14
Summary Grading: Ḥadīth of )bn Mas ”d Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn: ............ 23
The Ḥadīth Attributed to Barā bin Āzib Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn: ............ 23
Summary Grading: Ḥadīth of Barā bin Āzib Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn: ...... 30
The Ḥadīth attributed to Umar bin al-Khattāb Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn: .. 33
Summary Grading: Ḥadīth of Umar Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn: .................... 36
The Ḥadīth Attributed to Alī bin Abī Tālib Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn: ......... 36
Summary Grading: Ḥadīth of Alī bin Abī Tālib Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn: .. 39
The Mawq”f Ḥadīth Attributed to )bn Umar Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn: ..... 42
Summary Grading: Ḥadīth of )bn Umar Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn:.............. 46
The Ḥadīth Attributed to )bn Abbās Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn: ................... 48
Summary Grading: Ḥadīth of )bn Abbās Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn:............. 50
The Marf” Ḥadīth Attributed to )bn Umar Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn: ........ 52
Summary Grading: Marf” Ḥadīth of )bn Umar Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn: . 54
The Ḥadīth Attributed to Abbād bin Zubair Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn:....... 55
Summary Grading: Ḥadīth of Abbād bin Zubair Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn: 56
The Ḥadīth of Jābir bin Samurah Reported in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: ...................... 58
Summary: The Ḥadīth of Jābir bin Samurah ................................................. 63
The Supposed Conversation Between al-Awzā ī and Ab” Ḥanīfah ............. 65
Summary Grading: Conversation Between al-Awzā ī and Ab” Ḥanīfah ..... 68
Summary Regarding all the Proofs Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn: .......................... 68
Aḥādīth Confirming the Practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn........................................... 71
The Ḥadīth of )bn Umar Confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn .................................... 73
Summary Grading: Ḥadīth of )bn Umar Confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn........... 81
The Ḥadīth of Mālik bin Ḥuwairith Confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn: .................. 83
Summary Grading: Ḥadīth of Mālik bin Ḥuwairith ....................................... 85
2 ‫ م م‬Introduction |
The Ḥadīth of Wāìl bin Ḥujr Confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn. ............................ 87
Summary Grading: Ḥadīth of Wāìl bin Ḥujr Confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn .... 88
The Marf” Ḥadīth of Alī bin Abī Tālib Confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn. ............ 90
Summary Grading: Marf” Ḥadīth of Alī bin Abī Tālib. ................................ 92
The Marf” Ḥadīth of Jābir bin Abdullāh Confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn. ........ 94
Summary Grading: Ḥadīth of Jābir bin Abdullāh. ........................................ 96
The Ḥadīth of Ab” Ḥumaid and the Ten Confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn. .......... 97
Summary Grading: Ḥadīth of Ab” Ḥumaid and the Ten Companions. ........ 99
The Ḥadīth of Ab” (urayrah Confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn. .......................... 101
Summary Grading: Ḥadīth of Ab” (urayrah Confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn.. 103
The Ḥadīth of Anas bin Mālik Confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn. ......................... 105
Summary Grading: Ḥadīth of Anas bin Mālik Confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn. 107
Are the Aḥādīth Confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn Mutawātir? ................................ 109
Did Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬Ever Abandon Rafʿ al-Yadayn?....................................... 111
The Ṣaḥābah and the Issue of Rafʿ al-Yadayn. ................................................. 113
The Tābi ”n and the )ssue of Rafʿ al-Yadayn. .................................................. 117
The Ḥanafī Madh-hab and the Issue of Rafʿ al-Yadayn ................................... 120
The Mālikī Madh-hab and the Issue of Rafʿ al-Yadayn .................................... 123
The Shāfi ī Madh-hab and the Issue of Rafʿ al-Yadayn .................................... 126
The Ḥanbalī Madh-hab and the Issue of Rafʿ al-Yadayn ................................. 127
Other Madhāhib and the Issue of Rafʿ al-Yadayn ............................................ 129
Conclusion: The Final word on the Issue of Rafʿ al-Yadayn ........................... 130
Works Cited ....................................................................................................... 141
Introduction ‫مقدمة‬
،‫ ونعوذ باه من شرور أنفس ا ومن سيئات أعمال ا‬، ‫إن ا مد ه حمد ونستعي ه ونستغفر‬
‫ وأشهد أن ا إله إا اه وحد ا‬،‫ ومن يضلل فا هادي له‬،‫من يهد اه فا مضل له‬
‫شريك له وأشهد أن مداً عبد ورسوله‬
… ‫ أما بعد‬.‫والصاة والسام على نبي ا مد وعلى آله وصحبه أمعن‬
All gratitude and praise is due to Allāh, we seek (is help and forgiveness. We
seek refuge in Allāh from whatever evil our hearts conceal and from the
consequences of our evil deeds. Whoever Allāh grants guidance will never be
led astray. Whoever He leads astray will never find guidance. I attest that none
is worthy of worship except Allāh, who has no partners, and that Muḥammad
‫ ﷺ‬is His slave and Messenger. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet
Muḥammad ‫ ﷺ‬and his family and all his companions, to proceed:
Allāh ‫ سبحانه و تعالى‬has ordered us in the Qur ān:

ِ ‫ول فَ ُخ ُذو ُ َوَما نَ َها ُك ْم َع ْهُ فَانتَ ُهوا َوات ُقوا الل َه إِن الل َه َش ِدي ُد ال ِْع َق‬
‫اب‬ ُ ‫َوَما آتَا ُك ُم الر ُس‬
And whatever the Messenger has given you - take; and what he has
forbidden you - refrain from. And fear Allāh; indeed, Allāh is severe in
penalty. [ 1 ]
And Allāh ‫ سبحانه و تعالى‬has told us in the Qur ān:
ٌ‫سَة‬ ِ ِ ‫ل َق ْد َكا َن لَ ُكم فِى رس‬

َ ‫ُس َوةٌ َح‬
ْ ‫ول الله أ‬ َُ ْ
)ndeed in the Messenger of Allāh Muḥammad ‫ )ﷺ‬you have an
excellent example to emulate [ 2 ]
1
Qur ān :
2
Qur ān :
And Allāh ‫ سبحانه و تعالى‬has ordered us in the Qur ān:
ُ ‫ول فَِإن تَ َولوا فَِإن َما َعلَْي ِه َما ُح ِم َل َو َعلَْي ُكم ما ُح ِم ْلتُ ْم َوإِن تُ ِطيعُو‬ ِ ‫َطيعوا الله وأ‬
َ ‫َطيعُوا الر ُس‬ ََ ُ ‫أ‬
ِ
‫ين‬ِ ِ ِ
ُ ‫تَ ْهتَ ُدوا َوَما َعلَى الر ُسول إَ الْبَ ََغُ ال ُْمب‬
“Obey Allāh and obey the Messenger, but if you turn away, he (Mu ammad
‫ )ﷺ‬is only responsible for the duty placed on him (to convey Allāh's Message)
and you for that placed on you. If you obey him (Mu ammad ‫ )ﷺ‬you shall be
on the right guidance. The Messenger's duty is only to convey (the message) in
a clear way.” [ 3 ]
Allāh ‫ سبحانه و تعالى‬has warned us in the Qur ān:

‫اب أَلِي ٌم‬ ِ ‫صيب ُهم فِ ْت َةٌ أَو ي‬
ٌ ‫صيبَ ُه ْم َع َذ‬ ُ ْ
ِ ِ ِ ِ
َ ‫فَ لْيَ ْح َذ ِر الذ‬
ْ َ ُ‫ين يُ َخال ُفو َن َع ْن أ َْم ِر أَن ت‬
And let those who oppose the Messenger's commandment (i.e. His
Sunnah) beware, lest some Fitnah (afflictions) befall them or a painful
torment be inflicted on them. [ 4 ]
The above quoted ayāt from the (oly Qur ān are enough for the seeker of truth
to understand the importance of searching for and practicing the Sunnah of
our beloved Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. Those who oppose, reject or deny the Sunnah have
been promised trials and tribulations in this world and a painful torment in
the hereafter. This point was highlighted by our dear Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬himself,
when He ‫ ﷺ‬stated:
‫اذ ِذ‬ ِ ِ
ِ ‫اش ِدين الْم ْه ِديِين َعضوا َعلَْي َها بِال و‬ ِ ِ ِ‫فَ علَْي ُكم ب‬
َ َ َ َ ‫ َو ُس ة الْ ُخلَ َفاء الر‬، ‫س تي‬
ُ ْ َ
Upon you is to stick to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly-
guided Khulahfā after me, adhere to it (the Sunnah) and hold fast to it.
[5]
With the love for Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬and a desire to implement the Sunnah, a
student and dear friend of mine sent me an article on Rafʿ al-Yadayn. I found
3
Qur ān :
4
Qur ān :
5
Sunan Abī Dāw”d ḥadīth # , Jāmiʿ at-Tirmidhī ḥadīth # Ab” Na īm recorded it with
an authentic chain of narrators. It was also graded as Ṣaḥīḥ in Ṣaḥīḥ Sunan Abī Dāw”d.
it lacking in style and substance. The research was not scholastic at all. It was
lacking proper referencing, authenticity was not discussed except when
favorable to the author s opinion and the opposing view was not presented at
all. This method of writing is of no benefit to the one seeking the pleasure of
Allāh ‫سبحانه و تعالى‬.
I was requested by a number of friends and students to research the aḥādīth

and sayings of the great scholars of )slām on this issue and present my findings.
I assumed such a task had already been undertaken by those before me, having
more knowledge and greater abilities than myself, yet unfortunately I did not
find any such work in the English language. Hence I decided to take on this
task. The methodology utilized for this research was to examine the evidence
from both sides of the argument, and allow the stronger opinion to manifest
itself upon the basis of the clear and authentic evidences.
To ensure the accuracy of quotations, I have not relied upon any online
sources. Hence each reference is precisely quoted from an accredited, printed
manuscript. One may object as to why someone would dedicate so much time
and effort to researching, such an insignificant issue. Such a comment can
only come from someone who is deprived of the love of Ras”lullāh ‫ﷺ‬. To the
one who loves Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬no act of worship is insignificant and no Sunnah
is negligible. I have collected, presented and translated the valuable research
and commentaries of the great Muslim scholars of the past. Many of these
treasured gems of knowledge from the great scholars of )slām have never
before been presented to an English speaking audience.
I would also like to make it clear that the phrase ‫( رفع الي ين‬Rafʿ al-Yadayn) can
be literally translated as Raising of the two hands and in its linguistic
application can refer to any raising of the two hands. This includes the raising
of the hands at the initiation of the Ṣalāh (Prayer) or while making Du ā
(Supplication). Yet for the purpose of this article it will refer to the raising of
the two hands while going into the state of Ruk”ʿ and while rising up from it.
Since performing Rafʿ al-Yadayn while initiating the prayer is established by
)jmāʿ (consensus of the )slāmic scholars). What is being researched here is the
performance of the same Rafʿ al-Yadayn while going into Ruk”ʿ and rising up
from it.
In compiling this research, I have not restricted myself to the works of any one
madh-hab, rather I have made a conscious effort to bring forth the works of all
the well-known Madhāhib since all the four A immah (plural for )mām were
seekers of truth and great scholars of )slām. They were the foremost in
researching and adhering to the Sunnah.
Although the goal of this research was to compile, present and critically review
all evidence from both sides of this issue, I do not claim my research is
infallible. Perfection is a quality that only belongs to ‫س‬ ‫( ال‬al-Qud”s is one of the
names of Allāh, denoting perfection . Rather this is a humble attempt by a weak slave
of Allāh to present a clear and complete picture to those who want to practice
the true authentically established Sunnah of our beloved Prophet ‫ﷺ‬.
Therefore, any good in this research is from Allāh ‫ سب نه ت ل‬and any mistakes
or shortcomings are from myself. I ask Allāh ‫ت ل‬ ‫سب نه‬ to bless my effort,
accept it from me and make it a guide for every fair and open-minded reader.
May Allāh ‫ سب نه ت ل‬give us all the ability to pray as our beloved Prophet ‫ﷺ‬
prayed, in accordance with His ‫ ﷺ‬command:
‫ُصلِي‬ ِ
َ ‫صلوا َك َما َرأَيْ تُ ُموني أ‬
َ
Pray as you have seen me praying [ 6 ]
The weak slave of Allāh,
Ab” Yus”f Uthmān bin Fār”q al-Yus”fzaī
Research initiated Thursday, June 18, 2009 : ‫الخميس‬ ‫جم دى الث ني‬
Research completed Friday, April 21, : ‫الجمعة‬ ‫جم دى الث ني‬
Al-Madīnah al-Munawwarah, Al-Mamlakah al-ʿArabiyyah as-Suʿ”diʼʼah
6
a ī al-Bukh rī ḥadīth # 6734
About the Author
Ab” Yus”f Uthmān bin Fār”q al-Yus”fzaī is an ethnic Afghān belonging to the
Yus”fzaī tribe. (e was born in the blessed month of Ramaḍān (ijri in
)slāmābād, Pākistān. As a young child, he migrated with his parents to the
United Kingdom, and then would later settle in the United States.
At a young age he became active in the propagation of )slām. He spearheaded

efforts to organize the Muslim youth and organize )slāmic activities. In his
early twenties, he was inspired to seek )slāmic knowledge abroad by ash-
Shaikh Dr. Awad al-Gargurī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬. For the next ten years Uthmān bin Fār”q
would continue to balance his secular and )slāmic studies, earning a bachelor s
degree in Information Technology, an executive MBA in technology
management, while attaining traditional )jāzāt (accreditation) in classic
)slāmic texts from qualified )slāmic scholars, such as ash-Shaikh Dr. Yus”f
Misha al‫( ح ه ﷲ‬Ph.D. Umm al-Qura) and ash-Shaikh Dr. Sādiq al-Manna (Ph.D.
Umm al-Qura) ‫ ح ه ﷲ‬. His travels in search of )slāmic knowledge would take
him to Jordan, Sa”dī Arabia, Pākistān and the UAE. The author has attained
multiple )jāzāt in books of Ḥanbalī Fiqh, Uṣ”l al-Fiqh, Ḥadīth, Muṣṭalaḥ al-
Ḥadῑth and a Master s degree in Ḥadīth sciences. He is married and a loving
father of two sons, Yus”f and M”sā.
The Author compiled this book after the incessant struggle of over five years,
May Allāh reward him and accept this work from him.
Manṣ”r ash-Shīnwārī
Buraydah, the province of al-Qaṣīm

Al-Mamlakah al-ʿArabiyyah as-Suʿ”diʼʼah
8 About the Author |

Acknowledgements
First and foremost I want to praise and thank Allāh ‫سب نه ت ل‬, all praises are
due to Him alone, the Almighty, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Universe.
After that I would like to send the peace and blessing of Allāh upon our guide
and noble Prophet, Muḥammad ‫ﷺ‬, upon his family, all of his companions and
upon all those who adhere to his guidance and Sunnah until the Day of
Judgment.
I want to thank and dedicate this book to my mother, for her unremitting
support and Du ā (Supplication). Without a shadow of a doubt, she has been
a great support and inspiration for me. Every success I have achieved in entire
life, has been inspired by my mother and facilitated by her supplications.
I want to thank my wife for her emotional support and assistance in research.
Without her support I would not have been able to finish this work. I would
like to thank all my asātidhah (teachers) for their encouragement and support,
starting with ash-Shaikh Dr. Sādiq al-Manna ‫ح ه ﷲ‬ for teaching me and
inspiring me. I also want to thank ash-Shaikh Dr. Ubaid-ur-Raḥmān bin
Muḥammad Bashīr ‫ح هﷲ‬ for his support, review and input. I want to thank all
my friends and family members who helped in review and facilitated the
printing and publication of this book. I want to end with, what I began with,
praising and thanking my Lord, Allāh ‫ت ل‬ ‫سب نه‬, truly nothing can happen
without the will and permission of Allāh ‫سب نه ت ل‬.
9 |
Legend
In order to best illustrate the strength or weakness of a Ḥadīth charts have
been utilized. Following is a legend to explain the color coding developed to
show the grading of narrators of aḥādīth.
Yellow represents Gray represents Green represents White represents
extremely weak narrators who reliable narrators of the Ṣaḥābah who
narrators who are made mistakes in a lower standing, are all trustworthy,
not relied upon at narrating hence their narrations are reliable narrators.
all. they are not considered Ḥasan
reliable.
Red represents the Blue represents Light Green Black represents the
weakest narrators outright weak represents Thiqāt trustworthy
who are accused of narrators who are narrators who are narrators whose
being liars and not relied upon. not reliable but not narrations are
fabricators. outright weak. considered Ṣaḥīḥ.
Arabic names and terms have been translated and/or transliterated. The
following standard format was utilized for transliteration.
glottal stop ´
‫ٲ‬ A
B
T
Th
J
‫ح‬ ḥ
kh
D
dh
‫ر‬ R
Z
‫س‬ S
Sh
ṣ
‫ض‬ ḍh
ṭ
‫ظ‬ dh
gh
‫ف‬ F
Q
K
L
‫م‬ M
N
H
W
Y
long vowel a Ā
long vowel i Ī
long vowel u Ū
10 Legend |
Glossary
ْ ‫)أمير ْال‬: Meaning Commander of the Faithful or
Amīr al-Mu'minīn (‫مؤمنين‬
Leader of the believers. A title awarded to the leader of the Muslim
community.
Duʿā’ (‫) ع ء‬: Meaning invocation, Duʿā refers to an act of supplication. The
term is derived from an Arabic word meaning to call out or to summon.
Ḥadīth (‫ ح يث‬pl. ‫ أح يث‬aḥādīth): In )slāmic terminology, the term Ḥadīth refers

to recorded statements of, actions of, tacit approval or criticisms of something
said or done in the presence of the Prophet Muḥammad ‫ﷺ‬.
Ḥanābilah (‫)حن ب ة‬: The Madh-hab based on the teachings of )mām Aḥmad bin
Ḥanbal ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬. The Ḥanbalī Madh-hab in Fiqh emphasized greater dependence
on the two divine sources, the Qur ān and Sunnah, in the establishment of legal
theory.
Ḥanafīyyah ( ‫)ح ي‬: The Madh-hab based on the teachings of )mām Ab”
Ḥanīfah, Nu mān bin Thābit ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬. The Ḥanafī Madh-hab emphasized the role
of reason and enjoys a large following across the Muslim world.
Ḥaqq (‫)حق‬: The Arabic word for truth.
Ḥasan (‫)ح ن‬: Linguistically meaning good, Ḥasan is the name given to a
category of Ḥadīth when the authenticity is acceptable (Maqb”l , however, not
established to the degree of being Ṣaḥīḥ.
Isnād (‫)إسن د‬: The chain of the narrators each mentioning the wording of a
Ḥadīth from whom they heard if from until mentioning the originator of the
Matn or wording of the Ḥadīth.
Madh-hab ( ‫ مذه‬pl. ‫ مذاه‬maḏhāhib): In )slāmic terminology, the term Madh-

hab is used for a school of thought.
11 Glossary |
Mālikī (‫)م ل ي‬: The Madh-hab based on the teachings of Imām Mālik bin Anas
‫رح ه ﷲ‬. The Mālikī Madh-hab emphasized the role of the actions of the people
of Madīnah. The majority of northern Africa follows the Mālikī Madh-hab.
Marfūʿ ( ‫)م فو‬: In Ḥadīth terminology, the term Marf”ʿ is used to refer to a
Ḥadīth with a chain of the narrators reaching the Prophet Muḥammad ‫ﷺ‬.
Mawqūf (‫)موقوف‬: In Ḥadīth terminology, the term Mawq”f is used to refer to a

Ḥadīth with a chain of the narrators reaching a (Ṣaḥābī companion of the
Prophet Muḥammad ‫ ﷺ‬but not reaching the Prophet Muḥammad ‫ﷺ‬
himself.
Muʿtamad (‫)معتمد‬: The relied upon opinion of a school of thought.
Mutawātir ( ‫)م وات‬: A Mutawātir Ḥadīth is one which is reported via such a
large independent number of narrators that all of them together cannot be
expected to have made the same mistake or agree upon a lie.
Mustaḥab ( ‫)مستح‬: In )slāmic terminology, the term Mustaḥab refers to a

recommended, favored or virtuous action.
Rakʿah ( ‫)رك‬: A portion of the prescribed prayer that combines a ritual of

bows and prostrations with the recitation of prayers.
Rukūʿ ( ‫)ركو‬: In )slāmic terminology, the term Ruk”ʿ refers to the bowing down
position following the recitation of the Qur ān in the standing position while
praying.
Ṣaḥābah ( ‫)ص ب‬: (singular Ṣaḥābī) The term aṣ-Ṣaḥābah comes from the root
verb ‫ص ب‬, meaning to accompany or to keep company with. In )slāmic
terminology, the term Ṣaḥābah refers to the companions of the Prophet
Muḥammad ‫ﷺ‬.
Ṣaḥīḥ (‫)ص يح‬: In Ḥadīth terminology, the term Ṣaḥīḥ is used to refer to an
authentic Ḥadīth with a reliable chain of narrators and error free wording.
12 Glossary |
Shāfiʿī ( ‫)ال ف ي‬: The Madh-hab based on the teachings of )mām Muḥammad bin
Idrῑs ash-Shāfi ī i‫ رح ه ﷲ‬. The Shāfi ī Madh-hab has a large following from Africa
to Malaysia.
Sunnah ( ‫)س‬: The Arabic word Sunnah linguistically means a path or a

practice. In Ḥadīth terminology, the term Sunnah refers to any saying (Qawl),
action (fiʿl) or approval (taqrῑr) of the Prophet Muḥammad ‫ﷺ‬.
At-Tābiʿūn (‫)الت بع ن‬: (singular Tābiʿī) In )slāmic terminology the term at-
Tābiʿ”n refers to the generation of Muslims following the Ṣaḥābah. They are
usually called the Successors of the Companions of the Prophet Muḥammad
‫ﷺ‬.
Tābiʿ al-Tābiʿīn (‫)ت بع ال ب ين‬: In )slāmic terminology the term Tābiʿ al-Tābiʿīn
refers to the generation of Muslims following the Tābiʿ”n. They are usually
called the Successors of the Successors of the Companions of the Prophet
Muḥammad ‫ﷺ‬. All three of these generations, the Ṣaḥābah, the Tābiʿ”n and
the Tābiʿ al-Tābiʿīn are blessed generations. The Ṣaḥābah being the best of
them and then the Tābiʿ”n and then the Tābiʿ al-Tābiʿīn.
Takhrīj (‫يج‬ ‫)ت‬: The science of Ḥadīth extraction and authentication, including
validation of chains of transmitters of a Ḥadīth and it s grading by the scholars
who specialize in this science.
Thiqāt ( ‫)ث‬: In Ḥadīth terminology, the term Thiqāt refers to reliable

narrators in chains of transmission.
Wājib ( ‫) اج‬: In )slāmic terminology the term Wājib refers to actions which
are obligatory in )slāmic law.
13 |
Evidences Against Performing of Rafʿ al-Yadayn
The Ḥadīth attributed to Ibn Masʿ”d Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn:

The first Ḥadīth to be researched is the Ḥadīth attributed to Abdullāh bin
Mas ”d ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ه‬. This Ḥadīth has been recorded by )mām Ab” Dāw”d ‫رح ه ﷲ‬
in his Sunan[ 7 ], )mām Ab” Īsā at-Tirmidhī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬in his Jāmiʿ [ 8 ], )mām Ibn
Abī Shaybah ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬recorded it in his Muṣanaf [ 9 ], )mām aṭ-Ṭaḥāwī ‫رح ه ﷲ‬
recorded it in his Sharḥ Maʿānī al-Āthār[ 10 ]. )mām )bn Abī Shaybah [ 11 ]‫رح ه ﷲ‬
and )mām Ab” Dāw”d [ 12 ] ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬have recorded this Ḥadīth with the following
chain of narrators:
‫حدث ا عثمان بن أ شيبة‬

‫حدث ا وكيع‬
)‫عن سفيان (الثوري‬
‫عن عاصم يع ابن كليب‬
‫عن عبد الرمن بن اأسود‬
‫عن علقمة قال‬
:ُ‫قال عبد اه بن مسعود َر ِض َي اللَهُ َعْه‬
‫أا أصلي بكم صاة رسول اه ﷺ قال فصلى فلم يرفع يديه إا مرة‬
‫قال أبو داود هذا حديث تصر من حديث طويل وليس هو بصحيح على‬
‫هذا اللفظ‬
7
Sunan Abī Dāw”d ḥadīth #
8
Jāmiʿ at-Tirmidhī ḥadīth #
9
Muṣanaf )bn Abī Shaʼbah ḥadīth #
10
Sharḥ Ma ānī al-Āthār ḥadīth #
11
12
14 Evidences Against Performing of Raf al-Yadayn |

We were informed by Uthmān bin Abī Shaybah

Who was informed by Wakī
On the authority of Sufyān (ath-Thawrī)
On the authority of Āṣim bin Kulaib
On the authority of AbdurRaḥmān bin al-Aswad
On the authority of Alqamah who said:
Abdullāh bin Mas ”d ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ه‬said:
Shall ) perform for you the Ṣalāh of Ras”lullāh ‫ ?ﷺ‬So he performed
the Ṣalāh and lifted his hands only at the beginning of the Ṣalāh Ab”
Dāw”d ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬said: This Ḥadīth is a part of a longer Ḥadīth and it is
not authentic with this wording. [ 13 ]
Many later authors have attempted to make this Ḥadīth as the foundation of
their argument to negate the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn. However it is clear that
one of the original compilers of the Ḥadīth, the great scholar of )slām, )mām
Ab” Dāw”d ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬when recording the Ḥadīth, himself made a valuable
observation:
‫وليس هو بصحيح على هذا اللفظ‬
It is not authentic with this wording. [ 14 ]
Ab” Dāw”d, Sunan Abī Dāw”d Printed
In the famous explanation of Sunan Abī Dāw”d, Awn al-Ma b”d Sharḥ Sunan
Abī Dāw”d, Allāmah Shams al-Ḥaq al- Adhīmābādī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬explains:
‫قال البخاري جزء رفع اليدين حدث ا ا سن بن الربيع حدث ا ابن إدريس‬
‫عن عاصم بن كليب عن عبد الرمن بن اأسود حدث ا علقمة أن عبد‬
‫ علم ا رسول اه صلى اه عليه وسلم‬: ‫اه رضي اه تعاى ع ه قال‬
‫الصاة فقام وكر ورفع يديه م ركع وطبق بن يديه فجعلهما بن ركبتيه‬
13
14

‫أول اإسام‬ ‫فبلغ ذلك سعدا فقال صدق أخي أا بل قد نفعل ذلك‬
‫م أمرنا هذا " قال البخاري وهذا المحفوظ ع د أهل ال ظر من حديث‬
‫عبد اه بن مسعود فا ديث الطويل الذي أشار إليه امؤلف لعله هو‬
‫هذا الذي ذكر البخاري واه تعاى أعلم‬
Al-Bukhārī said in Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadayn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh : al-Ḥasan bin Rabī

narrated to us from Ibn )drīs from Āṣim bin Kulaib from
AbdurRaḥmān bin al-Aswad from Alqamah that Abdullāh (Ibn
Masʿ”d) said: Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬taught us the prayer so he stood and
performed the takbīr and raised his hands, then he performed the
Ruk”ʿ and put his hands together between his knees. And this reached
Sa d who said, my brother has spoken truthfully. But we used to do
that in the beginning of )slām, then we were commanded with this (i.e.
placing the hands on the knees in Ruk”ʿ) Bukhārī said: and this is what
is preserved according to the people of research into the Ḥadīth of
Abdullāh bin Mas ”d. So the longer Ḥadīth that the author mentions
is actually this Ḥadīth mentioned by Bukhārī and Allāh ‫ تع لى‬knows
best. [ 15 ]
(al- Adhīmābādī Printed
Therefore the Ḥadīth with the wording lifted his hands only at the beginning
of the Ṣalāh which is being used as proof by those who negate the practice of
Rafʿ al-Yadayn is Daʿ īf (Weak ‫ )ضعيْف‬and it would be categorized as Shādh
(irregular ‫ )ش ذ‬due to contradictory wording. What is authentically preserved
(‫ )محف ظ‬is the Ḥadīth without the additional wording lifted his hands only at
the beginning of the Ṣalāh and the narration with those additional words is
rejected as irregular (‫ )ش ذ‬according to )mām al-Bukhārī and )mām Abī
Dāw”d ‫ رحم م ﷲ‬.
15
ʿAwn al-Maʿb”d Sharḥ Sunan Abī Dāw”d Volume # 3 Page # 449

The great Mālikī scholar al-Ḥāfidh Ibn AbdulBarr ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬also objected to this
Ḥadīth in his famous book at-Tamhīd:
‫ هذا حديث تصر من‬:‫ضعف ا ديث أمد بن ح بل وعلله فإن أبا داود قال‬
‫حديث طويل وليس بصحيح على هذا امع‬
It was weakened by Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal who found it problematic. And
Ab” Dāw”d said: This Ḥadīth is a part of a longer Ḥadīth and it is not
authentic with this meaning. [ 16 ]
)bn AbdulBarr, at-Tamhīd limā fīl- Muwaṭṭa' min al-Ma ānī wal-Asānīd Printed
The great scholar of Ḥadīth, al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬states in
his famous Sharḥ of Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, named Fatḥ al-Bārī:
)mām ash-Shāfa ī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬rejected it because this narration is not

proven. [ 17 ]
)bn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī, Fatḥ-al-Bārī Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ al-B”khārī Printed
Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬himself graded it to be weak and

provided a plethora of saying from the earlier scholars of )slām to weaken
this narration.
If the chain of narrators is evaluated in isolation then some of the scholars

considered it an acceptable narration as )mām at-Tirmidhī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬graded the
sanad (chain of narrators) to be Ḥasan (‫ )ح ن‬and Ibn Ḥazm ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬graded the
chain of narrators to be Ṣaḥīḥ (‫)ص يح‬. This does not mean that ether of them
accept this Ḥadīth to be fully Ṣaḥīḥ since the chain of narrators is only one
aspect of the authenticity of a Ṣaḥīḥ Ḥadīth.
The authenticity of a Ḥadīth is based on the Sanad ( ‫ س‬chain of narrators) and
the Matn (‫ م ن‬text or wording of the Ḥadīth). [ 18 ]
16
At-Tamhīd limā fīl-Muwatta' min al-Ma`ānī wal-Asānīd Volume # 3 Page # 220
17
Fatḥ al-Bārī bi-Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī Volume # 2 Page # 220
18
Sharḥ ʿUl”m al-Ḥadīth Volume # 1 Page # 20

Many authors mention the Ṣaḥīḥ grading of the Sanad by )mām )bn Ḥazm
‫ رح ه ﷲ‬while hiding from the readers that Ibn Ḥazm ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬himself stated that
this Ḥadīth cannot be used as proof against the Ḥadīth reported by Ibn Umar
(supporting the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn . [ 19 ]
The same is true for )mām at-Tirmidhī ‫رح ه ﷲ‬. If one was to look at the Sharḥ
of Jāmiʿ at-Tirmidhī, Tuḥafatul-Aḥwadhī bi- Sharḥ of Jāmiʿ at-Tirmidhī, by al-
Ḥāfidh Mubārakp”rī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬the following is pointed out:
‫ قال أمد بن‬: ‫وقال البخاري جزء رفع اليدين بعد ذكر هذا ا ديث‬
‫ح بل عن ى بن آدم قال نظرت حديث عبد اه بن إدريس عن‬
‫ ليس فيه " م م يعد " فهذا أصح أن الكتاب أحفظ‬, ‫عاصم بن كليب‬
‫ع د أهل العلم ; أن الرجل دث بشيء م يرجع إى الكتاب فيكون‬
. ‫كما الكتاب‬
Bukhārī said in Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadayn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh after mentioning the
Ḥadīth, )mām Aḥmad said, narrating from Yaḥyā bin Ādam who said,
) saw the Ḥadīth of Abdullāh bin )drīs from Āsim bin Kulaib, it did not
contain the wording "then he did not repeat that" , and this is more
authentic as the book is more preserved according to the People of
Knowledge, because a man may make a mistake in narrating
something, then he consults the book and it is, as it has been
accurately recorded in the book. [ 20 ]
Mubārakp”rī, Tuḥafatul-Aḥwadhī bi- Sharḥ of Jāmi at-Tirmidhī Printed
Hence it is clear that the Ḥadīth is not authentic with its wording. Yet if one
was to totally ignore the wording and look solely at the chain of narrators,
there would still be a problem. Some of the )snād of this Ḥadīth contain
extremely weak narrators, who were accused of fabrication. The following
19
Nayl al-Awtār of )mām Alī ash-Shawkānī Volume # 2 Page # 537
20
Tuḥafatul-Aḥwadhī bi- Sharḥ of Jāmiʿ at-Tirmidhī Volume # 2 Page # 115

chart shows the various Isnād (chains of narrators) this Ḥadīth has been
narrated with:
[Chart # 1: Ḥadīth of Ibn Mas ”d ‫]رضي هﷲ ع ه‬
If we were to focus on the strongest chain of narrators that this Ḥadīth has
been recorded with, there are still problems with some of the narrators.
One of the narrators, Sufyān ath-Thawrī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬, was a reliable narrator and
great scholar of )slām. When he uses the phrase “‫ ”عن‬meaning “on the
authority of then he performs, what is called tadlīs (concealing of a
narrator). Hence in reality there is an unknown missing narrator in this
chain. This tadlīs has been pointed out by the great scholars of )slām, such
as:
 Imām al-Bukhārī ‫ [ رحمه ﷲ‬21 ]
 Imām Yaḥyā bin Maʿīn ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬22 ]
 Imām Ab” Maḥm”d al-Maqdasī ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬23 ]
 )mām at-Turkmānī al-Ḥanafī ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬24 ]
 Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬25 ]
21 Al- )lal at-Takbīr li-at-Tirmidhī Volume # 2 Page # 966

22 Al-Jarḥ wat-Ta dīl Volume # 4 page # 225
23 Qasīdah fī al-Mudalīs Page # 47
24 Al-Jauhar an-Naqī Volume # 8 page # 262
25 Tabaqāt al-Mudalisīn page # 262

 )mām adh-Dhahabī ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬26 ]
Hence it is clear that there are problems with both the Sanad ( ‫ س‬chain of
narrators) and the Matn (‫ م ن‬text or wording of the Ḥadīth). Therefore the
complete Ḥadīth with the wording lifted his hands only at the beginning of the
Ṣalāh is not established and it is clearly a weak Ḥadīth.
This conclusion is highlighted by the fact that )mām at-Tirmidhī ‫رح ه ﷲ‬
graded the opposing narration which confirms raising the hands to be Ḥasan
Ṣaḥīḥ, (‫ )ح ن ص يح‬the highest grading possible.
It is well known to students of the science of Ḥadīth that if a narration is

opposed by a stronger narration, than the weaker narration is weakened to
irregular (‫ )ش ذ‬and the stronger narration is preserved (‫)محف ظ‬. Hence, it is
clear that )mām at-Tirmidhī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬did not regard this narration to be Ṣaḥīḥ,
rather it was graded as Ḥasan for the )snād and Daʿ īf (Weak ‫ )ضعيْف‬due to it
being opposed by a stronger contradictory narration. This type of a
weak Ḥadīth cannot be used as a proof for leaving Rafʿ al-Yadayn at the time
of Ruk”ʿ and getting up from it.
The great scholar of Ḥadīth, al-Ḥāfidh al-Bazzār ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬points this out when
he wrote:
‫إنه ا يثبت وَ يحتج‬

This (Ḥadīth) it is not established and the likes of this cannot be
depended upon. [ 27 ]
The well-known Ḥanafī scholar, al-Ḥāfidh az-Zayla ī ‫رح ه ﷲ‬ wrote in his

famous book of Takhrīj Naṣb ar-Rāʼah:
‫ سألت أ عن حديث روا سفيان‬: ‫قال ابن أ حام كتاب العلل‬

‫الثوري عن عاصم بن كليب عن عبد الرمن بن اأسود عن علقمة عن‬
26 Mizān al-I tidāl Volume # 2 Page # 169
27

" ‫عبد اه " أن ال ي صلى اه عليه وسلم قام فكر فرفع يديه م م يعد‬
‫ فقد روا ماعة عن عاصم‬, ‫فقال أ هذا خطأ يقال وهم فيه الثوري‬
‫وقالوا كلهم " إن ال ي صلى اه عليه وسلم افتتح فرفع يديه م ركع فطبق‬
‫وجعلهما بن ركبتيه " وم يقل أحد ما روى الثوري انتهى ما نصب‬
. ‫الراية‬
Ibn Abī Ḥātim said in Kitāb-ul- Illal , ) asked my father about the
Ḥadīth related from Sufyān ath-Thawrī from Āsim bin Kulaib from
AbdurRaḥmān bin al-Aswad from Alqamah from Abdullāh that
Nabī ‫ ﷺ‬stood and made takbīr and raised his hands and then did
not repeat that , and my father said, this is a mistake, and it is said
the mistake is from ath-Thawrī, for a group of people have narrated
from Āsim and all of them have said, that Nabī ‫ ﷺ‬stood in prayer,
and he raised his hands, then he performed the Ruk”ʿ and placed his
hands together between his knees. And not one of them narrated
what ath-Thawrī relates. [ 28 ]
(az-Zayla ī Printed
Therefore the wording narrated by Sufyān ath-Thawrī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬, And he lifted his
hands only at the beginning of the Ṣalāh is contrary to the other established
authentic chains via the same path. This would mean that the addition of the
wording And he lifted his hands only at the beginning of the Ṣalāh is not
established from Nabī ‫ﷺ‬.
The famous scholar of Ḥadīth al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬said
regarding this narration in Talkhīs al-Ḥabīr :
‫ وقال ابن أ حام عن أبيه هذا‬. ‫ لم يثبت ع دي‬: ‫قال ابن امبارك‬
‫ هو ضعيف‬: ‫ وقال أمد بن ح بل وشيخه ى بن آدم‬. ‫حديث خطأ‬
‫ ليس هو‬: ‫ وقال أبو داود‬. ‫ نقله البخاري ع هما وتابعهما على ذلك‬.
28
Naṣb ar-Rāʼah Takhrīj Aḥādīth al-(idāʼah Volume # 1 Page 394

‫الصاة هذا‬ ‫ وقال ابن حبان‬, ‫ لم يثبت‬: ‫ وقال الدارقط‬. ‫بصحيح‬

‫الصاة ع د الركوع‬ ‫نفي رفع اليدين‬ ‫أحسن خر روي أهل الكوفة‬
‫ وهو في الحقيقة أضعف شيء يعول عليه ; أن له‬, ‫وع د الرفع م ه‬
. ‫علَ تبطله انتهى‬
Ibn al-Mubārak said, it is not established with me. Ibn Abī (ātim
said from his father that this Ḥadīth is a mistake . Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal
and his shaikh Yaḥyā bin Ādam said, it is daʿīf , and al-Bukhārī
quoted this from them and followed them in their verdict. Ab” Dāw”d
said that it is not authentic. Ad-Dāraquṭnī said, it is not
established . Ibn Ḥibbān said in as-Ṣalāh , this is the best narration
that the people of K”fah narrate with regards to negating raising the
hands in prayer at the Ruk”ʿ and at rising from it, and it is in reality
the weakest thing to depend on, because it has defects that
invalidate it "[ 29 ]
(Ibn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī, at-Talkhīs al-Ḥabīr Printed
It was also weakened by great scholars of research such as Shaikh al-)slām

Taqī-ud-Dīn Aḥmad Ibn Taymiyyah ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬in Minhāj as-Sunnah [ 30 ], al-Ḥāfidh
Ibn al-Qayyim ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬as stated in al-Manār [ 31 ] and )mām Alī ash-Shawkānī
‫رح ه ﷲ‬ as stated in Nayl al-Awṭār. [ 32 ] It was graded as weak by the famous
Ḥanafī Faqīh and Muḥaddith, )mām Ibn al-Hummām ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬in his renowned
book Fatḥ al-Qadīr [ 33 ] and by the renowned Ḥanafī scholar and Muḥaddith,
al-Ḥāfidh az-Zayla ī ‫رح ه ﷲ‬ in his famous Takhrīj of al-(idāyah, Naṣb ar-
Rāʼah. [ 34 ]
29
At-Talkhīṣ al-Ḥabīr fī takhrīj aḥādīth al-Rafi 'i al-kabīr Volume # 1 Page # 222
30
Minhāj as-Sunnah by Taqī-ud-Dīn )bn Taymiyyah Volume # page #
31
Al-Manār al-Munīf fī Ṣaḥīḥ wa Daʿīf by al-Ḥāfidh Ibn al-Qayyim page # 1
32
33
Fatḥ al-Qadīr Sharh al-Hidāyah by Ibn al-Hummām Volume # 1 page # 317
34
Naṣb ar-Rāʼah Takhrīj Aḥādīth al-(idāʼah by az-Zayla ī Volume # 1 Pages 394-

Summary Grading: Ḥadīth of Ibn Masʿ”d Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn:
After reviewing all that has been said in regards to this Ḥadīth, it is clear that
it is not established with the wording lifted his hands only at the beginning
of the Ṣalāh. As the author of Sharḥ Jāmiʿ at-Tirmidhī concludes:
‫فثبت هذا كله أن حديث ابن مسعود ليس بصحيح وا حسن بل هو ضعيف ا يقوم‬
‫مثله حجة‬
So with all of this it is established that the Ḥadīth of Ibn Mas ”d is not
Ṣaḥīḥ or Ḥasan, rather it is da īf and the likes of it cannot used as
proof. [ 35 ]
With the aforementioned references, we find that from amongst the greatest
scholars of )slām who considered this Ḥadīth to be weak include:
 )mām Abdullāh bin al-Mubārak (d. 181 ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬36 ]
 )mām Yaḥyā bin Ādam (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬37 ]
 )mām ash-Shāfa ī (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬38 ]
 )mām Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬39 ]
 )mām al-Bukhārī (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬40 ]

 )mām Ab” Dāw”d (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬41 ]
 )mām al-Bazzār (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬42 ]
 )mām Ibn Abī (ātim (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬43 ]
 )mām Ibn Ḥibbān (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬44 ]
35
Tuḥafatul-Aḥwadhī bi- Sharḥ of Jāmiʿ at-Tirmidhī by al-Ḥāfidh Mubārakp”rī]
36
At-Talkhīṣ al-Ḥabīr of al-Ḥāfidh )bn Ḥajr al- Asqalānī Volume # 1 Page # 222
37 Tuḥafatul-Aḥwadhī by al-Ḥāfidh Mubārakp”rī Volume # 2 Page # 115
38
Fatḥ al-Bārī of al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajr al- Asqalānī Volume # Page #
39
Masā’il Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal By Abdullah bin Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal Volume # 1 Page # 240
40
Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadaʼn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh by Imām al-Bukhārī page # 79
41
42
At-Tamhīd of al-Ḥāfidh Ibn AbdulBar Volume # 3 Page # 221
43
At-Talkhīṣ al-Ḥabīr of al-Ḥāfidh )bn Ḥajr al- Asqalānī Volume # 1 Page # 222
44
Al-Khilāfiyāt Volume # Page #

 )mām ad-Dāraquṭnī (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬45 ]
 )mām al-Ḥākim (d. ‫رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬ [ 46 ]
 Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn AbdulBarr (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬47 ]

 )mām Ibn Jawzī (d. 597 ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬48 ]
 )mām )bn Qudāmah al-Maqdasī (d. 620 ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬49 ]
 )mām an-Nawawī (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬50 ]
 Taqī-ud-Dīn Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728 ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬51 ]

 Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn AbdulHādī (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬52 ]
 Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Qayyim (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬53 ]

 Al-Ḥāfidh az-Zayla ī (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬54 ]
 )mām Ibn al-Mulaqqin (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬55 ]
 Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬56 ]
 )mām Ibn al-Hummām al-Ḥanafī (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬57 ]
 Ash-Shaikh Shawkānī (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬58 ]
 Allāmah Shams al-Ḥaq al- Adhīmābādī (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬59 ]
 Al-Ḥāfidh Mubārakp”rī (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬60 ]
45
Al-ʿIllal By ad-DāraquṭnīVolume # 5 Page # 173
46
Al-Badr al-Munīr Volume # 3 Page # 493
47
At-Tamhīd of al-Ḥāfidh Ibn AbdulBar Volume # 3 Page # 220
48
At-Taḥqīq fī )khtilāf al-Ḥadīth Volume # Page #
49
Al-Mughnī by )mām )bn Qudāmah al-Madasī Volume # 1 Page # 295
50
Khulasa al-Ahkām Volume # 1 Page # 354
51
Minhāj as-Sunnah by Taqī-ud-Dīn Ibn Taymiyyah Volume # 4 page # 115
52 At-Tanqiyah Volume # 1 Page # 278
53
54
55 Al-Badr al-Munīr Volume # 3 Page # 493
56
At-Talkhīṣ al-Ḥabīr of al-Ḥāfidh )bn Ḥajr al- Asqalānī Volume # Page # 222
57
Fatḥ al-Bārī of al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajr al- Asqalānī Volume # Page #
58
59
ʿAwn al-Maʿb”d Sharḥ Sunan Abī Dāw”d by al- Adhīmabādī Volume # 3 Page # 449
60
Tuḥafatul-Aḥwadhī bi- Sharḥ of Jāmiʿ at-Tirmidhī by al-Ḥāfidh Mubārakp”rī
Volume # 2 Page # 115

The Ḥadīth Attributed to Barā bin ʿĀzib Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn:
The second Ḥadīth to be researched is commonly known as the Ḥadīth of Barā

bin Āzib ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ه‬. This Ḥadīth has been recorded by )mām Ab” Dāw”d ‫رح ه‬
‫ﷲ‬ in Sunan [ 61 ], )mām Ibn Abī Shaybah ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬recorded it in his Muṣannaf [ 62
], )mām aṭ-Ṭaḥāwī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬recorded it in his Sharḥ Maʿānī al-Āthār [ 63 ]. The
great scholar of Ḥadīth )mām Ab” Dāw”d‫ رح ه ﷲ‬reported it with the following
chain of narrators and wording in Sunan Abī Dāw”d:
‫حدث ا مد بن الصباح البزاز‬

‫حدث ا شريك‬
‫عن يزيد بن أ زياد‬
‫عن عبد الرمن بن أ ليلى‬
ُ‫عن الراء َرض َي اللَهُ َعْه‬
ِ
‫أن رسول اه ﷺ كان إذا افتتح الصاة رفع يديه إى قريب من أذنيه م‬
‫ا يعود‬
‫حدث ا عبد اه بن مد الزهري حدث ا سفيان عن يزيد حو حديث‬

‫شريك م يقل م ا يعود قال سفيان قال ل ا بالكوفة بعد م ا‬
‫يعود قال أبو داود وروى هذا ا ديث هشيم وخالد وابن إدريس‬
‫عن يزيد م يذكروا م ا يعود‬
We were informed by Muḥammad bin aṣ-Ṣabāḥa al-Bazzār

Who was informed by Sharīk
On the authority of Yazīd bin Abī Ziyād
On the authority of AbdurRaḥmān bin Abī Layla
61
Sunan Abī Dāw”d ḥadīth # 749 and 752
62
Muṣannaf )bn Abī Shaʼbah ḥadīth # 2370 and 2452
63

On the authority of Barā ‫رضي هﷲ ع ه‬:
When Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬began prayer, he raised his hands nearly up to his
ears, then he did not repeat.
We were informed by Abdullāh bin Muḥammad Az-Zuhrī who was

informed by Sufyān on the authority of Yazīd similar to the Ḥadīth of
Sharīk, but without the wording "then he did not repeat." Sufyān
said Yazīd added "then he did not repeat" after moving to K”fah.
Ab” Dāw”d narrated this Ḥadīth from Hushaim, Khālid and Ibn )drīs
who all narrated this Ḥadīth from Yazīd but without the wording: "then
he did not repeat". [ 64 ]
(ence )mām Ab” Dāw”d ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬, who is one of the original compilers of this
Ḥadīth establishes that this Ḥadīth with the wording "then he did not repeat"
is not authentic.
The following chart is a visual representation of the Sanad (chain of narrators)

recorded by )mām )bn Abī Shaybah ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬:
[Chart # 2: Chain # 1 Ḥadīth of Barā bin Āzib ‫] رضي هﷲ ع ه‬

Imām aṭ-Ṭaḥāwī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬recorded this Ḥadīth in Sharḥ Maʿānī al-Āthār with the
following sanad:
64

Imām Ab” Dāw”d ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬recorded this Ḥadīth in his Sunan with the following
sanad:
It is perfectly apparent to the students of knowledge that none of these chains

of narrators are authentic. This is explained further by the great scholar
Sufyān Ibn Uyaynah ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬who said:
Yazīd added the words "then he did not repeat" to this narration after
moving to K”fah. [ 65 ]
)mām al-Bukhārī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬also quotes Sufyān Ibn Uyaynah ‫رح ه ﷲ‬:
65
Sunan Abī Dāw”d commentary after ḥadīth #

The people of K”fah put these words "then he did not repeat" in
Yazīd s mouth by continually repeating it in-front of him in his old age.
[ 66 ]
(al-Bukhārī, Kitāb Raf al-yadayn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh Printed
)mām al-Bukhārī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬also points out:

Stronger narrators with better memories than Sharīk ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬narrated
the same Ḥadīth from Yazīd ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬without the wording "then he did
not repeat." Hence what is established via a superior chain contradicts
the narration "then he did not repeat." So the words then he did not
repeat" were inserted by the narrator Yazīd ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬in his old age after
moving to K”fah, his own earlier narrations contradict it. [ 67 ]
The great scholar of Ḥadīth, the teacher of al-Bukhārī ‫رح ه ﷲ‬, )mām Ab” Bakr
Abdullāh bin Zubair al-Ḥumaidī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬said:
‫إما روى هذ الزيادة يزيد‬

Without a doubt this narration has been added to by Yazīd. [ 68 ]
(al-Mulaqqin Printed 2009)
The renowned scholar of Ḥadīth al-Ḥāfidh Uthmān ad-Dārimī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬said,

reporting from Imām Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal ‫رح ه ﷲ‬:
‫ا يصح‬
It is not authentic. [ 69 ]
66
Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadaʼn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh Page # 84
67
68
69

Yaḥyā bin Muḥammad ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬said, "I heard Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬saying:
‫ قد كان يزيد دث به برهة من دهر ا يقول فيه " م‬, ‫هذا حديث وا‬
"‫ا يعود‬
This Ḥadīth is ‫ واه‬literallʼ meaning flimsy ‫ ا‬is a term used in
Muṣṭalaḥ al-Ḥadīth to grade a Ḥadīth very weak), Yazīd used to
narrate this for a period of time without saying, and he did not repeat
that [ 70 ]
)mām al-Bazzār ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬said:
" ‫هذا ا ديث " م ا يعود‬ ‫َ يصح قوله‬

It is not authentic with the wording and he did not repeat that [ 71 ]
Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬said:
Ad-Dāraquṭnī reported this Ḥadīth from Alī bin Āsim from

Muḥammad bin AbdurRaḥmān bin Ab” Layla from Yazīd bin Ab”
Ziyād. Ibn Abī Āsim said, I went to K”fah and I met Yazīd bin Ab” Ziyād
and he narrated to me this Ḥadīth but he did not mention then he did
not do that , so ) said to him, verily Ibn Ab” Layla narrates this Ḥadīth
to me from you and in it is then he did not repeat that , and he said,
That is not how I narrated this Ḥadīth [ 72 ]
)bn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī, at-Talkhīs al-Ḥabīr Printed
)mām an-Nasā i ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬criticized Yazīd bin Abī Ziyād and said:
70
71
At-Tamhīd of al-Ḥāfidh Ibn AbdulBar Volume # 3 Page #
72
at-Talkhīṣ of al-Ḥāfidh )bn Ḥajr al- Asqalānī

‫ متروك الحديث‬:‫قال‬
Rejected in Ḥadīth. [ 73 ]
(Ibn al-Jawzī, Tanqīḥ al-Taḥqīq fī Aḥādīth at-Ta'līq Printed
Ashraf Alī Thānwī ‫رح ه ﷲ‬, the renowned Ḥanafī author wrote:
This Ḥadīth is weak due to Yazīd bin Abī Ziyād [ 74 ]
Thānwī Printed
It is clear that this Ḥadīth has multiple problems and that is why al-Ḥāfidh
Ibn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬wrote:
The vast majority consider this Ḥadīth to be weak. [ 75 ]
)bn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī, (adī as-Sārī Printed
Summary Grading: Ḥadīth of Barā bin ʿĀzib Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn:
Hence, it is very clear that there are multiple problems with the narration in
the Sanad (chain of narrators) and the Matn (wording).
. Yazīd bin Abī Ziyād's ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬memory became weak in his old age when
he went to K”fah, and his later narrations with the wording "then he
did not repeat that are contradicted by his own earlier narrations.
. Yazīd bin Abī Ziyād performs tadlīs (concealing of a narrator). Hence,

in reality there is an unknown missing narrator in this chain. This
tadlīs has been pointed out by the great scholars of )slām, such as:
 Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬76 ]
73
Tanqīḥ al-Taḥqīq fī Aḥādīth at-Ta'līq Volume # Page #
74
Nashar aṭ-Ṭayyab fī Dhikr an-Nabī al-Habīb Page # 244
75
Hadī as-Sārī page # 459
76 Tabaqāt al-Mudalisīn Volume # 3 page # 112

 Imām as-Suy”ṭī ‫ [ رحمه ﷲ‬77 ]
 )mām adh-Dhahabī ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬78 ]
. This Ḥadīth is reported by a weak narrator, Ibn Abī Layla. This weak
narrator opposes stronger narrators. )mām Anwar Shah Kashmīrī al-
Ḥanafī ‫رح ه ﷲ‬ wrote about him:
) consider him to be weak, and this is the opinion of the

majority. [ 79 ]
(Al-Kashmīrī Printed
In closing, I would like to quote one of the great scholars of Ḥadīth, )mām Ibn
al-Mulaqqin ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬who sealed the grading of this Ḥadīth with:
This is a weak Ḥadīth by consensus of the Ḥadīth scholars. [ 80 ]
From amongst the greatest scholars of )slām who considered this Ḥadīth to
be weak include:
 )mām Sufyān Ibn Uyaynah (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬81 ]
 )mām Abdullāh bin Zubair al-Ḥumaidī (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬83 ]
 )mām Yaḥyā bin Ma īn (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬84 ]
 )mām Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal (d. ‫رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬ [ 85 ]
 )mām al-Bukhārī (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬86 ]
77 Risālah as-Suy”ṭī fil- Mudalisīn Page # 67

78 Dīwān ad-Duʿafā Page # 342
79
Fayd al-Bārī of )mām Anwar Shah Kashmirī
80
81
Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadayn by Imām al-Bukhārī page # 84
82
83
84
85
Al-ʿ)llal Volume # 1 Page # 116
86

 )mām Ab” Dāw”d (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬87 ]
 Al-Ḥāfidh Uthmān ad-Dārimī (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬88 ]
 )mām al-Bazzār (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬89 ]
 )mām an-Nasā i (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬90 ]
 )mām Ibn Abī (ātim (d. ‫رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬ [ 91 ]

 )mām ad-Dāraquṭnī (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬93 ]
 )mām al-Ḥākim (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬94 ]
 Al-Ḥāfidh al-Bayhaqī (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬95 ]
 Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn AbdulBarr (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬96 ]
 )mām Ibn Jawzī (d. 597 ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬97 ]
 )mām adh-Dhahabī (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬98 ]
 )mām Ibn al-Mulaqqin (d. 804 ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬101 ]
87
88
89
ʿUmdat-al-Qārī Volume # 5 Page # 273
90
91
Jarh wat-Taʿdīl Page #
92
Al-Majruhīn Volume # 3 Page #
93
Al-ʿIllal By ad-DāraquṭnīVolume # Page #
94
95
96
97
98 Dīwān ad-Duʿafā Page # 342
99
100
101
102
At-Talkhīṣ al-Ḥabīr fī takhrīj aḥādīth al-Rafi 'i al-kabīr of al-Ḥāfidh )bn Ḥajr al- Asqalānī

The Ḥadīth attributed to ʿUmar bin al-Khattāb Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn:
The third Ḥadīth to be researched is a Mawq”f Ḥadīth, meaning it is reported

to be an action of a Ṣaḥābī not an action of Ras”lullāh ‫ﷺ‬. This Ḥadīth is
attributed to Umar bin al-Khattāb ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ه‬it has been recorded by )mām aṭ-
Ṭaḥāwī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬in his Sharḥ Maʿānī al-Āthār:
:‫قال‬ ‫رمه ه‬ ‫أبو بكر بن أ شيبة عن اأسود‬

‫أول تكبرة م ا يعود‬ ‫يرفع يديه‬ ِ
ُ‫َرض َي اللَهُ َعْه‬ ‫رأيت عمر بن ا طاب‬
Ab” Bakr Ibn Abī Shaybah from al-Aswad who said, "I saw Umar bin
al-Khattāb ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ْنه‬raise his hands in the first takbīr then he did not
repeat that." [ 103 ]
(at-Ṭaḥāwī Printed
Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬wrote in ad-Dirāʼah:
" : ‫ وقد روا الثوري عن الزبر بن عدي بلفظ‬.. ‫قال البيهقي عن ا اكم‬
‫التكبر " ليس فيه " م ا يعود " وقد روا الثوري وهو‬ ‫كان يرفع يديه‬
‫احفوظ‬
Al-Bayhaqī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬said al-(ākim‫ رحمه ﷲ‬said .. Sufyān ath-Thawr ‫رحمه ﷲ‬
relates from az-Zubair bin Adī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬with the wording, "he used to raise
his hands with the takbīr" without the addition "then he did not repeat
that". Sufyān ath-Thawrī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬relates this and this is what is ‫محف ظ‬
(preserved). [ 104 ]
)bn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī, ad-Dirāyah fī Takhrīj Aḥādīth al-(idāyah Printed
103
104
ad-Dirāʼah fī Takhrīj Aḥādīth al-(idāʼah by Ibn Ḥajr al- Asqalānī Volume # 1 page # 152

Hence this Ḥadīth with the wording then he did not repeat that is rejected
as ‫ ش ذ‬shādh meaning irregular). This narration is contradicted by stronger
narrations with conflicting wording.
This is attested to by the Ḥanafī scholar al-Ḥāfidh az-Zayla ī ‫رح ه ﷲ‬ who
writes in his Naṣb ar-Rāʼah, which is a Tarkhīj of the famous Ḥanafī book al-
Hidāʼah:
‫واعرضه ا اكم بأن هذ الرواية شاذة ا يقوم ها ا جة فا تعارض ها‬

‫اأخبار الصحيحة عن طاوس بن كيسان عن ابن عمر أن عمر كان يرفع‬
‫الركوع وع د الرفع م ه‬ ‫يديه‬
al-Ḥākim objects to this Ḥadīth rejecting it due to it being ‫ ش ذ‬shādh
meaning irregular), and a verdict cannot be established using it. It
cannot be used to oppose the authentic narration from Tāw”s bin
Kaisān from Ibn ʿUmar that ʿUmar used to raise his hands at Rukūʿ
and when rising from it."[ 105 ]
The great Ḥanafī scholar of Ḥadīth, al-Ḥāfidh az-Zayla ī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬illustrates the
weakness of this Ḥadīth with words of the great scholar of Ḥadīth, al-(ākim
‫رحمه ﷲ‬ that this narration cannot be used as proof, since it is clearly and directly
contradicted by stronger opposing narrations.
In fact there are multiple chains of stronger aḥādīth that prove Umar bin al-
Khattāb ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ْنه‬used to in fact perform the Rafʿ al-Yadayn while opening the
prayer, as well as while going into Ruk”ʿ and when rising from it. Once again
we refer back to Naṣb ar-Rāʼah where al-Ḥāfidh az-Zayla ī al-Ḥanafī ‫رحمه ﷲ‬
writes:
105
Naṣb ar-Rāʼah Takhrīj Aḥādīth al-(idāʼah by az-Zayla ī Volume # 1 Page # 405

‫أخرج البيهقي عن رشدين بن سعد عن مد بن سهم عن سعيد بن‬

‫امسيب قال رأيت عمر بن ا طاب يرفع يديه حذو م كبيه إذا افتتح‬
‫الصاة وإذا ركع وإذا رفع رأسه من الركوع‬
al-Bayhaqī narrates from Rishdīn bin Sa d from Muḥammad bin Sahm
from Sa īd bin al-Musayyib ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬who said, ) saw Umar bin al-Khattāb
‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲ ع ْنه‬ raising his hands to the level of his shoulders when he started
prayer and when he made Ruk”ʿ and when he raised his head from it.
[ 106 ]
Hence, it is clear that there are multiple contradicting narrations that are
stronger in authenticity. It also becomes clear that this Ḥadīth is in fact Daʿīf
(Weak ‫ )ضعيْف‬and cannot be used against stronger narrations that prove Umar
bin al-Khattāb ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ْنه‬used to in fact perform the Rafʿ al-Yadayn while going
into Ruk”ʿ and when rising from it. This Mawq”f Ḥadīth was also weakened by
the )mām of the scholar of Ḥadīth, al-Bukhārī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬in his Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadayn
fī aṣ-Ṣalāh [ 107 ].
In fact )mām al-Bukhārī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬clearly states:
‫م يثبت عن أحد من أصحاب ال ي صلى اه عليه وسلم أنه ا يرفع يديه‬

It was not proven from any single one of the Ṣaḥābah of an-Nabī ‫ﷺ‬
that they did not raise their hands. [ 108 ]
This weak narration was also rejected by al-Ḥāfidh Mubārakp”rī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬in his
Tuḥafatul-Aḥwadhī bi- Sharḥ Jāmi at-Tirmidhī were he wrote:
106
107
108

‫ فيه إن هذا اأثر هذا اللفظ غير محفوظ‬: ‫قلت‬

) say: this Athār (meaning this narration allegedly from ʿUmar) with
this wording is not preserved (‫ غير محف ظ‬meaning it is not preserved
hence it is weak . [ 109 ]
Summary Grading: Ḥadīth of ʿUmar Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn:
In summary, the wording then he did not repeat that is not authentically
preserved from Umar bin al-Khattāb ‫رضي هﷲ ع ه‬. The narration without the
wording then he did not repeat that is no longer a proof negating the practice
of Rafʿ al-Yadayn. In fact what is authentically preserved from Umar bin al-
Khattāb ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ه‬is that he practiced Rafʿ al-Yadayn at the initiation of the
Ṣalāh, while going into Ruk”ʿ and rising up from it. From the above quoted
references we find that the greatest scholars of Ḥadīth considered this
narration to be weak and unacceptable as proof. The following is a list of a few
of these great scholars with references to their grading of this Ḥadīth:
 )mām al-Ḥākim (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬111 ]
 Al-Ḥāfidh Bayhaqī (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬112 ]

The Ḥadīth Attributed to ʿAlī bin Abī Tālib Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn:
109
110
Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadaʼn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh maʿ Jalā al-ʿaʼnaʼn bi-takhrīj riwāʼāt al-Bukhārī by Imām
al-Bukhārī page # 70
111
112
113
114
115

The fourth Ḥadīth to be researched is another Mawq”f Ḥadīth, meaning it is

reported to be an action of a Ṣaḥābī not an action of Ras”lullāh ‫ﷺ‬. This
Ḥadīth is attributed to Alī ‫رضي هﷲ ع ه‬ as it has been recorded by )mām aṭ-
Ṭaḥāwī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬in his Sharḥ Maʿānī al-Āthār:
‫وروى أبو بكر ال هشلي‬

