recite before Ruk?‘ . He used to put his hands on his chest or below it a little bit’. (1)

Abdull?h Ibn Ahmad reported nearly the same in his “Mas?’il” (2) saying: ‘I saw my father putting his hands one on the other above the navel in Sal?t’. (3)

The eminent Shaikh Ibn Amir Al-H?j, who absorbed from his Shaikh Ibn Al-Hum?m his deep documentation and broad knowledge, said in “Sharhul Munyah”: ‘It is an affirmed Sunnah to put one’s right hand on the left one. There is no authentic narration that displays the place on which they should be put except the one related by W?’il. Ibn Nujaim reported the same in his “Al-Bahrur R?’iq” quoting from “Fathul Gaf?r” . (4)

Ash-Shawk?ni said: ‘W?’il’s narration is the most authentic one regarding this issue. And it is compatible with Al?’s and Ibn ‘Abb?s’ interpretation for the word “sacrifice” All?h’s verse:

[ فصلِّ لربك وانحر]

‘ Therefore turn in prayer to your Rabb and sacrifice in (to Him only)’ to mean putting one’s right hand on one’s left both on one’s upper chest [for the word in Arabic can serve both meanings to sacrifice and one’s upper chest]’. (5)

The rationale behind such a manner is to show humbleness and submission to All?h ( - عز وجل -) , and it also helps a muslim have full concentration in his Sal?t. Some scholars said that it is a symbol of valuing niyyah for a person usually grips the thing he/ she values most with his two hands; in our case it is the heart where the niyyah lies. (6) However, one should not place his hands on his heart believing that this would bring more submission. This, indeed, contradicts the prophet’s ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) Sunnah.