Irsal al-Yadayn : Leaving Hands to the side in Prayers.

Part 1 : From the Prophet ﷺ and His Ashab

Part Two : From The Tabiun

Part Three : From the Sunni Aimmah

Welcome to our Blog! In this article, We will briefly discuss the narration which proves leaving hands to the side while praying from Sunni source. However, as an introduction, here is a gem from the Shi’i literature for the believers :

عن علي عليه‌ السلام ـ في حديث الأربعمائة ـ قال : لا يجمع المسلم يديه في صلاته وهو قائم بين يدي الله عزّ وجلّ يتشبه بأهل الكفر

Imam Ali a.s said : ‘No Muslim should stand in the prayer in front of Allah with their hands folded, as this is the way of the Kuffar.’

~Wasai’l al-Shia’a vol 7:267.

Part 1 : From the Prophet ﷺ and His Ashab

1) Imam Abu Dawood al-Sijastani mentioned :

عن مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَمْرِو بْنِ عَطَاءٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا حُمَيْدٍ السَّاعِدِيَّ، فِي عَشْرَةٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْهُمْ أَبُو قَتَادَةَ قَالَ أَبُو حُمَيْدٍ أَنَا أَعْلَمُكُمْ بِصَلاَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏.‏ قَالُوا فَلِمَ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا كُنْتَ بِأَكْثَرِنَا لَهُ تَبَعًا وَلاَ أَقْدَمَنَا لَهُ صُحْبَةً ‏.‏ قَالَ بَلَى ‏.‏ قَالُوا فَاعْرِضْ ‏.‏ قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا قَامَ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ يَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى يُحَاذِيَ بِهِمَا مَنْكِبَيْهِ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حَتَّى يَقِرَّ كُلُّ عَظْمٍ فِي مَوْضِعِهِ مُعْتَدِلاً

Abu Humaid al-Sa’adi was amongst the company of ten companions. Among them was Abu Qatadah. Abu Humaid said : ‘I am the most learned about the prayers of Rasul-Allah ﷺ‘ Then he said ‘When Rasul-Allah ﷺ stood to pray, He raised His hands until His hands were opposite to his shoulders with a takbir then He let His hands rest at their place.’

~Sunan Abu Dawood 730

• This Hadith was authenticated by both Allamah al-Albani and Shaykh Zubayr Ali Zae and their likes.

• Shoulder and elbow joints can only be rested in their position when they’re kept straight on their side and not folded, as mentioned in the narration.

• Ten companions, including Abu Qatadah agreed to the rehearsal of Abu Humaid al-Sa’adi.

2) Muhadith Abu Zura’a al-Damishqi mentioned :

ﻭﺣﺪﺛﻨﻲ ﻋﺒﺪ اﻟﺮﺣﻤﻦ ﺑﻦ ﺇﺑﺮاﻫﻴﻢ ﻋﻦ ﻋﺒﺪ اﻟﻠﻪ ﺑﻦ ﻳﺤﻴﻰ اﻟﻤﻌﺎﻓﺮﻱ ﻋﻦ ﺣﻴﻮﺓ ﻋﻦ ﺑﻜﺮ ﺑﻦ ﻋﻤﺮﻭ: ﺃﻧﻪ ﻟﻢ ﻳﺮ ﺃﺑﺎ ﺃﻣﺎﻣﺔ – ﻳﻌﻨﻲ اﺑﻦ ﺳﻬﻞ – ﻭاﺿﻌﺎ ﺇﺣﺪﻯ ﻳﺪﻳﻪ ﻋﻠﻰ اﻷﺧﺮﻯ ﻗﻂ، ﻭﻻ ﺃﺣﺪا ﻣﻦ ﺃﻫﻞ اﻟﻤﺪﻳﻨﺔ ﺣﺘﻰ ﻗﺪﻡ اﻟﺸﺎﻡ، ﻓﺮﺃﻯ اﻷﻭﺯاﻋﻲ، ﻭﻧﺎﺳﺎ ﻳﻀﻌﻮﻧﻪ

Bakr Ibn Amr said, “I have never seen Abu Umamah ibn Sahl (D.100 H) putting one hand over the other, nor have I seen anyone from the people of Madina do so until I reached Syria and saw al-Awzai’i and others folding their hands.”

~Taarikh Abu Zura’a al-Damishqi, page 319

• This was also testified by Imam Malik :

ﻗﺎﻝ ﻣﺎﻟﻚ: ﻭﺭﺃﻳﺖ ﺑﻌﺾ ﺃﻫﻞ اﻟﻔﻀﻞ ﻳﻔﻌﻞ ﺫﻟﻚ

Imam Malik said : “I’ve seen the best of the people (of Madinah) leave their hands in prayer to the side.”

al-Mudawwana vol 1:197

• This report also mentions that Bakr Ibn Amr said he did not find a Sahabi or a Tabi’ in Madinah, folding their hand until he reached Syria (The hub of Bani Ummayyah) where he found al-Awzai’i folding his hand in prayer, the same al-Awzai’i who said that they used to testify that Imam Ali a.s is a hypocrite as Allamah adh-Dhabhi mentioned :

ﺳﻤﻌﺖ اﻷﻭﺯاﻋﻲ ﻳﻘﻮﻝ: ﻣﺎ ﺃﺧﺬﻧﺎ اﻟﻌﻄﺎء ﺣﺘﻰ ﺷﻬﺪﻧﺎ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻋﻠﻲ ﺑﺎﻟﻨﻔﺎﻕ

Eesa ibn Yunus said : ‘I heard al-Awzai’i say ‘we were not given (any authority or bounty from the government) unless we testified that Ali was a hypocrite (Munafiq)’

~Siyar Alam an-Nubala vol 7:130

They were testifying hypocrisy for the one about whom the Holy Prophet ﷺ said that Ali is the differentiator of belief and Heresy as Imam Muslim mentioned :

عَنْ زِرٍّ، قَالَ قَالَ عَلِيٌّ وَالَّذِي فَلَقَ الْحَبَّةَ وَبَرَأَ النَّسَمَةَ إِنَّهُ لَعَهْدُ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ الأُمِّيِّ إِلَىَّ أَنْ لاَ يُحِبَّنِي إِلاَّ مُؤْمِنٌ وَلاَ يُبْغِضَنِي إِلاَّ مُنَافِقٌ

Imam Ali said ‘The Prophet ﷺ promised me that none but a believer would love me and none but a hypocrite shall hate me.’

~Sahih Muslim 78

https://sunnah.com/muslim:78

• This also negates the Hadith of Sahl Ibn Sa’ad al-Sa’adi in Sahih al-Bukhari that people were ordered to fold their hands in prayers. This order was likely from the Ummayyads and not from the Prophet ﷺ as if it was from the Prophet, The Medinites would be doing so but on the contrary we find the Medinites leaving their hands and the Nawasib Ummayyidis in Syria folding their hands.

P.s : A different blog negating folding hands in prayers shall be posted soon, In Shaa Allah ta’ala.

3) Imam Abu Bakr Ibn Abi Shaybah mentioned :

ﺣﺪﺛﻨﺎ ﻋﻔﺎﻥ ﻗﺎﻝ: ﺣﺪﺛﻨﺎ ﻳﺰﻳﺪ ﺑﻦ ﺇﺑﺮاﻫﻴﻢ ﻗﺎﻝ: ﺳﻤﻌﺖ ﻋﻤﺮﻭ ﺑﻦ ﺩﻳﻨﺎﺭ ﻗﺎﻝ: ﻛﺎﻥ اﺑﻦ اﻟﺰﺑﻴﺮ، ﺇﺫا ﺻﻠﻰ ﻳﺮﺳﻞ ﻳﺪﻳﻪ

Amr Ibn Dinar said : ‘Abd-Allah Ibn al-Zubayr would leave his hands on his side while praying.’

~Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 3950.

• It was known amongst the scholars of Makkah that Abd-Allah Ibn al-Zubayr learnt his prayer from his maternal grandfather, Abu Bakr, so this proves Abu Bakr left his hands to the side too in prayers as Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal mentioned :

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، قَالَ أَهْلُ مَكَّةَ يَقُولُونَ أَخَذَ ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ الصَّلَاةَ مِنْ عَطَاءٍ وَأَخَذَهَا عَطَاءٌ مِنْ ابْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ وَأَخَذَهَا ابْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ مِنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَأَخَذَهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ مِنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ

Abd al-Razzaq al-Sinani said : “The Ahle Makkah would say ‘Ibn Jurayj learned prayer from Aata Ibn Abi Rabah and Aata learned from Ibn al-Zubayr and Ibn al-Zubayr learned from Abu Bakr who learned from The Prophet ﷺ.'”

~Musnad Ahmad 73

p.s : Both the narrators in the chain – Ibn Jurayj & Aata Ibn Abi Rabah used to drop their hands to their sides in prayer, so it strengthens our opinion that Abu Bakr didn’t fold his hands. We will see those narrations later.

• We also see that Abd-Allah Ibn Abbas used to idealize the prayer of Ibn al-Zubayr as Imam Abu Dawood al-Sijastani mentioned :

إِنْ أَحْبَبْتَ أَنْ تَنْظُرَ إِلَى صَلاَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَاقْتَدِ بِصَلاَةِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ ‏.‏”

Abd-Allah Ibn Abbas said : ‘If you like to see the prayer of Rasul-Allah ﷺ follow the prayer as offered by Abd-Allah ibn al-Zubayr.’

~Sunan Abi Dawud 739

This also proves, Abd-Allah Ibn Abbas used to leave his hands to the sides as well, This is also proven from his grandest student, Sa’eed Ibn Jubayr which we will discuss later.

Part Two : From The Tabiun

1) Imam Abu Bakr Ibn Abi Shaybah mentioned :

ﺣﺪﺛﻨﺎ ﻋﻤﺮ ﺑﻦ ﻫﺎﺭﻭﻥ، ﻋﻦ ﻋﺒﺪ اﻟﻠﻪ ﺑﻦ ﻳﺰﻳﺪ ﻗﺎﻝ: ﻣﺎ ﺭﺃﻳﺖ اﺑﻦ اﻟﻤﺴﻴﺐ، ﻗﺎﺑﻀﺎ ﻳﻤﻴﻨﻪ ﻓﻲ اﻟﺼﻼﺓ، ﻛﺎﻥ ﻳﺮﺳﻠﻬﺎ

Abd-Allah Ibn Yazid said : ‘Whenever Sa’eed Ibn al-Musayyib (D.90 H) saw anyone putting his right hand on his left while praying, he would break his hand to the sides.”

~Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 3952

• Who was Sa’eed Ibn al-Musayyib? Allamah Ibn Hibban mentioned :

ﻭﻛﺎﻥ ﻣﻦ ﺳﺎﺩاﺕ اﻟﺘﺎﺑﻌﻴﻦ ﻓﻘﻬﺎ ﻭﺩﻳﻨﺎ ﻭﻭﺭﻋﺎ ﻭﻋﻠﻤﺎ ﻭﻋﺒﺎﺩﺓ ﻭﻓﻀﻼ.

Sa’eed Ibn al-Musayyib was a chieftain of the Tabi’un in jurisprudence, religion, piety, knowledge, worship and virtue.

