Places in prayer where Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, raised his hands

5-10-2016 | IslamWeb

Question:

Is the hadith that states that the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, raised his hands till he met Allaah authentic?

---

Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

The hadeeth in reference was cited by Al-Bayhaqi, as stated by Ash-Shawkaani in his book Nayl Al-Awtaar as follows: Ibn ‘Umar said in an authentically proven hadeeth, "The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, raised his hands when reciting Takbeerat Al-Ihraam (opening Takbeer) and before performing Rukoo‘ (bowing) and when rising up from Rukoo‘. Such was his prayer until he met Allaah."

It has been authentically reported that he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to raise his hands in the prayer in four positions only. Ibn ‘Uthaymeen underlined in his book Majmoo‘ Al-Fataawa that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to raise his hands when reciting Takbeerat Al-Ihraam, when performing Rukoo‘, when rising from Rukoo‘, and when standing up (for the third Rak‘ah [unit of prayer]) after the first Tashahhud.

These are the four positions in the prayer in which it has been authentically reported that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to raise his hands. It has been authentically reported on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, raised his hands when reciting the opening Takbeer, when reciting Takbeer for Rukoo‘, when saying 'Sami‘a Allaahu liman hamidah', and when rising up from the first Tashahhud. He did not raise his hands while reciting Takbeer for prostration. These are the four positions in the prayer in which it has been authentically reported that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, raised his hands. He did not raise his hands in any other position; neither when he was performing prostration (Sujood), nor when rising from prostration. Hence, it is not legislated to raise the hands while going down for Sujood or while rising from Sujood. 

Allaah knows best.