Imam Malik and the issue of Qabd (putting the right hand on the left hand)
27-9-2003 | IslamWeb
Question:
This is something which always bothers us friends, we know that Imam Malik wrote a very comprehensive book and was a good Faqih. But why did he prayed with his hands on his side, one brother from a famous site stated that Malik never prayed like that, but was attributed to him? Please explain this for us.
Answer:
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions. There are variant narrations from Imam Malik , may Allah have mercy on his soul, as to whether to put the right hand on the left during prayer or to release both of them. Ibn Al-Qasim argues that to release them is disliked. Whereas Ash-hab narrated from him ( Malik ) that it (releasing the hands) is permissible whether in an obligatory or supererogatory prayer. The Madinite scholars ( Malik 's followers) followed suit. Mutraf and Ibn Al-Majishoun reported from Imam Malik as having approved of the releasing hands. And this is what Malik mentioned in his 'Muwatta': He ( Malik ) quoted Sahl Bin Sa'd saying: 'people were ordered to put their right hands over their left hands during prayer. Abu Hazim said: 'I think he narrated this from the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam). [This Hadith was narrated by Al-Bukhari and others] This tradition (practice) of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was conveyed to us through more than one Hadith. Among such Ahadith is the one narrated by Muslim on the authority of Wa'il Bin Hujr who said that he had seen the Prophet (peace be upon him) raising his hands when he entered in prayer (saying Takbeer, i.e. beginning his prayer). According to Hammam (one of the Hadith narrators), The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) raised his hands up to his ears, then he pulled his robe together round himself and put his right hand on his left. When he was about to bow, he took his hands out of the robe, raised them, and said "Allahu Akbar". Then the moment he said "Sami'allahu liman Hamidah/Allah listens to whomever praises Him", he raised his hands and when he prostrated he laid his head (in prostration) between his hands. In 'At-Tamhid', Ibn Abdul-Barr said: There are no contradictory narrations as to the Prophet's practice regarding this issue. And I have not heard of any difference among the Prophet's Companions on this matter except for one narration that Az-Zubair used to release his hands in prayers. It was also narrated that he did the other option (putting the right hand on the left), which is the dominant opinion held by the majority of Muslim Jurists among the men of thought and knowledge of Sunnah (Prophet's tradition). Az-Zarqani said: Ibn Abdul-Barr said: "It was not heard that the Prophet did otherwise (other than putting the right hand on the left), which is unanimously agreed upon by the majority of the Companions and their followers (of the second generation). And this is what Malik mentioned in his 'Muwatta'. Ibn al-Munthir and others did not report that Imam Malik said other than this. Ibn al-Qasim reported that Malik used to release his hands, in which many of the Malik 's followers followed suit. He also narrated that it is permissible in supererogatory prayers with longer standing up and disliked in obligatory prayers. Ibn Al-Hajib reported that this is permissible when the one performing prayers is leaning on something (a stick or any other device) to help him pray comfortably. Ibn Abdul-Barr , may Allah have mercy upon his soul, said: There is no justification behind ruling it (hand releasing) as dislikable, for things, in origin, are permissible and neither Allah The Almighty nor His Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) prohibited it. Hence, there is no point in viewing it as dislikable. Had the Prophet not been reported as permitting it, then what would one say, knowing that he (the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam)) had been authentically reported as having done so? On the other hand, there is no point in differentiating between the obligatory and supererogatory prayers in this respect. The assumption that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) used to release his hands only in supererogatory prayers is unsupported for he most frequently used to perform supererogatory prayers at home during the night; and had he done so, his wives would have reported it to us. Those who reported the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) as placing his right hand over his left in prayer, no doubt, were not in the habit of spending the night with him at his home or even entering his private rooms. Rather they conveyed what they used to see him doing while praying after him in congregational prayers . Allah knows best. Al-Baji said in 'Al-Muntaqa': As for placing the right hand on the left, it was the practice that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) was reported as having done through authentic narrations. Wa'il Ibn Hujr was reported as having seen the Prophet raising his hands when he said "Takbeer" to commence his prayer, pulling his robe together around himself, and placing his right hand on the left one. Those who narrated from Malik have been different on the issue of placing the right hand on the left. Ash-hab reported Malik as having said: It is permissible in both the obligatory and supererogatory prayers. Mutraf and Ibn al-Majishoun narrated that Malik viewed it as acceptable. Our Iraqi followers narrated from Malik two different opinions in this regard: one is that it is permissible, the other impermissible. Ibn al-Qasim reported Malik as having said: It is permissible in supererogatory prayers but dislikable in obligatory ones. The reason behind placing the right hand on the left during prayer is the former Hadith. As for its significance, it indicates humbleness, which is something recommendable during prayers. What can be understood from the second narration is that Malik did not forbid this posture (placing the right hand on the left); rather he forbade it as a way of relying (leaning). Those who argued that Malik forbade it put the justification that he did so in order for those ignorant people not to connect it with of the prayer acts which are necessary for its validity. As for the issue as to where to put the two hands, Ibn Habib said: It has no specific position. Abu Muhammad , the Judge, said: "the place common for placing them is under the chest and above the navel." This is also the opinion of Ash-Shafi'e . While Abu Hanifa said: "The Sunnah (Prophet's practice) is to put them under the navel. What is worth mentioning is that this issue must not be a point of dispute among people so much so that they denunciate each other's view. To put the right hand on the left hand is a Sunnah, but, thanks to Allah, not an obligation that has to be done, otherwise the person commits a sin. This matter is not of utmost importance, but to differ and dispute over it without legal and justifiable reason is a serious sin. Allah knows best.