SECTION ON PRAYER · 120 – Placing the Right Hand Over the Left Hand in Prayer
Zür’a bin Abdurrahman, may Allah be pleased with him, reported:
I heard Ibn Zubeir say: It is sunna to arrange the feet in line and to place the hands upon each other [in prayer].
From Ibn Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him:
He was praying, and he placed his left hand upon his right. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, saw this and placed his right hand upon his left. [471]
COMMENTARY
Placing the hands one upon the other ensures focus in prayer. It demonstrates the slave’s complete submission and humility before divine commands.
Abu Juhayfa, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said that placing the right hand upon the left hand below the navel during prayer is sunna.
COMMENTARY:
The placement of hands below the navel after joining them in prayer has been reported in these and hadith number 758 as being sunna.
Imam al-A’zam, taking into consideration these narrations, advocated the view that the hands should be placed below the navel during prayer.
I saw Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, holding the wrist of his left hand with his right hand above his navel.
Abu Dawud says: It is narrated from Sa'id bin Jubayr (above the navel), and from Abu Mijlaz (below the navel).
A narration has also been reported from Abu Huraira, but it is weak.
Abū Wāʾil, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that Abū Hurayrah said: Placing the right palm upon the left palm in prayer is done below the navel.
Tawus (may Allah be pleased with him) related:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings upon him, would place his right hand over his left hand during prayer, then join his hands in the space between them above his chest.