‫عن عاصم بن كليب‬
‫عن أبيه‬
‫ م م يعد بعد‬، ‫أول التكبر‬ ‫ رفع يديه‬، ‫أن عليا رضي اه ع ه‬
It was narrated by Ab” Bakr an-Nahshalī

On the authority of Āṣim bin Kulaib
On the authority of his father
Verily Alī ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ه‬raised his hands the first time and then did not
repeat that. [ 116 ]
(at-Ṭaḥāwī Printed
Al-Ḥāfidh az-Zayla ī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬authenticated this narration in his famous book

Naṣb ar-Rāʼah [ 117 ] as did Imām al- Aīnī ‫[ رح ه ﷲ‬ 118 ] not as the action of
Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬but as an action of the companion Alī ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ه‬.
However this is clearly a mistake due to the obvious issues with this narration,
which will be discussed in detail. The vast majority of great )slāmic scholars
of the earliest generations rejected this narration even in Mawq”f form.
The first issue with this narration is that Āsim bin Kulaib alone reports this
narration conflicting with stronger reports. Now let us see what the scholars
of Jarḥ w-Taʿdīl (scholars who specialize in grading narrators) have to say about
Āṣim bin Kulaib:
116
Sharḥ Ma ānī al-Āthār Volume # 1 page #
117
118
ʿUmdat-ul-Qarī Volume # Page # 10

)mām Ibn al-Madinī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬said about him:
‫ا تج به إذا انفرد‬
(e is not relied upon when he is alone in reporting. [ 119 ]
Hence, it becomes evident that there is weakness in this Ḥadīth on account of

it being gharīb (having only one chain) via a narrator who has been deemed as
undependable when he is the lone narrator.
Al-Ḥāfidh al-Bayhaqī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬also weakened this narration and reported the

saying of the great scholar, )mām ash-Shāfa ī ‫رح ه ﷲ‬ who said:
ِ ٍ ِ
ُ ‫ت َع ْن َعل ٍي َوابْ ِن َم ْسعُود يَ ْع ِ َما َرَوْوُ َعْ ُه َما م ْن أَن‬
‫َه َما َكانَا‬ ُ ُ‫َوَا يَثْب‬
‫اح‬ َ ‫ان أَيْ ِديَ ُه َما ِ َش ْي ٍء ِم َن ال‬
ِ َ‫ص َاةِ إَِا ِ تَ ْكبِ َرةِ ِاافْتِت‬ ِ ‫َا ي رفَع‬
َ َْ
)t is not established regarding Alī or Ibn Mas ”d what has been

narrated regarding them not raising hands except in the opening of the
prayer. [ 120 ]
(al-Bayhaqī, Sunan al-Kubrā Printed
Al-Ḥāfidh Uthmān ad-Dārimī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬graded it to be ( ‫ ) اهي‬extremely weak. [

121 ] Ibn al-Mulaqqin ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬said:
ِ ‫يف َا ي‬
‫صح‬ ِ ‫ع ْه‬
َ ٌ ‫ضع‬ َ َُ
)t is weak, not authentic from him (ʿAlī ‫ [ ) رضي هﷲ ع ه‬122 ]
119
120
As-Sunan al-Kubr Volume # 2 Page # 81
121
As-Sunan al-Kubr Volume # 2 Page # 80 -
122

Finally let us review what the )mām of the scholars of Ḥadīth, )mām al-Bukhārī
‫رح ه ﷲ‬ said about this in his famous book Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadayn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh :
‫ ذكرت للثوري حديث ال هشلي عن عاصم بن كليب‬: ‫قال عبد الرمن بن مهدي‬
‫فأنكر‬
AbdurRaḥmān bin Mahdī said, ) mentioned to ath-Thawrī the Ḥadīth
of an-Nahshilī from Āṣim bin Kulaib and he rejected it. [ 123 ]
In light of the research presented by the great scholars of Ḥadīth, it becomes

clear that the majority of the scholars of Ḥadīth agreed that this narration is
weak.
Summary Grading: Ḥadīth of ʿAlī bin Abī Tālib Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn:
In the humble opinion of the author of this research, this is the strongest
proof negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn. Having stated that, it is also true that the
weaknesses pointed out, render it to be at best a supporting evidence.
The weaknesses in the chain of narrators are not severe, yet one must keep
in consideration that this weak narration is in direct opposition to stronger
narrations confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn from Alī ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ه‬himself.
With the wording being conflicted by stronger narrations from Alī ‫رضي هﷲ ع ه‬
himself and the chain of narrators containing a narrator who is rejected
when is alone in reporting (Āṣim bin Kulaib), this is in fact a weak narration.
Not to mention this is a personal practice of a companion being used against
what is clearly established from Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬himself! The prominent
Ḥanafī scholar and author of at-Taʿlīq al-Mumajjad li-Muṭṭā al-)mām
Muḥammad, al-Ḥāfidh AbdulḤayy al-Laknawī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬eloquently explains:
123
Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadayn by )mām al-Bukhārī page # 49

‫ا رئ ب سخ أمر ثابت عن رسول اه ﷺ مجرد حسن الظن بالصحا‬

‫مع إمكان ا مع بن فعل الرسول وفعله‬
)ndeed it is not correct to abrogate an established command of
Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬purely based on the opinion of a Companion when the
possibility exists of reconciling the action of Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬with the
action of a companion [ 124 ]
(al-Laknawī, at-Ta līq al-Mumjjad li-Muṭṭā al-)mām Muḥammad Printed
)mām )bn al-Mulaqqin ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬and al-Ḥāfidh Mubārakp”rī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬have discussed
this Ḥadīth in great depth and have come to the same conclusion:
‫هذا حديث ضعيف‬

This Ḥadīth is weak [ 125 ]
It has been noted that there were those who considered this narration as
authentic as an action of the companion Alī ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ه‬including:
Al-Ḥāfidh az-Zayla ī ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬126 ] and )mām al- Aīnī ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬127 ]. Yet the
majority of the scholars of Ḥadīth considered it weak. Those who considered
this Ḥadīth as weak include:
 )mām Sufyān ath-Thawrī (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬128 ]
124
At-Taʿlīq al-Mumajjad Volume # Page #
125
126
127
ʿUmdat-ul-Qarī Volume # Page # 10
128
129
As-Sunan al-Kubr Volume # 2 Page # 81

 )mām Ibn al-Madinī (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬130 ]
 Al-Ḥāfidh ad-Dārimī (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬133 ]

 al-Ḥāfidh AbdulḤayy al-Laknawī (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬137 ]
130
131
132
133
As-Sunan al-Kubr Volume # 2 Page # 80 -
134
Al-Mizān Volume # 4 Page # 12
136
137
138
Tuḥafatul-Aḥwadhī by al-Ḥāfidh Mubārakp”rī

The Mawq”f Ḥadīth Attributed to Ibn ʿUmar Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn:
The fifth Ḥadīth to be researched is another Mawq”f Ḥadīth, meaning it is

reported to be an action of a Ṣaḥābī not an action of Ras”lullāh ‫ﷺ‬. This
Ḥadīth is ascribed to Ibn Umar ‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲع‬ as it has been recorded by )mām aṭ-
Ṭaḥāwī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬in his Sharḥ Maʿānī al-Āthār [ 139 ] and al-Ḥāfidh al-Bayhaqī ‫رح ه‬
‫ﷲ‬ in his Al-Maʿrifah [ 140 ]
: ‫ قَ َال‬، ‫عن ابْ ُن أَِ َد ُاود‬

: ‫ قَ َال‬، ‫س‬ َ ُ‫َمَ ُد بْ ُن يُون‬
ْ ‫َحدَثََا أ‬
‫َحدَثََا أَبُو بَ ْك ِر بْ ُن َعياش‬
‫ن‬ٍ ْ‫ص‬
َ ‫َع ْن ُح‬
:‫اه ٍد قَ َال‬
ِ ُُ ‫عن‬
َ َْ
ِ‫صلَيت خ ْلف اب ِن عمر ر ِضي اللَهُ َعْ ُهما فَلَم ي ُكن ي رفَع ي َدي ِه َإا ِ التَ ْكبِرة‬
َ ْ َ ُ َْ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ ََ ُ ْ َ َ َْ
.ِ‫صاَة‬َ ‫وى ِم ْن ال‬ َ ُ‫اآ‬
On the authority of Ibn Abī Dāw”d who said

We were informed by Aḥmad bin Y”nus who said
We were informed by Ab” Bakr ʿAyāsh
On the authority of Ḥuṣayn
On the authority of Mujāhid who said:
I prayed behind Ibn Umar ‫ﷲع‬ ‫ رضي ه‬and he did not raise his hands
except for the first takbīr in the prayer.
This is a very weak Ḥadīth for a number of reasons. One of the original
recorders of this Ḥadīth, al-Ḥāfidh al-Bayhaqī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬himself graded it to be
weak. Al-Ḥāfidh al-Bayhaqī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬said regarding this narration:
139
140
Al-Maʿrifah by al-Ḥāfidh al-Bayhaqī Volume # 1 page #

‫ وقد روا الربيع وليث‬, ‫ أبو بكر بن عياش اختلط بآخر‬: ‫قال البخاري‬
‫ قالوا رأي ا ابن‬, ‫وطاوس وسام ونافع وأبو الزبر و ارب بن دثار وغرهم‬
‫عمر يرفع يديه إذا كر وإذا رفع‬
)mām Bukhārī said: Ab” Bakr ʿAyāsh got confused at the end of his
life, and the narration is related from Rabī , al-Laith, Taw”s, Sālim, Ab”
Zubair, Muhārib bin Dithār, and others saying, we saw Ibn Umar raise
his hands when he made takbīr (for Ruk”ʿ) and when he raised (his head
from Ruk”ʿ). [ 141 ]
Hence, it is very clear from the words of )mām al-B”khārī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬as quoted by
al- Ḥāfidh al-Bayhaqī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬that this narration is weak. Not only is it a weak
narration, it is also contradicted by stronger reports from both Mujāhid ‫رحمه‬
‫ ﷲ‬and Ibn Umar ‫ﷲ ع ْن م‬ ‫ رضي ه‬confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn. In fact the narration
of Ibn Umar ‫ﷲ ع ْن م‬ ‫ رضي ه‬confirming the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn is
recorded in the most authentic book, after the book of Allāh, which is Ṣaḥīḥ
al-B”khārī.
)mām al-Ḥākim ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬said:
Ab” Bakr bin Ayāsh used to be from the fixed memorizers, and then
he got confused when his memory failed him, and then he narrated
contradictory narrations. [ 142 ]
(al-Bayhaqī, Ma arifah as-Sunan wa al-Athār Printed
It is evident from the words of )mām al-Ḥākim ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬that Ab” Bakr bin Ayāsh
‫ رح ه ﷲ‬was not a weak narrator due to bad character or a lack of good morals
141
Sunan al-Kubrā by al-Ḥāfidh al-Baʼhaqī Volume # 2 page #
142

( ‫)ع‬, rather he became weak in memory in his older age which led to his
confusion and lack of precision (‫ )ض بط‬in reporting narrations.
)mām al-Bukhārī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬wrote in his book Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadayn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh :
It is reported from Ab” Bakr bin Ayāsh from Ḥusain from Mujāhid that
‫ رضي ه‬raise his hands except at the first
he did not see Ibn Umar ‫ﷲ ع ْن م‬
takbīr. And it is related from the people of knowledge that it is not
preserved from Ibn Umar except as a mistake. Do you not see that Ibn
‫ رضي ه‬used to throw small pebbles at the one who did not
Umar ‫ﷲ ع ْن م‬
raise his hands (while performing Ruk”ʿ and getting up from it) in
prayer? This begs the question that how could the great companion Ibn
‫ رضي ه‬leave something that he commanded others to do
Umar ‫ﷲ ع ْن م‬
and witnessed Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬doing himself? [ 143 ]
)mām al-B”khārī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬points out the multipule weakness:

. The chain of narrators contains a weak narrator.
. It is contrary to what has been authentically reported as the practice of
Ibn Umar ‫ﷲ ع ْن م‬ ‫ رضي ه‬himself.
‫ رضي ه‬authentically reported from
. It contradicts what Ibn Umar ‫ﷲ ع ْن م‬
Ras”lullāh ‫ﷺ‬.
‫ رضي ه‬used to remind

In fact it is authentically reported that Ibn Umar ‫ﷲ ع ْن م‬
others who forgot to perform Rafʿ al-Yadayn by throwing small pebbles at
them. These factors combined clearly establish that this weak narration
cannot stand up to what is in contradiction to it.
After this )mām al-B”khārī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬quotes one of the great scholars of Jarḥ wa
Taʿdīl al-)mām Yaḥyā bin Ma īn ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬saying:
143
Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadayn by Imām al-Bukhārī page #

‫حديث أ بكر عن حصن إما هو توهم م ه ا أصل له‬

The Ḥadīth of Ab” Bakr from Husain is an unfounded vain fancy of his,
having no basis. [ 144 ]
Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬wrote in his famous Sharḥ of Ṣaḥīḥ al-
B”khārī, Fatḥ-al-Bārī:
‫وأما ا فية فعولوا على رواية ُاهد أنه صلى خلف ابن عمر فلم ير يفعل ذلك‬
‫إس اد أن أبا بكر بن عياش راويه ساء حفظه بأخرة‬ ‫وأجيبوا بالطعن‬
and as for the Ḥanafiyyah then they rely upon the narration of Mujāhid
that he prayed behind Ibn Umar ‫ﷲ ع ْن م‬ ‫ رضي ه‬and he did not see him
raise his hands (before and after Ruk”ʿ). And they (scholars of Ḥadīth)
replied by showing the weakness of its Isnād, because of the narrator
Ab” Bakr bin Ayāsh, his memory became weak at the end of his life. [
145 ]
The great Ḥanafī scholar al-Ḥāfidh AbdulḤayy al-Laknawī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬discusses this
narration in detail in his explanation of the Muṭṭā al-)mām Muḥammad at-
Taʿlīq al-Mumajjad li-Muṭṭā al-)mām Muḥammad. AbdulḤayy al-Laknawī ‫رحمه‬
‫ ﷲ‬gives his verdict on this narration with:
ِ ‫ه َذا َِِا َا ي ُق‬

ُ ‫ قُ ْل‬:ُ‫وم بِه ا ُْ َجة‬
‫ت‬ ُ َ َ
) say this is not something that can be taken as a proof. [ 146 ]
(al-Laknawī, at-Ta līq al-Mumjjad li-Muṭṭā al-)mām Muḥammad Printed
144
145
Fatḥ-al-Bārī Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ al-B”khārī Volume # 2 Page # 257
146
At-Taʿlīq al-Mumajjad Volume # 1 Page # 140

At this juncture a sincere seeker of the pleasure of Allāh ‫سبح نه تع لى‬, has to ask
how can such a weak Ḥadīth be used to oppose the authentically established
Ṣaḥīḥ Ḥadīth from the two most authentic books of Ḥadīth? Clearly both al-
Bukhārī and Muslim have recorded authentic reports from Ibn Umar ‫ﷲ‬ ‫ر ضي ه‬
‫ ع ْن م‬reporting the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn from Ras”lullāh ‫ﷺ‬. It is also
authentically established that Ibn Umar ‫ﷲ ع ْن م‬ ‫ رضي ه‬himself performed Rafʿ
al-Yadayn and reminded others to perform Rafʿ al-Yadayn.
Summary Grading: Ḥadīth of Ibn ʿUmar Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn:
Al-Ḥāfidh Mubārakp”rī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬summarizes the three major objections to this

narration when he writes:
ٍ‫َخرة‬ ِ ِ ٍ َ‫ْاأ ََو ُل أَ َن ِ َسَ ِد ِ أَبَا بَ ْك ِر بْ َن َعي‬
َ َ ‫اش َوَكا َن تَغَيَ َر ح ْفظُهُ بأ‬
Firstly: In its chain of reporters there is Ab” Bakr bin Ayāsh and his
memory failed him at the end of his life.
ِ ِ ‫َصح‬ ِ ُُ ‫َاِ أَنَه شاذٌ فَِإ َن‬
ِ َ‫اه ًدا خال‬
ٌ ‫ َوُه ْم ث َق‬، ‫اب ابْ ِن عُ َمَر‬
ٌ ‫ات ُحفَا‬
‫ظ‬ َ ْ ‫يع أ‬
َ ‫ف َم‬
َ َ َ َ ُ ِ ‫الث‬
Secondly: Its Shādh for Mujāhid contradicts all of the companions of
Ibn Umar and they are trustworthy Ḥadīth Masters.
ٍ ْ‫ص‬ ِ ٍ ِ‫ث أَ َن إِ َم َام َه َذا ال َشأْ ِن َْى بْن َمع‬ ِ
‫ن‬ َ ‫يث أَِ بَ ْك ٍر َع ْن ُح‬
ُ ‫ن قَ َال َحد‬ َ َ ُ ‫الثَال‬
ِ
ْ ‫إَِمَا ُه َو تَ َوه ٌم مْهُ َا أ‬
ُ‫َص َل لَه‬
Thirdly: The )mām of this matter, Yaḥyā bin Ma īn said, The Ḥadīth of
Ab” Bakr bin (usain is a vain fancy of his, and it has no basis. [ 147 ]
In summary, it is clear that not only is this Ḥadīth weak, it is very weak, having
no basis and contradicted by narrations of the highest caliber.
147
Volume # 2 Page # 120 -

From amongst the great scholars of Ḥadīth who considered this Ḥadīth to be
weak include:
 )mām Yaḥyā bin Ma īn (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬148 ]
 )mām Alī Ibn al- Madīnī (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬149 ]
 )mām Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬150 ]
 Ya q”b bin Shaībah (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬152 ]
 )mām Ad-Dāraquṭnī (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬154 ]
 Al-Ḥāfidh Ab” Na īm (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬155 ]
 al-Ḥāfidh AbdulḤayy al-Laknawī (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬159 ]
148
149 Ar-Risāil ash-Shāfiʼʼah fī al-Masāil al-Khilāfiʼʼah Page #
150
Masā’il Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal By Ibn Hānī Volume # 1 Page # 50
151
153
At-Tahdhīb Volume # 12 Page #
154
Al-ʿIllal By ad-DāraquṭnīVolume # Page #
156
158
Fatḥ-al-Bārī Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ al-B”khārī Volume # 2 Page # 257
159
At-Taʿlīq al-Mumajjad Volume # 1 Page # 140
160
Tuḥafatul-Aḥwadhī by al-Ḥāfidh Mubārakp”rī
Volume # 2 Page # 120 -

The Ḥadīth Attributed to Ibn ʿAbbās Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn:
The sixth Ḥadīth to be researched is allegedly a narration on the authority of

Abdullāh bin Abbās ‫ﷲ ع‬‫رضي ه‬. The great scholar of Ḥadīth, )mām Ibn
Humām ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬writes in Fatḥ al Qadīr, his famous commentary of al-Hidāyah:
‫يع‬ ِ
ٌ ‫وقال َوك‬
‫َع ْن ابْ ِن أَِ لَْي لَى‬
‫َع ْن ا َْ َك ِم‬
‫َع ْن ِم ْق َس ٍم‬
ِ ‫اس ر ِضي اللَهُ َعْ ُهما عْه ﷺ َا تُرفَع ْاأَي ِدي َإا ِ سب ِع مو‬
: ‫اط َن‬ ٍ َ‫َع ْن ابْ ِن َعب‬
َ َ َْ ْ ُْ َُ َ َ َ
، ِ‫ص َاة‬ َ ‫اح ال‬ ِ َ‫ ِ افْتِت‬.1
، ‫استِ ْقبَ ِال الْ َك ْعبَ ِة‬
ْ ِ‫ َو‬.2
، ِ‫ص َفا َوالْ َم ْرَوة‬ َ ‫ َو َعلَى ال‬.3
، ‫ات‬ ٍ َ‫ وبِعرف‬.4
ََ َ
، ‫ َوَِِ ْم ٍع‬.5
،‫ن‬ ِ ْ ‫ وِ الْم َق َام‬.6
َ َ
ِ ْ َ‫ و ِعْ َد ا َْ ْمرت‬.7
‫ن‬ َ َ
‫يث‬
َ ‫اد‬ ِ ‫ لَم يسمع الْح َكم َعن ِم ْقسم إَ أَرب عةَ أَح‬: ُ‫ قَ َال ُشعبة‬: ‫وقَ َال‬
َ َ َْ َ ْ ُ َ ََْْ ْ َْ َ
. ‫ فَ ُه َو ُم ْر َس ٌل َوغَْي ُر َم ْح ُفوظ‬، ‫س َه َذا ِم ْ َها‬ َ ‫لَْي‬
Wakī narrates on the authority of
Ibn Abī Laylah who narrates on the authority of
Al-Ḥakam who narrates on the authority of
Miqsam who narrates on the authority of
‫ رضي ه‬that Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬said: "The hands
Abdullāh bin Abbās ‫ﷲ ع ْن م‬
are not to be raised except in seven occasions:
1. While commencing Ṣalāh
2. While facing the Ka bah
3. Upon the mountain of Aṣ-Ṣafā and Al-Marwa

4. In Arafāt
5. In Muzdalifah
6. near the two places
7. Near the two Jamarats after throwing the rocks'
And he said (meaning al-B”khārī ‫ ) رحمه ﷲ‬Shu ba ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬says that Al-
Ḥakam ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬only heard four aḥādīth from Miqsam ‫رحمه ﷲ‬, and this
Ḥadīth is not one of them. Therefore, this Ḥadīth will be in the category
of Mursal (a form of Weak ‫ْف‬
‫ ضعي‬where the link in the chain is missing)
and it is ‫ْفوظ‬
‫ْر مح‬ ‫ غي‬not preserved (meaning it is contradicted by
stronger narrations). [ 161 ]
)bn (umām Printed
That is not the only weakness, )mām as-Suy”ṭī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬who states about this
Ḥadīth:
‫اإس اد مد بن أ ليلى وهو سيئ ا فظ‬

)n the chain of narrators there is Muḥammad )bn Abī Laylah who has
a weak memory. [ 162 ]
as-Suyū ṭī, Jam al-jawāmi Printed
Then the great Ḥanafī scholar )mām Ibn (umām ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬also makes additional
observation:
ِ ُ‫يدي ِن وتَ ْكبِرةِ الْ ُق‬
.‫وت‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ َ ‫أَصحاب َا خالَُفوا ه َذا ا ْ ِد‬
َ َ ْ َ ‫يث تَ ْكب َرات الْع‬ َ َ َ ََْ
Our companions (meaning the Ḥanafī scholars) have gone against this
Ḥadīth in regards to the takbīrāt of Eid and for the takbīr before the
Qun”t of Witr. [ 163 ]
)bn (umām Printed
161
Fatḥ al Qadīr lil Ajiz al Faqīr Volume # 1 Page # 316
162
Jam al-jawāmi Volume # 1 Page # 17977 (Harf al-Lām
163

Hence, if the Ḥanafī scholars use this Ḥadīth to restrict the raising of the hands
to only the beginning of the Ṣalāh, saying that this Ḥadīth restricts the raising
to these seven occasions, then they themselves contradict this Ḥadīth in their
Fiqh rulings when they call upon the people to raise their hands in the takbīrāt
of Eid and the raising of the hands for the takbīr before the du ā for Qun”t of
witr. Then, )mām Ibn Humām ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬concludes:
ٍ َ‫يحة َع ْن ابْ ِن عُ َمَر َوابْ ِن َعب‬ ِ ‫يد‬ ِ ‫وبِ ِرواي ِة َماع ٍة ِمن التَابِعِن بِأ‬
‫اس‬ َ ‫صح‬ َ َ ‫َسان‬ َ َ ْ َ َ ََ َ
ِ ‫ان أَيْ ِديَ ُه َما ِع ْ َد الرُك‬
‫ َوبَ ْع َد َرفْ ِع‬، ‫وع‬ ِ ‫ر ِضي اللَه عْ هما أَن ُهما َكانَا ي رفَ ع‬
َ َْ َ َُ َ ُ َ َ
. ُ‫س ِم ْه‬
ِ ْ‫الرأ‬
A group of the Tābi īn have narrated with authentic chains of

narrations that both Ibn Umar ‫ْهما‬
‫ رضيهَ عن‬and Ibn Abbās َ‫رضيه‬
‫ عن‬used to raise their hands at the time of Rukūʿ and upon
‫ْهما‬
raising their heads from Rukūʿ . [ 164 ]
)bn (umām Printed
This point clearly illustrates that this weak Ḥadīth is in fact contradicted by
the authentic narration proving that the famous companion of Ras”lullāh ‫ﷺ‬,
‫ رضي هَ عن‬himself performed Rafʿ al-Yadayn and
Abdullāh bin Abbās ‫ْهما‬
authentically reported it from Ras”lullāh ‫ﷺ‬.
Summary Grading: Ḥadīth of Ibn ʿAbbās Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn:
The great works of the scholars of Ḥadīth uncover a number of weaknesses

with regards to this Ḥadīth:
. There is a clear break in the chain of narrators between al-Ḥakam ‫رح ه‬

‫ﷲ‬ and Miqsam ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬, hence the chain of narrators is broken rendering
this Ḥadīth weak.
164

. )bn Abī Laylah had a weak memory.
. This narration conflicts with other stronger narrations which prove
raising the hands at other than these seven occasions. Such as the
aḥādīth proving raising the hands for Ṣalāt-al-)stisqā. Even the Ḥanafī
scholars have ruled against this Ḥadīth by confirming the extra takbīrāt
of Eid and the takbīr before the du ā for the Qun”t of Witr.
. This narration is in direct contradiction with a great number of
‫ رضي هَ عن‬practicing Rafʿ
stronger narrations proving Ibn Abbās ‫ْهما‬
al-Yadayn.
Hence it is clearly a weak narration and from the great scholars of )slām who
considered this Ḥadīth to be weak are:
 )mām Ibn (umām (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬171 ]
 )mām as-Suy”ṭī (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬172 ]
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
Jam al-jawāmi Volume # 1 Page # 17977 (Harf al-Lām

The Marf”ʿ Ḥadīth Attributed to Ibn ʿUmar Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn:
The seventh Ḥadīth to be researched is allegedly a narration on the authority

of Ibn Umar ‫ﷲ ع‬ ‫ رضي ه‬in Marf”ʿ form (attributed to Ras”lullāh ‫) ﷺ‬.
ٍ‫َع ِن ابْ ِن عُمر أَنَهُ َعلَْي ِه ال َس َا ُم َا يَ ْرفَ ُع يَ َديْ ِه إَِا ِ أََوِل َمَرة‬
ََ
On the authority of Ibn Umar ‫ رضي ه‬who said: Verily He
‫ﷲ ع‬
(Ras”lullāh ‫ ) ﷺ‬did not raise the hands except at the first instance.
[ 173 ]
Even though many authors, blinded by partisanship, quote this narration in

order to negate the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn. The truth of the matter is that
it is in fact a fabrication.
Al-Ḥāfidh az-Zayla ī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬reported this narration in Naṣb ar-Rāʼah and then
warns the reader quoting the words of al-Ḥāfidh al-Bayhaqī ‫رحمه ﷲ‬:
‫ قال ا اكم هذا باطل موضوع ا وز أن يذكر إا على سبيل‬: ‫قال البيهقي‬
‫القدح انتهى‬
Al-Bayhaqī said: al-Ḥākim said: this Ḥadīth is bāṭil (a false
narration) mawd”ʿ (a fabrication). It is not permissible to mention
it except by way of censure. [ 174 ]
SubḥanAllāh, we read the strict warning from some of the greatest scholars of
Ḥadīth that this Ḥadīth is not just weak but rather it is fabricated mawd”ʿ
and it is not permissible to even mention it except as a warning that it is a
173
Tuḥafatul-Aḥwadhī by al-Ḥāfidh Mubārakp”rī Volume # 2 Pages # 121 -
174
Naṣb ar-Rāʼah Takhrīj Aḥādīth al-(idāʼah by al-Ḥāfidh az-Zayla ī Volume # Page

fabrication (mawd”ʿ) ! Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬writes in ad-
Dirāʼah:
‫ونقل عن ا اكم أنه موضوع وهو كما قال‬

al-Ḥākim said it is mawd”ʿ and it is as he (Al-Ḥākim said. [ 175 ]
The great Muḥaqiq al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬agreed with the
grading of al-Ḥāfidh al-Bayhaqī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬and al-Ḥākim ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬, stated that this
narration is a fabrication. This was also the conclusion of al-Ḥāfidh
Mubārakp”rī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬when he wrote in Tuḥafatul-Aḥwadhī:
‫ حديث ابن عمر هذا باطل موضوع‬: ‫قلت‬

) say: this Ḥadīth of Ibn Umar is bāṭil (a false narration) mawd”ʿ (a
fabrication). [ 176 ]
Not a single scholar of )slām strengthened this narration as being Ṣaḥīḥ or even
Ḥasan, rather it was graded as a fabrication. How can this fabrication be used
as proof against clear and numerous aḥādīth that are authentic to the level of
being reported in both Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim? The answer is
found in the judicious words of al-Ḥāfidh Mubārakp”rī ‫رح ه ﷲ‬:
‫فهدى اه سبحانه وتعاى هؤاء امقلدين الذين يركون حديث ابن عمر‬
‫الصحيح امتفق عليه ويتمسكون حديثه الذي حكم ا اكم عليه بأنه‬
‫موضوع‬
May Allāh guide those blind followers who reject the authentic agreed
upon Ḥadīth of Ibn Umar and stick to his Ḥadīth which al-Ḥākim ruled
to be mawd”ʿ fabricated . [ 177 ]
175
176
Tuḥafatul-Aḥwadhī by al-Ḥāfidh Mubārakp”rī Volume # 2 Page # 122
177

Summary Grading: Marf”ʿ Ḥadīth of Ibn ʿUmar Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn:
This is a false narration in contradiction to authentic narrations reported in

both Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim. The discussion regarding this
narration can be summed up with the wise words of the great scholar of )slām,
al-Ḥāfidh Ibn al-Qayyim ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬who wrote about this Ḥadīth:
ِ ٍ ِ ِ ِ
ُ ‫َوَم ْن َش َم َرَوائ َح ا َْديث َعلَى بُ ْعد َش ِه َد بِاللَه أَنَهُ َم ْو‬
ٌ‫ضوع‬
Whoever even smells this Ḥadīth from a far will swear by Allāh that it
is mawd”ʿ (fabricated). [ 178 ]
From the above quoted references we find that the great scholars of )slām
who graded this Ḥadīth as mawd”ʿ include:
 Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Jawzī (d. 597 ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬181 ]
 Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī (d. ‫رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬ [ 184 ]
178
Al-Manār al-Munīf fī Ṣaḥīḥ wa Daʿīf Page #138
179
180
181
182
Al-Manār al-Munīf fī Ṣaḥīḥ wa Daʿīf Page #1
183
184
185
Tuḥafatul-Aḥwadhī by al-Ḥāfidh Mubārakp”rī Volume # 2 Page # 121 -

The Ḥadīth Attributed to ʿAbbād bin Zubair Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn:
The eighth Ḥadīth to be researched is allegedly a narration on the authority of

Abbād bin Zubair ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬:
‫عن عباد بن الزبر أن رسول اه صلى اه عليه وسلم كان إذا افتتح الصاة‬
.‫ م م يرفعها شيء حى يفرغ‬، ‫رفع يديه أول الصاة‬
On the authority of Abbād bin Zubair ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ه‬: When Ras”lullāh ‫ﷺ‬
would begin his prayer, He would raise His hands and did not raise
them thereafter until he completed his prayer [ 186 ]
The weakness of this Ḥadīth becomes apparent right from the beginning since
the one narrating this Ḥadīth from Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬is Abbād bin Abdullāh bin
Zubair ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬who is a Tābīʿ, meaning he never saw Ras”lullāh ‫ﷺ‬. Hence, it
is impossible for him to be narrating a Ḥadīth directly from Ras”lullāh ‫ﷺ‬.
Therefore this Ḥadīth is weak due to be it being Mursal (‫)م سل‬. Mursal means
the narrator between the Tābīʿ and Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬is missing.
Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬points out in ad-Dirāyah:
‫ و إس اد أيضا من ي ظر فيه‬. ‫هذا مرسل‬

This is mursal. And its isnād also has other defects which require some
looking into. [ 187 ]
Furthermore, the words of this great scholar, al- Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī
‫رح ه ﷲ‬, point out two defects in the chain of narrators of this Ḥadīth.
186
187
Ad-Dirāʼah fī Takhrīj Aḥādīth al-(idāʼah by Ibn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī Volume # 1 Page # 158

Al-Ḥāfidh Mubārakp”rī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬points out this second weakness in the chain of
narrators in Tuḥafatul-Aḥwadhī, where he wrote:
‫فيه من ا يعرف حاله من كتب الرجال‬

)n it is one whose state is not known in the books documenting
narrators. [ 188 ]
Hence, a second weakness becomes apparent, which is that there is a narrator

whose condition is unknown. Therefore, we see this Ḥadīth is not only Mursal
but also has a Majh”l (whose condition is not known) narrator which further
deteriorates its acceptability.
After reviewing the multiple problems in the sanad (chain of narrators) of this
narration, we must also point out there is major problem in the matn
(wording). This narration is weak, in direct opposition to aḥādīth from the two
most authentic books of Ḥadīth, Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim. This
renders it to be an extremely weak narration which is categorized as Munkar
( ‫ )م‬meaning rejected.
Summary Grading: Ḥadīth of ʿAbbād bin Zubair Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn:
The works of the great scholar of )slām point out a number of weaknesses with
regards to this Ḥadīth:
. There is a clear break in the chain of narrators between Abbād bin

Abdullāh bin Zubair ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬and Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬rendering the Ḥadīth
weak.
. In the chain of narrators there is a Majh”l narrator which further
weakens this already weak narration.
. This weak narration conflicts with much stronger narrations.
188

Due to these factors the great scholar of )slām and grader of Ḥadīth, al-Ḥāfidh
Ibn al-Qayyim ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬graded this narration to be a fabrication!
Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Qayyim ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬writes in al Al-Manār al-Munīf:
‫هو موضوع‬
)t is a fabrication. [ 189 ]
(al-Jawziyyah, Al-Manār al-Munīf fī Ṣaḥīḥ wa Da īf Printed
From amongst the greatest scholars of )slām who considered this Ḥadīth to
be either extremely weak or an out right fabrication, include:
189
190
191
192
193
Naṣb ar-Rāʼah Takhrīj Aḥādīth al-(idāʼah by az-Zayla ī Volume # 1 Pages
194
195
Ad-Dirāʼah fī Takhrīj Aḥādīth al-(idāʼah by Ibn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī Volume 1 x Page # 158
196

The Ḥadīth of Jābir bin Samurah Reported in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim:
One of the main proofs used by those who claim that Rafʿ al-Yadayn was
abrogated is the Ḥadīth reported by Imām Muslim in his Ṣaḥīḥ [ 197 ]
(Muslim Printed 2004)
ٍ ْ‫َحدَثََا أَبُو بَ ْك ِر بْن أَِ َشْيبَةَ وأَبُو ُكري‬

‫ب قَ َاا‬ َ َ ُ
َ‫َحدَثََا أَبُو ُم َعا ِويَة‬
ِ ‫َع ْن ْاأ َْع َم‬
‫ش‬
‫ب بْ ِن َرافِ ٍع‬ ِ َ‫َع ْن الْمسي‬
َُ
َ‫َع ْن ََِي ِم بْ ِن طََرفَة‬
‫َع ْن َجابِ ِر بْ ِن َََُرَة َر ِض َي اللَهُ َعْهُ قَ َال‬
ِ ِِ ِ ُ ‫خرج علَي َا رس‬
ُ َ‫ول اللَه ﷺ فَ َق َال َما ِِ أ ََرا ُك ْم َرافعي أَيْدي ُك ْم َكأَن ََها أَ ْذن‬
‫اب‬ ُ َ ْ َ َ ََ
ِ‫ص َاة‬
َ ‫اس ُكُوا ِ ال‬ ٍ ُُْ ‫َخْي ٍل‬
ْ ‫س‬
We were informed by Ab” Bakr bin Abī Shaybah
and Ab” Kurayb who said
We were informed by Ab” Mu āwiyah
On the authority of al- A mash
On the authority al-Musayyab bin Rāfi
On the authority Tamim bin Ṭarafah
On the authority of Jābir bin Samurah ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ه‬who said:
) went out with the Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬and He said, what is the matter
that I see you raising your hands as if they were the tails of stubborn
horses. Be calm in your prayer.
This is without a doubt an authentic Ḥadīth, reported in one of the most

authentic books of Ḥadīth. The problem with using this Ḥadīth as a proof for
abandoning the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn is that is it nothing but deception.
This Ḥadīth is regarding taslīm, which is the action of saying Salām in the end
197
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim Ḥadīth #

of the prayer, after the last tashahhud when the one praying turns his or her
head to the right and left pronouncing the Salām that is taslīm. What is
quoted above is only a partial narration of the entire incident. If we read
further in the very same book Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim we find Ḥadīth # . This is also
narrated by the very same narrator Jābir bin Samurah ‫ رضيهَ عنْه‬who said:
‫ول اللَ ِه ﷺ قُ ْلَا ال َس َا ُم َعلَْي ُك ْم َوَر ْمَةُ اللَ ِه ال َس َا ُم‬ ِ ‫ُكَا إِ َذا صلَي َا مع رس‬
َُ ََ ْ َ
‫صلَى اللَهُ َعلَْي ِه‬ ِ ُ ‫ن فَ َق َال رس‬
َ ‫ول اللَه‬ ِ ْ َ‫َشار بِيَ ِد ِ إِ َى ا َْانِب‬ ِ
َُ َ َ ‫َعلَْي ُك ْم َوَر ْمَةُ اللَه َوأ‬
ِ ِ ٍ ُُ ‫ومئو َن بِأَي ِدي ُكم َكأَنَها أَ ْذنَاب خي ٍل‬ ِ
َ ‫س إَمَا يَكْفي أ‬
‫َح َد ُك ْم‬ ْ َْ ُ َ ْ ْ ُ ُ‫َو َسلَ َم َع َا َم ت‬
‫َخ ِيه َم ْن َعلَى ََِيِ ِه َوَُِالِِه‬ِ ‫أَ ْن يضع ي َد علَى فَ ِخ ِذ ِ مَُ يسلِم علَى أ‬
َ ُ َُ َ ُ َ ََ َ
When we said prayer with Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬we said the taslīm and
gestured with our hands on both sides. Upon this Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬said,
why do ) see you moving your hands as if they were tails of stubborn
horses. It is enough for you that one should place ones hand on one s
thigh and then pronounce taslīm to the brother on ones right and left
This is made absolutely clear by the narration before and the narration after
it, all reported by the very same narrator Jābir bin Samurah ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ْنه‬with the
exact same wording referring to tails of stubborn horses. The same Jābir bin
Samurah ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ْنه‬reports:
‫صلَى اللَهُ َعلَْي ِه َو َسلَ َم فَ ُكَا إِ َذا َسلَ ْمَا قُ ْلَا بِأَيْ ِديَا‬ ِ ِ
َ ‫ت َم َع َر ُسول اللَه‬ ُ ‫صلَْي‬
َ
‫صلَى اللَهُ َعلَْي ِه َو َسلَ َم‬ ِ ُ ‫ال َس َام علَي ُكم ال َس َام علَي ُكم فََظَر إِلَي َا رس‬
َ ‫ول اللَه‬ َُ ْ َ ْ َْ ُ ْ َْ ُ
‫س إِ َذا َسلَ َم‬ ٍ ُُْ ‫اب َخْي ٍل‬ ِ ِ ِ
ُ َ‫فَ َق َال َما َشأْنُ ُك ْم تُشرُو َن بأَيْدي ُك ْم َكأَن ََها أَ ْذن‬
ِ ‫ومئ بِي ِد‬ ِ ِ ِ ‫أَح ُد ُكم فَ ْلي ْلتَ ِفت إِ َى‬
َ ْ ُ‫صاحبِه َوَا ي‬ َ ْ َ ْ َ
We said our prayer with Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬and, while pronouncing
salutations, we made gestures with our hands (indicating)" Peace be
upon you, peace be upon you." Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬looked towards us and
said: Why is it that you make gestures with your hands like the tails of
stubborn horses? When any one of you pronounces salutation (in

prayer) he should only turn his face towards his companion and should
not make a gesture with his hand.
After reading the complete narration, it becomes unquestionably clear that

none of these narrations have anything to do with Rafʿ al-Yadayn at the time
of starting the prayer, while going into Ruk”ʿ or getting up from it. These
narrations are regarding the practice of gesturing with the hands at the time
of pronouncing the Salām, which is called the taslīm, at the end of the prayer.
This practice of gesturing with the hands while performing the taslīm was
forbidden by Ras”lullāh ‫ﷺ‬, abandoned by the Ṣaḥābah ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ْن‬and no one
practices this today. )mām an-Nawawī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬writes in his famous al-Majm”ʿ:
‫جابر بن َرة فاحتجاجهم به من أعجب اأشياء وأقبح أنواع الجهالة‬

‫الركوع والرفع م ه ولك هم‬ ‫رفع اأيدي‬ ‫ أن ا ديث م يرد‬، ‫بالس ة‬
‫كانوا يرفعون أيديهم حال السام من الصاة ويشرون ها إى ا انبن‬
‫يريدون بذلك السام على من عن ا انبن‬
Their use of the Ḥadīth of Jābir bin Samurah ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ه‬as an argument
(against Rafʿ al-Yadayn) is one of the most shocking matters and it is
the ugliest forms of ignorance of the Sunnah. It is not stated in the
Ḥadīth that this was when they performed Ruk”ʿ and straightened up
from it; rather, they used to raise their hands while performing the final
taslīm, pointing towards both sides as if saluting those who are on their
sides. [ 198 ]
(an-Nawawī, al-Majm” sharḥ al-Muhadhdhab Printed
The seeker of the truth, with an honest heart and the desire to follow the
Sunnah of our beloved Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬should ponder upon the words of )mām
an-Nawawī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬and think as to how can one simply cut a narration in half
and knowingly use it out of context just to justify one s point of view? How can
a scholar knowingly deceive the people and misuse the words of our beloved
198
al-Majm” sharḥ al-Muhadhdhab Volume # 3 Page # 403

Prophet ‫ ?ﷺ‬The Ḥanafī scholar al-Ḥāfidh az-Zayla ī ‫رح ه ﷲ‬ wrote in his
famous book of Takhrīj Naṣb ar-Rāʼah:
‫ وأما احتجاج‬: ‫واعرضه البخاري كتابه الذي وضعه رفع اليدين فقال‬
‫ فذكر حديثه‬، ‫بعض من ا يعلم حديث َيم بن طرفة عن جابر بن َرة‬
‫ ففسر رواية عبد‬، ‫ وهذا إما كان التشهد ا القيام‬: ‫امختصر وقال‬
‫ ك ا إذا صلي ا خلف‬: ‫ َعت جابر بن َرة يقول‬: ‫ قال‬، ‫اه بن القبطية‬
‫ وذكر حديثه الطويل امذكور م قال البخاري‬، ‫ال ي صلى اه عليه وسلم‬
‫تكبرات العيد أيضا م هيا ع ه‬ ‫ ولو كان كما ذهبوا إليه لكان الرفع‬:
‫أنه م يستثن رفعا دون رفع بل أطلق‬
)mām B”khārī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬objected (to those using this as a proof against
Rafʿ al-Yadayn) in his book Rafʿ al-Yadayn. He said: As for those who
depend on (in order to refute Rafʿ al-Yadayn) the Ḥadīth of Tamim bin
Ṭarafah from Jābir bin Samurah ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ْنه‬then they have no knowledge
of it. )mām al-B”khārī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬quotes the summarized Ḥadīth (Ḥadīth
# 0864 from Ṣaḥīh Muslim and then explains this was in the
tashahhud not in Qiyām, and this is explained by the narration from
Abdullāh bin al-Qibṭiyah (Ḥadīth # 0866 from Ṣaḥīh Muslim who said:
I heard from Jābir bin Samurah ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ْنه‬who said: we were praying
with an-Nabī ‫ﷺ‬. Then )mām al-B”khārī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬mentions the full Ḥadīth
proving this was in regards to the tashahhud. Then he states: If we
were to truly believe what they are implying, then the raising of hands
in the Eid prayer would also be forbidden, because the Ḥadīth does not
specify one raising from another, but it is general. [ 199 ]
)mām az-Zayla ī s ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬quote from )mām al-Bukhārī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬brings up an

excellent point. If those who misuse this Ḥadīth truly believed that this
Ḥadīth was for Rafʿ al-Yadayn and not for taslīm, then they would have to
forbid the raising of the hands while starting the prayer and during the Eid
199

prayer, which they practice and promote. Hence, they themselves contradict
their own misuse of this Ḥadīth.
Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬quotes in Talkhīs al-Ḥabīr:
‫س‬ ِ ‫ م ِن احتَ َج ِح ِد‬: ‫قَ َال الْبخا ِري‬

ِ ‫يث َجابِ ِر بْ ِن َََُرةَ َعلَى َمْ ِع الَرفْ ِع ِعْ َد الرُك‬
َ ‫وع فَ لَْي‬ َ ْ َ َُ
‫َشه ِد‬ ِ َ ‫ ه َذا م ْشهور َا ِخ َا‬، ‫ظ ِمن ال ِْعل ِْم‬
َ ‫ف ف ِيه أَنَهُ إَِمَا َكا َن ِ َح ِال الت‬ ٌُ َ َ َ ٌ ‫لَهُ َح‬
Al-B”khārī said: the one who depends upon the Ḥadīth of Jābir bin
Samurah ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ْنه‬for forbidding the raising (of the hands) at Ruk”ʿ,
then there is no portion of knowledge for him, for it is well-known,
having no difference of opinion, that this was in regards to at-
tashahhud. [ 200 ]
The seeker of truth will recognize the deceptiveness of those claiming this
Ḥadīth is negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn while going into the state of Ruk”ʿ and while
rising up from it by asking themselves which chapter did the scholars of
Ḥadīth quote this narration under? Was it reported under the chapter dealing
with Rafʿ al-Yadayn, or under the chapter dealing with the Salām in the end
of the prayer? Imām Muslim ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬reports this under the chapter:
‫اإ َش َارةِ بِالْيَ ِد َوَرفْعِ َها ِعْ َد ال َس َاِم‬

ِْ ‫ص َاةِ َوال َْه ِي َع ْن‬ ِ ‫باب ْاأَم ِر بِالس ُك‬
َ ‫ون ِ ال‬ ْ َ
The chapter on being calm in the prayer and prohibition on pointing
with the hand and raising it during the Salām. [ 201 ]
200
201
Ṣaḥīh Muslim Kitāb as-Ṣalāh

Imām al-Bayhaqī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬and Ab” Dāw”d ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬reports this under the chapter:
ِ‫صاة‬
َ ‫ام ِ ال‬
ُ ‫باب ال َس‬
The chapter of Salām in the prayer [ 202 ]
This is true for all the major scholars of Ḥadīth, they all recorded this Ḥadīth
under the chapter of performing the Salām in the prayer. Not under the
chapter dealing with Rafʿ al-Yadayn at the time of Ruk”ʿ or raising from it.
Summary: The Ḥadīth of Jābir bin Samurah
From the above quoted words of the great scholar of Ḥadīth, it is clear as day
that this Ḥadīth is regarding pointing with the hands while performing the
taslīm during tashahhud. It has absolutely nothing to do with Rafʿ al-Yadayn
at the time of Ruk”ʿ or raising from it. For the one who wants to follow the
truth, the following words of )mām al-Bukhārī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬are enough for him:
The one who depends upon the Ḥadīth of Jābir bin Samurah ‫ﷲ‬ ‫ر ضي ه‬
‫ ع ْنه‬for forbidding the raising (of the hands) at Ruk”ʿ, then there is
no portion of knowledge for him, for this is well-known, having no
difference of opinion, that this was in regards to at-tashahhud.
[ 203 ]
From the great scholars of Ḥadīth who indicated this Ḥadīth to be in regards
to taslīm, not Raf al-Yadayn at the time of Ruk” or raising from it are the
following:
202
Sunan al-Kubrā Volume # 2 Page #
203

 )mām Ab” Dāw”d (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬206 ]
 )mām an-Nasā i (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬207 ]
 )mām Ibn Ḥibbān (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬208 ]
 Al-Ḥāfidh Bayhaqī (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬209 ]
 )mām an-Nawawī (d. ‫رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬ [ 210 ]

204
Kitāb al-Umm Volume # 1 Page #
205
206
Sunan Abī Dāw”d Page # 998 -
207
Sunan an-Nasā i Volume # 2 Page #
208
Ṣahih Ibn Ḥibbān Volume # 3 Page #
209
Sunan al-Kubrā Volume # 2 Page #
210
Sharḥ of Ṣahih Muslim Volume # 4 Page # 152
212

The Supposed Conversation Between al-Awzāʿī and Ab” Ḥanīfah
Another often quoted proof against the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn is the
following story:
)mām al-Awzā ī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬said to )mām Ab” Ḥanīfah ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬: why do you

not perform Rafʿ al-Yadayn while going to Ruk”ʿ and while rising from
Ruk”ʿ? )mām Ab” Ḥanīfah ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬replied, we do not observe this
because this is not authentically established from Ras”lullāh ‫ﷺ‬.
)mām al-Awzā ī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬thereupon narrated the following Ḥadīth: On
the authority of az-Zuhrī on the authority of Sālim bin Abdullāh on the
authority of (his father) Abdullāh bin Umar ‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲ ع‬ who said:
Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬used to observe the raising of the hands while
commencing the prayer, while proceeding towards Ruk”ʿ, and while
rising from it.
)mām Ab” Ḥanīfah ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬replied, Ḥammād narrates from )brāhīm an-

Nakha ī, who in turn from Alqamah and al-Aswad, and they narrate
from Abdullāh bin Mas ”d ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ه‬who said Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬would
not raise his hands in prayer except at the beginning of the prayer,
when he would say the opening takbīr.
Upon this, )mām al-Awzā ī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬commented, there are only three

links of narrators between me and Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬in the Ḥadīth I have
narrated, whereas there are four links in the Ḥadīth you have narrated.
(Hence, the shorter link indicates his Ḥadīth to be stronger.) Thereupon,
)mām Ab” Ḥanīfah ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬comparing the two chains of narrators, said
(ammad is superior to Zuhrī, Ibrahīm an-Nakhā ī is also superior to
Sālim, and Alqamah who was a tab ie is not inferior to Abdullāh Ibn
Umar ‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲع‬ (who was a Ṣaḥābī in jurisprudence. If bin Umar
‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲع‬ has the virtue of being a Ṣaḥābī, then Alqamah also has
certain virtues. As for the final link in my chain of narrators – Abdullāh
bin Mas ”d ‫–رضي هﷲ ع ه‬there is no need to mention his virtues. [ 213 ]
213
Iʿla as-Sunan with its commentary )sdā' al-minan by Dhafar Aḥmad ʿUthmānī

Uthmānī
Before we discuss the )snād and conclusions referenced in this story, we have
to first and foremost verify the actual occurrence of this conversation. There
are a number of problems in the chain of narrators that narrate this incident.
The chain of narrators contains the following:
 Ab” Muḥammad bin Ya q”b al-Ḥārithī

 Muḥammad bin )brahīm bin Ziyad ar-Rāzī
 Sulaymān bin Dāw”d ash-Shādhk”nī
The first person in this chain of narrators to be examined is Ab” Muḥammad

bin Yaʿq”b al-Ḥārithī. )mām Ibn Jawzī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬wrote about him in his al-
Mawd” āt:
(e is accused of fabricating aḥādīth [ 214 ]
(Ibn al-Jawzī Printed
)mām Ab” Yā lā Khalīlī al-Qazwīnī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬wrote about him in his Kitāb-ul-

)rshād:
(e used to use deception (‫)ت ليس‬. [ 215 ]
(al-Qazwīnī Printed
Clearly this would be enough to grade this story a fabrication yet there is a
second problem.
The chain of narrators also contains Muḥammad bin Ibrahīm bin Ziyad ar-
Rāzī. Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬writes about him in his famous
book of Jarḥ wa Taʿdīl Lisān al-Mizān:
‫ متروك الحديث‬: ‫وقال الدارقط‬
214
Kitāb al-Mawḍ” āt Volume # 1 Page # 212
215
Kitāb-ul-)rshād fī Maʿrifat ʿUlamā -il-hadith Volume # 1 Page #

And ad-Dāraquṭnī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬said (he is) rejected in Ḥadīth. [ 216 ]
)bn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī, Lisān al-Mizān Printed
Al-Ḥāfidh ad-Dāraquṭnī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬also said about him:
a liar (‫)دجال‬, who fabricates aḥādīth. [ 217 ]
)bn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī, Lisān al-Mizān Printed
These are not the only problems in this chain of narrators, it also contains
Sulaymān bin Dāw”d ash-Shādhk”nī. The famous Ḥanafī scholar, )mām at-
Turkmānī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬reported that )mām al-Bukhārī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬said about him:
‫هو أضعف ع دي من كل ضعيف‬

(e is weaker, to me, than every weak [ 218 ]
(at-Turkmānī Printed
This Arabic phrase denotes an extreme weakness. )mām Yaḥyā bin Ma īn ‫رح ه‬
‫ ﷲ‬said about Sulaymān ash-Shādhk”nī:
‫كان يكذب‬
He used to Lie! [ 219 ]
Many other scholars of Ḥadīth weakened Sulaymān ash-Shādhk”nī and
accused him of fabricating Ḥadīth, such as )mām an-Nasā i ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬, )mām adh-
Dhahabī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬and )mām Ab” Ḥātim ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬who said:
‫سليمان الشاذكوِ ليس بشيء متروك ا ديث وترك حديثه ولم يحدث ع ه‬
216
Lisān al-Mizān Volume # Page # 1
217
Lisān al-Mizān Volume # Page # 1
218
al-Jawhar al-Naqī Volume # 3 Page # 120
219

Sulaymān ash-Shādhk”nī is nothing, he is rejected (in narrating)
Ḥadīth and his reports should be rejected and nothing should be
reported from him. [ 220 ]
)mām at-Turkmānī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬also points out another defect in the reliability of

this story. The same rejected narrator Sulaymān ash-Shādhk”nī also reports
this story to have occurred between )mām al-Awzā ī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬and Sufyān ath-
Thawrī ‫رح ه ﷲ‬. )n this story it is the same meeting and conversation but )mām
Ab” Ḥanīfah ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬is not mentioned and instead Sufyān ath-Thawrī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬is
put in his place. [ 221 ]
Summary Grading: Conversation Between al-Awzāʿī and Ab” Ḥanīfah
Hence, it becomes evident that this story is not authentic, the narrators in the
)snād which report this story have been severely criticized by the scholars of
Ḥadīth. These are not just weak narrators, rather fabricators and liars!
This story has also been reported as being a conversation between al-Awzā ī
‫ رح ه ﷲ‬and Sufyān ath-Thawrī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬and some of the same liars have narrated the
exact same conversation being between al-Awzā ī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬and )mām Ab” Ḥanīfah
‫ رح ه ﷲ‬which makes it clear that these fabricators were not reporting an actual
incident rather making up fake conversations.
Summary Regarding all the Proofs Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn:
After reviewing the above mentioned evidences negating the practice of Rafʿ
al-Yadayn, one can conclude that there are evidences to negate the performing
of Rafʿ al-Yadayn. Yet it is also obvious that none of these proofs are authentic.
220
221
68 Summary Regarding all the Proofs Negating Raf al-Yadayn: |

Following is a summary chart reflecting the grading for all the proofs negating
the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn:
Reportor: Reported in: Grading

Sunan Abī Dāw”d [ 222 ]
Abdullāh Jāmi at-Tirmidhī [ 223 ] Weak
Proof
# bin Mas ”d Muṣanaf Ibn Abī Shaybah [ 224 ] and ‫ضعيف‬
‫ﷲعه‬‫رضي ه‬ Sharḥ Ma ānī al-Āthār of aṭ-Ṭaḥāwī
[ 226 ]
[ 225 ].
Sunan Abī Dāw”d [ 227 ]
Barā bin Muṣanaf Ibn Abī Shaybah [ 228 ] and
Very Weak
Proof
Āzib ‫هذا حديث واه‬
#
‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲعه‬
Sharḥ Ma ānī al-Āthār of aṭ-Ṭaḥāwī
[ 230 ]
[ 229 ].
Umar bin Sharḥ Ma ānī al-Āthār of aṭ-Ṭaḥāwī
Weak
Proof
# al-Khattāb ‫ضعيف‬
‫رضي ه‬ [ 231 ] as well as in other books.
‫ﷲعه‬ [ 232 ]
Alī bin Abī Sharḥ Ma ānī al-Āthār of aṭ-Ṭaḥāwī Weak
Proof
# Tālib (Mawq”f) [ 233 ] as well as in other ‫ضعيف‬
‫ه‬
‫رضي ﷲ ع ه‬ books. [ 234 ]
Baseless,
Abdullāh Sharḥ Ma ānī al-Āthār of aṭ-Ṭaḥāwī [
Proof 235 ] and Ma rifah of al-Bayhaqī Very Weak
# bin Umar ‫ا أصل له‬
‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲع‬ (Mawq”f) [ 236 ].
[ 237 ]
Abdullāh Fatḥ al Qadīr of Ibn (umām [ 238 ] as
Weak
Proof
# bin Abbās ‫ضعيف‬
‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲع‬
well as in other books.
[ 239 ]
222
223
224
225
226
At-Talkhīṣ al-Ḥabīr Volume # 1 Page # 222
227
228
Muṣannaf )bn Abī Shaʼbah ḥadīth # 2370 and 2452
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239

Abdullāh Naṣb ar-Rāyah of al- az-Zayla ī [ 240 ]
Fabricated!
Proof
# bin Umar ‫هو موضوع‬
‫رضي ه‬ as well as in other books.
‫ﷲع‬ [ 241 ]
Abbād bin Naṣb ar-Rāyah of al- az-Zayla ī [ 242 ] Fabricated!
Proof
# Zubair ‫هو موضوع‬
‫رح ه ﷲ‬
as well as in other books.
[ 243 ]
Jābir bin Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim [ 244 ] as well as in other
Not
Proof
# Samurah Applicable
‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲعه‬
books.
[ 245 ]
Al-Awzā ī Fabricated!
Proof & Ab” I la as-Sunan [ 246 ] as well as in other
‫هو موضوع‬
# Ḥanīfah books.
[ 247 ]
‫ﷲ‬ ‫رح‬
Can one put these evidences together, hide their defects and justify their view
of opposing the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn? Yes, and it has been done. However
every seeker of truth, lover of the Sunnah, who wants to attain the pleasure of
Allāh ‫ سب نه ت ل‬and practice their religion in accordance to the Sunnah of our
beloved Prophet ‫ﷺ‬, should ask themselves: )s this the way of Ḥaqq (truth)?
Or is this just to find a way to justify one s point of view? Or should the seeker
of truth follow that which is clearly and authentically established from the best
example, beloved Prophet, Muḥammad ‫!?ﷺ‬
None of the proofs put forth to negate the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn are
independently authentic, not from the practice of our Prophet Muḥammad ‫ﷺ‬
nor from the practice of any of His companions ‫ رضي هﷲ ع م‬. The great Faqīh
(scholar of Jurisprudence) and scholar of Ḥādīth, al-Ḥāfidh Ibn al-Qayyim ‫رح ه‬
‫ ﷲ‬wrote in his famous book al-Manār al-Munīf:
‫ومن ذلك أحاديث ام ع من رفع اليدين الصاة ع د الركوع‬

‫م ه كلها باطلة على رسول اه صلى اه عليه و سلم ا يصح م ها شيء‬
240
241
242
243
244
245
al-Majm” sharḥ al-Muhadhdhab Volume # 3 Page # 403
246
Iʿla as-Sunan with its commentary )sdā' al-minan by Dhafar Aḥmad ʿUthmānī
247

And from those (narrations) negating the practice of raising of the
hands (Rafʿ al-Yadayn) while going into Ruk”ʿ and when rising from it,
all of them are false lies attributed to Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬there is nothing
authentic reported in them. [ 248 ]
(al-Jawziyyah, Al-Manār al-Munīf fī Ṣaḥīḥ wa Da īf Printed
This is enough to show that leaving Rafʿ al-Yadayn is not authentically proven
from Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬at all. Is it authentically proven from any of the Ṣaḥābah
‫ َر ِض َي اللَهُ َعْهم‬that they abandoned the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn? For the answer,
it is enough to quote Amīr al-Mu'minīn in the field of Ḥadīth, )mām al-Bukhārī
‫رمه ه‬ who wrote:

These unambiguous words from these great scholars of )slām are sufficient for
the one who wants to know the truth. Nothing negating the practice of Rafʿ al-
Yadayn is authentically established, not from the Prophet‫ ﷺ‬nor from any
single Ṣaḥābī ‫ َر ِض َي اللَهُ َعْ ُهم‬.
Aḥādīth Confirming the Practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn
248
249
71 Aḥādīth Confirming the Practice of Raf al-Yadayn |

First of all I would like to point out to the noble reader, Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim are by consensus of the Muslim Ummah the two most authentic
books of Ḥadīth. Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī being the more authentic of the two. )mām
an-Nawawī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬wrote:
‫اتفق العلماء رمهم اه على أن أصح الكتب بعد الكتاب العزيز الصحيحان‬
‫ وكتاب البخاري أصحهما‬،‫البخاري ومسلم وتلقتهما اأمة بالقبول‬
All the scholars of )slām are in agreement that the most authentic
books after the Holy Qur ān are the Ṣaḥīḥān, al-Bukhārī and Muslim.
They are both unanimously accepted. Between the two of them, al-
Bukhārī is more authentic. [ 250 ]
(an-Nawawī, Minhāj fī sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim Printed
Al-Ḥāfidh adh-Dhahabī ‫رح ه ﷲ‬ said:
‫فأجل كتب اإسام وأفضلها بعد كتاب اه تعاى‬

ّ ‫جامع البخاري الصحيح‬
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī is the best and most significant book in )slām after
the Book of Allāh ‫ ت ل‬. [ 251 ]
Mubārakp”rī, Fawā'id fī Ul”m al-Ḥadīth Printed
This is beautifully summed up in the Manār al-Qāri Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ al-B”khārī:
‫ وأصح‬،‫صحيح البخاري هو أجل كتب ا ِإسام بعد كتاب اه شاناً وأعاها م زلة‬
‫كتب ا ديث على اإطاق‬
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī is the most significant book in Islām, after the book
of Allāh, with respect to its high status and esteemed rank. It is the most
authentic book of Ḥadīth without any doubt. [ 252 ]
250
Minhāj fī sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim Volume # 1 Page # 14
251
Fawā'id fī ʿUl”m al-Ḥadīth Page #
252
Manār al-Qāri Volume # 1 Page # 18

The Ḥadīth of Ibn ʿUmar Confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn
The first proof in support of Rafʿ al-Yadayn is a series of Aḥādīth reported via
multiple )snād and all of them meet the most stringent requirements of
authenticity. These are reported in both of the most authentic books of Ḥadīth,
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī [ 253 ] and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim [ 254 ].
The First Ḥadīth of Ibn ʿUmar in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī
‫حدث ا مد بن مقاتل قال‬

‫أخرنا عبد اه (ابن امبارك) قال‬
‫أخرنا يونس‬
‫عن الزهري‬
‫أخرِ سام بن عبد اه‬
:‫عن عبد اه بن عمر رضي اه ع هما قال‬
‫رأيت رسول اه ﷺ إذا قام الصاة رفع يديه حى يكونا حذو‬
‫م كبيه وكان يفعل ذلك حن يكر للركوع ويفعل ذلك إذا رفع رأسه من‬
‫الركوع ويقول َع اه من مد وا يفعل ذلك السجود‬
We were informed by Muḥammad bin Muqātil who said
We were informed by Abdullāh (Ibn Mubārak who said
We were informed by Y”nus
On the authority of az-Zuhrī who said
I was informed by Sālim bin Abdullāh
On the authority of Abdullāh bin Umar ‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲع‬ who said:
) saw Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬when he would stand up to pray (he would begin
the prayer by) raising his hands to the level of his shoulders and He
did the same while saying the Takbīr for bowing; and when He did the
same while raising his head from bowing and said: ‫ سمع ﷲ لمن حمده‬. And
he did not do the same in Suj”d. [ 255 ]
253
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī Ḥadīth # 735, 736, 738 and 739
254
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim Volume # 1 Page # 168 Ḥadīth #
255
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī Ḥadīth #

The Second Ḥadīth of Ibn ʿUmar in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī
The following is a second chain of narrators also reported by )mām al-Bukhārī

‫ رحمه ﷲ‬:
‫حدث ا عبد اه بن مسلمة‬

‫عن مالك‬
‫عن ابن شهاب‬
‫عن سام بن عبد اه‬
‫عن أبيه رضي اه ع ه أن رسول اه ﷺكان يرفع يديه حذو م كبيه إذا‬
‫افتتح الصاة وإذا كر للركوع وإذا رفع رأسه من الركوع رفعهما كذلك‬
‫أيضا وقال َع اه من مد رب ا ولك ا مد وكان ا يفعل ذلك‬
‫السجود‬
We were informed by Abdullāh bin Maslamah
On the authority of Mālik
On the authority of Ibn Shihāb
) was informed by Sālim bin Abdullāh
On the authority of his father ‫رضي ه‬
Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬used to raise his hands to the level of his shoulders
when opening the prayer and at the time of saying the Takbīr to go
into Ruk”ʿ and while raising his head from bowing and he also said:
‫ سمع ﷲ لمن حمده ربن لك الحمد‬. And he did not do the same in Suj”d. [ 256 ]
(al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī Printed
256

The Third Ḥadīth of Ibn ʿUmar in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī
)mām al-Bukhārī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬also reports this Ḥadīth via the following Sanad
(chain of narrators) and Matn (wording):
‫ان قَ َال‬ِ ‫حدَثََا أَبو الْيم‬

ََ ُ َ
‫ب‬ٌ ‫َخبَ َرنَا ُش َعْي‬
ْ‫أ‬
‫ي قَ َال‬ِ ‫َع ْن الزْه ِر‬
ِ ‫أَخب رنا س‬
‫امُ بْ ُن َعْب ِد اللَ ِه‬ َ ََ َ ْ
‫َي ﷺ افْ تَتَ َح التَ ْكبِ َر‬ ِ
ُ ْ‫أَ َن َعْب َد اللَه بْ َن عُ َمَر رضي اه ع هما قَ َال َرأَي‬
َ ِ ‫ت ال‬
‫ن يُ َكبِ ُر َح َى َْ َعلَ ُه َما َح ْذ َو َمْ ِكبَ ْي ِه َوإِ َذا َكبَ َر‬ ِ ِ ِ َ ‫ِ ال‬
َ ‫ص َاة فَ َرفَ َع يَ َديْه ح‬
‫ك‬َ َ‫م َد ُ فَ َع َل ِمثْ لَهُ َوقَ َال َربََا َول‬ َِ ‫وع فَعل ِمثْ لَه وإِ َذا قَ َال ََِع اللَه لِمن‬ ِ
َْ ُ َ َ ُ َ َ ِ ‫للرُك‬
ِ ‫ا ْ م ُد وَا ي ْفعل ذَلِك ِحن يسج ُد وَا ِحن ي رفَع رأْسه ِمن السج‬
‫ود‬ ُ ْ ُ َ َ ُ َْ َ َ ُ ْ َ َ َ ُ َ َ َ َْ
We were informed by Ab” al-Yamān who said
We were told by Shu aib
We were told by Sālim bin Abdullāh
Verily Abdullāh bin Umar ‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲع‬ said: ) saw Nabī ‫ ﷺ‬initiate
the prayer with takbīr and raising his hands to the level of his
shoulders and at the time of saying the Takbīr to go into Ruk”ʿ he did
the same and when He ‫ ﷺ‬said: ‫ﷲ ل ن ح‬ ‫ س ع ه‬he did the same and
said ‫لك ال‬ ‫ربه‬. And he did not do the same while going into Suj”d
nor did he do that while raising his head from Suj”d. [ 257 ]
The Fourth Ḥadīth of Ibn ʿUmar in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī
257

)mām al-Bukhārī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬also reports a fourth Ḥadīth via the following
Sanad (chain of narrators) and Matn (wording):
‫اش قَ َال‬ٌ َ‫َحدَثََا َعي‬

‫َحدَثََا َعْب ُد ْاأ َْعلَى قَ َال‬
‫َحدَثََا عُبَ ْي ُد اللَ ِه‬
‫َع ْن نَافِ ٍع‬
‫ص َاةِ َكبَ َر َوَرفَ َع يَ َديْ ِه َوإِ َذا‬
َ ‫أَ َن ابْ َن عُ َمَر رضي اه ع هما َكا َن إِ َذا َد َخ َل ِ ال‬
ِ ْ َ‫الرْك َعت‬
‫ن‬ َِ ‫رَكع رفَع ي َدي ِه وإِ َذا قَ َال ََِع اللَه لِمن‬
َ ‫م َد ُ َرفَ َع يَ َديْ ِه َوإِ َذا قَ َام ِم ْن‬ َْ ُ َ َ َََََْ
‫ى نَِي اللَ ِه ﷺ‬
ِ
ِ َ ِ‫ك ابْ ُن عُ َمَر إ‬َ ‫َرفَ َع يَ َديْ ِه َوَرفَ َع ذَل‬
We were informed by Ayyāsh who said
We were informed by Abdul Alā who said
We were informed by Uaidullāh
On the authority of Nāfi
Verily when Ibn Umar ‫ رضي ه‬used to initiate the prayer he would
‫ﷲع‬
say the takbīr and raise his hands and when he went into Ruk”ʿ he
‫ س ع ه‬he raised the hands
raised the hands and when he said: ‫ﷲ ل ن ح‬
and when he rose up from completing two rak āt he raised his hands
and he reported this from Nabī of Allāh ‫ ﷺ‬. [ 258 ]
These are four fully authentic chains of narrators presented by )mām al-
Bukhārī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬in his esteemed book Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī.
The following chart is presented for the noble reader to see a visual
representation of the four separate chains of narrators recorded by )mām al-
Bukhārī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬in his Ṣaḥīḥ:
258

[Chart # 5: Ḥadīth of Ibn Umar ‫ رضي ه‬reported by al-Bukhārī]

‫ﷲع‬
The Ḥadīth of Ibn ʿUmar in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim

Imām Muslim ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬has also recorded this Ḥadīth via multiple fully authentic
chains of narrators.
‫َح َدثَِ َُ َم ُد بْ ُن َرافِ ٍع‬

ِ ‫حدَثََا عب ُد الَرز‬
‫َاق‬ َْ َ
‫َخبَ َرنَا ابْ ُن ُجَريْ ٍج‬
ْ‫أ‬
‫اب‬ٍ ‫ح َدثَِ ابْن ِشه‬
َ ُ َ
‫ام بْ ِن َعْب ِد اللَ ِه‬ِ ‫عن س‬
َ َْ
َ ‫ول اللَ ِه ﷺ إِ َذا قَ َام لِل‬
‫ص َاةِ َرفَ َع يَ َديِْه َح َى‬ ُ ‫أَ َن ابْ َن عُ َمَر قَ َال َكا َن َر ُس‬
‫ك َوإِ َذا َرفَ َع ِم ْن‬ ِ
َ ‫تَ ُكونَا َح ْذ َو َمْكِبَ ْي ِه مَُ َكبَ َر فَِإ َذا أ ََر َاد أَ ْن يَْرَك َع فَ َع َل ِمثْ َل َذل‬
ِ ‫وع فَعل ِمثْل ذَلِك وَا ي ْفعلُه ِحن ي رفَع رأْسه ِمن السج‬
‫ود‬ ُ ْ ُ َ َ ُ ْ َ َ ُ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ ِ ‫الرُك‬
I was informed by Muḥammad bin Rāfi
We were informed by AbdurRazzāq
We were told by Ibn Jurayj
I was informed by Ibn Shihāb
On the authority of Sālim bin Abdullāh
Verily Ibn Umar ‫ رضي ه‬said: when Ras”lullāh ‫ﷺ‬
‫ﷲع‬ would stand up
to pray (he would begin the prayer by) raising his hands to the level of
his shoulders and then said the takbīr then when (e wanted to go into
Ruk”ʿ He did the same and when he raised his head from Ruk”ʿ he did
the same and he did not do the same when he raised his head from
Suj”d. [ 259 ]
In order to summarize this series of Aḥādīth the following chart will be

utilized to illustrate the chain of narrators reported by Imām Muslim:
259

[Chart # 6: Ḥadīth of Ibn Umar ‫ رضي ه‬reported by Muslim]

‫ﷲع‬
All of these aḥādīth are authentic in accordance with the strictest

standards set by the Shaikhayn (the two greatest scholars of Ḥadīth,
Imām al-Bukhārī and Imām Muslim). None of the proofs reported
negating the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn can compare to any of these
authentic narrations quoted thus far affirming the practice Rafʿ al-
Yadayn. Yet there are numerous additional proofs to follow.

The Ḥadīth of Ibn ʿUmar in Jāmiʿ at-Tirmidhī and in Other Books:
)mām at-Tirmidhī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬has also reported this Ḥadīth in his Jāmiʿ [ 260 ]
‫َحدَثََا قُتَ ْيبَةُ َوابْ ُن أَِ عُ َمَر قَ َاا‬

َ‫َحدَثََا ُس ْفيَا ُن بْ ُن عُيَ ْي َة‬
‫ي‬ِ ‫َع ْن الزْه ِر‬
ٍِ ‫َع ْن َس‬
‫ام‬
‫ص َا َة يَ ْرفَ ُع يَ َديْ ِه َح َى‬
َ ‫ول اللَ ِه ﷺ إِ َذا افْ تَتَ َح ال‬ َ ‫ت َر ُس‬ ِ
ُ ْ‫َع ْن أَبِيه قَ َال َرأَي‬
ِ ‫ي َمْ ِكبَ ْي ِه َوإِ َذا َرَك َع َوإِذَا َرفَ َع َرأْ َسهُ ِم ْن الرُك‬
‫وع‬ ِ
َ ‫َُاذ‬
We were informed by Qutaybah and Ibn Abī Umar who said:
We were informed by Sufyān bin Uyaybah
On the authority of az-Zuhrī
On the authority of Sālim
On the authority of his father ‫رضي ه‬
Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬used to raise his hands to the level of his shoulders
and he would do that when he went into Ruk”ʿ and while raising his
head from Ruk”ʿ.
After mentioning his Ḥadīth )mām at-Tirmidhī comments:

‫حديث ابن عمر حديث حسن صحيح‬
The Ḥadīth of Ibn Umar is Ḥasan Ṣaḥīḥ. [ 261 ]
(at-Tirmidhī Printed
This is the highest level of authenticity awarded by )mām at-Tirmidhī ‫رحمه ﷲ‬.
)t was also reported by )mām )bn Khuzaimah ‫ [رحمه ﷲ‬262 ], Imām Ibn Ḥibbān
‫ [ رحمه ﷲ‬263 ] and )mām )bn Abī Shaybah ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬recorded it via multiple chains
in his Muṣanaf [ 264 ] they all graded all of them to be Ṣaḥīḥ.
260
Jāmiʿ at-Tirmidhī Volume # 1 Page # ḥadīth #
261
262
Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaimah Volume # 1 Page # ḥadīth #
263
Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān Volume # Page # ḥadīth #
264
Muṣanaf )bn Abī Shaʼbah ḥadīth # ,

Summary Grading: Ḥadīth of Ibn ʿUmar Confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn
To summarize we can quote the words of the great scholar of )slām, an expert
in checking the authenticity of Aḥādīth, al-Ḥāfidh al-Baghawī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬who
reported this Ḥadīth in his famous book Sharḥ as-Sunnah [ 265 ] and then
commented:
‫متفق على صحته هذا حديث‬

(All the scholars) agreed upon the authenticity of this Ḥadīth. [ 266 ]
(Al-Baghawī Printed
Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn AbdulBarr ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬also commented on this Ḥadīth in al-)stidhkār

confirming the authenticity of this Ḥadīth with the strongest of words,
stating:
‫وهو حديث ا مطعن أحد فيه‬

This Ḥadīth is such that no one has objected to it. [ 267 ]
)bn AbdulBarr, al-)stidhkār al-jāmi li-madhāhib fuqahā Printed 2000)
To understand the importance of this Ḥadīth )mām al-Bukhārī ‫رحمه ﷲ‬

quotes his teacher and esteemed scholar of )slām, )mām Alī al-Madīnī
‫رحمه ﷲ‬:
‫حق على امسلمن أن يرفعوا أيديهم ع د الركوع والرفع م ه ديث ابن عمر هذا‬
It is a responsibility upon every Muslim that they raise their hands at
the time of Ruk”ʿ and rising from it, due to this Ḥadīth of )bn Umar.
[ 268 ]
265
Sharḥ as-Sunnah Volume # Page # ḥadīth #
266
Sharḥ as-Sunnah Volume # Page #
267
Al-)stidhkār Volume # Page # ḥadīth #
268

Following is a list of a few of the great scholars of Ḥadīth who recorded this
Ḥadīth and graded it as fully authentic:
 )mām Mālik (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬269 ]
 )mām )bn Abī Shaybah (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫رح ه ﷲ‬ [ 270 ]

 )mām Muslim (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬273 ]
 )mām Ab” Dāw”d (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫رح ه ﷲ‬ [ 274 ]
 )mām )bn Mājah (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬275 ]

 Al-Ḥāfidh ad-Dārimī (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫رح ه ﷲ‬ [ 276 ]
 )mām an-Nasā i (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫رح ه ﷲ‬ [ 277 ]
 )mām )bn Khuzaimah (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫رح ه ﷲ‬ [ 278 ]
 )mām Ibn Ḥibbān (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫رح ه ﷲ‬ [ 279 ]
269
Muwaṭṭa' )mām Mālik Volume # Page #
270
271
Musand Imām Aḥmad Volume # Page #
272
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī Volume # 1 Page # 102 Ḥadīth #
273
274
Sunan Abī Dāw”d Ḥadīth #
275
Sunan Ibn Mājah Volume # 1 Page # 279
276
Sunan ad-Dārimī Volume # Page #
277
Sunan an-Nasā i Volume # 2 Page #
278
279

The Ḥadīth of Mālik bin Ḥuwairith Confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn:
The second series of proofs in support of Rafʿ al-Yadayn are Aḥādīth reported
via multiple )snād (chains of narrators), all of them fulfilling the most stringent
requirements of authenticity. Like the aforementioned Ḥadīth of Abdullāh bin
Umar ‫رضي هﷲ ع ْن م‬, this Ḥadīth is also reported in both of the most authentic
books of Ḥadīth, Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī [ 280 ] and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim [ 281 ] via multiple
chains of narrators.
The following is one of the two Ṣaḥīḥ aḥādīth reported from the Ṣaḥābī Mālik
bin Ḥuwairith ‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲع‬ in Marf” form reaching Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬:
‫اق الْ َو ِاس ِطي قَ َال‬ ُ ‫َحدَثََا إِ ْس َح‬

‫َحدَثََا َخالِ ُد بْ ُن َعْب ِد اللَ ِه‬
‫َع ْن َخالِ ٍد‬
‫ث رضي اه ع ه إِ َذا‬ ِ ‫ك بن ا ْ وي ِر‬ ِ ِ ِ
ْ َُ َ ْ َ ‫صلَى َكبَ َر َوَرفَ َع يَ َديْه َع ْن أَِ ق َابَةَ أَنَهُ َرأَى َمال‬ َ
َ ‫وع َرفَ َع يَ َديْ ِه َو َحد‬
‫َث أَ َن‬ ِ ‫َوإِ َذا أ ََر َاد أَ ْن يَْرَك َع َرفَ َع يَ َديْ ِه َوإِ َذا َرفَ َع َرأْ َسهُ ِم ْن الرُك‬
‫ول اللَ ِه‬ َ ‫صَ َع َه َك َذا ﷺ َر ُس‬ َ
We were informed by Isḥāq al-Wāsiṭī who said
We were informed by Khālid bin Abdullāh
On the authority of Khālid
On the authority of Abī Qilābah that he saw Mālik bin Ḥuwairith
‫ رضي ه‬When (he was) starting the prayer saying takbīr and raising
‫ﷲع‬
both his hands and raising his hands on bowing and also on
raising his head after bowing. Malik bin Huwairith said,
Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬did the same. [ 282 ]
280
281
282

The Ḥadīth of Mālik bin Ḥuwairith in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim
The same Ḥadīth is also report by )mām Muslim ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬with a slightly different
chain of narrators and slightly different wording:
‫َحدَثََا َْ َى بْ ُن َْ َى‬
‫َخبَ َرنَا َخالِ ُد بْ ُن َعْب ِد اللَ ِه‬ ْ‫أ‬
‫َع ْن َخالِ ٍد‬
‫صلَى َكبَ َر مَُ َرفَ َع يَ َديْ ِه‬ ِ ِ ِ
َ ‫ك بْ َن ا َُْويْ ِرث رضي اه ع ه إِ َذا‬ َ ‫َع ْن أَِ ق َابَةَ أَنَهُ َرأَى َمال‬
‫ول‬َ ‫َث أَ َن َر ُس‬ َ ‫وع َرفَ َع يَ َديْ ِه َو َحد‬
ِ ‫َوإِذَا أ ََر َاد أَ ْن يَْرَك َع َرفَ َع يَ َديْ ِه َوإِذَا َرفَ َع َرأْ َسهُ ِم ْن الرُك‬
‫اللَ ِه ﷺ َكا َن يَ ْف َع ُل َه َك َذا‬
We were informed by Yaḥyā bin Yaḥyā
) was told by Khālid bin Abdullāh
On the authority of Khālid
On the authority of Abī Qilābah:
) saw Mālik bin Ḥuwairith ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ه‬when starting the prayer saying
takbīr and raising both his hands and raising his hands on bowing
and also on raising his head after bowing. Malik bin Huwairith
reported that, Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬performed the same actions. [ 283 ]
These narrations are all authentic without any disagreement between the
scholars of Ḥadīth. They are reported via multiple independent chains of
reporters. Nothing in contradiction to it can even come close in authenticity.
The sincere student of knowledge should note the number of aḥādīth and their
authenticity on both sides of the issue.
283

Summary Grading: Ḥadīth of Mālik bin Ḥuwairith
Once again this Ḥadīth has been narrated in both of the most authentic books
of Ḥadīth, Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim. Therefore, once more, by
consensus of the scholars of )slām these aḥādīth meet the criteria of being from
the highest level of Ṣaḥīḥ. The following chart is a visual representation to
illustrate the separate authentic chains of narrators recorded by )mām al-
Bukhārī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬in his Ṣaḥīḥ:
[Chart # 7: Ḥadīth of Mālik bin Ḥuwairith ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ه‬in al-Bukhārī]
The great scholar of )slām and prominent Ḥanafī Faqih, )bn Abī al- )zz al-Ḥanafī
‫رح ه ﷲ‬ made a remarkable observation about this Ḥadīth.
Mālik bin Ḥuwairith‫ رضي هﷲ ع ه‬is from the people that entered )slām in
the last years of the life of Ras”lullāh ‫ﷺ‬. Hence, he prayed behind an-
Nabī ‫ ﷺ‬during the last part of His ‫ ﷺ‬life. Those who make the futile
claim that the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn was abandoned by Ras”lullāh
‫ﷺ‬ cannot refute that those who saw Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬authentically
report Rafʿ al-Yadayn as the last practice of Ras”lullāh ‫ [ ﷺ‬284 ]
(al-Ḥanafī Printed
284
At-Tanbihʿalā Mushkilāt al-(idāʼah Volume # 2 Page # 56

There is no dispute amongst the scholars of )slām regarding the
authenticity for this Ḥadīth. Ensuing is a list of the scholars of Ḥadīth who
recorded this Ḥadīth and confirmed that it is authentic:
 )mām )bn Abī Shaybah (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬285 ]

 )mām Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫رح ه ﷲ‬ [ 286 ]


285
286
Musand Imām Aḥmad ḥadīth #
287
288
289
290
Sunan Ibn Mājah ḥadīth #
291
Sunan ad-Dārimī ḥadīth #
292
Sunan an-Nasā i ḥadīth #
293
Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaimah ḥadīth #
294
Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān ḥadīth #

The Ḥadīth of Wāìl bin Ḥujr Confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn.
The third series of proofs in support of Rafʿ al-Yadayn are Aḥādīth reported via
multiple )snād, they are fully authentic meeting the most stringent standards
of authenticity. They are reported in one of the most authentic books of
Ḥadīth, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim [ 295 ]. They are also recorded by Imām Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal
‫ [ رحمه ﷲ‬296 ], al-Ḥāfidh ad-Dārimī ‫ [ رحمه ﷲ‬297 ], Imām Ab” Dāw”d ‫ [ رحمه ﷲ‬298 ] and
)mām al-Bukhārī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬reported this Ḥadīth in his Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadayn fī aṣ-
Ṣalāh [ 299 ] . Following is the wording recorded by )mām al-Bukhārī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬from
Wāìl bin Ḥujr ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ْنه‬in Marf” form reaching Ras”lullāh ‫ﷺ‬:
ِ ‫حدَثََا ع‬
‫اص ٌم‬ َ َ
َِ‫َحدَثََا أ‬
ِ
ْ ‫أَ َن َوائ َل بْ َن ُح ْج ٍر أ‬
ُ‫َخبَ َر‬
ِ ِ ِ ِ ‫أَنْظُر َن إِ َى‬
ُ ‫ قُ ْل‬: ‫صلِي‬
‫ت‬ َ ُ‫ف ي‬ َ ‫صلَى اللَهُ َعلَْيه َو َسلَ َم َكْي‬ َ ‫صاة َر ُسول اللَه‬ َ َ
‫ فَلَ َما َرفَ َع َرأْ َسهُ َرفَ َع يَ َديْ ِه ِمثْ لَ َها‬، ‫فَ َكبَ َر َوَرفَ َع يَ َديْ ِه فَلَ َما َرَك َع َرفَ َع يَ َديْ ِه‬
We were informed by Āṣim
Who was informed by his father
Verily Wāìl bin Ḥujr ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ْنه‬informed him:
) said: I will look at the prayer of Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬to know how he
prays? So He ‫ ﷺ‬pronounced the takbīr and raised his hands when he
intended to go into Ruk”ʿ and he raised his hands in the same manner
while rising up from Ruk”ʿ.
295
296
297
298
299

Summary Grading: Ḥadīth of Wāìl bin Ḥujr Confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn
This Ḥadīth has been reported through multiple completely authentic

chains of narrators. Following is a visual representation showing this
authentic chain of narrators:
[Chart # 8: Ḥadīth of Wāìl bin Ḥujr ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ه‬in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim]
There is no dispute amongst the scholars of Ḥadīth regarding the authenticity

for this Ḥadīth. There is a critical point to be noted, Wāìl bin Ḥujr ‫رضي هﷲ ع ه‬
embraced )slām in the th year of the Hijri calendar and reported this Ḥadīth
in the th year of Hijri. Hence, it was during the last years of Ras”lullāh s
‫ﷺ‬ life. This has been confirmed by al-Ḥāfidh )bn Kathīr ‫رح ه ﷲ‬ [ 300 ] and
Imām )bn Ḥibbān ‫[ رح ه ﷲ‬ 301 ], This historical fact indicates that performing
Rafʿ al-Yadayn was the final practice of Ras”lullāh ‫ﷺ‬. [ 302 ] This is a very
important point to note, since many people are under the misconception that
Rafʿ al-Yadayn was abrogated. These aḥādīth prove to the contrary. Rafʿ al-
Yadayn was practiced by Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬at the end of His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed life.
All the aḥādīth that have been reported in support of performing Rafʿ al-
Yadayn so far have all been from the two most authentic books Ḥadīth and
are all undisputedly authentic.
Following is a list of the scholars of Ḥadīth who recorded this Ḥadīth and
established that it is unquestionably authentic:
300
Bidāʼah wan-Nihāʼah Volume # Page #
301
Kitāb at̲-t̲iqāt li-Ibn-Ḥibbān Volume # Pages # -
302
At-Tanbih alā Mushkilāt al-Hidāyah Volume # Page #

 )mām )bn Abī Shaybah (d. ‫ [رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬303 ]


 )mām al-Bazzār (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫رح ه ﷲ‬ [ 310 ]
303
304
305
Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadaʼn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh Page #
306
307
308
309
310
Sunan al-Bazzār ḥadīth #
311
312
313

The Marf”ʿ Ḥadīth of ʿAlī bin Abī Tālib Confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn.
The fourth proof confirming the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn is another Marf”ʿ
Ṣaḥīḥ Ḥadīth. This Ḥadīth was narrated by Amīr al-Mu'minīn Alī bin Abī Tālib
‫رضي ه‬.
‫ﷲ ع ْنه‬ It has been recorded by )mām )bn Abī Shaybah ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬in his Muṣanaf
[ 314 ], )mām Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬in his Musnad [ 315 ], )mām aṭ-Ṭaḥāwī ‫رحمه‬
‫ ﷲ‬in his Sharḥ Maʿānī al-Āthār[ 316 ], )mām Ab” Dāw”d ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬in his Sunan [ 317
], )mām Ibn Khuzaimah ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬in his Ṣaḥīḥ [ 318 ] and, )mām al-Bukhārī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬in
his Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadayn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh [ 319 ] via two chains of narrators. Following
is the chain of narrators and wording preserved by Imām Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal
‫ رحمه ﷲ‬in his Musnad:
‫َد َحدَثََا ُسلَْي َما ُن بْ ُن َد ُاو‬

‫أَِ الِزنَ ِاد ابْ َن َحدَثََا‬
َ‫وسى بْ ِن عُ ْقبَة‬ َ ‫َع ْن ُم‬
‫ض ِل‬ْ ‫َع ْن َعْب ِد اللَ ِه بْ ِن الْ َف‬
‫َع ْن َعْب ِد الَر ْمَ ِن ْاأ َْعَرِج‬
‫َع ْن عُبَ ْي ِد اللَ ِه بْ ِن أَِ َرافِ ٍع‬
ِ ٍ ِ‫عن علِي ب ِن أَِ طَال‬
ُ‫ب َرض َي اللَهُ َعْه‬ ْ ِ َ َْ
‫صلَى‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ َ ‫اللَه علَي ِه وسلَم أَنَه َكا َن إِذَا قَام إِ َى ال‬
َ ‫ص َاة الْ َمكْتُوبَة َكبَ َر َع ْن َر ُسول اللَه‬ َ ُ َ ََ َْ ُ
ِ َ‫ ويص ع ِمثْل َذلِك إِ َذا ق‬، ‫ورفَع ي َدي ِه ح ْذو مْ ِكب ي ِه‬
ُ‫ضى قَراءَتَه‬َ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ َ َْ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ََ
ِ ‫صَ عُهُ إِ َذا َرفَ َع َرأْ َسهُ ِم َن الرُك‬
‫وع‬ ْ َ‫ َوي‬، ‫َوأ ََر َاد أَ ْن يَْرَك َع‬
314
315
316
317
318
319

We were informed by Sulaymān bin Dāw”d
We were informed by )bn Abī az-Zinād
On the authority of M”sā bin Uqbah
On the authority of Abdullāh bin al-Fadhl
On the authority of AbdurRaḥmān al-A raj
On the authority of Ubdaidillāh bin Abī Rāfi
On the authority of Alī bin Abī Tālib ‫رضي هﷲ ع ه‬
On the authority of Ras”lullāh ‫ﷺ‬
Verily when He ‫ ﷺ‬used to stand up to pray an obligatory prayer He
‫ﷺ‬ used to pronounce the takbīr and raise his hands in level with his
shoulders, He ‫ ﷺ‬did the same when he finished his recitation (of the
Qur ān) and intended to go into Ruk”ʿ and He ‫ ﷺ‬did the same when
He ‫ ﷺ‬raised His ‫ ﷺ‬head up from Ruk”ʿ. [ 320 ]
)bn Ḥanbal Printed 1993)
All the narrators in this Isnād are reliable and the wording is free from defects,
hence this Ḥadīth is graded as Ṣaḥīḥ. Following is a visual representation of the
chain of narrators establishing this Ḥadīth to be authentic.
[Chart # : Marf” Ḥadīth of Alī bin Abī Tālib ‫] رضي هﷲ ع ه‬
320

Summary Grading: Marf”ʿ Ḥadīth of ʿAlī bin Abī Tālib.
Alī bin Abī Tālib ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ه‬reported Rafʿ al-Yadayn as the practice of Ras”lullāh
‫ﷺ‬ in Marf”ʿ from. It is also established as his own practice in Mawq”f form.
Following is a visual representation of the chain of narrators establishing this
Mawq”f Ḥadīth to be Ṣaḥīḥ:
[Chart # 1 : Mawq”f Ḥadīth of Alī bin Abī Tālib ‫] رضي هﷲ ع ه‬
)mām Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬reported this Ḥadīth [ 321 ] and authenticated it
as Ṣaḥīḥ [ 322 ], as did )mām at-Tirmidhī ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬323 ]. Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajar al-
Asqalānī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬confirmed its grading as Ṣaḥīḥ in ad-Dirāʼah [ 324 ] and again
in at-Talkhīs [ 325 ]. It was also graded as Ṣaḥīḥ by al-Ḥāfidh az-Zayla ī ‫رح ه ﷲ‬
in Naṣb ar-Rāʼah [ 326 ].
This is a clearly a strong proof to refute the weak narrations attributed to Alī
bin Abī Tālib ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ه‬personally neglecting Rafʿ al-Yadayn. How can a weak
narration of the practice of a Ṣaḥābī be utilized to refute the clear and
authentic narrations from that very same Ṣaḥābī, himself practicing Rafʿ al-
Yadayn and establishing it as the practice of Ras”lullāh ‫?ﷺ‬
321
322
323
324
Ad-Dirāʼah fī Takhrīj Aḥādīth al-(idāʼah Volume # 1 page # 153
325
At-Talkhīs Volume # 1 page # 219
326

Following is a partial list of scholars who have authenticated this Ḥadīth:
 )mām )bn Abī Shaybah (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬327 ]
 )mām at-Tirmidhī (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫رح ه ﷲ‬ [ 332 ]

