بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Alhamdulillah, it has become common place that brothers or sisters raise their hand at appropriate times in their salaah, however the knowledge has not reached every Muslim in the dunya, and many times people are persecuted for raising their hands when other members of the jama’ah are not raising their hands.
For those looking for proof, below I have compiled a list of Sahih Hadith that mention the same, from rasulAllah (saws) to his sahaba r.a.
It is a well established order from rasulAllah ﷺ to pray as you have seen me pray, “sallu kama ‘uraytaunni yu-salli” : raising the hands in salaah is as follows, takbeerat ut tahreem, on the takbir before ruku, on sami Allahu liman hamida, on raising ones self up after the second rakaat. And other less transmitted hadith also speak of raising hands between the sujood.
SAHIH HADITH
1)
It was narrated from Anas that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to raise his hands when he entered prayer, and when he bowed in Ruku’.”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ، حَدَّثَنَا حُمَيْدٌ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ كَانَ يَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهِ إِذَا دَخَلَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ وَإِذَا رَكَعَ .
| Grade | : | Sahih (Darussalam) |
| English reference | : Vol. 1, Book 5, Hadith 866 | |
| Arabic reference | : Book 5, Hadith 915 |
2) Narrated Salim bin `Abdullah:
My father said, “Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) used to raise both his hands up to the level of his shoulders when opening the prayer; and on saying the Takbir for bowing. And on raising his head from bowing he used to do the same and then say “Sami`a l-lahu liman hamidah, Rabbana wa laka l-hamd.” And he did not do that (i.e. raising his hands) in prostrations.
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ سَالِمِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهِ حَذْوَ مَنْكِبَيْهِ إِذَا افْتَتَحَ الصَّلاَةَ، وَإِذَا كَبَّرَ لِلرُّكُوعِ، وَإِذَا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ رَفَعَهُمَا كَذَلِكَ أَيْضًا وَقَالَ “ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ، رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ ”. وَكَانَ لاَ يَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ فِي السُّجُودِ.
| Reference | : Sahih al-Bukhari 735 |
| In-book reference | : Book 10, Hadith 129 |
| USC-MSA web (English) reference | : Vol. 1, Book 12, Hadith 702 |
3) Narrated `Abdullah bin `Umar:
I saw that whenever Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) stood for the prayer, he used to raise both his hands up to the shoulders, and used to do the same on saying the Takbir for bowing and on raising his head from it and used to say, “Sami`a l-lahu liman hamidah”. But he did not do that (i.e. raising his hands) in prostrations.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُقَاتِلٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا يُونُسُ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، أَخْبَرَنِي سَالِمُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، رضى الله عنهما قَالَ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا قَامَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى يَكُونَا حَذْوَ مَنْكِبَيْهِ، وَكَانَ يَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ حِينَ يُكَبِّرُ لِلرُّكُوعِ، وَيَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ إِذَا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ وَيَقُولُ “ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ ”. وَلاَ يَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ فِي السُّجُودِ.
| Reference | : Sahih al-Bukhari 736 |
| In-book reference | : Book 10, Hadith 130 |
| USC-MSA web (English) reference | : Vol. 1, Book 12, Hadith 703 |
4) Narrated Nafi`:
Whenever Ibn `Umar started the prayer with Takbir, he used to raise his hands: whenever he bowed, he used to raise his hands (before bowing) and also used to raise his hands on saying, “Sami`a l-lahu liman hamidah”, and he used to do the same on rising from the second rak`a (for the 3rd rak`a). Ibn `Umar said: “The Prophet (ﷺ) used to do the same.”
حَدَّثَنَا عَيَّاشٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الأَعْلَى، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، أَنَّ ابْنَ عُمَرَ، كَانَ إِذَا دَخَلَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ كَبَّرَ وَرَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ، وَإِذَا رَكَعَ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ، وَإِذَا قَالَ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ. رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ، وَإِذَا قَامَ مِنَ الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ. وَرَفَعَ ذَلِكَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ إِلَى نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم. رَوَاهُ حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ عَنْ أَيُّوبَ عَنْ نَافِعٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم. وَرَوَاهُ ابْنُ طَهْمَانَ عَنْ أَيُّوبَ وَمُوسَى بْنِ عُقْبَةَ مُخْتَصَرًا.
| Reference | : Sahih al-Bukhari 739 |
| In-book reference | : Book 10, Hadith 133 |
| USC-MSA web (English) reference | : Vol. 1, Book 12, Hadith 706 |
5) Narrated Ali ibn AbuTalib:
When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood for offering the obligatory prayer, he uttered the takbir (Allah is most great) and raised his hands opposite to his shoulders; and he did like that when he finished recitation (of the Qur’an) and was about to bow; and he did like that when he rose after bowing; and he did not raise his hands in his prayer while he was in his sitting position.
