BISMILLAHIRAHMANIRRAHEEM
from the Hanafi Scholars
1. Badrud-deen al-Ainee writes in Umdatal-Qaaree explantion of Saheeh al-Bukhaari (5/279, Al-Muneeriyyah Print),
"Imaam Shaaf'iee has taken proof from Saheeh Ibn Khuzaimah which mentions the Prophet placing his hands upon his chest and it is this saying which Imaam Nawawee in Al-Khulaasah and Imaam Ibn Daqeeq Taqiyud-deen in his book Al-lmaam have respectively mentioned. The author of Hidaayah has utilised another hadeeth as proof for us (Ahnaaf) that the Prophet's Sunnah was to place the hands below the navel. But this saying is not proven from the Prophet but it is the saying of Alee."
this clearly shows that Imaam Ainee accepts the proof to place the hands upon the chest as reaching the Prophet ( sallelaho alaihi wa alaihi wasalam ) and, in contrast, he does not authenticate the placing of the hands below the navel but calls it the saying of Alee.
However even this saying of Alee is not proven from Alee himself as is reported in Musnad Ahmad (1/110)
and its chain includes Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Ishaaq al Wasitee Abu Shayba, of whom there has been severe critisicm. Imaam Ahmad and Haakim call him munkar (rejected), Yahyaa Ibn Ma'een has called him matrooq (abandoned),
Imaam Ibn Hibbaan has stated that he used to change the narrations and chain of narrators and that he used to bring abandoned narrations from famous people. To take any narration from him is haraam. Likewise, Bukhaari, Abu Zurah, Nisaa'ee, Abu Dawood, Ibn Sa'd, Yaqoob ibn Sufyaan and others have called him weak (refer to Meezan al I'tidaal (2/54) and Tahdheeb at-Tahdheeb (1/134).
Allamaah Ibn al-Ajmee in his book Al-Khasf al-Hatheeth has mentioned him under the categories of those who would fabricate hadeeth and upon such a mans narrations no Muslim can rely. Indeed even Imaam Zailee Hanafee in Nasbur-Raayah (1/314) and Abdul-Hayy Lucknowee Hanafee in Haasihya Hidaayah (2/102) quote from Imaam Nawawi that this narration is weak by consensus. Likewise, Shaikh Ibn Humaam in Fathul-Qadeer explanation of Al Hidaayah (p. 201) mentions the same.
2. Allaamah Ibn Najeem Hanafee states in Bahr ar-Raqaaiq Sharh Kunz Ad Dakayk (1/320), "There is no hadeeth of such a level as to permit its being taken as proof that the Prophet placed his hands at a specific place in the prayer, except for one hadeeth of Waa'il, may Allaah be pleased with him, (which has been mentioned as hadeeth number 3).
3. Ibn Ameerul-Haaj in Munniyyah al-Musalli states the above also.
4. Mulla Haddad Jouwnpooree in Sharh Hidaayah (p. 407)
in manuscript form, states that the proof of Imaam Shaf'iee is the Hadeeth of Waail, may Allaah be pleased with him. As far as the narration of Alee is concerned which states that the Prophets way was to place the hands below the navel, then this narration by consensus is weak. Further proof consolodating its weakness is the narration of Alee in explanation that 'wanhar' is to place the hands upon the chest. 'An-Naahir' is known as the upper part of the chest and this is why the tafseer\s such. As for the one who goes against this narration, it is obligatory for him to follow the hadeeth of Waail. Having understood the above, it is incorrect to say that putting the hands below the navel is a symbol of respect
and humility, since this is contradictory to the hadeeth.
you will see that these proofs are from respective and authoratative Hanafee scholars, especially Ameerul-Haaj who is seen to be close in rank to his teacher Ibn Humaam Hanafee. We can understand the following important points from these sayings:
1. It is authentically proven to put the hands on the chest in prayer.
2 .It is obligatory to follow this hadeeth.
3. Alee, may Allaah be pleased with him, has explained the verse, 'Wanhar1 to
mean placing the hands upon the chest.
4. The verification of the action of Alee as mentioned in various narrations.
5. It is also proven from the Qur'aan to place the hands upon the chest.
6 There is no authentic narration stating that the Prophet placed his hands below the navel in prayer. Rather, all those narration which are mentioned in this regard are weak and unacceptable.
Our Hanafee brothers should learn a lesson from these statements and should abandon following a matter which is not proven from any source but is merely speculative.
It should be known that the leader of the Hanafees, Anwar Shah Kashmiri in Faidh al-Baari Sharh Saheeh al-Bukhaari (2/26) confirms what is stated above when he states that he researched many copies but that in none of them could he find this narration of placing the hands below the navel.
We therefore strongly advise the Hanafee brothers to follow the truth especially as Imaam Abu Hanifah said,
"When an authentic narration is presented then that is my madhhab," {As-Sharee (1/380) and he also said, "When a hadeeth of the Prophet is present leave my saying," Hazan Tur Rawayat p. 25 manuscript). Therefore if one truly follows Imaam Abu Hanifah then he must submit to the hadeeth especially when the scholars of hadeeth and jurisprudence accept it.