~al-Thiqat vol 4:274

• It is also said that Sa’eed Ibn al-Musayyib was the most learned about the narrations and rulings of Umar Ibn al-Khattab as Allamah Ibn Abd al-Barr mentioned :

ﻋﻦ ﻳﺤﻴﻰ ﺑﻦ ﺳﻌﻴﺪ ﺃﻥ ﺳﻌﻴﺪ ﺑﻦ اﻟﻤﺴﻴﺐ ﻛﺎﻥ ﻳﺴﻤﻰ ﺭاﻭﻳﺔ ﻋﻤﺮ ﺑﻦ اﻟﺨﻄﺎﺏ ﻷﻧﻪ ﻛﺎﻥ ﺃﺣﻔﻆ اﻟﻨﺎﺱ ﻷﺣﻜﺎﻣﻪ ﻭﺃﻗﻀﻴﺘﻪ

Yahya Ibn Sa’eed said : ‘Sa’eed Ibn al-Musayyib was the most learned about Umar’s rulings and judgements and he was called a narrator of Umar.’

~al-Tamhid vol 6:303

This may indicate that Umar Ibn al-Khattab would leave his hand to the side in prayers or maybe Umar’s hand were somewhere else? Abu Bakr Ibn Abi Shaybah mentioned :

ﻋﻦ ﺃﺑﻲ ﺑﻜﺮ ﺑﻦ ﺃﺑﻲ ﻣﺮﻳﻢ، ﻋﻦ ﻋﺒﺪ اﻟﺮﺣﻤﻦ ﺑﻦ اﻷﺳﻮﺩ، ﻗﺎﻝ: ﻛﺎﻥ ﻋﻤﺮ ﺑﻦ اﻟﺨﻄﺎﺏ ﻳﻘﺘﻞ اﻟﻘﻤﻠﺔ ﻓﻲ اﻟﺼﻼﺓ ﺣﺘﻰ ﻳﻈﻬﺮ ﺩﻣﻬﺎ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻳﺪﻩ

Abd al-Rahman Ibn al-Aswad said : ‘Umar Ibn al-Khattab used to kill lice during prayers so much so that his hand would be filled with its blood.’

~Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 7478

2) Imam Abu Bakr Ibn Abi Shaybah mentioned :

ﺣﺪﺛﻨﺎ ﻳﺤﻴﻰ ﺑﻦ ﺳﻌﻴﺪ، ﻋﻦ ﻋﺒﺪ اﻟﻠﻪ ﺑﻦ اﻟﻌﻴﺰاﺭ ﻗﺎﻝ ﻛﻨﺖ ﺃﻃﻮﻑ ﻣﻊ ﺳﻌﻴﺪ ﺑﻦ ﺟﺒﻴﺮ، ﻓﺮﺃﻯ ﺭﺟﻼ ﻳﺼﻠﻲ ﻭاﺿﻌﺎ ﺇﺣﺪﻯ ﻳﺪﻳﻪ ﻋﻠﻰ اﻷﺧﺮﻯ، ﻫﺬﻩ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻫﺬﻩ، ﻭﻫﺬﻩ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻫﺬﻩ، ﻓﺬﻫﺐ ﻓﻔﺮﻕ ﺑﻴﻨﻬﻤﺎ، ﺛﻢ ﺟﺎء

Abdullah Ibn al-Eizar said : ‘We were performing Tawaf with Sa’eed ibn Jubayr (D.95 H) and he saw a man praying with his hands folded, he went to him and released them to his sides.‘

~Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 3953

• Brief about Sa’eed Ibn Jubayr – Allamah adh-Dhabhi mentioned :

عن جعفر بن أبي المغيرة : كان ابن عباس إذا أتاه أهل الكوفة يستفتونه ، يقول : أليس فيكم ابن أم الدهماء ؟ يعني سعيد بن جبير .

Ja’far Ibn Abi al-Mugheerah narrated that People from Kufah went to Ibn Abbas to ask him questions. Ibn Abbas replied ‘Why come to me when Sa’eed Ibn Jubayr is amongst you.?’

~Siyar Alam an-Nubala vol 4:325

• We checked above that Abd-Allah Ibn Abbas praised the prayer of Abd-Allah Ibn al-Zubayr who used to pray with his hands on his sides and also praised Sa’eed Ibn Jubayr, it is said Ibn Jubayr learned the religion from Ibn Abbas, That strengthens our claim that Abd-Allah Ibn Abbas used to pray the same way as his student.

3) Imam Abu Bakr Ibn Abi Shaybah mentioned :

ﺣﺪﺛﻨﺎ ﺃﺑﻮ ﺑﻜﺮ ﻗﺎﻝ: ﺣﺪﺛﻨﺎ ﻫﺸﻴﻢ، ﻋﻦ ﻳﻮﻧﺲ، ﻋﻦ اﻟﺤﺴﻦ، ﻭﻣﻐﻴﺮﺓ، ﻋﻦ ﺇﺑﺮاﻫﻴﻢ، ﺃﻧﻬﻤﺎ ﻛﺎﻧﺎ ﻳﺮﺳﻼﻥ ﺃﻳﺪﻳﻬﻤﺎ ﻓﻲ اﻟﺼﻼﺓ

Younus said : ‘al-Hasan al-Basri (D.110 H) & Ibrahim an-Nakhai’i (D.96 H) used to drop their hands during prayers.’

~Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 3949

• Ibrahim an-Nakhai’i was the fortress to the knowledge of Abd-Allah Ibn Masud as mentioned by Allamah adh-Dhabhi :

إبراهيم النخعي…الإمام ، الحافظ ، فقيه العراق …وكان بصيرا بعلم ابن مسعود ، واسع الرواية ، فقيه النفس ، كبير الشأن ، كثير المحاسن ، رحمه الله تعالى .

Ibrahim al-Nakhai’i – The Imam, The preserver of Hadith, The jurist of Iraq. He was aware of Ibn Masoud’s knowledge, a narrator of many narrations, a jurist, a man of great stature, with many virtues, may Allah have mercy on him.

~Siyar Alam an-Nubala vol 4:520-521

4) Allamah Ibn Abd al-Barr mentioned :

ﺭﻭﻱ ﻋﻦ ﻣﺠﺎﻫﺪ ﺃﻧﻪ ﻗﺎﻝ ﺇﻥ ﻛﺎﻥ ﻭﺿﻊ اﻟﻴﻤﻴﻦ ﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﺸﻤﺎﻝ ﻓﻌﻠﻰ ﻛﻔﻪ ﺃﻭ ﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﺮﺳﻎ ﻋﻨﺪ اﻟﺼﺪﺭ ﻭﻛﺎﻥ ﻳﻜﺮﻩ ﺫﻟﻚ

It is narrated that : ‘Mujahid was asked about placing the right hand on the left on the palm or keeping it on the wrist upon the chest. He (Mujahid) used to dislike this.

~al-Tamhid vol 20:79

• Again, Mujahid is the greatest Mufassir in the Sunni world after Ibn Abbas whose Tafsir has been recorded, also, Allamah adh-Dhabhi mentioned about him :

ﻭﺃﺟﻤﻌﺖ اﻷﻣﺔ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺇﻣﺎﻣﺔ ﻣﺠﺎﻫﺪ ﻭاﻻﺣﺘﺠﺎﺝ ﺑﻪ

And it is an Ijmaa’ of the Ummah upon the Imamate of Mujahid and to use him as an authority.

