SECTION ON PRAYER · 118 – RAISING THE HANDS TO EAR LEVEL
According to the narration of Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, he said:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would say takbir and raise his hands when rising from the second rak’ah (to the third).
Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, when he stood up for the obligatory prayer, would say “Allahu Akbar” and raise his hands to his shoulders. He would do exactly the same way when he finished reciting [the Quran] and intended to bow (in rukū’), and when he rose from the bowing. When he sat [during the prayer], he did not raise his hands for anything. And when he rose from the prostrations, he would say “Allahu Akbar” and raise his hands as he had done at first.
Abu Dawud said: In the narration of Abu Humayd describing the prayer of the Messenger of Allah, there is the following statement:
– When he stood up for the second rak’ah, he said “Allahu Akbar” just like in the beginning of the prayer and raised his hands to his shoulders.
Malik ibn Huwayris (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) raising his hands to his ears when he said “Allahu Akbar,” bowed in rukūʿ, and raised his head from rukūʿ. [467]
Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: “If I were in the presence of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), I would surely see his armpits.” Ibn Mu’az added from Lahik: “Do you not see? Abu Hurayra is praying. He was not able to be in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).” Musa added: “He used to raise his hands when he said Takbir.”
**Notes:**
Ibn Mu’az: Abdullah bin Mu’az.
Lahik: Abu Mujliz.
Musa: The teacher of Abu Dawud, Ibn Mervan al-Rukah.
Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him) was attempting to describe how high the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) raised his hands. If one were to say: “The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was the Imam, and Abu Hurayra was part of the congregation,” then it is not possible for the congregation to pass in front of the Imam. If one were to conceive that the congregation passed in front of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), then his armpits would have been visible because he raised his hands so high.
Alkamah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated from Abdullah ibn Mas'ud:
"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught us the prayer, reciting the takbir and raising his hands. When he stood for rukū’, he pressed his fingers between his two knees.”
This was reported to Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas.
He said, “My brother spoke truthfully; we used to do that, then [we were] commanded to do this (to hold the knees).”
**Note:** The explanatory text accompanying the hadith discusses a supposed abrogation regarding the placement of hands during rukū’, transitioning from pressing fingers between the knees to resting them upon the knees. It claims current practice follows Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas's narration and that Alkamah’s narration was superseded by this change.