When he stood up from his prostrations (at the end of two rak’ahs), he raised his hands likewise and uttered the takbir (Allah is most great) and raised his hands so as to bring them up to his shoulders, as he uttered the takbir in the beginning of the prayer.
حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ الْهَاشِمِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ عُقْبَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي رَافِعٍ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، – رضى الله عنه – عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ كَانَ إِذَا قَامَ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ الْمَكْتُوبَةِ كَبَّرَ وَرَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَذْوَ مَنْكِبَيْهِ وَيَصْنَعُ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ إِذَا قَضَى قِرَاءَتَهُ وَأَرَادَ أَنْ يَرْكَعَ وَيَصْنَعُهُ إِذَا رَفَعَ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ وَلاَ يَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهِ فِي شَىْءٍ مِنْ صَلاَتِهِ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ وَإِذَا قَامَ مِنَ السَّجْدَتَيْنِ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ كَذَلِكَ وَكَبَّرَ . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ فِي حَدِيثِ أَبِي حُمَيْدٍ السَّاعِدِيِّ حِينَ وَصَفَ صَلاَةَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا قَامَ مِنَ الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ كَبَّرَ وَرَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى يُحَاذِيَ بِهِمَا مَنْكِبَيْهِ كَمَا كَبَّرَ عِنْدَ افْتِتَاحِ الصَّلاَةِ .
| Grade | : Hasan Sahih (Al-Albani) | حسن صحيح (الألباني) | حكم : | ||
| Reference | : Sunan Abi Dawud 744 | ||||
| In-book reference | : Book 2, Hadith 354 | ||||
| English translation | : Book 3, Hadith 743 | ||||
6) Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:
Maymun al-Makki said: that he saw Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr leading in prayer. He pointed with his hands (i.e. raised his hands opposite to the shoulders) when he stood up, when he bowed and when he prostrated, and when he got up after prostration, he pointed with his hands (i.e. raised his hands).
The I went to Ibn Abbas and said (to him) I saw Ibn az-Zubayr praying that I never saw anyone praying. I then told him about the pointing with his hands (raising his hands). He said: If you like to see the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) follower the prayer as offered by Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr.
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ لَهِيعَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُبَيْرَةَ، عَنْ مَيْمُونٍ الْمَكِّيِّ، أَنَّهُ رَأَى عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ الزُّبَيْرِ وَصَلَّى بِهِمْ يُشِيرُ بِكَفَّيْهِ حِينَ يَقُومُ وَحِينَ يَرْكَعُ وَحِينَ يَسْجُدُ وَحِينَ يَنْهَضُ لِلْقِيَامِ فَيَقُومُ فَيُشِيرُ بِيَدَيْهِ فَانْطَلَقْتُ إِلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ فَقُلْتُ إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ ابْنَ الزُّبَيْرِ صَلَّى صَلاَةً لَمْ أَرَ أَحَدًا يُصَلِّيهَا فَوَصَفْتُ لَهُ هَذِهِ الإِشَارَةَ فَقَالَ إِنْ أَحْبَبْتَ أَنْ تَنْظُرَ إِلَى صَلاَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَاقْتَدِ بِصَلاَةِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ .
| Grade | : Sahih (Al-Albani) | صحيح (الألباني) | حكم : | ||
| Reference | : Sunan Abi Dawud 739 | ||||
| In-book reference | : Book 2, Hadith 349 | ||||
| English translation | : Book 3, Hadith 738 | ||||
7) Salim reported on the authority of his father (Ibn ‘Umar):
I saw the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) that when he began prayer, he used to raise his hands opposite his shoulders, and he did so when he bowed, and raised his head after bowing. Sufyan (a narrator) once said: “When he raised his head:; and after he used to say: “When he raised his head after bowing. He would not raise (his hands) between the two prostrations.”
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حَنْبَلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ سَالِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا اسْتَفْتَحَ الصَّلاَةَ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى يُحَاذِيَ مَنْكِبَيْهِ وَإِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَرْكَعَ وَبَعْدَ مَا يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ – وَقَالَ سُفْيَانُ مَرَّةً وَإِذَا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ . وَأَكْثَرُ مَا كَانَ يَقُولُ وَبَعْدَ مَا يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ – وَلاَ يَرْفَعُ بَيْنَ السَّجْدَتَيْنِ .
| Grade | : Sahih (Al-Albani) | صحيح (الألباني) | حكم : | ||
| Reference | : Sunan Abi Dawud 721 | ||||
| In-book reference | : Book 2, Hadith 331 | ||||
| English translation | : Book 2, Hadith 720 | ||||
These proofs from the sahihayn are more than plenty for those that ask why do you raise your hands in salaah. We ask Allah for knowledge of the Qur’an and Sunnah.
والله تعالى أعلم
وصلى اللهم وسلم وبارك على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه والتابعين
أخوك أبو ناصر
Zinaid Abu Naser 