327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336

The Marf”ʿ Ḥadīth of Jābir bin ʿAbdullāh Confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn.
The fifth proof confirming the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn is another Marf”ʿ,
Ḥadīth narrated by the famed Ṣaḥābī Jābir bin Abdullāh ‫رضي هﷲ ع ْنه‬. It has been
reported by Ab” Na īm ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬in Akhbār )ṣbahān [ 337 ], by )mām al-Bukhārī ‫رحمه‬
‫ ﷲ‬in Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadayn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh [ 338 ] and by Imām )bn Mājah ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬in his
Sunan [ 339 ], via a Ṣaḥīḥ chain of narrators as presented here:
‫حدث ا مد بن ى‬
‫حدث ا أبو حذيفة‬
‫حدث ا إبراهيم بن طهمان‬
‫عن أ الزبر‬
‫أن جابر بن عبد اه كان إذا افتتح الصاة رفع يديه وإذا ركع‬
‫وإذا رفع رأسه من الركوع فعل مثل ذلك ويقول رأيت رسول اه‬
‫صلى اه عليه وسلم فعل مثل ذلك‬
We were informed by Muḥammad bin Yaḥyā
We were informed by Ab” Ḥudhayfah
We were informed by Ibrāhīm bin Ṭahmān
On the authority of Abī az-Zubair
Verily Jābir bin Abdullāh ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ه‬used raise his hands when he
initiated his prayer, and again when he would go into Ruk”ʿ and when
he would raise his head up from Ruk”ʿ and he said verily I saw
Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬do the same. [ 340 ]
)bn Mā jah Printed
The great scholar of Ḥadīth, Abū al-(̣asan Muḥ ammad al-(̣anafī, who is
famous as Abū al-(̣asan as-Sindī ‫رح ه ﷲ‬, wrote:
337
Akhbār )ṣbahān ḥadīth #
338
339
340

‫رجاله ثقات‬
The narrators (of this Ḥadīth) are trustworthy. [ 341 ]
as-Sindī Printed
Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn al-Mulaqqin ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬commented on this Ḥadīth in his famous book

of Takhrīj al-Badr al-Munīr:
‫ص ِحيح‬ ِ
َ ‫َه َذا َحديث‬
This Ḥadīth is Ṣaḥīḥ [ 342 ]
Imām al-B”ṣīrī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬wrote in Miṣbāḥ al-Zujājah:
‫َه َذا إِ ْسَاد ِر َجاله ثَِقات‬

The narrators in the chain of transmission are all trustworthy. [ 343 ]
(al-B”ṣīrī
Shaikh al-Albānī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬clearly writes in his Takhrīj of Sunan Ibn Mājah:
‫صحيح‬
)t is authentic. [ 344 ]
341
Ḥāshiʼat al-Sindī ḥadīth #
342
343
Miṣbāḥ al-Zujājah Volume # 1 Page #
344
Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Mājaḥ Volume # 1 Page #

Summary Grading: Ḥadīth of Jābir bin ʿAbdullāh.
Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬graded this Ḥadīth as Ṣaḥīḥ in ad-
Dirāʼah [ 345 ]as did al-Ḥāfidh az-Zayla ī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬in Naṣb ar-Rāʼah [ 346 ]. It was
also affirmed as Ṣaḥīḥ by the famous scholars of Ḥadīth al-Ḥākim and al-
Bayhaqī as stated in al-Mawāhib al-laṭīfah [ 347 ]. This Ḥadīth proves that
performing Rafʿ al-Yadayn was the practice of Jābir bin Abdullāh ‫رضي هﷲ ع ه‬
himself, it is also a proof that he ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ه‬learned this from seeing
Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬perform Rafʿ al-Yadayn. It is clearly an authentic Ḥadīth as
stated by the following great scholars of )slām:
 Ab” Na īm (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬351 ]
 Al-Ḥāfidh al-Bayhaqī (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬352 ]
 Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn al-Mulaqqin (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬354 ]
 )mām al-B”ṣīrī (d. 8 ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬355 ]
 Ash-Shaikh Ab” al-(̣asan as-Sindī (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬357 ]
 Ash-Shaikh Muḥ ammad Ābid as-Sindī (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬358 ]
 Al-Ḥāfidh Badī-ud-Dīn as-Sindī (d. 1416 ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬359 ]
345
346
347
al-Mawāhib al-laṭīfah Volume # 1 Page # 162
348
349
350
351
352
353
Naṣb ar-Rāʼah Takhrīj Aḥādīth al-(idāʼah Volume # 1 Pages
354
355
Miṣbāḥ al-Zujājah Volume # 1 Page # 108
356
357
Ḥāshiʼat al-Sindī ḥadīth #
358
359
Jalā al-ʿAynayn Page # 71

The Ḥadīth of Ab” Ḥumaid and the Ten Confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn.
The seventh proof confirming the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn is yet another
Ṣaḥīḥ Marf”ʿ Ḥadīth narrated by three great companions of an-Nabī ‫ ﷺ‬and
confirmed by ten of them ‫رضي هﷲ ع ْن‬. It was reported by Ab” Ḥumaid, Ḥārith bin
Rab ī (who is famous as Ab” Qatādah) and Ab” Usaid ‫رضي هﷲ ع ْن‬. )mām al-
Bukhārī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬presents the following Ṣaḥīḥ chain of narrators in Kitāb Rafʿ al-
Yadayn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh [ 360 ]:
‫َد‬
ٌ ‫َحدَثََا ُم َسد‬
‫يد َحدَثََا‬ ٍ ِ‫َ ى بن سع‬
َ ُ ْ َْ
‫يد بْ ُن َج ْع َف ٍر‬ِ ‫حدَثَ ا عب ُد ا ْ ِم‬
َ َْ َ َ
‫َحدَثََا َُ َم ُد بْ ُن َع ْم ٍرو‬
‫صلَى اللَهُ َعلَْي ِه َو َسلَ َم‬ ِ ‫َصح‬ ِ ٍ
َ ‫َي‬ ِ ِ ‫اب ال‬ َ ْ ‫ت أَبَا ُمَْيد ِ َع َشَرةٍ م ْن أ‬ ُ ‫قَ َال َش ِه ْد‬
ِ‫ول " أَنَا أَعلَم ُكم بِصاة‬ ُ ‫َح ُد ُه ْم أَبُو قَتَ َادةَ بْ ُن ِربْعِ ٍي َر ِض َي اللَهُ َعْهُ يَ ُق‬
َ ْ ُْ َ‫أ‬
ِ ِ ِ
‫ف؟‬ َ ‫ قَالُوا َكْي‬, ‫صلَى اللَهُ َعلَْيه َو َسلَ َم‬ َ ‫َر ُسول اللَه‬
ِ
ُ‫ قَ َال بَ ْل َراقَ ْبتُه‬, ‫اعا‬ ً َ‫ َوا أَ ْكثَ َرنَا لَهُ اتِب‬, ً‫ص ْحبَة‬ ُ ُ‫ت أَقْ َد َمَا لَه‬ َ ْ‫فَ َواللَه َما ُك‬
‫صاةِ َرفَ َع يَ َديْ ِه َوإِ َذا َرَك َع‬ َ ‫قَالُوا فَاذْ ُك ْر قَ َال َكا َن إِ َذا قَ َام إِ َى ال‬
ِ
‫ك‬َ ‫ن فَ َع َل ِمثْ َل ذَل‬ َ ‫ َوإِذَا قَ َام ِم َن‬, ‫وع‬
ِ ْ َ‫الرْك َعت‬ ِ ‫َوإِذَا َرفَ َع َرأْ َسهُ ِم َن الرُك‬
‫ت‬َ ْ‫ص َدق‬َ : ‫فَ َقالُوا ُكل ُه ْم‬
We were informed by Musaddad
We were informed by Yaḥyā bin Sa īd
We were informed by AbdulḤamīd bin Ja far
We were informed by Muḥammad bin Umro who said:
I have seen Abā Ḥumaid among ten Ṣaḥābah (companions of) an-Nabī
‫ رضي ه‬. He (Ab” Ḥumaid)
‫ﷺ‬. One of them was Ab” Qatādah bin Rab ī ‫ﷲ ع ه‬
was saying: ) know the prayer of Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬better than any of
you . They (the ten companions) said: (ow? By Allah, you neither
became a companion before us, nor did you exceed us in observance (of
360

the Sunnah)! He (Ab” Ḥumaid) said: In fact, I have meticulously
observed (the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬pray) . The companions said: then describe
it for us . He (Ab” Ḥumaid) said: (Ras”lullāh ‫ )ﷺ‬used to raise his
hands when standing up for prayer, and before going to Ruk”ʿ and after
standing from Ruk”ʿ. And when he stood up from performing rak tain
two Rakʿah) he did the same. The all said you have spoken the truth!
[ 361]
It is very important to notice that all ten of the companions that saw Ab”
Ḥumaid ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ه‬affirmed the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn as the Sunnah of
Ras”lullāh ‫ !ﷺ‬In support of this is a second narration reported by )mām al-
Bukhārī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬which clearly mentions Ab” Qatādah ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ْنه‬and Ab” Usaid
‫ رضي ه‬affirming the
‫ﷲ ع ْنه‬ practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn. [ 362 ] While another Ḥadīth
also reported by al-Bukhārī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬in Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadayn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh [ 363 ]
proves that Muḥammad bin Muslimah ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ْنه‬and Sahl bin Sa d ‫رضي هﷲ ع ْنه‬
also affirmed the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn as being the Sunnah. [ 364 ]
The following is a visual representation of the authentic chain of reporters for

this narration.
[Chart # 11: Marf” Ḥadīth of Ab” Ḥumaid ‫] رضي هﷲ ع ه‬
361
362
363
364

Summary Grading: Ḥadīth of Ab” Ḥumaid and the Ten Companions.
This Ḥadīth has been graded as Ṣaḥīḥ by )mām al-Bukhārī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬in his at-
Tārīkh as-Saghir [ 365 ] and in Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadayn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh [ 366 ]. It was also
authenticated by al-Ḥāfidh az-Zayla ī al-Ḥanafī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬in his famous book of
Takhrīj Naṣb ar-Rāʼah[ 367 ] and by al-Ḥāfidh al-Bayhaqī ‫رحمه ﷲ‬ in his Al-
Maʿrifah [ 368 ]. Al-Ḥāfidh Badī-ud-Dīn as-Sindī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬wrote in Jalā al-ʿaʼnaʼn:
‫وقد ثبت بإس ٍاد صحيح‬

Verily it is established via an authentic chain of narrators [ 369 ]
(as-Sindī Printed
It was also graded as Ṣaḥīḥ by )mām at-Tirmidhī ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬370 ] and by al-

Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬in (idāʼah ar-Ruwāh [ 371 ].
Once again it should be noted by the noble reader that this is not a Ḥadīth
reported by a single Ṣaḥābī rather it establishes that ten of the Ṣaḥābah
affirmed the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn. The following five Ṣaḥābah have been
mentioned in the wording of the various reports:
. Ab” Ḥumaid ‫رضي هﷲ ع ه‬
. Ab” Qatādah ‫رضي هﷲ ع ه‬
. Ab” Usaid ‫رضي هﷲ ع ه‬
. Muḥammad bin Muslimah ‫رضي هﷲ ع ْنه‬
. Sahl bin Sa d ‫رضي هﷲ ع ْنه‬
Another five of the illustrious Ṣaḥābah ‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲ ع ْن‬ were present and affirmed
the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn yet they are not mentioned by name in the
365
Tārīkh as-Saghir Page # 55
366
367
368
Al-Maʿrifah Volume # 2 page #
369
370
371
(idāʼah ar-Ruwāh ilā Takhrīj al-Masābīh wal-Mishkāt Volume # 1 Page #

wording of the Ḥadīth. Following is a list of the great scholars of Ḥadīth who
have reported and authenticated this Ḥadīth:
 )mām )bn Abī Shaybah (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬372 ]

 )mām Ab” Dāw”d (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬375 ]
 )mām at-Tirmidhī (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬376 ]
 Al-Ḥāfidh Uthmān ad-Dārimī (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬377 ]
 )mām )bn Khuzaimah (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬378 ]

 Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Qayyim (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬381 ]
 Al-Ḥāfidh az-Zayla ī (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬382 ]

372
Muṣanaf )bn Abī Shaʼbah Volume # 1 Page # 225
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān ḥadīth # 1865, 1867 and 1876
380
Al-Maʿrifah Volume # 2 page #
381
Rafʿ al-yadayn fī Ṣalāh by al-Ḥāfidh Ibn al-Qayyim page #
382
383
(idāʼah ar-Ruwāh ilā Takhrīj al-Masābīh wal-Mishkāt Volume # 1 Page #
384

The Ḥadīth of Ab” Hurayrah Confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn.
The eighth proof confirming the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn from Ras”lullāh ‫ﷺ‬
and from the prominent Ṣaḥābī AbdurRaḥmān bin Ṣakhr al-Azdī who is
famous as Ab” Hurayrah ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ْنه‬.
This Ḥadīth has been recorded by )mām Ab” Dāw”d ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬385 ], )mām Aḥmad
bin Ḥanbal‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬386 ], al-Ḥāfidh )bn Mājah‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬387 ], Ibn Khuzaimah ‫رح ه ﷲ‬
in his Ṣaḥīḥ [ 388 ] and, )mām al-Bukhārī ‫رح ه ﷲ‬ reported this Ḥadīth in his Kitāb
Rafʿ al-Yadayn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh [ 389 ]. Following is the Ṣaḥīḥ chain of narrators and
wording preserved by )mām Ab” Dāw”d ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬in Sunan [ 390 ]:
‫ب‬ ِ ‫ك بْن ُش َعْي‬ ِِ

ُ ‫َحدَثََا َعْب ُد الْ َمل‬
َِ‫َح َدثَِ أ‬
‫َع ْن َجدِي‬
َ ‫َع ْن َْ َى بْ ِن أَي‬
‫وب‬
‫ك بْ ِن َعْب ِد الْ َع ِزي ِز‬ ِ ِ‫َعن َعب ِد الْمل‬
َ ْ ْ
‫اب‬ٍ ‫َعن ابْ ِن ِشه‬
َ ْ
‫َع ْن أَِ بَ ْك ِر بْ ِن َعْب ِد الَر ْمَ ِن‬
‫َع ْن أَِ ُهَريْ َرةَ أَنَهُ قَ َال‬
َ ‫صلَى اللَهُ َعلَْي ِه َو َسلَ َم إِ َذا َكبَ َر لِل‬
‫ص َاةِ َج َع َل يَ َديْ ِه َح ْذ َو َمْ ِكبَ ْي ِه‬ ِ ُ ‫َكا َن رس‬
َ ‫ول اللَه‬ َُ
ِ ْ َ‫ك وإِ َذا قَ َام ِمن الَرْك َعت‬
‫ن‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ َ ِ‫وإِ َذا رَكع فَ َعل ِمثْل َذل‬
َ َ َ ‫ك َوإ َذا َرفَ َع للس ُجود فَ َع َل مثْ َل َذل‬ َ َ ََ َ
ِ
‫ك‬َ ‫فَ َع َل ِمثْ َل ذَل‬
385
386
387
388
389
390

We were informed by AbdulMalik bin Shu aib
I was informed by my father
On the authority of my grandfather
On the authority of Yaḥyā bin Ayy”b
On the authority of AbdilMalik bin Abdil Azīz
On the authority of Ibn Shihāb
On the authority of Abī Bakr bin AbdirRaḥmān
On the authority of Ab” Hurayrah ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ه‬verily he said:
Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬used to continuously raise his hands up to His
shoulders when said the takbīr for (initiating) the prayer and he did the
same when he went into Ruk”ʿ and did the same when he raised up
(from Ruk”ʿ) to go to Suj”d and when He stood up from performing
rak tain two Rakʿah [ 391 ]
The word ( ‫ ) ك‬indicates a continuous practice. Hence, Ab” Hurayrah ‫رضي هﷲ‬
‫ ع ه‬is stating that performing Rafʿ al-Yadayn while going into Ruk”ʿ and while
rising up from it was the regular and continuous practice of Ras”lullāh ‫ﷺ‬.
Following is a visual representation of the authentic chain of narrators.
[Chart # 12: Marf” Ḥadīth of Ab” (urayrah ‫] رضي هﷲ ع ه‬
391

In fact Ab” Hurayrah ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ه‬continued this practice, which he had observed
from Ras”lullāh ‫ﷺ‬, even after the passing away of our beloved Prophet ‫ﷺ‬.
This is clearly stated in the Ṣaḥīḥ Ḥadīth reported in Mawq”f form by )mām
al-Bukhārī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬who reported it in his Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadayn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh:
‫ب‬ٍ ‫حدَثََا سلَْيما ُن بْن حر‬

َْ ُ َ ُ َ
‫يم‬ ِ ِ ُ ‫حدَثَ ا ي ِز‬
َ ‫يد بْ ُن إبْ َراه‬ َ َ َ
‫س بْ ِن َس ْع ٍد‬ ِ ‫َع ْن قَ ْي‬
‫َع ْن َعطَ ٍاء‬
‫ت َم َع أَِ ُهَريْ َرةَ فَ َكا َن يَ ْرفَ ُع إِذَا َكبَ َر َوإِذَا َرَك َع‬ ُ ‫صلَْي‬
َ ‫قَ َال‬
We were informed by Sulaymān bin Ḥarb
We were informed by Yazīd bin )brāhīm
On the authority Qais bin Sa d
On the authority of Aṭā who said:
) prayed with Abī Hurayrah ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ه‬and he used to continuously raise
his hands while he said the takbīr (to initiate the prayer) and when he
went into Ruk”ʿ [ 392 ]
Summary Grading: Ḥadīth of Ab” Hurayrah Confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn
This Ḥadīth has been reported via multiple fully authentic chains of reporters.
It was graded as Ṣaḥīḥ in both Marf”ʿ and Mawq”f forms. Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn al-
Qayyim ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬as stated in at-Tahdhīb Sunan Abī Dāw”d:
‫هذا ا ديث على شرط مسلم‬

This Ḥadīth is authentic in accordance to the conditions set by Muslim
[ 393 ]
(al-Jawziyyah, At-Tahdhīb Sunan Abī Dāw”d Printed
392
393
at-Tahdhīb Sunan Abī Dāw”d Volume # 1 Page # 375

Hence, this Ḥadīth is authentic in accordance to the strict standards of )mām
Muslim. Al-Ḥāfidh Badī-ud-Dīn as-Sindī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬wrote in his Jalā al-ʿaʼnaʼn:
‫رواته ثقات‬
its narrators are all reliable [ 394 ]
(as-Sindī Printed
This Ḥadīth was also authenticated by al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī in
Tahdhīb at-Tahdhīb [ 395 ] and by Ibn Khuzaimah ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬in his Ṣaḥīḥ [ 396 ].
Following is a list of scholars who have researched and clearly stated this
Ḥadīth is Ṣaḥīḥ.
 )mām )bn Khuzaimah (d. 311 ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬399 ]
 Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Qayyim (d. 751 ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬400 ]
394
395
Tahdhīb at-Tahdhīb Page # 39
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
Tahdhīb at-Tahdhīb Page # 39
403

The Ḥadīth of Anas bin Mālik Confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn.
The ninth proof confirming the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn is another Marf”ʿ
‫ رضي ه‬Following is the chain of
Ṣaḥīḥ Ḥadīth narrated by Anas bin Mālik ‫ﷲ ع ْنه‬
narrators and wording:
‫َمَ َد‬
ْ ‫َخبَ َرنَا َُ َم ُد بْ ُن أ‬
ْ‫أ‬
‫اضي‬ ِ ‫ث ا عب ُد الَر ْم ِن الْ َق‬
َ َْ
‫َمَ َد‬
ْ ‫يل بْ ُن أ‬ ِ ِ
ُ ‫ث ا إ ََْاع‬
َِ‫ث ا أ‬
َ ‫َع ْن يَِز‬
‫يد بْ ِن َه ُارو َن‬
‫َع ْن ُمَْي ٍد الطَ ِو ِيل‬
‫صلَى اللَهُ َعلَْي ِه َو َسلَ َم يَ ْرفَ ُع يَ َديْ ِه إِ َذا‬ ِ َ ‫ رأَيت رس‬: ‫ قَ َال‬، ‫ك‬ ٍ ِ‫س ب ِن مال‬
َ ‫ول اللَه‬ َُ ُ َْ َ ْ ِ َ‫َع ْن أَن‬
ِ ‫ َوإِ َذا َرفَ َع َرأْ َسهُ ِم َن الرُك‬، ‫َكبَ َر َوإِ َذا َرَك َع‬
‫وع‬
We were informed by Muḥammad bin Aḥmad

We were informed by AbdurRaḥmān al-Qādhī
We were informed by )smā īl bin Aḥmad
Who was informed by his father
On the authority of Yazīd bin (ār”n
On the authority of Ḥumayd aṭ-Ṭawīl
On the authority of Anas bin Mālik ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ه‬who said: I saw Ras”lullāh
‫ﷺ‬ raise his hands when he pronounced the takbīr (to initiate the
prayer) and when He ‫ ﷺ‬went into Ruk”ʿ and He ‫ ﷺ‬raised His head
up from Ruk”ʿ.
All the narrators in the )snād of this Ḥadīth are strong narrators known for
their ‫( ضبط‬good memories and precision in narrating accurately) and ‫ع‬
(upright character and good morals). Following is a visual representation of
the chain of narrators:

[Chart # ‫]ر ض ي ه‬
: Ḥadīth of Anas bin Mālik ‫ﷲ ع ه‬
Yet there is a problem with one narrator. Ḥumayd although a strong narrator
( ‫ )ث‬he has been accused of tadlīs (concealing of a narrator). The methodology
adopted for this research is to be fair and balanced in critiquing the proofs on
both sides of the argument hence this criticism is presented.
This would have rendered this Ḥadīth weak but there are other chains of
narrators reporting this Ḥadīth that do not contain Ḥumayd, such as the
narration on the authority of Ibn Sulaymaan instead of Ḥumayd. Hence, those
chains that do not contain Ḥumayd are fully authentic and those chains of
narrations which do contain Ḥumayd become supporting evidences for this
clear Ṣaḥīḥ Ḥadīth. Following is a visual representation of one of these
supporting evidences.
‫]ر ض ي ه‬
[Chart # 14: additional )snād from Ana s bin Malik ‫ﷲ ع ه‬

This Ḥadīth has been recorded with authentic chains by )mām )bn Abī Shaybah
‫ [ رحمه ﷲ‬404 ], )mām Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal ‫ [ رحمه ﷲ‬405 ], al-Ḥāfidh )bn Maajah ‫رحمه ﷲ‬
[ 406 ], )mām Ab” Ya lā ‫ [ رحمه ﷲ‬407 ] and it was also reported by )mām al-Bukhārī
‫رحمه ﷲ‬ in his book Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadayn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh [ 408 ]
Summary Grading: Ḥadīth of Anas bin Mālik Confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn.
This Ḥadīth has been reported via multiple authentic chains. Some of these
have been criticized, yet other chains are independently Ṣaḥīḥ. Hence, the
overall grading of this Ḥadīth is that is Ṣaḥīḥ.
This was the conclusion of the great scholar of research such as al-Ḥāfidh Ibn
Ḥajar al- Asqalānī ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬409 ], )mām ad-Dāraquṭnī ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬410 ] al-Ḥāfidh Ibn
Qayyim ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬in his famous book Rafʿ al-Yadayn fī Ṣalāh [ 411 ]. Al-Ḥāfidh Badī-
ud-Dīn as-Sindī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬wrote in his takhrīj of Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadayn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh
named Jalā al-ʿaʼnaʼn:
‫وهذا س د جيد‬
This is a trustworthy chain of narrators [ 412 ]
(as-Sindī Printed
The grading of this Ḥadīth was best summarized and clearly stated by the great
scholar of Ḥadīth al-Ḥāfidh Ibn al-Mulaqqin‫ رح ه ﷲ‬who wrote:
‫إس اد صحيح على شرط الشيخن‬
404
405
406
Sunan )bn Mājah ḥadīth #
407
Musand Abī Yaʿlā Ḥadīth #
408
409
Al-Muṭālib al-ʿĀliʼah ḥadīth #
410
Sunan ad-Dāraquṭnī Ḥadīth #
411
Rafʿ al-yadayn fī Ṣalāh by al-Ḥāfidh Ibn al-Qayyim page # 18
412
Jalā al-ʿAʼnaʼn Page # 126

The chain of narrators of this Ḥadīth is authentic upon the (stringent)
conditions set by the two great scholars (al-Bukhārī and Muslim . [ 413
]
Following is a list of just a few of the scholars of Ḥadīth who recorded and
authenticated this Ḥadīth:
 )mām )bn Abī Shaybah (d. 235 ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬414 ]
 )mām Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal (d. 241 ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬415 ]
 )mām al-Bukhārī (d. 256 ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬416 ]
 )mām )bn Mājah (d. 273 ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬417 ]
 )mām an-Nasā i (d. 303 ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬418 ]
 )mām Ab” Ya lā (d. 307 ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬419 ]
 )mām ad-Dāraquṭnī (d. 385 ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬420 ]
 Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Qayyim (d. 751 ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬421 ]
 )mām )bn al-Mulaqqin (d. 804 ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬422 ]
 Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī (d. 852 ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬423 ]
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
Sunan ad-Dāraquṭnī ḥadīth #
421
Rafʿ al-yadayn fī Ṣalāh by al-Ḥāfidh Ibn al-Qayyim page # 18
422
423 Al-Muṭālib al-ʿĀliʼah ḥadīth #
108 |
Are the Aḥādīth Confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn Mutawātir?
First of all the noble reader should understand what a Mutawātir Ḥadīth is. A
Mutawātir Ḥadīth is a Ḥadīth reported by such a large number of independent
chains of narrators that it is not conceivable that they all agreed upon a lie or
made the same mistake in reporting.
A Mutawātir Ḥadīth reported by authentic chains of transmission is

unquestionable in its authenticity. Hence, when a Ḥadīth that is Ṣaḥīḥ reaches
the level of Mutawātir then it is considered to be sure knowledge, which
cannot be disputed. The aḥādīth confirming the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn
reach the level of Mutawātir. While those in negating the practice of Rafʿ al-
Yadayn do not. This was confirmed by )mām as-Suy”ṭī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬who said:
‫إن حديث الرفع متواتر عن ال ي صلى اه عليه وسلم‬

The aḥādīth of raising (performing Rafʿ al-Yadayn) are Mutawātir
from an-Nabī ‫ [ ﷺ‬424 ]
as-Suyū ṭī, Qaṭf al-Azhā r al-Mutanā thirah fī al-Akhbā r al-Mutawā tirah Printed
Imām Ibn Abī al- )zz al-Ḥanafī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬confirmed this in at-Tanbih ʿAlā
Mushkilāt al-(idāʼah :
The aḥādīth supporting Rafʿ al-Yadayn are Mutawātir, they have been
narrated from the ten (who were promised Jannah) and it is said that it
was narrated from more than thirty of them the Sahābah . [ 425 ]
This was also confirmed by )mām al-Kattānī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬in Nadhm al-Mutanāthir

min al-Ḥadīth al-Mutawātir[ 426 ] and Anwar Shāh al-Kashmīrī writes in Nayl
al-Farqadayn:
424
Qaṭf al-Azhār al-Mutanāthirah fī al-Akhbār al-Mutawātirah Page # 22
425
426
Nadhm al-Mutanāthir min al-Ḥadīth al-Mutawātir Page # 96 -
109 Are the Aḥādīth Confirming Raf al-Yadayn Mutawātir? |

‫ وم يُ سخ وا حرف م ه‬،‫ وا يُشك فيه‬،ً‫إن الرفع متواتر إس اداً وعما‬

Verily the chains of narration and the proof concerning the practice
of Raf (al-Yadayn) are Mutawātir and there is no doubt in this. And
there is not a single word which has been abrogated" [ 427 ]
(al-Kashmīrī Printed
The great scholar of )slām, al-Ḥāfidh Shams-ud-Dīn al-Maqdasī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬recorded

the aḥādīth confirming the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn in his famous book Sharḥ
al-Kabīr and then states:
‫فصار كامتواتر الذى ا يتطرق إليه شك بصحة س د و كثرة رواته‬

They (the aḥādīth confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn) turn out to be Mutawātir,
they are such that there is no doubt to their validity due to the
authenticity of their chains of narrators and the great number of their
narrations. [ 428 ]
(al-Maqdasī Printed
Therefore, it is evident that not only has the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn been
recorded in the most authentic books of Ḥadīth (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī & Ṣaḥīḥ
Muslim), but they have also been reported in the strongest form possible
Mutawātir!
427
Nayl al-Farqadayn Page #
428
Sharḥ al-Kabīr Volume # 2 Page # 47
110 Are the Aḥādīth Confirming Raf al-Yadayn Mutawātir? |

Did Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬Ever Abandon Rafʿ al-Yadayn?
There is absolutely no established evidence to back the flimsy claim that

Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬abandoned the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn. In fact, the clear
evidences and strong proofs point towards the opposite that Ras”lullāh ‫ﷺ‬
continually performed Rafʿ al-Yadayn until He ‫ ﷺ‬passed away. )mām )bn
Abī al- )zz al-Ḥanafī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬states in At-Tanbih ʿalā Mushkilāt al-(idāʼah:
The Aḥādīth confirming the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn were reported

from those who prayed behind an-Nabī ‫ ﷺ‬during the last part of His
‫ رضي ه‬and Mālik bin Ḥuwairith ‫رضي‬
life ‫ﷺ‬, such as Wāìl bin Ḥujr ‫ﷲ ع ْنه‬
‫ه‬
‫ﷲ ع ْنه‬. [ 429 ]
Al-Ḥāfidh )bn al-Qayyim ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬writes in his amazing book Zād al-Maʿād:
‫ واتفق على‬،ً‫وروى رفع اليدين ع ه هذ امواطن الثاثة حو من ثاثن نفسا‬

‫ بل كان ذلك هديه دائماً إى أن‬،‫ وم يثبت ع ه خاف ذلك البتة‬،‫روايتها العشرة‬
‫فارق الدنيا‬
Raising the hands in these three places (while initiating the prayer,
while going into Ruk”ʿ and while getting up from Ruk”ʿ) is related by 30
Ṣaḥābah, and the ten (who were promised paradise) agreed upon
relating it. And there is nothing at all contradicting this that is
established. Rather this was His ‫ ﷺ‬guidance till he left this world.
[ 430 ]
al-Jawziyyah, Zā d al Ma ā d fī (uda Khayr al- )bā d Printed
The final word on this issue, which will not leave a shadow of a doubt, is what
is reported by al-Ḥāfidh al-Bayhaqī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬and it was relied upon by )mām ash-
429
430
Zād al-Maʿād Volume # 1 Page # 218
111 Did Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬Ever Abandon Raf al-Yadayn? |

Shawkānī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬in his famous book Nayl al-Awṭār on the authority )bn Umar
‫رضي ه‬:
‫ﷲ ع ْن م‬
ِْ ِ‫صلَى اللَهُ َعلَْي ِه َو َسلَم َكا َن يَ ْرفَ ُع يَ َديْ ِه ِعْ َد تَ ْكبِ َرة‬
‫اإ ْحَرِام‬ ِ َ ‫أَ َن رس‬
َ ‫ول اللَه‬ َُ
َ
‫ص َاتُهُ َح َى لَِق َي اللَهَ تَ َع َاى‬ َ ‫ك‬ َ ‫ت تِْل‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ‫و ِعْ َد الرُك‬
ْ َ‫وع َوعْ َد اا ْعت َد ِال فَ َما َزال‬ َ
Verily Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬used to raise His hands when He initiated the
prayer and while going into the state of Ruk”ʿ and while rising up from
it. He ‫ ﷺ‬never abandoned this method of praying till he met Allāh. [
431 ]
(ash-Shawkānī Printed
After reading all these aḥādīth it should be clear to every reader who seeks
nothing but the pleasure of Allāh that Rafʿ al-Yadayn was not only the practice
of Ras”lullāh‫ ﷺ‬for a part of His life, it was His ‫ ﷺ‬practice continually until
he met Allāh. Everything that has been narrated on the contrary is weak and
unfounded, while the narrations that support this practice are clear, authentic
and consistent.
Sunan al-Kubrā Volume # 2 page #

431
al-Ḥāfidh al-Bayhaqī graded it as reliable Ḥasan. It
was also reported in Nayl al-Awtār Volume # 1 Page 534.
112 Did Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬Ever Abandon Raf al-Yadayn? |