~Meezan al-Aetidal vol 3:440

5) Qadhi al-Shawkani wrote :

ﻭﻧﻘﻠﻪ اﻟﻤﻬﺪﻱ ﻓﻲ اﻟﺒﺤﺮ ﻋﻦ اﻟﻘﺎﺳﻤﻴﺔ ﻭاﻟﻨﺎﺻﺮﻳﺔ ﻭاﻟﺒﺎﻗﺮ

al-Mahdi quoted in al-Bahr al-Zaharr that al-Qasimiyyah, al-Nasariyyah & Imam Muhammad Ibn Ali al-Baqir (would leave hands on the side in prayer)

~Nayl al-Avtar vol 4:75

• Imam Muhammad Ibn Ali Ibn al-Husayn Ibn Ali Ibn Abi Talib is the fifth divine Imam from the progeny of Rasul-Allah ﷺ, the successor of the Prophet’s knowledge on earth.

6) Abu Bakr Ibn Abi Shaybah mentioned :

ﺣﺪﺛﻨﺎ اﺑﻦ ﻋﻠﻴﺔ، ﻋﻦ اﺑﻦ ﻋﻮﻥ، ﻋﻦ اﺑﻦ ﺳﻴﺮﻳﻦ، ﺃﻧﻪ ﺳﺌﻞ ﻋﻦ اﻟﺮﺟﻞ ﻳﻤﺴﻚ ﻳﻤﻴﻨﻪ ﺑﺸﻤﺎﻟﻪ ﻗﺎﻝ: ﺇﻧﻤﺎ ﻓﻌﻞ ﺫﻟﻚ ﻣﻦ ﺃﺟﻞ اﻟﺪﻡ

Muhammad Ibn Sireen (D.110 H) was asked about a man holding his left hand with his right, he replied “That was only done to stop bloodshed.”

~Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 3951

• Muhammad Ibn Sireen meant that the prayers are to be conducted with hands on the side but due to the fear of bloodshed, people started folding their hands. This also supports the view that the Ummayyad forced this method of prayer on the people, as we mentioned above.

• Muhammad Ibn Sireen was a student of Anas Ibn Malik and is considered ‘Shaykh al-Islam’ of the Tabiun by the Sunnis.

7) Imam Malik said :

ﻗﺎﻝ ﻣﺎﻟﻚ: ﻭﺭﺃﻳﺖ ﻋﺒﺪ اﻟﻠﻪ ﺑﻦ اﻟﺤﺴﻦ ﻳﻔﻌﻞ ﺫﻟﻚ

‘I’ve seen Abd-Allah Ibn al-Hasan (D.145 H) leaving his hands to the side in prayer.’

~al-Mudawwanah vol 1:197

• Abd-Allah is the son of al-Hasan al-Muthanna, who was the son of Imam al-Hasan ibn Ali al-Mujtaba.

Part Three : From the Sunni Aimmah

1) Abd al-Razzaq al-Sinani said :

ﻭﺭﺃﻳﺖ اﺑﻦ ﺟﺮﻳﺞ ﻳﺼﻠﻲ ﻓﻲ ﺇﺯاﺭ ﻭﺭﺩاء ﻣﺴﺒﻼ ﻳﺪﻳﻪ

I have seen Ibn Jurayj (D.150 H) leave his hands on the side while he was praying.

~Musannaf Abd al-Razzaq 3346

• Ahmad Ibn Hanbal also quoted :

مَا رَأَيْتُ أَحَدًا أَحْسَنَ صَلَاةً مِنْ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ‏.‏

Abd al-Razzaq al-Sinani said : ‘I have never seen anyone praying better than Ibn Jurayj.’

~Musnad Ahmad 73

• We have quoted above that Ibn Jurayj learned his prayer from Aata Ibn Abi Rabah who learned from Ibn al-Zubayr who took his prayer from Abu Bakr Ibn Abi Quhafa.

2) Hafidh Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani mentioned :

وروى بن الْقَاسِمِ عَنْ مَالِكٍ الْإِرْسَالَ وَصَارَ إِلَيْهِ أَكْثَرُ أَصْحَابِهِ

It’s narrated from Ibn al-Qasim that Imam Maalik (D.179 H) would leave his hands on the side while praying and so would his companions.