It is now important to state sayings of some of the generally accepted and unaminously respected scholars in regard to this matter.
1. Mirzaa Mazhar Jaan Janaan is seen as a leader in the Naqshbandiyyah. He died in 1195H. Concerning him, Nawwaab Siddeeq Hasan Khaan writes in Abjadal-Uloom 1900, "Whilst sitting in the prayer he would point with his finger and he would place his hands on his chest and a year before his death he would emphasise the reading of Fatihah behind the Imaam also." The above has also been quoted from Allaamah Sayyid Shareef Abdul-Hayy al-Hussaini al-Hanafee in his Nazat-al-Huwaatir (6/52).
2- Shaikh Abul-Hasan Sindhee Kabeer is known for all the trials he was put to for his belief in putting the hands upon the chest. Muhammad Aabid Sindhee in his book Tarajimush-Shuyookh, states that the Shaikh performed .this action based upon hadeeth and whilst going into, coming out of rukoo and going up for the third rak'ah he would do Raf-al-Yadain (raising of the hands) and place his hands upon his chest. In his time Shaykh Abu Tayyib Sindhee would debate with Abul-Hasan, but could provide no answers when the proofs were given to him.
So he went and complained to the Qaadi (judge) of Madinah who arrested Abul-Hasan. When the Qaadie heard his proofs he realised that this man was a specialist in the various branches of the religion and it was befitting to release him. It remained like this for many years for the Shaikh. Then a time came when a Qaadhi was appointed who was a Hanafee blind follower and it was not long before a complaint was made to him concerning the Shaikhs views. Abul-Hasan was summoned and ordered to stop Raf al-Yadain and to place the hands below the navel. However Shaikh Abul-Hasan merely answered that he would not obey this order. Therefore the Shaikh was imprisoned for six days in a dark place which was extremely uncomfortable. Thereafter the people of Madinah began to come to the noble shaikh and advise him to accept what the Qaadhi was saying so he could be freed. The Shaikh replied that he would not perform any action which was not authentically proven from the Prophet and that he would not abandon that which was proven. Thereafter the Shaikh took an oath that he would continue to do this. After this many people went to the Qaadhi to request the release of the Shaikh. The Qaadi reluctantly allowed this, but vowed that if he ever saw the Shaikh putting his hands upon his chest he would put him back in prison.
The Shaikh was eventually released and thereafter he would cover himself with a cloth and put his hands upon his chest whilst in prayer. Later when the news of the death of the Qaadi reached him, the Shaikh, who was praying, flung the cloth away and placed his hands upon his chest openly.
Dear readers this is true eemaan—to accept all trials and tribulations but not to leave the Sunnah. This Shaikh was a Scholar who prepared footnotes and explanations upon the six books of hadeeth and Musnad Ahmad. One should take a lesson from his biography.
3. My father would also place his hands upon his chest and he is a figure who was respected by the Ahnaaf. Sayyid Ehsaanullaah Rashidee writes in Maslakal-lnsaaf {p. 28) that there is actually a book which can be found by Abu Turaab in Arabic, 'Darjud-Daroor Fee Wadul-Aydee Alas-Sudoor,' wherein he stated the following points.
It is authentically proven from the Prophet to place the hands upon the chest and that there is no authentic hadeeth to put the hands below the navel.
Further Imaam Shaafi'ee's actual madhaab is to place the hands upon the chest, and after finding an authentic hadeeth, Ahmad Ibn Hanbal started putting his hands upon the chest also. Also Imaam Maalik mentions putting the hands upon the chest as many Hanafee's have recorded.
It is thus clear from the above that the Imaams Maalik, Shaf iee and Ahmad Ibn Hanbal advocated placing the hands upon the chest. One should note that when there is a difference in sayings then to reach a conclusion it is obligatory to return to the saheeh hadeeth and to the Prophet. This is because Allaah says that whenever you differ, then refer back to Allaah and his Messenger. In this matter, there is no authentic hadeeth of the Prophet stating that the hands should be placed below the navel. Rather we find ahadeeth proving that the hands should be pleaced upon the chest, so the matter is clear. There is no special merit in placing the hands below the navel. Rather it is a sign of disrespect as below the navel is the private part.
Also from the ahadeeth of Waail Ibn Hajar (no. 2) and Hulb it is proven specifically that the Prophet placed his hands upon his chest. This was not only a 'one off' but a continuous action and Tawoos's hadeeth, even though Mursal, is a strong support.
It is also of worth to note that the word 'Kaana' in the above ahaadeeth refers to a past action and one which continued.
Therefore, we understand from the above analysis of the Shaikh that:
1. He himself believed in placing the hands upon the chest.
2. This is what is proven from the Prophet.
3. This is what he ( sallelaho alaihi wa alaihi wasalam ) was continuously practising in prayer.
4. There is no proof whatsoever from the Prophet for placing the hands below
the navel.
5. It is disrespectful to place the hands below the navel.
I invoke Allah to show us all the straight path and for us to act upon the sunnah of his beloved prophet Muhammed.
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