The evidence for this is that the sunnah establishes it in several hadiths, such as the hadith of Ibn Umar: “The Prophet ﷺ would raise his hands level with his shoulders when he began the prayer, when he pronounced the takbir for bowing, and when he raised his head from bowing.” (1) It is also authentically reported that he would raise his hands when rising from the sitting position for the first tashahhud. (2) Thus, there are four occasions on which the hands are raised, as established by the sunnah; they are not raised at any other points.

With the fingers held together and extended …

His statement, “with the fingers held together,” means that he keeps them together—that is, closely joined to one another. Some scholars said that he should spread them apart, (3) but what the author mentioned is correct, since this is what has been reported from the Prophet ﷺ.

His statement, “extended,” means uncurling them rather than clenching them. Extending means opening them, the opposite of clenching; clenching means drawing the fingers into the palm. This has been reported in the Sunan collections. (4)