before, or after it. (1) Accordingly, one must not raise his hands in such a way as if he is calling unto Allah ( - عز وجل -).
[2/ 19] Letting hands down, not on the chest or below it above the navel:
Sahl Ibn Sa’d said: ‘People were ordered [at the time of the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -)] to put their right arms on their left in Sal?t’. (2)
Ibn ‘Abb?s ( - رضي الله عنه -) said that the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) said: ‘We prophets were ordered [by All?h ( - عز وجل -)] to take our Suh?r very late at night, have breakfast [in Ramad?n] at the early time of sunset, and to put our right hands on our left in Sal?t’. (3)
The afore mentioned ah?d?th show clearly that: (1) it is of the prophet’s ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) guidance to put the right hand on the left one in Sal?t, and (2) whoever does not do so has committed a mistake. (4)
Ibn Abdil barr stated that ‘this is a unanimously agreed upon ruling amongst the ‘Ulamah taken from the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -). It was also practiced by all the Sah?bah and T?bi’?n. Im?m M?lik stated it in his “Muwatta’” as mentioned by Ibn Al-Munthir and others. Ibn Al-Q?sim reported that M?lik also held the opposite opinion and so did most of his followers, and that he [i.e. Im?m M?lik] differentiated between the obligatory Sal?t and the optional one. (5) Some of M?lik’s followers considered putting the right hand on the left in Sal?t as detested when a muslim does it only to seek rest for his hands, as Ibn Al-H?jib explained. (6)
(1) Refer to: “Z?dul Ma’?d” (vol.1 /p.202), (vol.1 /p.256), “Sharh An-Nawaw?” (vol.4 /p.95), “T?mamul Minnah” (p.173) and “Sifat Sal?tun Naby” (pp.77 - 8). Hands should be raised facing the direction of the Qiblah as agreed upon amongst scholars. This was mentioned by Al-Halab? in “Sharh Munyatul Musall?” (p.300).
(2) Narrated by Al-Bukh?r? in his “Sah?h” (vol. 2 / p. 224) (no. 740), Ahmad in “Al-Musnad” (vol. 5 / no. 336) and M?lik in “Al-Muwatta’” (vol. 1 / p. 159 / no. 47).
(3) Narrated by Ibn Hibban in his “Sah?h” (vol. 3 / pp. 13 - 4) (no. 1767).
(4) See: “Z?dul Ma‘?d” (vol. 1 / p. 202).
(5) In his “Bid?yatul Mujtahid”, Ibn Rushd reported this opinion only suggesting it to be M?lik’s Mathhab -as he believes.
(6) “Fathul B?r?” (vol. 2 / p. 224) and “Naylul ‘Awt?r” (vol. 2 / p. 201).