Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

I WISH TO KNOW THE DIFFERENT WAYS OF NAMAZ,CAUSE THE SHIAS PRAY WITH THIER HANDS OPEN AS FOR SUNNIS WITH HANDS FOLDED,WHY,CAUSE THERE IS NO NO EVEIDENCE OF THAT ,AND HOW DO YOU PROVE AS IF HOW THE HOLYPROPHET PRAYED CAUSE THERE NO MEANS OF VIDOE TAPE OR PHOTOS

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Shia/Sunni way of praying with hands folded

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Videos and photos were obviously not invented during the time of the Prophet (saws), but thousands of believers eye-witnessed the prayers of the Prophet (saws) and narrated and documented his acts for the future generations to follow!

The holding of the hands or keeping them straight while praying is not amongst the ‘wajib’ or obligatory acts of prayer. It has been narrated and documented by the eye-witnesses who prayed with the Prophet (saws), that he (saws) prayed most times with his hands folded; and at times also prayed with his hands straight. Thus, both of them are part of the Sunnah or Way of the Prophet (saws).

Thus if a believer today prays with his hands straight, and his intention is to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (saws), it is fine. And if a believer prays with his hands folded, and his intention is also to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (saws), that too is fine. What is important is that every believer does an act or a deed with the intention to follow the Sunnah or Way of the Prophet (saws).

Holding or keeping the hands straight in prayer is not a big deal in Islam; the big deal is to obey and follow the commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws), and to do good righteous deeds. We must be mindful of not taking a small thing in Islam and give it more importance than it deserves, or go to extremes in the deen.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan