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The advice of ‘Alī – be the children of the hereafter and not the dunyā

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib – may Allāh be pleased with him – said:

“The thing I fear most for you is the following of desires and (having) long hopes, for following desires prevents you from the truth, and long hopes prevents you from the hereafter.

Indeed, this world has departed and turned it’s back (i.e. is leaving you), and the hereafter has departed and is approaching (i.e. coming towards you).

And each of them has (it’s) children, so be among the children of the hereafter, and do not be among the children of the world; for today is (opportunity for) action and no reckoning, and tomorrow there is reckoning and no (opportunity for) action.”

(I’lām Bi-fawāid ‘Umdatul-Ahkām of Ibn Mulaqqin 1/637)

The man who was abducted by the jinn and held captive for over four years

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Jābir bin ‘Abdullāh narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:

وَاكْفِتُوا صِبْيَانَكُمْ عِنْدَ الْعِشَاءِ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ وَقَالَ مُسَدَّدٌ ‏”‏ عِنْدَ الْمَسَاءِ ‏”‏ ‏”‏ فَإِنَّ لِلْجِنِّ انْتِشَارًا وَخَطْفَةً ‏”‏

Gather your children when darkness spreads, or in the evening (according to Musaddad), for the jinn spread and kidnap. (Abū Dawūd 3733. Declared Sahīh by Al-Albānī)

On the authority of ‘Abd al-Rahmān ibn Abī Laylah:

A man from his people from the Ansār went out to pray the ‘Ishā prayer with his people, but the jinn abducted him, so he went missing.

So his wife went to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb, may Allāh be pleased with him, [who was the khalīfah at the time] and told him the story (i.e. that her husband went missing). Then ‘Umar asked his people about him, and they said: Yes, he went out to pray the ‘ishā prayer, but he went missing.

So he ordered her to wait for four years, so when four years passed, she came to him and informed him. He asked her people and they confirmed (this to be the case). So he ordered her to get married, so she got married.

Then her (first) husband returned and came to dispute this matter to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb, may Allāh be pleased with him. Then ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb , may Allāh be pleased with him, said: “One of you is absent for a long time and his family does not know (the state of) his life.” He said to him: “I have an excuse, O Commander of the Believers”. He said: “What is your excuse?”

He said, “I went out to pray the ishā prayer, but the jinn kidnapped me, and I remained among them for a long time. Then the mu’minūn (believing) jinn invaded them – or he said, Muslimūn (Sa’īd, one of the narrators, wasn’t sure) – so they fought them, overcame them, and they took some of them captives. So they took me amongst the captives, and they said, “We see you as a Muslim man, and it is not permissible for us to keep you captive.” So they gave me a choice between staying and going back to my family, so I chose to go back to my family. So they set off with me. At night, they would not speak to me, but during the day, there was a strong wind/sand storm that I (would) follow.”

‘Umar, may Allāh be pleased with him, said to him: “What was your food whilst you were with them?” He said: “Stolen food and anything on which the name of Allāh was not mentioned over.” He (i.e. Umar) said: What was your drink with them?” He said: “Al-Jadaf.” Qatadah said: Al-Jadaf is that drink which does not ferment. He said: So ‘Umar, may Allāh be pleased with him, gave him the choice between (taking back) the dowry or (taking back) his wife.

(Sunan al-Kubrā of al-Bayhaqī 8/61-62, #15570)

Çfarë do me thënë të jesh i kënaqur me vendimin e Allāhut

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

 Statusi i atyre që janë të kënaqur me vendimin e Allahut

Hakīm ibn Ja'far ka thënë: Kam dëgjuar Abdullāh Al-Barathīun duke thënë: "Në botën tjetër askush nuk do të arrijë nivele më të larta se ata që janë të kënaqur me Allahun në të gjitha situatat".

 (El-Rida i Ibn Ebi Dunya, #24)

        Çfarë do me thënë të jesh i kënaqur me vendimin e
                                            Allahut               

Hafs ibn Humejdi tha: "Unë isha me Abdullāh ibn El-Mubārak në Kufe kur gruaja e tij vdiq, kështu që e pyeta: "Çfarë është ridā (të jesh i kënaqur)?"

Ai tha: "Rida është që njeriu të mos shpresojë për diçka tjetër përveç gjendjes së tij aktuale."

Pastaj erdhi Ebu Bekr ibn Ajāsh dhe e ngushëlloi 'Abdullahun.  Hafsi tha: “Dhe unë nuk e njoha atë”.

Abdullahu tha: "Pyete atë për atë që po diskutonim (d.m.th. Ridā), kështu që unë e pyeta dhe ai tha: "Ai që nuk thotë diçka tjetër përveç fjalëve të qenit i kënaqur, atëherë ai është i kënaqur."

Hafsi tha: Dhe unë e pyeta Fudejl ibn 'Ijadin, kështu që ai tha: "Ai (përshkrimi) është për el-khavas (të zgjedhurit/të lartë).

(El-Rida i Ibn Ebi Dunya, #22)

fawaaids.com

The actions to be performed on jumu’ah to attain expiation of sins

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Abū Sā’īd al-Khudrī and Abū Hurayrah narrated: The messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) said:

من اغتَسلَ يومَ الجمُعةِ ولبسَ مِن أحسَنِ ثيابِهِ ، ومَسَّ مِن طيبٍ إن كانَ عندَهُ ، ثمَّ أتى الجمُعةَ فلم يتخطَّ أعناقَ النَّاسِ ، ثمَّ صلَّى ما كَتبَ اللَّهُ لَهُ ، ثمَّ أنصَتَ إذا خرجَ إمامُهُ حتَّى يفرُغَ مِن صلاتِهِ كانَت كفَّارةً لما بينَها وبينَ جمعتِهِ الَّتي قبلَها

Whoever takes a bath on Jumu’ah, applies perfume if it is available, and wears his best clothes, then comes to the mosque and does not cross the necks of the people, then bows as long as Allāh wills that he should bow, and then listens when his imām comes out until he prays (i.e. the Jumu’ah prayer), it will be an expiation (of minor sins) for what came between it and the jumu’ah that was before it.

(Sahīh Ibn Khuzaymah #1862 – Hasan isnād)

The sunnah following the Friday prayer

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Q) How did the Messenger of Allāh and his Companions, may Allāh be pleased with them, used to end the Friday prayer? (I say:) Did the Messenger of Allāh pray two Rak’ahs after it, or not? (What is the ruling on performing supererogatory prayers after it?)

A) A similar question to this was previously submitted to the Permanent Committee and it was answered by the following Fatwa:

It has been authentically reported from the Messenger of Allāh in the Hadīth of Abū Hurairah, may Allāh be pleased with him, that he said: “The Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) said:

“If any of you performs the Friday prayer, then he should offer four Rak’ahs after it.” (Sahīh Muslim 881)

It is reported on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar, may Allāh be pleased with him that: “The Prophet (ﷺ) did not pray after the Friday prayer until he had left, then he would offer two Rak’ahs in his house.” (Sahīh Muslim 882)

The Hadīth which proves the legality of praying four Rak’ahs and the Hadīth which proves the legality of praying two Rak’ahs are reconciled by saying that one who prays in the mosque should offer four Rak’ahs, while one who prays in his house should offer two Rak’ahs.

There is another way of reconciling these two Hadīths, which is to say that the minimum regular Sunnah following the Friday prayer is two Rak’ahs and the maximum is four, whether they are performed in the house or in the mosque.

The Permanent Committee.

(Fatāwā Islamiyyah Vol 2, pg. 457-458)

The ruling on raising the hands when the Imām is delivering the Friday khutbah? – Ibn ‘Uthaymīn

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Q. What is the ruling on raising the hands when the Imām is delivering the sermon during the Friday prayer?

A. Raising the hands when the Imām is delivering the sermon on Friday is also not legislated; and the Companions, may Allāh be pleased with them, rebuked Bishr bin Marwān when he raised his hands during the Friday sermon [1].

However, the supplication during the prayer for rain is an exception from this, because it has been confirmed from the Prophet that he raised his hands and asked Allāh, the Most High for rain, and that was during the Friday sermon, and the people raised their hands with him. But other than this, it is not correct to raise the hands at the time of supplication during the Friday sermon.

(Fatāwā Arkān al-Islām of Ibn ‘Uthaymīn, page. 393. See also vol. 2, pg. 557 of the English darussalam print)

[1]

عَنْ عُمَارَةَ، بْنِ رُؤَيْبَةَ قَالَ رَأَى بِشْرَ بْنَ مَرْوَانَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ رَافِعًا يَدَيْهِ فَقَالَ قَبَّحَ اللَّهُ هَاتَيْنِ الْيَدَيْنِ لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَا يَزِيدُ عَلَى أَنْ يَقُولَ بِيَدِهِ هَكَذَا ‏.‏ وَأَشَارَ بِإِصْبَعِهِ الْمُسَبِّحَةِ ‏.‏

Umārah bin Ruwaibah said he saw Bishr bin Marwān on the pulpit raising his hands and said:

Oh Allāh, disfigure these hands! I have seen Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) gesture no more than this with his hands; and he pointed with his forefinger. (Sahīh Muslim 873)

Allāh prohibits us from taking the disbelievers as allies and loving them

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Imām al-Sa’dī said:

Allāh says:

( لَّا يَتَّخِذِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الْكَافِرِينَ أَوْلِيَاءَ مِن دُونِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۖ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ فَلَيْسَ مِنَ اللَّهِ فِي شَيْءٍ إِلَّا أَن تَتَّقُوا مِنْهُمْ تُقَاةً ۗ وَيُحَذِّرُكُمُ اللَّهُ نَفْسَهُ ۗ وَإِلَى اللَّهِ الْمَصِيرُ)