The Ṣaḥābah and the Issue of Rafʿ al-Yadayn.
‫ رضي ه‬have
Without a doubt a great number of the illustrious Ṣaḥābah ‫ﷲ ع ْن‬
reported the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn from Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬and after the death
of Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬they continued to practice Rafʿ al-Yadayn. As for how many
exactly then al-Ḥāfidh )bn al-Qayyim ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬writes in his amazing book Zād al-
Maʿād:
‫ واتفق على‬،ً‫وروى رفع اليدين ع ه هذ امواطن الثاثة حو من ثاثن نفسا‬

‫ بل كان ذلك هديه دائماً إى أن‬،‫ وم يثبت ع ه خاف ذلك البتة‬،‫روايتها العشرة‬
‫فارق الدنيا‬
Raising the hands in these three places (while initiating the prayer,
while going into Ruk”ʿ and while getting up from Ruk”ʿ) is related by 30
Ṣaḥābah, and the ten (who were promised paradise) agreed upon
relating it. And there is nothing at all contradicting this that is
established. Rather this was His ‫ ﷺ‬guidance till he left this world.
[ 432 ]
al-Jawziyyah, Zā d al Ma ā d fī (uda Khayr al- )bā d Printed
This was confirmed by al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬in Fatḥ al-Bārī [
433 ] and Imām Alī ash-Shawkānī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬in his famous book Nayl al-Awṭār:
‫وسرد البيهقي الس ن و ا افيات أَاء من روى الرفع حوا من ثاثن صحابيا‬
‫ اتفق على رواية هذ الس ة العشرة امشهود هم‬: ‫ َعت ا اكم يقول‬: ‫ وقال‬.
‫ قال ا اكم‬. ‫ وهو كما قال‬: ‫با ة فمن بعدهم من أكابر الصحابة قال البيهقي‬
432
Zād al-Maʿād Volume # 1 Page # 218
433
113 |
‫ وا يعلم س ة اتفق على روايتها العشرة فمن بعدهم من أكابر‬: ‫والبيهقي أيضا‬
‫الصحابة على تفرقهم اأقطار الشاسعة غر هذ الس ة‬
Al-Bayhaqī lists in his Sunan and in his Khilāfiʼāt the names of those
who relate the raising (the hands at Ruk”ʿ and getting up from it) from
thirty Ṣaḥābah. And he said, ) heard al-(ākim say, The ten who were
promised paradise related this Sunnah and others from the greatest of
the Ṣaḥābah. and it is as he said. And al-(ākim and al-Bayhaqī also
said, And a narration of a Sunnah is not known upon which the ten and
those after them from the greatest of the Companions agreed to, due to
their being scattered across the lands, except this Sunnah [ 434 ]
(ash-Shawkānī Printed
‫ رضي ه‬who
Following is only a partial list with references of the Ṣaḥābah ‫ﷲ ع ْن‬
have authentically reported the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn from Ras”lullāh ‫ﷺ‬
and have themselves observed the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn. I have restricted
this list to only Ṣaḥīḥ (authentic) and Ḥasan (reliable) aḥ ā dīth:
1. Ab” Bakr as-Șiddīq ‫ﷲ ع ه‬ ‫ [ رضي ه‬435 ]

2. Umar bin al-Khattāb ‫ﷲ ع ْنه‬‫ [ رضي ه‬436 ]
3. Uthmān bin Affān ‫ﷲ ع ْنه‬ ‫ [ رضي ه‬437 ]
‫ [ رضي ه‬438 ]
4. Alī bin Abī Tālib ‫ﷲ ع ْنه‬
5. Abdullāh bin Umar ‫ﷲ ع ْنه‬ ‫ [ رضي ه‬439 ]
6. Abdullāh bin Abbās ‫ﷲ ع ْن م‬‫ [ رضي ه‬440 ]
‫ [ رضي ه‬441 ]
7. Wāìl bin Ḥujr ‫ﷲ ع ه‬
434
Nayl al-Awtār Volume # 1 Page 534
435
Sunan al-Kubrā Volume # 2 page # al-Ḥāfidh al-Bayhaqī graded it as Ṣaḥīḥ as did )mām
adh-Dhahabī in al-Mahdhab Volume # 2 Page # 49
436
Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadaʼn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh Page # 70 graded as Ṣaḥīḥ in ad-Dirāʼah fī Takhrīj Aḥādīth
al-(idāʼah by Ibn Ḥajr al- Asqalānī Volume # 1 page # 154
437
Muṣanaf ʿAbdurRazzāq Volume # Page # graded as Ṣaḥīḥ by Ibn Ḥazm in al-Muhallā
Volume # Page #
438
Musand Aḥmad ḥadīth # graded as Ṣaḥīḥ Tuḥafatul-Aḥwadhī Volume # 2 Page # 110
439
Agreed Upon Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī Ḥadīth # & Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim Ḥadīth # graded as Ṣaḥīḥ
440
Muṣanaf ʿAbdurRazzāq Volume # Page # graded as Ṣaḥīḥ by al-Ḥāfidh Badī-ud-Dīn in
Jalā al-ʿaʼnaʼn Page # 61
441
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim Ḥadīth # graded as Ṣaḥīḥ
114 The Ṣaḥābah and the )ssue of Raf al-Yadayn. |

‫ [رضي ه‬442 ]
8. Mālik bin Ḥuwairith ‫ﷲ ع ْنه‬
‫ [ رضي ه‬443 ]
9. Anas bin Mālik ‫ﷲ ع ْنه‬
10. Ab” Hurayrah ‫ﷲ ع ه‬‫ [ رضي ه‬444 ]
11. Ab” Ḥumaid ‫ﷲ ع ه‬‫ [ رضي ه‬445 ]
12.Ab” Usaid ‫ [رضي هﷲ ع ه‬446 ]
13. Ab” Qatādah ‫ﷲ ع ه‬ ‫ [ رضي ه‬447 ]
14. Muḥammad bin Muslimah ‫ﷲ ع ْنه‬ ‫ [ رضي ه‬448 ]
‫ [رضي ه‬449 ]
15. Sahl bin Sa d ‫ﷲ ع ْنه‬
16. Jābir bin Abdullāh ‫ﷲ ع ْنه‬‫ [ رضي ه‬450 ]
17. Umm ad-Dardā ‫ﷲ ع ْن‬ ‫ [رضي ه‬451 ]
‫ [ رضي ه‬452 ]
18. Ab” Musā al-Ash arī ‫ﷲ ع ه‬
19. Barā bin Āzib ‫ﷲ ع ه‬‫ [ رضي ه‬453 ]
20. Ab” Sa īd al-Khudrī ‫ﷲ ع ه‬ ‫ [ رضي ه‬454 ]
‫ [ رضي ه‬455 ]
21. Abdullāh bin az-Zubair ‫ﷲ ع ْنه‬
‫ [ رضي ه‬456 ]
22. Umair al-Laithī ‫ﷲ ع ْنه‬
‫ [ رضي ه‬457 ]
23. Uqbah ibn Āmir ‫ﷲ ع ْنه‬
This is only a partial list of those Ṣaḥābah who have reported the practice of
Rafʿ al-Yadayn from Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬and themselves performed it. This list only
442
Agreed Upon Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī Ḥadīth # & Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim Ḥadīth # graded as Ṣaḥīḥ
443
Musand Aḥmad ḥadīth # graded as Ṣaḥīḥ by al-Ḥāfidh Ibn al-Qayyim in Rafʿ al-
Yadaʼn fī Ṣalāh Page # 18
444
Musand Aḥmad ḥadīth # graded as Ṣaḥīḥ in at-Tahdhīb Sunan Abī Dāw”d by al-Ḥāfidh
Ibn al-Qayyim Volume # 1 Page # 375
445
Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadaʼn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh Page # 40 graded as Ṣaḥīḥ in Tārīkh as-Saghir Page # 55
446
447
448
449
450
Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadaʼn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh Page # 71 graded as Ṣaḥīḥ in Naṣb ar-Rāʼah Takhrīj Aḥādīth
al-(idāʼah Volume # 1 Page 415
451
Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadaʼn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh Page # 67 graded as Ṣaḥīḥ in Mawq”f form in Jalā al-
ʿaʼnaʼn by al-Ḥāfidh Badī-ud-Dīn as-Sindī Page #
452
Sunan ad-Dāraquṭnī Volume # 1 Page # 292 graded as Ṣaḥīḥ in Naṣb ar-Rāʼah Takhrīj
Aḥādīth al-(idāʼah Volume # 1 Page 415
453
Sunan al-Baʼhaqī Volume # 2 page # graded as Ḥasan in Jalā al-ʿaʼnaʼn
454
Muṣanaf )bn Abī Shaʼbah Volume # 1 Page # 235 graded as Ḥasan in Jalā al-ʿaʼnaʼn
455
Muṣanaf )bn Abī Shaʼbah Volume # 1 Page # 235 graded as Ṣaḥīḥ in Mawq”f form in Jalā
al-ʿaʼnaʼn by al-Ḥāfidh Badī-ud-Dīn as-Sindī Page #
456
Sunan Ibn Mājah ḥadīth # graded as Ḥasan via supporting evidences Jalā al-ʿaʼnaʼn
457

contains Ṣaḥīḥ and Ḥasan reliable narrations. I have not listed any weak
narrations otherwise this list could grow up to fifty!
Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬confirms in Fatḥ al-Bārī:
‫ص َحابَِة فَبَ لَغُوا‬ ُ ِ‫ض ِل ا َْاف‬

َ ‫ظ أَنَهُ تَتَبَ َع َم ْن َرَوا ُ ِم ْن ال‬ ْ ‫َوذَ َكَر َشْي ُخَا أَبُو الْ َف‬
‫ن َر ُج ًا‬ ِ
َ ‫ََْس‬
And our shaikh Ab” al-Faḍl al-Ḥāfidh Meaning Ab” al-Faḍl al-ʿ)rāqī
mentioned that he investigated the narrations from the Ṣaḥābah and
they reached fifty. [ 458 ]
)mām al-Bukhārī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬writes in his book Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadayn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh:
‫ كان أصحاب رسول اه صلى اه عليه‬: ‫قال ا سن وميد بن هال‬

‫وسلم يرفعون أيديهم م يستثن أحدا م هم من أصحاب ال ي صلى اه‬
‫عليه وسلم دون أحد وم يثبت ع د أهل العلم عن أحد من أصحاب ال ي‬
‫صلى اه عليه وسلم أنه م يرفع يديه‬
Al-Ḥasan (al-Baṣrī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬and Ḥumaid bin (alāl ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬said:

The Ṣaḥābah of Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬used to raise their hands and they did
not exclude any one of the Ṣaḥābah of Ras”lullāh ‫ﷺ‬. And it is not
established with the People of Knowledge that any single companion of
an-Nabī ‫ ﷺ‬left raising his hands. [ 459 ]
This is truly a powerful statement from two of the most knowledgeable tābiʿīn
al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬and Ḥumaid bin (alāl ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬stating that Rafʿ al-Yadayn
was the established practice of all of the Ṣaḥābah excluding none!
458
Fatḥ al-Bārī bi-Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī
459 Kitāb Raf al-Yadayn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh by )mām al-Bukhārī page #

The Tābiʿ”n and the Issue of Rafʿ al-Yadayn.
Now that it has been established that none of the Ṣaḥābah left the practice of
Rafʿ al-Yadayn, we need to investigate what happened in the time of the
following generations, during the time of the Tābiʿ”n and Tābiʿ at-Tābiʿīn.
)mām al-Bukhārī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬wrote:
ِ‫صرة‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ َ ِ ٍِ ِ ِ
َ ْ َ‫ َوالْب‬, ‫ َوالشَام‬, ‫ الْعَراق‬, ‫ َوأ َْه ِل ا ْ َجاز‬, َ‫ك َرَويْ َا ُ َع ْن عدَة م ْن عُلَ َماء َمكة‬
َ ‫َوَك َذل‬
ٍِ ِ
َ ‫َوالْيَ َم ِن َوعدَة م ْن أ َْه ِل ُخَر‬
‫اسا َن‬
And it has been narrated from a number of the scholars of
. Makkah
. Ḥijāz
. Al- Irāq
. Ash-Shām
. Al- Bașrah
. Al-Yamen
. Al-Khurāsān [ 460 ]
After this clarification, )mām al-Bukhārī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬makes a very important point.

All of the scholars of )slām agreed upon performing Rafʿ al-Yadayn except the
scholars of one city, K”fah. From the eminent scholars of K”fah who
disagreed with performing Rafʿ al-Yadayn, include such prominent scholars
such as )mām Ab” Ḥanīfah ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬and )mām Sufyān ath-Thawrī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬who
were truly great scholars of Islām. Yet it is plausible that an incorrect
narration reached them like the report of Yazīd in which he incorrectly added
to the wording of the Ḥadīth [ 461 ]. Therefore the scholars of K”fah could have
mistakenly accepted such a narration at no fault of their own. They would still
be rewarded by Allah for their Ijtihād. It maybe that they simply made a
mistake. This does not, in any way shape or form, take away from their high
460
461
Sunan Abī Dāw”d commentary after ḥadīth #
117 |
status and great knowledge. May Allah give them their due reward for doing
their best to reach the truth, Amīn.
Yet it is inconceivable that all of the Ṣaḥābah, and all of the scholars from the
Tābiʿ”n and Tābiʿ at-Tābiʿīn of all the Muslim lands all agreed on a mistake,
except for only one city.
Following is only a partial list of Tābiʿ”n and Tābiʿ at-Tābiʿīn from the various
Muslim lands that have been authentically reported to have supported the
practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn.
. Sa īd bin Jubair (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬462 ] the )mām of Makkah
. Mujāhid (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬463 ] the famous Mufassir of Qur ān
. Ṭāw”s (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬464 ] the student of Ibn Abbās ‫ر ضي ه‬

‫ﷲع‬
. Umar bin AbdulAzīz (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬465 ] the righteous Khalīfah!
. Sālim bin Abdullāh bin Umar (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬466 ] from Madīnah
. Al-Qāsim bin Muḥammad (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬467 ] the Faqīh of Madīnah

. An-Nu mān bin Abī Ayyāsh ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬468 ] the Faqīh of Madīnah
. Ibn Sirīn (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬469 ] the famous Mufassir of dreams
. Al-Ḥasan al-Bașrī (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬470 ] the )mām of Bașrah
. Mak-h”l ash-Shāmī (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬471 ] the )mām of Shām
. Atā (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬472 ] the Muftī of Makkah
. Nāfi (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬473 ] the Faqīh of Madīnah
. Abdullāh bin Dinār (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬474 ] the Faqīh of Madīnah
462
Muṣannaf ʿAbdurRazzāq by Imām al-Bukhārī Page # 95
463
Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadaʼn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh by Imām al-Bukhārī Page # 118
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadaʼn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh by Imām al-Bukhārī Page #
118 The Tābi ”n and the )ssue of Raf al-Yadayn. |

. Al-Awzā ī (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬475 ] the )mām of Shām
. Al-Layth bin Sa d (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬476 ] the )mām of Makkah
. Mālik bin Anas (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬477 ] the )mām of Madīnah
. Abdullāh bin al-Mubārak (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬478 ] from Khurāsān
. Muḥammad Idrīs ash-Shāfa ī (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬479 ] the Faqīh
. Yaḥyā bin Maʿīn (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬480 ] the )mām of Baghdād
. Alī al-Madīnī (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬481 ] the )mām of Bașrah
. Ab” Thawr (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬482 ] the Faqīh of Baghdād
. )sḥāq bin Rahwayh (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬483 ] the )mām of Khurāsān
. Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬484 ] the )mām of Ahlus Sunnah
The list of prominent Tābiʿ”n and Tābiʿ at-Tābiʿīn who promoted the practice
of Rafʿ al-Yadayn can go on and on. Yet this sampling is enough to show that
the vast majority of the great scholars of )slām during the era of the Tābiʿ”n
and Tābiʿ at-Tābiʿīn from the various Muslim lands were all united in
confirming the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn. In fact all of the Muslims lands
were united in affirming the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn except the people of
K”fah. Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬clearly states in Fatḥ al-Bārī:
‫ك إَِا أ َْه ُل الْ ُكوفَِة‬ ِ ِ ‫َمع علَماء ْاأَمصا ِر علَى م ْشر‬

َ ‫وعيَ ِة َذل‬ُ َ َ َ ْ ُ َ ُ َ َ ْ ‫صر أ‬ْ َ‫قَ َال َُ َم ُد بْ ُن ن‬
Muḥammad bin Naṣr ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬said: The scholars of all the lands have
come to a consensus confirming (Rafʿ al-Yadayn) except the people of
K”fah. [ 485 ]
475
476
477
478
479
Fatḥ al-Bārī bi-Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī of Ibn Ḥajr al- Asqalānī Volume # Page #
480
481
482
At-Tamhīd limā fīl-Muwatta' min al-Ma`ānī wal-Asānīd Volume # Page #
483
484
485
119 The Tābi ”n and the )ssue of Raf al-Yadayn. |

The Ḥanafī Madh-hab and the Issue of Rafʿ al-Yadayn
The standard opinion of the Ḥanafī madh-hab states that it is not Mustaḥab to
perform Rafʿ al-Yadayn except while initiating the prayer. This is the accepted
opinion presented by )mām Alī bin Abī Bakr al-Marghīnānī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬in the relied
upon book for fatwā al-(idāʼah[ 486 ]. The expert in Ḥanafī Fiqh, )mām Ibn
Ābidīn ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬agreed with this view in his famous Ḥāshīʼah named Radd al-
Muḥtār ʿalā al-Durr al-Mukhtār [ 487 ].
Without a doubt the Muʿtamad opinion of the Ḥanafī madh-hab is not to

perform Rafʿ al-Yadayn. Yet one cannot deny that there have been eminent
Ḥanafī scholars who have disregarded this view in favor of considering it
superior to perform Rafʿ al-Yadayn while going into the state of Ruk”ʿ and
while rising up from it. We can find this opinion within the ranks of Ḥanafī
scholars dating back as early as )mām )sām bin Y”suf al-Balkhī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬a direct
student of Qādhī Ab” Y”suf ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬the famous student of the great Imām Ab”
Ḥanīfah ‫رحمه ﷲ‬. The famous Ḥanafī scholar al-Ḥāfidh AbdulḤayy al-Laknawī
‫ رحمه ﷲ‬wrote:
‫مسالة مذهب إمامه لقوة دليل خافه ا رج به عن ربقة‬ ‫إن ا في لو ترك‬

‫التقليد‬
If a follower of the Ḥanafī madh-hab abandons an opinion of his madh-
hab due to the strength of the evidence against it, this does not mean
he has left following the madh-hab altogether. [ 488 ]
(al-Laknawī, al-Fawā'id al-Bahiyyah fi Tarājum al-Hanafiyyah Printed 1906)
After making this point Imām al-Laknawī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬explains:
‫عدم الرفع ومع ذلك‬ ‫أا ترى اى أن عصام بن يوسف ترك مذهب أ ح يفة‬
‫هو معدود ا فية‬
486
Al-(idāʼah sharḥ Bidāʼat al-mubtadiʿ Volume # Page #
487
Radd al-Muḥtār ʿalā al-Durr al-Mukhtār Volume # Page #
488
al-Fawā'id al-Bahiʼʼah fi Tarājum al-Hanafiyyah Page #
120 The Ḥanafī Madh-hab and the )ssue of Raf al-Yadayn |

Don t you see verily )sām bin Y”suf left the view of Ab” Ḥanīfah
regarding not performing Rafʿ al-Yadayn yet it does not mean he is not
a follower of the Ḥanafī madh-hab [ 489 ]
(al-Laknawī, al-Fawā'id al-Bahiyyah fi Tarājum al-Hanafiyyah Printed 1906)
Truly these are golden words that point to many benefits.
. Imām )sām bin Y”suf al-Balkhī ‫رح ه ﷲ‬, a Ḥanafī scholar from the earliest
Ḥanafī scholars, a direct student of the student of Ab” Ḥanīfah ‫رح ه ﷲ‬.
left the view of his madh-hab and performed Rafʿ al-Yadayn while going
into Ruk”ʿ and while rising up from it.
. He did not do this because he was leaving the madh-hab rather he
performed Rafʿ al-Yadayn due to the strength of the evidences proving
Rafʿ al-Yadayn to be the Sunnah.
. His departing from the Ḥanafī madh-hab regarding this issue did not
cause anyone to say he was no longer a follower of )mām Ab”
Ḥanīfah‫ رح ه ﷲ‬.
The prominent Ḥanafī scholar Allāmah Ibn Abī al- Izz al-Ḥanafī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬gave
preference to Rafʿ al-Yadayn in his book at-Tanbihʿalā Mushkilāt al-(idāʼah [
490 ]. One of the greatest Ḥanafī scholars to hail from the Indian subcontinent,
Shāh Walī-ullah ad-Dahlawī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬, clearly stated in his renowned book
Ḥujjat-ullah al-Bālighah:
‫ فإن أحاديث الرفع أكثر وأثبت‬، ‫والذي يرفع أحب إِ ِن ا يرفع‬

The one who performs Rafʿ al-Yadayn is more beloved to me than the
one who does not, since there are more aḥādīth for performing Rafʿ al-
Yadayn and they are more authentic. [ 491 ]
ad-Dihlawī Printed
489
al-Fawā'id al-Bahiʼʼah fi Tarājum al-Hanafiyyah Page #
490
491
Ḥujjat-ullah al-Bālighah Volume # 2 Page # 10

It is evident from the above mentioned quotes, that many of the distinguished
scholars of the Ḥanafī madh-hab preferred the practice of performing Rafʿ al-
Yadayn. It is aslo clear that if a follower of the Ḥanafī madh-hab adopts the
practice of performing Rafʿ al-Yadayn he or she is not abandoning the whole
Ḥanafī madh-hab.
This section can be concluded with the words of the great Ḥanafī scholar,
Allāmah AbdulḤayy al-Laknawī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬, who himself preferred Rafʿ al-
Yadayn. In the last book he wrote before his death, as-Siʿāʼah fī kashf mā fī
Sharḥ al-Wiqāʼah, he ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬states:
‫وا ق أنه ا شك ثبوت رفع اليدين ع د الركوع والرفع م ه عن رسول اه وكثر‬

‫من أصحابه بالطرق القوية واأخبار الصحيحة‬
The truth is that there is no doubt performing Rafʿ al-Yadayn while
going into Ruk”ʿ and while rising up from it, is authentically proven
from Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬and from a great number of the Ṣaḥābah via
strong Ṣaḥīḥ reports. [ 492 ]
(al-Laknawī, As-Si āyah fī kashf mā fī Sharḥ al-Wiqāyah Printed
492
As-Siʿāʼah fī kashf mā fī Sharḥ al-Wiqāʼah Volume # Page #

The Mālikī Madh-hab and the Issue of Rafʿ al-Yadayn
There are two opinions attributed to Imām Mālik ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬regarding this issue.
The First Opinion: Ibn al-Qāsim ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬reported that )mām Mālik ‫رح ه ﷲ‬
preferred to perform Rafʿ al-Yadayn only while initiating the prayer not while
going into Ruk”ʿ or rising up from it. [ 493 ]
The Second Opinion: )mām al-Walīd bin Muslim ‫رح ه ﷲ‬, )mām Sa īd bin Abī
Maryam ‫رح ه ﷲ‬, )mām Ash-hab bin AbdulAzīz ‫رح ه ﷲ‬, )mām Abdullāh bin Wahb
al-Miṣrī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬and )mām Ab” Muṣ ab az-Zuhrī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬all narrated that )mām
Mālik ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬preferred to perform Rafʿ al-Yadayn while initiating the prayer,
while going into the state of Ruk”ʿ and while rising up from it. [ 494 ]
What was Imām Mālik s ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬final stance?
The famous Mālikī scholar Qādhī Iyādh ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬writes:
‫الصاة ع د اافتتاح وع د الركوع والرفع م ه وهى إحدى الروايات‬ ‫الرفع‬

‫امشهورات عن مالك وعمل ها كثير من أصحابه ورووها ع ه وأنه اخر أقواله‬
Raising (the hands) in Ṣalāh while initiating the prayer, while going
into the state of Ruk”ʿ and while rising up from it, is one of the famous
narrations from )mām Mālik ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬and this is what a great number of
his students and companions practiced themselves and reported from
him. This was his final stance. [ 495 ]
)bn M”sā Printed
This is also explained by )mām Ash-hab ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬the famous student of )mām

Mālik ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬who recounts:
‫ فما مات إا وهو يرفع يديه‬، ‫صحبت مالك بن أنس قبل موته بس ة‬
493
494
495
Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim lil-Qāḍhī )ʼāḍh Volume # 9 Page # 222
123 The Mālikī Madh-hab and the )ssue of Raf al-Yadayn |

) accompanied Mālik bin Anas a year before his death and he continued
to perform Rafʿ al-Yadayn until he passed away. [ 496 ]
These words make it crystal clear that the final position of )mām Mālik ‫رح ه ﷲ‬
was to perform Rafʿ al-Yadayn.
What is the opinion held by the majority amongst the Mālikī scholars?
As for what the majority were upon, then the quote from the prominent Mālikī
scholar al-Ḥāfidh Ibn AbdulBarr ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬is enough:
‫رفع اليدين‬ ‫وم يرو أحد عن مالك مثل رواية ابن القاسم‬
Not a single person reported not performing Rafʿ al-Yadayn from Mālik
except Ibn al-Qāsim. [ 497 ]
Only one student of )mām Mālik ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬reported leaving Rafʿ al-Yadayn while
all the rest of the numerous students of )mām Mālik ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬reported performing
Rafʿ al-Yadayn. Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn AbdulBarr al-Mālikī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬himself discussed the
proofs for and against Rafʿ al-Yadayn in both at-Tamhīd [ 498 ] and in al-
)stidhkār[ 499 ] and in both books he preferred performing Rafʿ al-Yadayn.
From the aforementioned references, the noble reader can conclude that the
majority of the Mālikī scholars preferred performing Rafʿ al-Yadayn, this was
what was reported by the majority of the students of Imām Mālik ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬and
this was clearly his final stance. In fact Imām Mālik ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬himself reported and
confirmed the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn in his al-Muwaṭṭa. One can benefit
496
497
498
499
Al-)stidhkār al-jāmi li-madhāhib fuqahā Volume # 2 Page # 123

from the words of renowned Mālikī scholar Ab” Bakr bin al- Arabī al-Mālikī
‫ رح ه ﷲ‬from his ʿĀriḍhat al-Aḥwadhī:
‫ ومتابعة‬،‫اموطأ‬ ‫الصحيح أها ترفع ثاثة مواضع ديث ابن عمر امشهور‬
‫كبار الصحابة له ذلك‬
The correct opinion is to raise (the hands) at three occasions due to the
Ḥadīth of Ibn Umar which is famous from al-Muwaṭṭa. And the greatest
of the Ṣaḥābah followed this opinion. [ 500 ]
(al-Mālikī Printed
500
ʿĀriḍhat al-Aḥwadhī bi-Sharḥ Jāmiʿ at-Tirmidhī Volume # 2 Page # 58

The Shāfiʿī Madh-hab and the Issue of Rafʿ al-Yadayn
There is no disagreement amongst the scholars of the Shāfiʿī madh-hab, they

are all in agreement upon performing Rafʿ al-Yadayn while initiating the
prayer, while going into the state of Ruk”ʿ and while rising up from it.
This has been the standard Muʿtamad opinion upon which the fatwa is given
amongst the Shāfiʿī scholars from the time of the great )mām ()mām ash-Shāfaʿī
‫ )رحمه ﷲ‬himself till our time. This is clear from the words of )mām ash-Shāfa ī
‫ رحمه ﷲ‬himself in al-ʿUm [ 501 ].
The cornerstone of the Shāfiʿī Madh-hab, the great scholar of )slām, Imām an-
Nawawī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬reported consensus amongst Shāfiʿī scholars in regards to
performing Rafʿ al-Yadayn at these three occasions in his famous book al-
Majm”ʿ Sharḥ al-Muhadhdhab [ 502 ].
It is befitting to conclude the section dedicated to the Shāfi ī madh-hab, with

the words of the great )mām himself. )mām ash-Shāfa ī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬said:
ِ ‫صلَى اللَهُ َعلَْي ِه و َسلَم ِ رفع اليدين‬ ِ
َ ‫ا ل أحد َع حديث َر ُسول اللَه‬
َ َ
ُ‫صلَى اللَه‬
َ ‫افتتاح الصاة وع د الركوع والرفع من الركوع أن يرك ااقتداء بفعله‬
‫َعلَْي ِه َو َسلَم‬
It is not permissible for anyone who hears the Ḥadīth of Ras”lullāh
‫ﷺ‬ regarding Rafʿ al-Yadayn while initiating the prayer, while going
into the state of Ruk”ʿ and while rising up from it, to leave Rafʿ al-
Yadayn, since performing Rafʿ al-Yadayn is emulating His ‫ ﷺ‬action
[ 503 ]
(as-Subkī Printed
501
Al-ʿUm Volume # 1 Page # 103 -
502
Al-Majm”ʿ Sharḥ al-Muhadhdhab Volume # 1 Page # 309 & 398
503
Tabaqāt ash-Shāfi iyyah al-Kubrā Volume # 2 Page # 100
126 The Shāfi ī Madh-hab and the )ssue of Raf al-Yadayn |

The Ḥanbalī Madh-hab and the Issue of Rafʿ al-Yadayn
The Ḥanābilah are in agreement that that one should perform Rafʿ al-Yadayn
while initiating the prayer, while going into the state of Ruk”ʿ and while rising
up from it. The great scholar of )slām and pillar of the Ḥanābilah, Shaikh al-
)slām Mawaffaq-ud-Dīn )bn Qudāmah al-Maqdasī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬confirmed the
desirability of performing Rafʿ al-Yadayn in all of his books starting with al-
ʿUmdah[ 504 ], then in al-Muqniʿ [ 505 ], then in al-Kāfī [ 506 ] and in his
masterpiece al-Mughnī [ 507 ]. Imām )bn Qudāmah ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬discusses this issue in
great detail and concluded by emphatically supporting the performance of Rafʿ
al-Yadayn.
This is the only opinion within the madh-hab of )mām ahlus-Sunnah, )mām
Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬as stated in the encyclopedia of opinions of the madh-
hab al-Insāf [ 508 ] and it is clearly stated as the standard and only opinion of
the Ḥanbalī madh-hab by Imām Manṣ”r al-Buh”tī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬in his Sharḥ of al-Iqnā
called Kash-shāf al-Qināʿ [ 509 ].
The prominent scholar and expert in Ḥanbalī fiqh, Imām )bn Mufliḥ al-Ḥanbalī
‫ رحمه ﷲ‬writes in his famous book al-Mubdiʿ Sharḥ al-Muqniʿ:
‫قول خائق من الصحابة ومن بعدهم‬ ‫يرفع يديه وذلك مستحب‬

To perform Rafʿ al-Yadayn is mustaḥab (preferred) that is the truth
established from the Ṣaḥābah and those that came after them. [ 510 ]
)bn Mufliḥ , Al-Mubdi Sharḥ al-Muqni Printed
504
Al-ʿUmdah Page # 54
505
Al-Muqniʿ Page #
506
Al-Kāfī Volume # Page #
507
Al-Mughnī Volume # Page # -
508
Al-)nsāf Volume # 2 Page # 59 –
509
Kash-shāf al-Qināʿ Volume # 1 Page # 391
510
Al-Mubdiʿ Sharḥ al-Muqniʿ Volume # Page # 1
127 The Ḥanbalī Madh-hab and the )ssue of Raf al-Yadayn |