~Fath al-Bari Sharah Sahih al-Bukhari vol 2:224

• I don’t think Imam Malik needs any introduction. He is considered the Imam of Madinah, one of the four Imams of the Sunni world.

3) Qadhi al-Shawkani wrote :

ﻭﻧﻘﻞ اﺑﻦ ﺳﻴﺪ اﻟﻨﺎﺱ ﻋﻦ اﻷﻭﺯاﻋﻲ اﻟﺘﺨﻴﻴﺮ ﺑﻴﻦ اﻟﻮﺿﻊ ﻭاﻹﺭﺳﺎﻝ

It is reported from Ibn Sayid al-Nass that al-Awzai’i (D.157 H) said it’s a choice whether to fold hands or leave them open (in prayer)

~Nayl al-Awtar vol 4:75

• al-Awzai’i is considered as a fifth Imam of the Sunnis, Just like the Fiqh of Abu Hanifa was famous in Kufa, Malik in Medinah, al-Shafi’i in Mecca, Ibn Hanbal in Baghdad, Similarly, al-Awzai’i was famous in Syria.

4) Allamah Ibn Abd al-Barr mentioned :

وَقَالَ اللَّيْثُ سَدْلُ الْيَدَيْنِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ

al-Layth Ibn Sa’ad (D.175 H) said : ‘Leaving the hands open (in prayers) is more dearer to me.’

~al-Tamhid vol 12:419

• It is said al-Layth Ibn Sa’ad was a greater Imam than Malik and I quote Ahmad Ibn Wahb who said :

أحمد بن عبد الرحمن بن وهب : سمعت الشافعي يقول : الليث أفقه من مالك

Imam al-Shafi’i said : ‘al-Layth was more learned than Malik.’

~Siyar Alam an-Nubala vol 8:156

5) Qadhi al-Shawkani wrote :

ﻗﺎﻝ اﺑﻦ اﻟﻤﻨﺬﺭ ﻓﻲ ﺑﻌﺾ ﺗﺼﺎﻧﻴﻔﻪ: ﻟﻢ ﻳﺜﺒﺖ ﻋﻦ اﻟﻨﺒﻲ ﷺ ﻓﻲ ﺫﻟﻚ ﺷﻲء ﻓﻬﻮ ﻣﺨﻴﺮ.

Ibn al-Manzar said in some of his compilations : Nothing is proven from the Prophet ﷺ (regarding folding hands) so therefore it’s a choice (whether to fold them or unfold)

~Nayl al-Awtar vol 4:85

• According to Imam Ibn al-Manzar, It is not proven from the Prophet ﷺ to fold hand or leave them open, The view that Rasul-Allah ﷺ opened His hands in prayers is more proper from Ibn al-Manzar’s sayings as leaving hands open is a natural state of the body and does not require additional evidence just like it is not mentioned that the Prophet’s knee were straight or bent when he stood up for prayer as the normal position of the knee is to be straight during Qiyaam and if they were bent, it should’ve been mentioned, as to deduct to what Ibn al-Manzar said, it is appropriate that the Prophet rested His blessed hands to His sides and not folded them.

6) Allamah Ibn Mullaqin wrote :

قال الشافعي في “الأم”: والقصد من وضع اليمين على اليسار: تسكين يديه فإن أرسلهما ولم يعبث فلا بأس

Imam al-Shafi’i wrote in his al-Umm : That clapsing one hand over the other is to keep them at place but if one leaves his hand to the side and doesn’t not move them, there is no problem in it.

~al-Tawdhih li-Sharh al-Jami’ al-Sahih vol 6:642

Conclusion : The Holy Prophet ﷺ said ‘Pray as you see me pray’ but we certainly have not seen Him pray but He ﷺ left behind His Ahlul Bait as authority over us in the event of Ghadeer al-Khumm, where He said I leave behind you the Qur’an and my Ahle Bait. Hence, We must take our religion from them, pray as they taught us to pray to reach closer to Allah ﷻ

Thank You for Reading!