Using the right hand
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:
Assalamolikum
Dear
Mr. Burhan,
1)What
is the importance of using right hand?
2)If
someone has left-hand powerfull then right-hand,will he get less sawab, besause
Prophet always suggested to use right hand.
Please
give the proper hadit and quranic reference where it tells that using right
hand gives more sawab.
(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:
Using the right
hand
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.
Allah and His
Messenger (saws) have preferred the Right Hand over the left hand, and time and
again the Messenger of Allah (saws) guided the believers to do all good deeds
with the Right Hand. Whether it be
eating food, or drinking water, or wearing a shirt, or a shoe, or shaking
hands, or taking a bath, or starting to distribute something…. The Messenger of
Allah (saws) commanded that the Right Hand and the Right Side be given
preference to the left. All over the
Quran, Allah Subhanah has preferred the Right Hand or Side over the left, and
constantly associated the Right Hand with the fortunate dwellers of
Allah Says
in the Holy Quran Chapter 56 Surah Waqiah verses 27-34:
27 The
Companions of the Right Hand, what will be the Companions of the
Right Hand?
28 (They
will be) among lote trees without thorns
29 Among
Talh Plantain or Barsara trees with flowers (or fruits) piled one above another
30 In
shade long-extended
31 By
water flowing constantly
32 And
fruit in abundance
33 Whose
season is not limited nor (supply) forbidden
34 And
on Thrones (of Dignity) raised high.
Allah Says
in the Holy Quran Chapter 56 Surah Waqiah verses 41-43:
41 The
Companions of the Left Hand, what will be the Companions of the
Left Hand?
42 (They
will be) in the midst of a fierce Blast of (Hell) Fire and in Boiling Water
43 And
in the shades of Black Smoke:
Allah Says
in the Holy Quran Chapter 69 Surah Haaqqaah verses 19-31:
19 Then
He that will be given his Record in his Right Hand will say:
"Ah here! Read ye my Record!
20 "I
did really understand that my Account would (one Day) reach me!"
21 And
he will be in a life of Bliss
22 In
a Garden on high
23 The
Fruits whereof (will hang in bunches) low and near.
24 "Eat
ye and drink ye with full satisfaction; because of the (good) that ye sent
before you in the days that are gone!"
25 And
he that will be given his Record in his Left Hand will say:
"Ah! Would that my record had not
been given to me!
26 "And
that I had never realized how my account (stood)!
27 "Ah! Would that (Death) had made an end of me!
28 "Of
no profit to me has been my wealth!
29 "My
power has perished from me!"...
30 (The
stern command will say): "Seize ye him and bind ye him
31 "And
burn ye him in the Blazing Fire.
Allah Says
in the Holy Quran Chapter 74 Surah Mudaththir verses 38-40:
38 Every
soul will be (held) in pledge for its deeds.
39 Except
the Companions of the Right Hand.
40 (They
will be) in Gardens (of Delight);
Allah Says
in the Holy Quran Chapter 84 Surah Inshiqaq verses 7-9:
7 Then
he who is given his Record in his Right Hand
8 Soon
will his account be taken by an easy reckoning
9 And
he will turn to his people rejoicing!
Allah Says
in the Holy Quran Chapter 56 Surah Waqiah verses 90-91:
90 And
if he be of the Companions of the Right Hand
91 (For
him is the salutation) "Peace be unto thee" from the Companions of
the Right Hand.
Allah Says
in the Holy Quran Chapter 57 Surah Hadid verse 12: One Day shalt thou see the
believing men and the believing women how their Light runs forward before them
and by their Right Hands: (their greeting will be): "Good
News for you this Day! Gardens beneath which flow rivers! To dwell therein for
aye! This is indeed the Highest
Achievement!"
Your Question: If
someone has left-hand powerfull then right-hand,will he get less sawab, besause
Prophet always suggested to use right hand.
Al-Muwatta
Hadith 49.6
Yahya
related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Abu Bakr ibn Ubaydullah ibn
Abdullah ibn Umar from Abdullah ibn Umar that the Messenger of Allah (saws)
said, "When you eat, eat with your right hand and drink with your right
hand. Shaytan eats with his left hand
and drinks with his left hand."
Al-Muwatta
Hadith 49.17
Yahya
related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Anas ibn Malik that the Messenger
of Allah (saws) was brought some milk which was mixed with well-water. There
was a Bedouin at his right side and Abu Bakr as-Siddiq on his left. He (saws) drank some of it, and then gave it
to the Bedouin and said, "The right-hand to the right-hand."
Hadrat
Hafsah, the wife of the Prophet (saws) reported, "The Messenger of Allah
(saws) reserved his right hand for eating, drinking, putting on his clothes,
taking and giving. He (saws) used his left hand for other actions."
Related
by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, Ibn Hibban, al-Hakim and al-Baihaqi.
Even if one is
naturally left-handed, he must strive to follow the Sunnah of the Messenger of
Allah (saws) and eat, drink, take and give using his Right Hand, and whenever
he wears something, or starts something,
or passes or distributes something, he must strive to pass it from his
Right Side. There is absolutely no harm
if one does all other deeds with his left-hand, if he finds it convenient to do
so.
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
Wister