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:

Dear Brother Burhan

Assalam Alikum. Thank you very much for your prompt reply. I think my first question still remains unanswered. My question " ... hands upright for duwas after prayers."

You mentioned 2 quotes from Hadith "Al-Bukhari Hadith 5.612 & 2.807 " and both were not the instances of supplication after prayers/salat. Also Quran 2:186 is just a general statement where Allah says " .... I hear and answer the prayer of the suppliant .."

So can you be more precise on this one? Many thanks for your efforts in clearing our doubts from time to time.

(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:

Raise hands for supplications

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.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 5.612 Narrated by Abu Musa

….. Then Prophet (saws) asked for water, performed ablution and then raised hands, saying, "O Allah! Forgive 'Ubaid, Abu Amir." At that time I saw the whiteness of the Prophet's armpits.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.807 Narrated by Salim

Ibn 'Umar used to do Rami of the Jamrat-ud-Dunya (the Jamra near to the Khaif mosque) with seven small stones and used to recite Takbir on throwing every pebble. He then would go ahead till he reached the level ground where he would stand facing the Qibla for a long time to invoke (Allah) while raising his hands (during the invocations). Then he would do Rami of the Jamrat-ul-Wusta (middle Jamra) and then he would go to the left towards the middle ground, where he would stand facing the Qibla. He would remain standing there for a long period to invoke (Allah) while raising his hands, and would stand there for a long period. Then he would do Rami of the Jamrat-ul-Aqaba from the middle of the valley, but he would not stay by it, and then he would leave and say, "I saw the Prophet (saws) doing like this."

The raising of one’s hands when making supplications (individually) to the Lord Most Gracious is amongst the etiquettes of making supplications as taught by the Messenger of Allah (saws); and there is enough and ample evidence in the authentic and established Sunnah to support the act. When the Messenger of Allah (saws) sought to make his individual supplications to his Lord Most Gracious, at times he (saws) would raise his hands above his shoulders, with the palms of his hands facing inwards….and there is also evidence to the fact that at times, the Messenger of Allah (saws) would make his supplications without raising his hands.

There is also evidence in the authentic and established Sunnah that the Messenger of Allah (saws) would raise his hands during his ‘qunut’ supplications during the prayer, and also during his supplications during the prayers of ‘Istisqa’ or rain.

But to the best of our knowledge, there is absolutely no evidence in the established and authentic Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) whereby it is stated that he (saws) would raise his hands and make dua or supplication in congregation after the prayers.

The majority of the scholars and jurists in Islam are of the opinion that if an individual raises his hands to make supplications at any time (including after his prayers) in his individual capacity, there is absolutely no harm…for the raising of hands when making supplications unto the Lord Most Gracious is an etiquette of making dua as taught by the Messenger of Allah (saws)……but for a whole congregation to raise their hands and make collective dua after the prayers is not from the established Sunnah or practice of the Messenger of Allah (saws). And Allah Alone Knows Best.

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