Fifth Note

The author states in a footnote on page 99: “I have no doubt that placing the hands on the chest during this standing is a misguided innovation, for it is never mentioned at all in any hadith describing the prayer.” End quote. The “standing” he means is the one that follows bowing (rukūʿ).

I respond: Declaring it outright an innovation that misguides requires reconsideration, for al-Nasāʾī recorded at the very beginning of the Book of Opening Takbīr in his abridged Sunan, from Wāʾil ibn Ḥujr (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: “I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, when he was standing in prayer, placing his right hand over his left.” Its chain of transmission is sound.

Al-Dāraqutnī also reported it in his Sunan through the route of al-Nasāʾī, and I know of no narration that contradicts or restricts it. Taken at face value, it applies both to the standing before bowing and the standing after it, for each is called “standing.” Whoever limits the report to the first standing must bring evidence. None of the remaining reports from Wāʾil (may Allah be pleased with him) nor any from other Companions negate placing the hands on the chest—or below the navel—after rising from bowing just as one does before it. Allah knows best.

Ibn Mufliḥ reports in al-Furūʿ wa-l-Nukat that Imām Aḥmad (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “If he wishes, he may let his hands drop”—meaning after rising from bowing—“and if he wishes, he may place his right hand over his left.” He adds in al-Nukat: “The Qāḍī issued a decisive ruling to that effect.”