Raising the hands in Dua
Question
Should we raise our hands while making Dua?
Answer
Fundamentally, raising the hands in Dua is considered a Mustahab action, as indicated in many narrations. The following is recorded in Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud Sharif:
‘ Salmaan Al Faarsi narrates said that Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam is reported to have said: “Your Rabb is munificent and generous and is ashamed to turn away empty the hands of His servant when he raises them to Him.” [Sunan Abi Dawud / Tirmidhi]
It is mentioned in Tuhfatul Ahwazi (a commentary on Tirmidhi Shareef) under the above-mentioned Hadeeth that the narration indicates that it is Mustahab to raise one’s hands in Dua [[i]].
‘Umar Radiallahu Anhu narrates, when Allah’s Messenger H would raise his hands in supplication, then he would not lower them until he wiped his face with them. [Tirmidhi]
Besides the above narrations, there are many other Ahadeeth that show that Nabi H raised his hands in Dua [[ii]].
In conclusion, one may raise the hands in Dua whenever he wishes. If one supplicates to Allah without raising his hands, then this too will be permissible, albeit, raising one’s hands is better as it is from the etiquettes of Dua. It is recorded in a narration of Tirmidhi and Musnad Ahmad that one should raise their hands in Dua after Salaah, hence, raising the hands in Dua after the Fardh Salaah is proven from this narration which one may act upon. [[iii]].
References (Arabic / Urdu sources)
عَنْ سَلْمَانَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ إِنَّ رَبَّكُمْ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى حَيِيٌّ كَرِيمٌ يَسْتَحْيِي مِنْ عَبْدِهِ إِذَا رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ إِلَيْهِ أَنْ يَرُدَّهُمَا صِفْرًا” .
وَعَنْ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ فِي الدُّعَاءِ لَمْ يَحُطَّهُمَا حَتَّى يمسح بهما وَجهه. رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ
[i]تحفة الأحوذي (2/ 172)
وَاسْتَدَلُّوا أَيْضًا بِعُمُومِ أَحَادِيثِ رَفْعِ الْيَدَيْنِ فِي الدُّعَاءِ قَالُوا إِنَّ الدُّعَاءَ بَعْدَ الصَّلَاةِ الْمَكْتُوبَةِ مُسْتَحَبٌّ مُرَغَّبٌ فِيهِ وَإِنَّهُ قَدْ ثَبَتَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الدُّعَاءُ بَعْدَ الصَّلَاةِ الْمَكْتُوبَةِ وَأَنَّ رَفْعَ الْيَدَيْنِ مِنْ آدَابِ الدُّعَاءِ وَأَنَّهُ قَدْ ثَبَتَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ رَفْعُ الْيَدَيْنِ فِي كَثِيرٍ مِنَ الدُّعَاءِ
[ii] Fataawa Darul Uloom Zakariyya Vol2 Pg162.
[iii] سنن الترمذي ت شاكر (2/ 225)
حَدَّثَنَا سُوَيْدُ بْنُ نَصْرٍ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ المُبَارَكِ قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا اللَّيْثُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ رَبِّهِ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ أَبِي أَنَسٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نَافِعِ ابْنِ الْعَمْيَاءِ، عَنْ رَبِيعَةَ بْنِ الحَارِثِ، عَنْ الفَضْلِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ” الصَّلَاةُ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى، تَشَهَّدُ فِي كُلِّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ، وَتَخَشَّعُ، وَتَضَرَّعُ، وَتَمَسْكَنُ، وَتُقْنِعُ يَدَيْكَ، [ص:226] يَقُولُ: تَرْفَعُهُمَا إِلَى رَبِّكَ، مُسْتَقْبِلًا بِبُطُونِهِمَا وَجْهَكَ، وَتَقُولُ: يَا رَبِّ يَا رَبِّ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ فَهُوَ كَذَا وَكَذَا “
حَدَّثَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ مَعْرُوفٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ ، أَخْبَرَنِي اللَّيْثُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ ، عَنْ عَبْدِ رَبِّهِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ ، عَنْ عِمْرَانَ ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ ، عَنْ رَبِيعَةَ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ ، عَنْ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ : الصَّلاَةُ مَثْنَى مَثْنَى ، تَشَهَّدُ فِي كُلِّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ ، وَتَضَرَّعُ ، وَتَخَشَّعُ ، وَتَسَاكَنُ ، ثُمَّ تُقْنِعُ يَدَيْكَ – يَقُولُ : تَرْفَعُهُمَا – إِلَى رَبِّكَ مُسْتَقْبِلاً بِبُطُونِهِمَا وَجْهَكَ ، وَتَقُولُ : يَا رَبِّ ، يَا رَبِّ – ثَلاَثًا – فَمَنْ لَمْ يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ فَهِيَ خِدَاجٌ. (مسند احمد)
- Answered by
- Mufti Abdur Rahman Abdur Razak
- Checked & approved by
- Mufti Mohammed Desai Saheb
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