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)                   i want to know how to keep our hand while praying in the starting.

ii)                 do we have to keep our finger without moving in "ATHAHIYATH"

(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:

Fold hnd and forefinger in prayer

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 none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: i want to know how to keep our hand while praying in the starting.

The act of offering prayers is something the Messenger of Allah (saws) did in public for tens of thousands of times in front of tens of thousands of his companions. There are at least twenty authentic narrations from various witnesses who witnessed that the Messenger of Allah (saws) would cross his right hand over his left while standing in his prayers.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 1.131

Said Sahl ibn Sa'd, "The people were ordered to place their right hand on their left forearm during prayers." (Related by Bukhari and Muslim)

Al-Hafez related that the Prophet (saws) said, "All prophets have been ordered to hasten the breaking of the fast and to delay the (pre-fast dawn) meal, and to place our right hands on our left during prayer."

Jabir narrated that "The Prophet (saws) passed by a man praying with his left hand over his right, and (the Prophet (saws)) pulled them away and put his right over his left." (Related by Ahmad.)

Thus, in light of the above guidance what is absolutely certain is that the Messenger of Allah (saws) would hold his hands while in the state of ‘qiyaam’ in prayer.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 1.132

Sunnah acts of prayer, The Position of the Hands

Al-Kamal ibn al-Hamam is of the opinion, "There is no authentic hadith stating that one must place the hands under the chest or below the navel. According to the Hanifiyyah school of thought, the hands are to be placed below the navel, and according to the Shafiyyah school of thought below the chest. Ahmad has two narrations corresponding to these two opinions. The correct position is somewhere in the middle - to be equal."

Observes at-Tirmidhi, "Knowledgeable companions, their followers and those that came after them believed that one should put his right hand over the left during prayer, while some say above the navel and others say below the navel..." Nevertheless, there do exist hadith that the Prophet (saws) placed his hands on his chest. Reported Hulb at-Ta'i, "I saw the Prophet (saws) praying with his right hand over his left upon his chest above the elbow." This is related by Ahmad and at-Tirmidhi, who grades it as hassan.

Reported Wa'il ibn Hajr, "Once when I prayed with the Prophet (saws) and he placed his right hand over his left upon his chest." The report is recorded by Ibn Khuzaimah, who considers it as sahih, and by Abu Dawud and an-Nasa'i with the wording, "Then he put his right hand over the back of his left wrist and forearm."

In light of the above guidance and opinion of the eminent scholars, if one holds ones hands anywhere between one’s navel and one’s chest, it would be acceptable and in accordance with the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws).

Your Question: do we have to keep our finger without moving in "ATHAHIYATH"

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 1.157

Ibn 'Umar reported that when the Prophet (saws) sat for the tashahud, he (saws) would place his left hand on his left knee and his right hand upon his right knee, and he would form a ring like (fifty-three) and point with his index finger. In another narration it is reported, "He would close his hand and point with his index finger." (Related by Muslim.)

Wa'il ibn Hajr reported that the Prophet (saws) would place his left palm on his left thigh and knee. He would place the end of his right elbow upon his right thigh and would then close his right hand, forming a circle. When reciting the ‘shahaadah’, he (saws) would make a circle with his middle finger and thumb and point with his index finger.

(Related by Ahmad.)

Reported az-Zubair, "When the Prophet (saws) sat for tashahud, he would place his right hand on his right thigh and his left hand on his left thigh. He would point with his index finger, and would not look beyond his pointing."

(Related by Ahmad, Muslim and anNasa'i.)

In light of the above evidence from the authentic traditions of the Messenger of Allah (saws), all the major schools of thought in Islam are unanimous in their opinion that it is a Sunnah to raise one’s index finger erect when reciting only the first part of the ‘Shahaadah’ (Ash hado an-laa ilaaha illalaah) during the recitation of tashahud in prayer.

To the best of our knowledge, there is no strong evidence in the authentic and established Sunnah either to raise the index finger continuously during the whole recitation of the tashahud, nor to keep moving the finger from the beginning of the recitation to its end.

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

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan