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:

1. Please advise the status of following Hadith. Is it a Qawi, Dhaeef or Ghareeb Hadith.

fReported bn Mas`ud : "I prayed with the Prophet (saws) and he raised his hands only once (at the beginning of prayer)."

Related by At-Tirmidhi

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Answer:

Authenticity rank of hadith raise hands

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.

Reported bn Mas'ud : "I prayed with the Prophet (saws) and he raised his hands only once (at the beginning of prayer)."

Related by At-Tirmidhi.

The above quoted hadith related by At-Tirmidhi is indeed considered authentic and strong by the scholars and jurists of ahaadeeth.

But there are several other hadeeths narrated by companions of the stature of Abdullah ibn Umar (r.a.) and others which states that Prophet (saws) raised his hands several times in his prayers and that too is accepted as ‘sahih’ and authentic according to the strict criteria of both, Bukhari and Muslim.

Reported Ibn 'Umar, "When the Prophet (saws) stood to pray, he would raise his hands until they were the same height as his shoulders and then he would make the takbir. When he wanted to bow, he would again raise his hands in a similar fashion. When he raised his head from the bowing, he did the same and said, 'Allah hears him who praises Him.' (Related by al-Bukhari, Muslim and al-Baihaqi.)

In light of the guidance of the authentic Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (sws), all the scholars and jurists in Islam are absolutely unanimous in their opinion that the raising of one’s hands at the beginning of one’s prayer is an obligatory part of the prayer.

But the scholars have differed in their opinion regarding the raising of hands during the prayers. Thus if a believer today gives weight to the narration reported by Hadrat Ibn Umar (r.a.) and prays and practices ‘Rafayadain’ (raising hands) in the beginning of prayer as well in his movements, his intention being to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (saws), it is fine for there is indeed authentic evidence to that effect. And if a believer giving weight to the narration reported by Hadrat Ibn Masud (r.a.), prays by practicing ‘Rafayadain’ only at the beginning of prayer, his intention also being to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (saws), that too is fine for that too has authentic evidence in the Sunnah of the Prophet (saws). 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).

Neither the believer who chooses to raise his hands only at the beginning of his prayers stop or ridicule or declare as wrong his believing brothers who choose to raise their hands at the beginning as well as during the prayers; nor should the believer who chooses to raise his hands at the beginning as well as during the prayers stop or ridicule or declare as wrong his believing brethren who choose to raise their hands only at the beginning of their prayers….for both acts find evidence in the authentic and established Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws).

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