Do not let the believers take the disbelievers as allies instead of the believers – whoever does that has nothing to do with Allāh -except if you fear a danger from them. Allāh warns you of Himself and to Him is the final return. (3:28)

Allāh prohibits the believers from entering into friendship with the disbelievers or to have love for them, aid them, or seek their help in any affairs related to the Muslims. Whoever does such a thing, Allāh forewarns him and says, whoever does that has nothing to do with Allah, that is, he has been discarded/cut off by Allāh and has no share in His religion. Friendship can never occur between disbelief and faith. In fact, faith orders to love Allāh, establish His religion, and fighting His enemies by aiding His friends (i.e. the believers). At another place in the Qur’ān Allāh says:

The believers, men and women, are allies of one another. (9:71)

( وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ )

So whoever supports – the disbelievers instead of the believers, who want to extinguish the light of Allāh and (place His friends) in distress, then he leaves the party of the believers and becomes as one of the party of the disbelievers. Allāh has said:

If any of you takes them as allies, then he is one of them. (5:51)

( وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُم مِّنكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ مِنْهُمْ )

This noble verse contains evidence that the Muslims (must) avoid (i.e. free themselves from) the disbelievers, refrain from socialising with them, maintaining friendship with them, being inclined towards them and depending on them.

(Tafsīr al-Sa’dī Sūrah al-Imrān verse 28).

A lejohet leximi i Qurānit tek varret? Sh. Albānī

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Aishja tregonte: Profeti më tha: Xhibrili, duke m’u drejtuar mua, më tha: “Zoti yt të urdhëron që të shkosh te të varrosurit në Beki dhe të kërkosh falje për ta.” – “Çfarë t’ju them atyre, o i Dërguari i Allahut (nëse shkoj atje)?” — e pyeta. I huaju: Es-selamuala ehlid-dijari minel mu’minine uel muslimine ue jerhamull-llahulmustekdimine min-na uel muste hırine ue in-na insha Allahu bikumlelahikune.”(Paqja e Allahut qoftë mbi banorët e këtij vendi,besimtarë e muslimanë. Allahu i mëshiroftë ata që kanë vdekurpërpara nga ne dhe ata që vdesin më vonë, dhe ne, insha-Allah’,juve do ť’ju bashkëngjitemi)

Leximi i Kuranit te varret, gjatë vizitës së tyre, është diçka që nuk ka burim në Sunet. Madje hadithet që u përmendën më lart,të bëjnë të kuptosh se leximi te varri është i paligjshëm. Sikur të ishte i ligjshëm, atë do ta bënte i Dërguari i Allahut dhe do t’uamësonte shokëve. Aq më tepër, Aishja (Radij Allahu anha), – më e dashura nga njerëzit për Profetin, kur e pyeti Profetin se çfarë thoshte kur të vizitonte varret, ai i mësoi selamin dhe duanë dhe nuk e mësoi që të lexonte Fatihanë a apo diçka tjetër nga Kurani. Sikur leximi i Kuranit të ishte ligjshëm, ai nuk do t’ia fshihte Aishes (Radij Allahu anha).

Si mund të ndodhte kjo, kur dihet që ishte e pamundur që Profeti (sal Allahu alejhi ue sel-lem) të vononte sqarimin e një çështjeje ngamomenti i saj i duhur. Dijetarët e Usulit’ kanë theksuar se është parim themelor që nuk lejohet vonimi i sqarimit të një çështjeje nga koha e nevojshme për këtë. Atëherë, si mund të lejohet fshehja e dijes, në qoftë se leximi i Kuranit do të ishte i ligjshëm? Sikur Profeti (Sel Allahu alejhi ue sel-lem) të kishte mësuar njerëzit të lexonin Kuran te varrezat, kjo gjë do të ishte përcjellë deri te ne. Përderisa asgjë me sened të saktë nuk është transmetuar, kjo tregon që leximi Kuranit në varreza nuk ka ekzistuar fare. Një nga faktet që përforcon paligjshmërinë e leximit të Kuranit te varrezat, është thenia e Profetit (Sal Allahu alejhi ue sel-lem): “Mos i bëni shtëpitë tuaja varreza, sepse shejtani largohet nga shtëpia ku lexohet surja Bekare.”

Në këtë hadith Profeti (Sal Allahu alejhi ue sel-lem) ka treguar që varrezat nuk janë vend për leximin e Kuranit, në bazë të Sheriatit, prandajka nxitur që Kurani të lexohet në shtëpi. Gjithashtu, ai ka treguarse varret nuk janë vend për namaz: “Faluni në shtëpitë tuaja dhemos i ktheni ato në varre.”

Këtë hadith Buhariu e ka futur në një temë të veçantë: në varreza: Falja e namazit në varrezs është mekruh. Futja në këtë temë tregon se leximi i Kuranit në varreza është mekruh. Kështu, edhe hadithi para tij tregon se leximi i Kuranit në varreza është mekruh, sepse nuk ka asnjë ndryshim. Edhe mendimi i shumicës së dijetarëve të selefëvesi: Ebu Hanifja, Maliku e të tjerë, është që leximi i Kuranit te varret është mekruh. Ky është edhe mendimi i imam Ahmedit. Ebu Daudinë “Çështjet e tij” (fq. 158) shkruan: “E kam dëgjuar Ahmedin që e pyetën për leximin e Kuranit te varret dhe tha: “Jo.” (Xhenazja, ritet dhe bidatet. Nektari 121-123)

Standing foot to foot in prayer – al-Mubārakfūrī, Ibn ‘Uthaymīn

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Imām al-Bukhārī said in his sahīh:

باب إِلْزَاقِ الْمَنْكِبِ بِالْمَنْكِبِ وَالْقَدَمِ بِالْقَدَمِ فِي الصَّفِّ

Chapter: To stand shoulder to shoulder and foot to foot in a row

Al-Nu’mān bin Bashīr said: I saw that a man from us attach his ankle to the ankle of his companion.

(Sahīh al-Bukhārī, The Book of Adhān, Chapter 76)

Hadīth 1)

Anas ibn Mālik narrated: The Prophet (ﷺ) said:

أَقِيمُوا صُفُوفَكُمْ فَإِنِّي أَرَاكُمْ مِنْ وَرَاءِ ظَهْرِي ‏.‏ وَكَانَ أَحَدُنَا يُلْزِقُ مَنْكِبَهُ بِمَنْكِبِ صَاحِبِهِ وَقَدَمَهُ بِقَدَمِهِ‏

“Straighten your rows for I see you from behind my back.” Anas added: Everyone of us used to attach his shoulder with the shoulder of his companion and his foot with the foot of his companion. (Sahīh al-Bukhārī 725)

Hadīth 2)

Nu’mān bin Bashīr narrated:

أَقْبَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى النَّاسِ بِوَجْهِهِ فَقَالَ ‏ أَقِيمُوا صُفُوفَكُمْ ‏ ‏.‏ ثَلاَثًا ‏. وَاللَّهِ لَتُقِيمُنَّ صُفُوفَكُمْ أَوْ لَيُخَالِفَنَّ اللَّهُ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَرَأَيْتُ الرَّجُلَ يُلْزِقُ مَنْكِبَهُ بِمَنْكِبِ صَاحِبِهِ وَرُكْبَتَهُ بِرُكْبَةِ صَاحِبِهِ وَكَعْبَهُ بِكَعْبِهِ ‏

the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) paid attention to the people and said three times; straighten your rows (in prayer); “by Allāh, you must straighten your rows, or Allāh will certainly cause differences amongst your hearts.” I then saw that every person stood in prayer attaching his shoulder to that of his companion, and his knee to that of his companion, and his ankle to that of his companion. (Abū Dawūd 662. Declared Sahīh by Al-Albānī in Al-Silsilah 1/71)

Hadīth 3)

Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar narrated:

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏: أَقِيمُوا الصُّفُوفَ وَحَاذُوا بَيْنَ الْمَنَاكِبِ وَسُدُّوا الْخَلَلَ وَلِينُوا بِأَيْدِي إِخْوَانِكُمْ ‏.‏ لَمْ يَقُلْ عِيسَى بِأَيْدِي إِخْوَانِكُمْ ‏ ‏.‏ ‏وَلاَ تَذَرُوا فُرُجَاتٍ لِلشَّيْطَانِ وَمَنْ وَصَلَ صَفًّا وَصَلَهُ اللَّهُ وَمَنْ قَطَعَ صَفًّا قَطَعَهُ اللَّهُ

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Set the rows in order, stand shoulder to shoulder, close the gaps, be pliant in the hands of your brethren, and do not leave openings for the shaytān. If anyone joins up a row, Allāh will join him up, but if anyone breaks a row, Allah will cut him off.” (Abū Dawūd 666. Declared Sahīh by Al-Albānī)

Hadīth 4)

Anas ibn Mālik narrated:

رُصُّوا صُفُوفَكُمْ وَقَارِبُوا بَيْنَهَا وَحَاذُوا بِالأَعْنَاقِ فَوَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ إِنِّي لأَرَى الشَّيْطَانَ يَدْخُلُ مِنْ خَلَلِ الصَّفِّ كَأَنَّهَا الْحَذَفُ

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Stand close together in your rows, and line yourselves up tightly, and make your necks straight (in one line), for by Him in Whose hand my soul is, I see the shaytān coming in through openings in the row just like a small black goat.” (Abū Dawūd 667. Declared Sahīh by Al-Albānī)

Hadīth 5)

Anas ibn Mālik narrated:

سَوُّوا صُفُوفَكُمْ فَإِنَّ تَسْوِيَةَ الصَّفِّ مِنْ تَمَامِ الصَّلاَةِ

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Straighten your rows for the straightening of the rows is part of perfecting the prayer.” (Abū Dawūd 668. Declared Sahīh by Al-Albānī)

In the narration collected by al-Bukhārī #723:

سَوُّوا صُفُوفَكُمْ فَإِنَّ تَسْوِيَةَ الصُّفُوفِ مِنْ إِقَامَةِ الصَّلاَةِ

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Straighten your rows for the straightening of the rows is essential for a perfect and correct prayer.”

The manner of straightening the rows

Al-Mubārakfūrī said: [explaining the narration of Anas collected by al-Bukhārī] (hadīth 1): Anas said: ‘Everyone of us used to…‘ This statement indicates that the aforementioned act occurred during the time of the Prophet (ﷺ). Thus, it is used as evidence to clarify what is meant by establishing and straightening the row…

The meaning of straightening the row is for those who are standing in it to be in a continuous and straight line, and to fill the defect in the row by attachment of shoulder to shoulder and foot to foot.

[he then mentions the narration of Anas again and Nu’mān – hadīth 2 above, and hadīth 3 which mentions closing the gaps and not leaving space for the shaytān] and says: All of this clearly indicates that what is meant by establishing and straightening the row is for those standing to be straight in one line, and to fill the spaces and gaps in the row by attachment of shoulder to shoulder and foot to foot, and that the Companions in his time (ﷺ) were doing this. (Sharh Mishkāt 4/1-5)

“Line yourselves up tightly” Al-Khattābī said: “Its meaning is to bring part of it together with another part, and close in between them. And from it is the compressed building; Allāh said: “…as if they were a solid structure…” [As- Saff 61:4]. And it is further explained by the second half; that is, if they are not together, Shaytān will come between them, and this gap through which he enters, destroys the ranks, like a gap between mortars of a structure, which erode it, bringing about its downfall. (Sunan Abū Dawūd 1/400, Darussalam, English print)

Al-Mubārakfūrī said: “Stand close together“, that is, stick together until your shoulders and feet are connected in line, and there will be no flaw or gaps between you. (Sharh Mishkāt 4/4)

Ibn ‘Uthaymīn said: [the rows are straightened] with closeness such that no one moves ahead of others. Hence, each of the companions would stick his ankle to his companion’s ankle and his shoulder to his shoulder (Sharh Riyād al-Sālihīn 5/134)

The ruling on straightening the rows

Al-Mubārakfūrī said: The doctrine of Al-Bukhārī is that (straightening the row) is obligatory, as he included in his Sahīh saying: ‘Chapter on the sin of one who does not complete the rows‘ (Chapter 75 in the book of adhān).

The truth in my opinion is that establishing the row, correcting it, and straightening it are among the obligations of the congregational prayer, such that if one leaves it out, ones (reward) will be reduced, and the one who leaves this out is sinful because the command to straighten (the rows) has been given (by the Prophet (ﷺ)), and the basic principle is that a command is obligation. (Abridged, Sharh Mishkāt 4/1-2, #1090)

[Hadīth 5]… Makes it clear that the prayer of those who do not make the rows straight and do not fill the gaps remains incomplete and imperfect. (Sunan Abū Dawūd 1/400, Darussalam, English print)

A summary of the manner in straightening the rows

Shaykh Ibn al-‘Uthaymīn said: We are commanded to straighten the rows in the following ways:

Firstly, straighten the row with closeness such that no one moves ahead of others. Hence, each of the companions would stick his ankle to his companion’s ankle and his shoulder to his shoulder. This description is evidence against the defective understanding of those who separate between their legs when they stand in rows such that (only) their feet align with the feet of those by their sides with their shoulders far apart – this is an innovation (bid’ah). The Sunnah is that we should be close to our companion, aligning our ankles with his ankle and his shoulder with his shoulder without unnecessary separation of legs. Rather we leave it straightened in a normal way.

Secondly, straightening the row is by completing it in succession. Hence, no one should start the second row before the completion of the first row, or the third before the completion of the second row.

Thirdly, when men and women are together, it is preferable for women to be far from men. Indeed, the best rows for the women are the last rows and the worst for them are the first rows.

Fourthly, closing up gaps. We should not leave gaps for the shaytān to enter into because they overpower the son of Adam as a trial from Allāh, The Glorified and the Most High. So if they find a gap in the row, they will distract the worshippers until they confuse them in their Prayer.