The experts in taḥqīq (research) from the Ḥanābilah, such as Shaikh al-
Ḥanābilah Majd-ud-Dīn Ibn Taymiyyah ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬511 ], his famous grandson, the
great scholar of )slām, Shaikh al-)slām Taqī-ud-Dīn Ibn Taymiyyah ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬512
], and his prominent student, who is a great scholar in his own right, al-Ḥāfidh
Ibn Qayyim ‫[ رح ه ﷲ‬ 513 ] all supported the preference of performing Rafʿ al-
Yadayn.
In fact from the Ḥanābilah al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Qayyim ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬and )mām al-Bukhārī
‫رح ه ﷲ‬ both authored entire books dedicated to the subject of Rafʿ al-Yadayn
and after presenting and discussing all the evidences they both concluded that
one should perform Rafʿ al-Yadayn.
In one of the standard books to know the final stance of the Ḥanbalī madh-hab
Sharḥ Muntahā al-)rādāt [ 514 ], )mām Manṣ”r al-Buh”tī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬shows that not a
single Ḥanbalī scholar disagreed with performing Rafʿ al-Yadayn while
initiating the prayer, while going into the state of Ruk”ʿ and while rising up
from it.
511
Al-Muḥrrar fī Fiqh Volume # Page # 1
512
Sharḥ al-ʿUmdah Volume # Page #
513
Al-Mubdiʿ Sharḥ al-Muqniʿ Volume # Page # 1
514
Sharḥ Muntahā al-)rādāt Volume # Page #
128 The Ḥanbalī Madh-hab and the )ssue of Raf al-Yadayn |

Other Madhāhib and the Issue of Rafʿ al-Yadayn
The famous scholar of K”fah, Sufyān ath-Thawrī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬agreed with the other
K”fan scholars in leaving the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn [ 515 ], while the majority
of the other Madhāhib all agreed upon practicing Rafʿ al-Yadayn.
Those who supported performing Rafʿ al-Yadayn include the Imām of the
Makkan school of thought Sa īd bin Jubair ‫ [ رحمه ﷲ‬516 ], the Imām of the Bașran
school of thought al-Ḥasan al-Bașrī ‫ [ رحمه ﷲ‬517 ] and it was the Madh-hab of the
famous scholar Abdullāh bin al-Mubārak ‫ [ رحمه ﷲ‬518 ]. This was also the Madh-
hab of the righteously guided Khalīfah, Umar bin AbdulAzīz ‫ [ رحمه ﷲ‬519 ]. From
the later Mujtahidīn it was the Madh-hab of the Yemeni scholar )mām Alī ash-
Shawkānī ‫ [ رحمه ﷲ‬520 ].
The )mām of the people of Shām, )mām al-Awzā ī ‫رح ه ﷲ‬, )mām )bn Khuzaymah
‫رح ه ﷲ‬, Dāw”d aẓ-Ẓāhirī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬and the scholars of the Ẓāhirī madh-hab
emphatically supported the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn. They went as far as to
state that it was Wājib (obligatory) to perform Rafʿ al-Yadayn while initiating
the prayer, while going into the state of Ruk”ʿ and while rising up from it. [ 521]
515
516
Muṣannaf ʿAbdurRazzāq by Imām al-Bukhārī Page # 95
517
518
519
520
521
At-Tamhīd limā fīl-Muwatta' min al-Ma`ānī wal-Asānīd Volume # 9 Page # 213 -
129 Other Madhāhib and the )ssue of Raf al-Yadayn |

Conclusion: The Final word on the Issue of Rafʿ al-Yadayn
After reviewing all the evidences negating and confirming the practice of Rafʿ
al-Yadayn, anyone with an open mind and more importantly a sincere heart,
will easily realize that without a shadow of a doubt the practice of Rafʿ al-
Yadayn is established from our beloved Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. Al-Ḥāfidh az-Zayla ī ‫رح ه‬
‫ﷲ‬ quotes al-Ḥāfidh al-Bayhaqī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬in Naṣb ar-Rāʼah:
‫ َو َعلِ ِي‬.‫اب‬ ِ َ‫ وعُمر بْ ِن ا َْط‬.‫ِيق‬

ََ َ ‫صد‬
ِ ِ ‫يث أَِ بَ ْك ٍر ال‬ ِ ‫ص َاةِ ِمن ح ِد‬
َ ْ َ ‫َوقَ ْد َرَويْ َا الَرفْ َع ِ ال‬
‫ َوأَِ ُمَْي ٍد‬.‫ َوَوائِ ِل بْ ِن ُح ْجٌر‬.‫ث‬ ِ ‫ك ب ِن ا ْ وي ِر‬ ِِ
ْ َُ ْ ‫ َوَمال‬.‫ َوابْ ِن عُ َمَر‬.‫ب‬ ٍ ِ‫بْ ِن أَِ طَال‬
‫ ِمْ ُه ْم أَبُو‬:‫صلَى اللَهُ َعلَْي ِه َو َسلَ َم‬ ِ ِ
َ ‫َص َحاب َر ُسول اللَه‬
ِ ْ ‫ ِ َع ْشرةٍ ِمن أ‬،‫ي‬
ْ َ ِ ‫اع ِد‬
ِ ‫ال َس‬
َِ‫ َو َع ْن أ‬،‫ وسهيل بْ ُن َس ْع ٍد‬.‫ وأبو أسد‬.ً‫ َوَُ َم ُد بْ ُن َم ْسلَ َمة‬،‫ وأ ُهَريْ َرَة‬.‫قَتَ َاد َة‬
‫ ُْتَج‬،‫يح ٍة‬ ِ ‫يد‬ ِ ‫ وجابِ ِر ب ِن عب ِد اللَ ِه بِأ‬.‫ك‬ ٍِ ِ َ‫ َوأَن‬.‫ي‬ِ ‫وسى ْاأَ ْش َع ِر‬
َ ‫صح‬ َ َ ‫َسان‬ َ َْ ْ َ َ ‫س بْ ِن َمال‬ َ ‫ُم‬
‫ ا تعلم ُسَةً اتَ َف َق َعلَى ِرَوايَتِ َها َع ْن‬:‫ول‬ ُ ‫ يَ ُق‬،‫ظ‬ َ ِ‫ت أَبَا َعْب ِد اللَ ِه ا َْاف‬ ِ
ُ ‫ َو ََ ْع‬:‫ قَ َال‬،‫هَا‬
ِ
‫ مَُ الْ َع َشَرةُ فَ َم ْن بَ ْع َد ُه ْم ِم ْن أَ َكابِ ِر‬،ُ‫صلَى اللَهُ َعلَْي ِه َو َسلَ َم ا ُْلَ َفاءُ ْاأ َْربَ َعة‬ َ ‫َي‬ِ ِ ‫ال‬
‫ َغْي َر َه ِذ ِ الس َِة‬،‫َاس َع ِة‬ ِ ‫صحاب ِة علَى تَ َفرقِ ِهم ِ الْبِ َا ِد الش‬
ْ َ َ َ َ ‫ال‬
And we have narrated Rafʿ (al-Yadayn) in the prayer from the Ḥadīth
of Ab” Bakr as-Șiddīq, Umar bin al-Khattāb, Alī bin Abī Tālib, Abdullāh
bin Umar, Mālik bin Ḥuwairith, Wāìl bin Ḥujr and Ab” Ḥumaid as-
Sā idī and ten of the companions of Ras”lullāh ‫ﷺ‬, from them are Ab”
Qatādah, Ab” Hurayrah, Muḥammad bin Muslimah, Ab” Usaid, Sahl bin
Sa d, Ab” Musā al-Ash arī, Anas bin Mālik and Jābir bin Abdullāh with
authentic chains that we can be utilized as sure proof. He said: and I
heard Ab” Abdullāh the Ḥāfidh saying: we do not know of a Sunnah
which was collectively reported from Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬by all four of the
Rightly-guided Khulahfā and the ten (who were promised paradise) and
those after them from the greatest of the Ṣaḥābah who dispersed in the
various lands yet they all agreed upon it, except this Rafʿ al-Yadayn).
[ 522 ]
522
Naṣb ar-Rāʼah Takhrīj Aḥādīth al-(idāʼah Volume # 1 Pages # 417-
130 Conclusion: The Final word on the Issue of Raf al-Yadayn |

Following is a summary of some of the authentic proofs establishing the
practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn
Reporter: Reported in: Grading

Proof )bn Umar Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī [ 523 ], and Ṣaḥīḥ Authentic
# ‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲع‬ Muslim [ 524 ], Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaimah [ 525 Agreed upon
‫يح‬ ِ
], Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān [ 526 ], Jāmi at-
ٌ ‫صح‬ َ
‫ُمت َف ٌق َعلَْي ِه‬
Tirmidhī [ 527 ], Muṣanaf )bn Abī Shaybah
[ 528 ], Sharḥ as-Sunnah [ 529 ] and others.
[ 530 ]
Proof Mālik bin Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī [ 531 ], and Ṣaḥīḥ Authentic
# Ḥuwairith Muslim [ 532 ], Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaimah [ 533 Agreed upon
‫يح‬ ِ
‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲعه‬ ], Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān [ 534 ], Muṣanaf Ibn
ٌ ‫صح‬ َ
‫ُمت َف ٌق َعلَْي ِه‬
Abī Shaybah [ 535 ], Musand )mām
Aḥmad [ 536 ], Sunan Abī Dāw”d [ 537 ] and
others. [ 538 ]
Proof Wāìl bin Ḥujr Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim [ 539 ], Musand Aḥmad [ 540 Authentic
‫يح‬ ِ
ٌ ‫صح‬
# ‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲعه‬ ], Sunan Abī
َ
], Sunan ad-Dārimī [ 541
Dāw”d [ 542 ] and others.

[ 543 ]
523
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī Ḥadīth # 735, 736, 738 and 739
524
525
526
527
528
Muṣanaf )bn Abī Shaʼbah ḥadīth # ,
529
Sharḥ as-Sunnah Volume # Page # ḥadīth #
530
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī Ḥadīth # 735 and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim Ḥadīth #
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī Ḥadīth # 737 and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim Ḥadīth #
539
540
541
542
543
131 Conclusion: The Final word on the )ssue of Raf al-Yadayn |

Proof Anas bin Mālik Muṣanaf )bn Abī Shaybah [ 544 ], Musand Authentic
‫يح‬ ِ
ٌ ‫صح‬
# ‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲعه‬ )mām Aḥmad [ ], Sunan )bn Mājah [
َ
545
546 ], Musand Ab” Ya lā [ 547 ] and others.

[ 548 ]
Proof Alī bin Abī Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaimah [ 549 ], Muṣanaf Ibn Authentic
‫يح‬ ِ
ٌ ‫صح‬
# Tālib Abī Shaybah [550 ], Musand )mām Aḥmad
‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲعه‬ [ 551 ], Sunan Abī Dāw”d [ 552 ], Sharḥ
َ
[ 554 ]
Ma ānī al-Āthār [ 553 ].
Proof Jābir bin Sunan )bn Mājah [ 555 ], Akhbār )ṣbahān Authentic
‫يح‬ ِ
ٌ ‫صح‬
# Abdullāh ], Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadayn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh [
َ
[ 556
‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲعه‬ 557 ] and others.
[ 558 ]
Proof Ab” Ḥumaid, Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaimah [ 559 ], Musand Authentic
‫يح‬ ِ
ٌ ‫صح‬
# Ab” Qatādah )mām Aḥmad [ ], Muṣanaf )bn Abī
َ
560
Ab” Usaid Shaybah [ 561 ], Sharḥ Ma ānī al-Āthār [

[ 566 ]
Muḥammad 562 ] Sunan ad-Dārimī [ 563 ], Sunan Abī
bin Muslimah Dāw”d [ 564 ], Jāmi at-Tirmidhī [ 565 ] and
Sahl bin Sa d others.
‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲع م‬
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556
557
558
559
560
561
562
Sharḥ Ma ānī al-Āthār Volume # 1 Page # 195
563
564
565
566

Proof Ab” Hurayrah Musand )mām Aḥmad [ 567 ], Sunan Abī Authentic
‫يح‬ ِ
ٌ ‫صح‬
# ‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲعه‬ Dāw”d [ ], Sunan )bn Mājah [
َ
568 569 ]
Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaimah [ 570 ]
[ 571 ]
Proof Ab” Bakr Sunan al-Kubrā al- Bayhaqī [ 572 ] Authentic
‫يح‬ ِ
ٌ ‫صح‬
#
َ
as-Șiddīq
‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲعه‬
[ 573 ]
Proof Umar bin Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadayn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh [ 574 ] Authentic
‫يح‬ ِ
ٌ ‫صح‬
#
َ
al-Khattāb
‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲعه‬
[ 575 ]
Proof Uthmān bin Muṣanaf AbdurRazzāq [ 576 ] Authentic
‫يح‬ ِ
ٌ ‫صح‬
# Affān
‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲعه‬
َ
[ 577 ]
Proof Abdullāh bin Muṣanaf AbdurRazzāq [ 578 ] Authentic
‫يح‬ ِ
ٌ ‫صح‬
# Abbās
‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲع‬
َ
[ 579 ]
Proof Umm ad- Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadayn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh [ 580 ] Authentic
‫يح‬ ِ
ٌ ‫صح‬
# Dardā
‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲع‬
َ
[ 581 ]
Proof Ab” Musā Sunan ad-Dāraquṭnī [ 582 ] Authentic
‫يح‬ ِ
ٌ ‫صح‬
# al-Ash arī
‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲعه‬
َ
[ 583 ]
567
568
569
570
571
572
Sunan al-Kubrā of al-Ḥāfidh al-Bayhaqī Volume # 2 page #
573
al-Mahdhab Volume # 2 Page # 49 graded as Ṣaḥīḥ
574
575
Ad-Dirāʼah fī Takhrīj Aḥādīth al-(idāʼah Volume # 1 page # 154 graded as Ṣaḥīḥ
576
Muṣanaf ʿAbdurRazzāq Volume # Page #
577
Al-Muhallā Volume # Page # graded as Ṣaḥīḥ
578
Muṣanaf ʿAbdurRazzāq Volume # Page #
579
Jalā al-ʿaʼnaʼn Page # 61 graded as Ṣaḥīḥ
580
581
Jalā al-ʿaʼnaʼn Page # 67 graded as Ṣaḥīḥ
582
Sunan ad-Dāraquṭnī Volume # 1 Page # 292
583
Naṣb ar-Rāʼah Takhrīj Aḥādīth al-(idāʼah Volume # 1 Page 415 graded as Ṣaḥīḥ

Proof Abdullāh bin Muṣanaf )bn Abī Shaybah [ 584 ] Authentic
‫يح‬ ِ
ٌ ‫صح‬
#
َ
az-Zubair
‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲعه‬
[ 585 ]
Proof Muḥammad Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadayn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh [ 586 ] Authentic
‫يح‬ ِ
ٌ ‫صح‬
#
َ
bin Muslimah
‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲعه‬
[ 587 ]
Proof Sahl bin Sa d Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadayn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh [ 588 ] Authentic
‫يح‬ ِ
ٌ ‫صح‬
# ‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲعه‬
َ
[ 589 ]
Barā bin Āzib
Proof
# ‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲعه‬
Sunan al-Bayhaqī [ 590 ]
Ḥasan ‫حسن‬
[ 591 ]
Ab” Sa īd Muṣanaf )bn Abī Shaybah [ 592 ]
Proof
# al-Khudrī
Ḥasan ‫حسن‬
‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲعه‬ [ 593 ]
Umair Sunan )bn Mājah [

Proof
‫حسن‬
594 ]
Ḥasan
# al-Laithī
‫رضي ه‬ [ 595 ]
‫ﷲعه‬
Proof Uqbah ibn Sunan )bn Mājah [ 596 ] Authentic
‫يح‬ ِ
ٌ ‫صح‬
# Āmir
‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲعه‬
َ
[ 597 ]
584
585
Jalā al-ʿaʼnaʼn Page # 96 graded as Ṣaḥīḥ in Mawq”f form
586
587
Tārīkh as-Saghir Page # 55 graded as Ṣaḥīḥ
588
589
Tārīkh as-Saghir Page # 55 graded as Ṣaḥīḥ
590
Sunan al-Baʼhaqī Volume # 2 page #
591
Jalā al-ʿaʼnaʼn graded as Ḥasan
592
593
Jalā al-ʿaʼnaʼn graded as Ḥasan
594
595
Jalā al-ʿaʼnaʼn graded as Ḥasan via supporting evidences
596
597

They are many other proofs and narrations but they were not quoted due to
weaknesses in those report. The references listed above are all authentic
reaching the level of Ṣaḥīḥ or Ḥasan authentic reliable narrations and
nothing that has been reported in opposition to it can come close to their
level of authenticity. There is not a single clear independently authentic
Ḥadīth proving that ether Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬or anyone of the illustrious Ṣaḥābah
‫رضي ه‬
‫ﷲع م‬ ever abandoned the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn. There is absolutely
no evidence that proves that the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn was abrogated on
the contrary there are numerous fully authentic Ḥadīth proving that
Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬performed Rafʿ al-Yadayn and the Ṣaḥābah ‫رضي هﷲ ع م‬
performed Rafʿ al-Yadayn during the life of Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬and continued to
practice it after the death of Ras”lullāh ‫ﷺ‬. As )mām al-Bukhārī ‫رحمه ﷲ‬
wrote:

Shaikh al-)slām )bn Qudāmah al-Maqdasī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬beautifully summarizes all the
proof that necessitate accepting Rafʿ al-Yadayn in two points:
‫ فا ق إى قوهم أقرب‬، ‫ وأعدل رواة‬، ً‫ أها أَصح إِس ادا‬: ‫أحدها‬

Firstly: They (the aḥādīth confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn) are reported via
the strongest )snād and by the most trustworthy narrators. Hence the
truth is that their reports are correct. [ 599 ]
)bn Qudāmah Printed
598
599

This is a very important first point to consider that even if we were to
authenticate some of the aḥādīth negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn they would be in
opposition to the aḥādīth confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn which are reported via the
most authentic chains of narrators in the two most authentic books of Ḥadīth,
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim. Hence, the Ḥaqq would be to accept the
stronger aḥādīth confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn. Then Imām )bn Qudāmah ‫رحمه ﷲ‬
continues with the next point:
‫ والغلط م هم أبعد‬،‫ فظن الصدق ِ قوهم أقوى‬،‫ أها أكثر رواة‬:ِ‫الثا‬

ِ
Secondly: They (the aḥādīth confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn) are greater in
number. The greater number of narrations are closer to the truth and
further away from mistakes. [ 600 ]
)bn Qudāmah Printed
A significant second point to understand is that the aḥādīth confirming Rafʿ al-
Yadayn are far greater in number, reaching the level of Mutawātir. Mutawātir
aḥādīth can be accepted as sure knowledge. While those negating the practice
of Rafʿ al-Yadayn are not just weaker but they are far fewer in number and
more susceptible to mistakes.
This was the conclusion of the great Ḥanafī scholar al-Ḥāfidh AbdulḤayy al-
Laknawī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬in at-Taʿlīq al-Mumjjad [ 601 ] and the famous Ḥanbalī scholar al-
Ḥāfidh Ibn Rajab al-Ḥanbalī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬writes:
‫غر تكبرة اإحرام متواتر‬ ‫أ َن رفع اليدين‬

Verily performing Rafʿ al-Yadayn, other than at the beginning of the
prayer, has been reported via Mutawātir (aḥādīth). [ 602 ]
(Ibn Rajab Printed 1996 )
600
601
602
Fatḥ al-Bārī fī sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī By Ibn Rajab al-Ḥanbalī Volume # Page #

The aḥādīth confirming Rafʿ al-Yadayn meet the strict requirements of al-
Bukhārī and Muslim and the huge number of aḥādīth reach the level of
Mutawātir. Now the question comes to mind, after knowing these proofs,
someone still abandons the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn, is their prayer valid?
The famous scholar of Ḥadīth Ab” Dāw”d ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬records that this question
was asked of the great scholar, Imām of the Ahlus-Sunnah, Imām Aḥmad bin
Ḥanbal ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬and he answered:
‫ ولكن ُهو ِ نفسه م قوص‬،‫ ََام الصاة ا أدري‬:‫قَال‬

) don t know about completeness of their prayer but they themselves are
incomplete. [ 603 ]
Ab” Dāw”d, Masā il Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal Printed
SubḥānAllāh, one should ponder upon the words of this great scholar of )slām.
If one knows all these proofs, yet he abandons the established Sunnah of our
guide and role model, our Prophet ‫ﷺ‬, then their prayer may still be valid but
there is something missing in that person. The one who loves Ras”lullāh ‫ﷺ‬
would not abandon the Sunnah of Ras”lullāh ‫ ﷺ‬for what people might say.
And know, oh noble seeker of truth, that Rafʿ al-Yadayn is from the
completeness of the prayer as it has been recorded by )mām )bn Mufliḥ al-
Ḥanbalī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬from Imām Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬that he said regarding Rafʿ
al-Yadayn in al-Fur”ʿ:
‫ َمن َرفع أم صاته‬، ‫ُهو ِمن ََام الصاة‬

(Rafʿ al-Yadayn) is from the completeness of the prayer, whoever
performs Rafʿ al-Yadayn has completed their prayer. [ 604 ]
)bn Mufliḥ , al-Fur” Printed
And the great scholar )mām ash-Shāfa ī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬was asked the meaning of Rafʿ
al-Yadayn and the reason behind it, so he answered:
603
Masā’il Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal by Ab” Dāw”d Page # 33
604
Al-Fur”ʿ Volume # 2 Page # 199

ِ َ‫ت‬
‫عظيم اه واتباع ُسّة نَبيه‬
(Rafʿ al-Yadayn) is declaring the greatness of Allāh and it is obedience
to the Sunnah of His Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬. [ 605 ]
Indeed, many of the great scholars of )slām have written that Rafʿ al-Yadayn is
from the beautification of the prayer. Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn AbdulBarr ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬reports
from the famous Ṣaḥābī Abdullāh bin Umar ‫ رضي ه‬that he said:
‫ﷲع‬
‫َرفع اليدين ِمن ِزي ة الصاة‬

Rafʿ al-Yadayn is beautification of the prayer. [ 606 ]
)bn AbdulBarr, al-)stidhkār al-jāmi li-madhāhib fuqahā Printed
)mām as-Suy”ṭī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬recorded a Ḥasan Ḥadīth in his al-Jāmiʿ as-Saghīr:

ٍ َ‫صاةِ ع ْشر حس‬
‫ات‬ ٍِ ِ ِ ِ َ ُ ‫َع ْن عُ ْقبَةَ بْ ِن َع ِام ٍر قَ َال قَ َال َر ُس‬
َ َ ُ َ َ ‫ول الله ُك ِل إ َش َارة ال‬
On the authority of Uqbah ibn Āmir ‫ رضي هﷲ ع ه‬who said: Ras”lullāh
‫ ﷺ‬said: For every gesture in the prayer there will be ten rewards.
[ 607 ]
as-Suyū ṭī, Al-Jāmi as-Saghīr Printed
And in a supporting narration it states:

ٍ ِِ ِ
ْ ِ‫ بِ ُك ِل إ‬، ‫صاته َع ْش ُر َح َسَات‬
ٌ‫صبَ ٍع َح َسَة‬ َ ِ ‫ب ِ إِ َش َارةٍ يُشرُ الَر ُج ُل‬
ُ َ‫يُكْت‬
Ten rewards are written for each gesture that a man gestures with
during his prayer. For each finger there is a reward.
This Ḥadīth is explained by the very Ṣaḥābī who reported it, Uqbah ibn Āmir
‫ رضي ه‬as recorded by al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬in Fatḥ al-Bārī:
‫ﷲعه‬
605
606
Al-)stidhkār Volume # Page #
607
al-Jāmiʿ as-Saghīr Ḥadīth # 1007 graded as Ḥasan in al-Sirāj al-Munīr Takhrīj al-Jāmi us-
Saghīr Volume # 1 Page # 191

ٍ
ْ ِ‫ بِ ُك ِل إ‬، ‫بِ ُك ِل َرفْ ٍع َع ْش ُر َح َسَات‬
ٌ‫صبَ ٍع َح َسَة‬
Every time someone performs Rafʿ (al-Yadayn) they will get ten
rewards, for each finger there is a reward. [ 608 ]
Therefore, the one who performs Rafʿ al-Yadayn while initiating the prayer,
while going into the state of Ruk”ʿ and while rising up from it, will be acting in
accordance with the established Sunnah. They will also be earning an extra
twenty rewards per rakʿah. The one who abandons Rafʿ al-Yadayn while going
into Ruk”ʿ and while rising up from it, will not only be abandoning the
established Sunnah but they will also lose six hundred and eighty rewards
every day only during their obligatory and basic Sunnan prayers! Since there
are 17 rakaʿāt of obligatory prayers in a day and rakaʿāt of Sunnan prayers
in a day (including witr). Imagine if we count all the Sunnan prayers, the Qiyām
ul-Layl and Tarāwīh! How much reward will one lose everyday just from
abandoning Rafʿ al-Yadayn? In the words of )mām Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal ‫رح ه ﷲ‬
that even if the prayer of the one who does not perform Rafʿ al-Yadayn is valid,
it is lacking the full reward, thus incomplete.
The one who knows all the proofs establishing the practice of Rafʿ al-Yadayn,
yet abandons it indeed abandons the Sunnah! Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Qayyim ‫رحمه ﷲ‬
reports from )mām Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬that he said:
‫َمن تَرك َرفع اليدين ِ الصاةِ ترك ُسّة‬

The one who abandons Rafʿ al-Yadayn has abandoned the Sunnah!
[ 609 ]
(al-Jawziyyah, Raf al-yadayn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh Printed
The eminent scholars of the past who did not perform Rafʿ al-Yadayn due to
the fact that the evidences had not reached them or those people today who
still do not have access to these proofs, will have an excuse in front of Allāh
‫سب نه ت ل‬ but those whom the proofs have reached, then it is not permissible
608
609

for them to abandon the Sunnah, as Allāh ‫ت ل‬ ‫سب نه‬ has warned us in the
Qur ān:
ِ ‫صيب هم َع َذ‬
ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ ِ
‫يم‬
ٌ ‫اب أَل‬
ٌ َ ‫فَ لْيَ ْح َذ ِر الذ‬
ْ ُ َ ُ‫ين يُ َخال ُفو َن َع ْن أ َْم ِر أَن تُصيبَ ُه ْم ف ْت َةٌ أ َْو ي‬
And let those who oppose the Messenger's commandment (i.e. His
Sunnah) beware, lest some Fitnah (afflictions) befall them or a painful
torment be inflicted on them. [ 610 ]
In closing, every Muslim should contemplate on the words of the great

scholar of )slām, )mām ash-Shāfa ī ‫ رحمه ﷲ‬who said:
ِ ‫صلَى اللَهُ َعلَْي ِه و َسلَم ِ رفع اليدين‬ ِ
َ ‫ا ل أحد َع حديث َر ُسول اللَه‬
َ َ
ُ‫صلَى اللَه‬
َ ‫افتتاح الصاة وع د الركوع والرفع من الركوع أن يرك ااقتداء بفعله‬
‫َعلَْي ِه َو َسلَم‬
It is not permissible for anyone who hears the Ḥadīth of Ras”lullāh

‫ﷺ‬ regarding Rafʿ al-Yadayn while initiating the prayer, while going
into the state of Ruk”ʿ and while rising up from it, to leave Rafʿ al-
Yadayn, since performing Rafʿ al-Yadayn is emulating His ‫ ﷺ‬action
[ 611 ]
(as-Subkī Printed
And Allāh knows best.
610
Qur ān :
611
Tabaqāt ash-Shāfi iyyah al-Kubrā Volume # 2 Page # 100

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‫أف ل ال ولين‬

‫في م أل رفع الي ين‬

The Preferred Opinion

Allāh ‫ سبحانه و تعالى‬has ordered us in the Qur ān:

And Allāh ‫ سبحانه و تعالى‬has told us in the Qur ān:

ٌ‫سَة‬ ِ ِ ‫ل َق ْد َكا َن لَ ُكم فِى رس‬

Allāh ‫ سبحانه و تعالى‬has warned us in the Qur ān:

I was requested by a number of friends and students to research the aḥādīth

The weak slave of Allāh,

Ab” Yus”f Uthmān bin Fār”q al-Yus”fzaī

At a young age he became active in the propagation of )slām. He spearheaded

Buraydah, the province of al-Qaṣīm

8 About the Author |

Ḥadīth (‫ ح يث‬pl. ‫ أح يث‬aḥādīth): In )slāmic terminology, the term Ḥadīth refers

Ḥaqq (‫)حق‬: The Arabic word for truth.

Madh-hab ( ‫ مذه‬pl. ‫ مذاه‬maḏhāhib): In )slāmic terminology, the term Madh-

Mawqūf (‫)موقوف‬: In Ḥadīth terminology, the term Mawq”f is used to refer to a

Muʿtamad (‫)معتمد‬: The relied upon opinion of a school of thought.

Mustaḥab ( ‫)مستح‬: In )slāmic terminology, the term Mustaḥab refers to a

Rakʿah ( ‫)رك‬: A portion of the prescribed prayer that combines a ritual of

Sunnah ( ‫)س‬: The Arabic word Sunnah linguistically means a path or a

Thiqāt ( ‫)ث‬: In Ḥadīth terminology, the term Thiqāt refers to reliable

The Ḥadīth attributed to Ibn Masʿ”d Negating Rafʿ al-Yadayn:

‫حدث ا عثمان بن أ شيبة‬

14 Evidences Against Performing of Raf al-Yadayn |

We were informed by Uthmān bin Abī Shaybah

Ab” Dāw”d, Sunan Abī Dāw”d Printed

15 Evidences Against Performing of Raf al-Yadayn |

Al-Bukhārī said in Kitāb Rafʿ al-Yadayn fī aṣ-Ṣalāh : al-Ḥasan bin Rabī

(al- Adhīmābādī Printed

16 Evidences Against Performing of Raf al-Yadayn |

)mām ash-Shāfa ī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬rejected it because this narration is not

)bn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī, Fatḥ-al-Bārī Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ al-B”khārī Printed

Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī ‫ رح ه ﷲ‬himself graded it to be weak and

If the chain of narrators is evaluated in isolation then some of the scholars

17 Evidences Against Performing of Raf al-Yadayn |

Mubārakp”rī, Tuḥafatul-Aḥwadhī bi- Sharḥ of Jāmi at-Tirmidhī Printed

18 Evidences Against Performing of Raf al-Yadayn |

[Chart # 1: Ḥadīth of Ibn Mas ”d ‫]رضي هﷲ ع ه‬

21 Al- )lal at-Takbīr li-at-Tirmidhī Volume # 2 Page # 966

19 Evidences Against Performing of Raf al-Yadayn |

It is well known to students of the science of Ḥadīth that if a narration is

‫إنه ا يثبت وَ يحتج‬

The well-known Ḥanafī scholar, al-Ḥāfidh az-Zayla ī ‫رح ه ﷲ‬ wrote in his

‫ سألت أ عن حديث روا سفيان‬: ‫قال ابن أ حام كتاب العلل‬

20 Evidences Against Performing of Raf al-Yadayn |

21 Evidences Against Performing of Raf al-Yadayn |

‫الصاة هذا‬ ‫ وقال ابن حبان‬, ‫ لم يثبت‬: ‫ وقال الدارقط‬. ‫بصحيح‬

(Ibn Ḥajar al- Asqalānī, at-Talkhīs al-Ḥabīr Printed

It was also weakened by great scholars of research such as Shaikh al-)slām

22 Evidences Against Performing of Raf al-Yadayn |

Mubārakp”rī, Tuḥafatul-Aḥwadhī bi- Sharḥ of Jāmi at-Tirmidhī Printed

 )mām ash-Shāfa ī (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬38 ]

 )mām Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal (d. ‫) ِه‬ ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ‬39 ]

 )mām al-Bukhārī (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬40 ]

23 Evidences Against Performing of Raf al-Yadayn |

 )mām al-Ḥākim (d. ‫رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬ [ 46 ]

 Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn AbdulBarr (d. ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬47 ]

 Taqī-ud-Dīn Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728 ‫ [ رح ه ﷲ ) ِه‬51 ]