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Fatwa CenterQabdh of hands after rising from rukoo’
Question
Assalaamu alaykum Shaykh. My question is the following: Given that it is known that from the four madhhabs only the Hanbali madhhab orders the qabdh (put the right hand on the left) of the hands after rukoo’ (bowing), could u please tell me the name of some ancient scholars of the Hanbali madhhab who held this opinion besides Imam Ahmad? Please name some scholars who held the same opinion. May Allaah reward you.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ʻalayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
A group of early and late scholars held that it is prescribed to make qabdh of the hands after raising one's head from rukoo’. The apparent indication of the statement of Abu Muhammad ibn Hazm 
in Al-Muhalla suggests that he chose this scholarly view. He wrote, “It is recommended that the praying person puts his right hand on his left elbow in the prayer during all the standing positions...” [Al-Muhalla]
Al-Qaadhi Abu Yaʻla adopted this view as well. The Hanbali scholar Ibn Muflih wrote, “Imaam Ahmad held that the praying person has the choice either to let his hands down or to put his right hand on his left. Al-Qaadhi held this as the valid opinion in Al-Jaami’ because the praying person is in a standing position similar to that before the rukoo’...” [An-Nukat ʻala Al-Muharrar]
The apparent indication of the statement of Imaam Ahmad in the Hanbali book 'Al-Insaaf' is that he gave the person who is praying the choice between the two states. Al-Insaaf reads, “Imaam Ahmad said, 'When he raises his head from rukoo’, he may either let his hands down or put his right hand on his left...’”
The great Shaafiʻi jurist Ibn Hajar Al-Haytami advised that it is permissible for the praying person to put his right hand on his left after rising from rukoo’. Al-Fataawa Al-Kubra reads:
“He was asked, ‘Is it permissible for the praying person to put his right hand on his left after straightening up like he does after reciting the opening takbeer (saying Allaahu akbar in the beginning of his prayer), or should he let them down?’ He replied, ‘According to the indication of the statement of An-Nawawi in his book Sharh Al-Muhaththab, the praying person should put his right hand on his left after straightening up, just like he does during the standing after the opening takbeer. This is the view that I adopted in my explanation of Al-Irshaad and other books; and Allaah knows best.’” [Al-Fataawa Al-Kubra]
This scholarly view was adopted also by the well-versed scholar Ibn ʻUthaymeen in his book Ash-Sharh Al-Mumti’. It was also asserted by his tutor, Shaykh Ibn Baaz in his Fataawa.
On the other hand, many scholars stated that the praying person should let his hands down after rising from rukoo’.
In brief, the difference of opinion in this matter is tolerable given that it is a subsidiary issue and one of the acts of Sunnah and etiquette of the prayer, not one of its obligations, according to all scholars. Hence, such a matter should not be a source of any dispute among Muslims; there is no harm if a worshipper puts his right hand on his left or lets them both hang down.
Allaah knows best.
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