Fifthly, if there are three persons, one of them should move forward as Imam and the rest should be behind him regardless of whether the other two are adults, children or an adult and a child. They must all stand behind him. This is established from the Prophet (ﷺ) in a supererogatory prayer. However, the obligatory Prayer is comparable to the supererogatory Prayer except there is an evidence to the contrary. (Sharh Riyād al-Sālihīn 5/134,Darussalam print. 5/114-155 Arabic Madār al-Watan print)

Evidence of placing the hands on the chest in prayer

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Hadīth 1)

وَعَنْ وَائِلِ بْنِ حُجْرٍ ‏- رضى الله عنه ‏- قَالَ : صَلَّيْتُ مَعَ اَلنَّبِيِّ ‏- صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏-فَوَضَعَ يَدَهُ اَلْيُمْنَى عَلَى يَدِهِ اَلْيُسْرَى عَلَى صَدْرِهِ

Wā’il ibn Hujr narrated:

“I prayed with the Prophet and he placed his right hand upon his left on his chest.”

(Sahīh ibn Khuzaymah, 1/272, #479, authenticated Ibn Khuzaymah. Authenticated by Ibn Hajr in al-Fath 2/224 and Bulugh al-Marām #217. Declared Sahīh by Al-Mubārakfūrī in Tuhfah 1/540. Al-Albānī also declared it Sahīh in the checking of Sahīh Ibn Khuzaymah and Sifat al-Salāh pg. 88)

Hadīth 2)

رَأَيتُ النَّبيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ يَنصرِفُ عن يَمينِه وعن يَسارِه، ورَأَيتُه -قال:- يَضَعُ هذه على صَدرِه، وَصَفَ يَحيى: اليُمنى على اليُسرى فوقَ المَفصِلِ

Qabīsah ibn Hulb the Tābi’ī narrates from his father Hulb:

“I saw the Prophet and he was turning to his right and left in the prayer and I saw that, in the prayer, he would place his right hand upon his left on his chest. Yahyā al-Yamanī depicted this by placing the right hand upon the left (on the chest) above the level of the elbows.”

(Musnad Imām Ahmad #21864 – checking by Ahmad Shākir who declared the isnād as Sahīh. Authenticated by al’Adhīm al-Abādī in ‘Awn al-Ma’būd 2/203 who said: ‘the narrators of this hadīth are all trustworthy’. Al-Mubārakfūrī also authenticated it in Al-Tuhfah 3/400 and Al-Albānī in Sifat al-Salāh pg. 88)

[T.N: ‘Adhīm al-Ābādī says in summary (after saying all the men of the isnād are reliable – 2/203-205):

1. Yahyā ibn Sa’īd al-Qattān:

A hāfidh, hujjah (authority), and imam of jarh wa-l-ta’dīl
Highly praised by Ahmad (“my eyes have not seen his like”) and Ibn Ma’īn (“more reliable than Ibn Mahdī”)

2. Sufyān al-Thawrī:
Trustworthy, hāfidh, jurist, authority. Though he sometimes practiced tadlīs (concealment), noting here that he explicitly stated transmission here, eliminating any tadlīs concerns.

3. Simāk ibn Harb:
Sadūq (i.e. truthful – Hasan in hadīth) [see Taqrīb #2901].

[Abū Hātim said about him: “Truthful, Thiqah”. Al-Nasā’ī said: “There is nothing wrong with him”. Ibn Hibbān mentioned him in al-Thiqāt. Al-Thawrī said: “No hadīth of Simāk fell (to level of weakness/not suitable for consideration).” Yahyā ibn Ma’īn said: “Thiqah.” al-‘Ijlī said: “Acceptable in hadīth”. Ya’qūb said: “And his narration from ‘Ikrimah specifically (is) mudtaribah (inconsistent), and he (is) Sālih (acceptable) in other than ‘Ikrimah…”. Al-Bazzār said in his “Musnad”: He was a well-known man, I do not know anyone (who) abandoned him, and he had changed before his death.”. Ibn ‘Adī said: And Simāk has much hadīth (that is) straight (mustaqīm), if Allāh wills, and he is from the senior tābi’īn (successors) of the people of Kūfah, and his ahādīth (are) good (hisān), and he (is) sadūq (truthful), no harm (ba’s) in him – see Tahdhīb of Ibn Hajr]

Criticised for: Inconsistent narration from ‘Ikrimah specifically, changed/weakened at the end of his life.

Response to potential criticisms here: His inconsistency was only with ‘Ikrimah, not with Qabīsah (who he narrates from here). His late-life deterioration doesn’t affect this hadīth because Sufyān heard from him early in his life. Early transmissions from Simāk (like those of Shu’bah and Sufyān) are “straight/correct (mustaqīm)”

4. Qabīsah ibn Hulb:
Ibn Hajr said in al-Taqrīb: “maqbūl (acceptable)” – #6197.

[Ibn al-Madīnī and al-Nasā’ī called him majhūl (unknown)]

[al-‘Ijlī said: “(He was) thiqah – a Tābi’ī (successor).” Ibn Hibbān included him in al-Thiqāt.]

When Simāk was alone in narrating from Qabīsah, Qabīsah became majhūl al-‘ayn (unknown in person). And the hadīth of one who is majhūl al-‘ayn (is) acceptable if someone other than the one alone (in narrating) from him declares him trustworthy. Ibn Hajr said in “Sharh al-Nukhbah”: If the narrator is named and only one narrator is alone in narrating from him, then he is majhūl al-‘ayn like the unidentified (mubham), except if someone other than the one alone (in narrating) from him declares him trustworthy, according to the most correct (view).“

And you have known that Ahmad al-‘Ijlī and Ibn Hibbān, from the imams of al-jarh wa-l-ta’dīl, declared him trustworthy, so how can he be majhūl (unknown)?]

Hadīth 3)

عَنْ طَاوُسٍ، قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَضَعُ يَدَهُ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى يَدِهِ الْيُسْرَى ثُمَّ يَشُدُّ بَيْنَهُمَا عَلَى صَدْرِهِ وَهُوَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ ‏

Tawūs narrated:

“The Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) used to place his right hand on his left hand, then he folded them firmly on his chest in prayer.”

(Abū Dawūd 759. Declared Sahīh by Al-Albānī, who said even though this narration is mursal, it is used as evidence according to all the scholars – see Irwā 2/71. Mubārakfūrī declared it Hasan in Al-Tuhfah 401.

Shu’ayb al-Arnāūt declared it Hasan in his checking 2/71 – saying its men (narrators) (are) trustworthy (thiqāt) except Sulaymān ibn Mūsā – and he is al-Dimashqī – for (he is) sadūq (truthful) hasan al-hadīth (good in hadīth).

Al-Mubārakfūrī graded the isnād as Hasan and then followed it up by saying, the mursal narration is proof according to Imām Ahmad, Imām Mālik, Abū Hanifah unrestricted, and with Imām Shāfiʿī it’s proof when supported via another chain, whether musnad or mursal – Summarised from Tuhfah 3/401)

[T.N: on Sulaymān ibn Mūsā:

Yahyā ibn Ma’īn said to Yahyā ibn Aktham: Sulaymān ibn Mūsā (is) thiqah (trustworthy and reliable) and his hadīth (is) Sahīh (authentic) in our view.

Al-Zuhrī said: Sulaymān ibn Mūsā (is) more retentive (in memory) than Makhūl.

‘Uthmān al-Dārimī said, from Duhaym: Thiqah (trustworthy). And from Ibn Ma’īn: Thiqah in (narrations from) al-Zuhrī.

Ibn Sa’d said: He was thiqah (trustworthy), Ibn Jurayj praised him.

Ibn Hibbān said in al-Thiqāt (The Trustworthy): He died in the year 115H from a drink (that was) given to him, and he was a jurist (faqīh) (and) pious (wari’).

And al-Dāraqutnī said in al-‘Ilal: (He is) From the trustworthy (narrators), ‘Atā’ and al-Zuhrī praised him.

Abū Hātim said: His status (is) truthfulness (sidq), and in his hadīth (there is) some idtirāb (inconsistency), and I do not know anyone from the companions of Makhūl more versed in fiqh than him nor more reliable than him.

Ibn ‘Adī said: And Sulaymān ibn Mūsā (is) a jurist (faqīh) (and) narrator (rāwī). The trustworthy (narrators) narrated from him, and he is one of the scholars of the people of al-Shām, and he narrated ahādīth which he is alone in narrating, no one else narrates them, and he is in my view thabt (reliable/precise) sadūq (truthful) (See al-Tahdhīb of Ibn Hajr)

‘Adhīm al-Ābādī said: “And the statement of al-Nasā’ī (regarding Sulaymān): “(He is) not strong” (is) an unexplained criticism (jarh) and it does not impugn one whose uprightness (‘adālah) has been established, as has been established in its place.

As for the statement of Abū Hātim: “His status (is) truthfulness, in his hadīth (there is) some inconsistency,” it does not indicate except that he (is) light in preservation/precision (dabt), so the utmost extent and end of the matter is that his hadīth would be hasan (good) in itself, and it shares with the Sahīh (authentic) in (being used as) proof, so there is no defect in it…” (Awn al-Ma’būd 2/203)]

Points of benefit from the scholars:

Al-San’ānī commenting on the hadīth of Wā’il in Bulūgh al-Marām said: The hadīth is evidence of the legitimacy of the aforementioned placement (of the hands) in prayer, and its position is on the chest, as stated in this hadīth. (Sharh Bulūgh al-Marām 1/284)
Al-‘Adhīm al-Abādī said: The mursal narration of Tawūs, and the ahadīth of Halb and Wā’il bin Hujr are evidence of the desirability of placing the hands on the chest, and this is the truth. As for placing the hands below the navel or above the navel then there is no hadīth that has been proven from the Prophet (ﷺ).(‘Awn al-Ma’būd 2/205)
Al-Albānī said: To place them on the chest is what is proven in the Sunnah, and all that is contrary to that is either weak or totally baseless. (Sifat al-Salāh pg. 88)
Al-Marwazī said in al-Masā’il pg. 222: Ishāq (ibn Rahawayh) used to pray witr with us… he would raise his hands in qunūt, and make qunūt before rukū’ and he would place his hands on his breast or just under his breast. (Al-Irwā of Al-Albānī 2/71)
Muhammad al-Bazmūl said: The location of the hands is on the chest, above the breasts. This is what is Sahīh from the narrations of the Prophet (ﷺ). (Sharh Sifat al-Salāh pg. 162)
Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr said: Shāfi’ī said: (place them) at the chest. And it was narrated from ‘Alī that he would place them on the chest. [He then mentioned the narration of Tawūs]. (The placing of the hands below the navel) was narrated from Alī, Abū Hurayrah and al-Nakhāī – (however) this was not (authentically) proven from them. (Al-Tamhīd 12/420)
Ibn Hajr said: Ibn Khuzaymah narrated from the hadīth that he (ﷺ) “placed them on his chest”, and Al -Bazzārs (wording) – “near his chest”, and Ahmad reports a similar hadīth. And in Zawāid al-Musnad is the hadīth of ‘Alī that he placed them below the navel and its chain of transmission is weak. (Al-Fath 2/224)
Al-Mubārakfūrī said: Section 2: In mentioning what is adhered to by those who believe in placing the hands above the navel: I have not come across a hadīth which is marfū [elevated to the Prophet (ﷺ)] that supports this position. Yes, there is the narration of ʿAlī which indicates this, as reported by Abū Dāwūd in his ‘Sunan’ from Jarīr ad-Dabbi who said, ‘I saw ʿAlī grasping his left wrist with his right hand above the navel.’

I say: this isnād is sahīh or hasan, but this is the action of ʿAlī and is not marfu’ [i.e. attributed to the Prophet (ﷺ)]. Also the clear meaning of his saying, ‘above the navel’ is a place raised from the navel, meaning, upon the chest or near the chest, as occurs in the hadīth of Wā’il ibn Hujr and the hadīth of Halb al-Tāi’ī and the mursal narration of Tawūs, and this three ahadīth will follow [these are hadīth 1,2,3 mentioned above]. And this interpretation is supported by his (i.e. ‘Alīs) tafsīr of His saying, “wanhar” (Sūrah al-Kawthar:2) by placing the hands upon the chest in the prayer as has preceded [This narration of’ Alī can be found in the tafsīr of Ibn Jarīr al-Tabarī 18/632, sunān al-Kubrā of al-Bayhaqī #2332, al-Awsat of Ibn al-Mundhir 3/238]. (Al-Tuhfah 3/398)
Al-Mubārakfūrī said: ‘Section 3: In mentioning what is adhered to by those who believe in placing the hands on the chest: These people used ahadīth as evidence… ‘

Including: The narration of Wā’il… is Sahīh as authenticated by Ibn Khuzaymah, as was made clear by ibn Sayyīd al-Nās in Sharh al-Tirmidhī…. Al-Shawkānī (also) said in Al-Nayl (al-Awtār) “Ibn Khuzaymah reported it and authenticated it”.

And from the ahādīth that these scholars depend upon is the hadīth of Halb… [hadīth 2]… And the narrators of this hadīth are all trustworthy, and the isnād is linked…

And the narration of Tawūs is considered mursal as Tawūs was a Tābi’ī, and its isnād is hasan. A mursal narration is considered proof with Abū Hanīfah, Mālik and Ahmad absolutely. And according to Shāfi’ī, it is a proof when supported by something that occurs via another route that builds upon the first route be it musnad or mursal. And this mursal narration is supported by the aforementioned hadīth of Wā’il and Halb. So deriving evidence from this to place the hands upon the chest in prayer is correct. (Al-Tuhfah 3/397-401, abridged and summarised).
Al-Mubārakfūrī said (in refuting those who reject these narrations due to slight differences in the wordings):

And as for the wording of ibn Khuzaymah, ‘upon the chest’, and the wording of al-Bazzār, ‘near the chest’, then the first (narration) is stronger and takes precedence over the second for the reason that the first has support with the hadīth of Halb and the mursal narration of Tawūs, contrary to the second for it has no witnesses.

Reconciling these narrations is also possible; scholars have reconciled them by stating that these narrations were reported regarding two different prayers, similar to the difference of the wording of the ahadīth that mention regarding the raising of the hands to the level of the shoulders or to the level of the ears [meaning that doing either one is permitted as the narrations were reported regarding different prayers].

So the claim of some of the hanafīs that the narration of Wā’il is mudtarib (confused) is not to be paid any attention. (Slightly abridged, and paraphrased Al-Tuhfah 3/401-402)