The Book of the Commencement of the Prayer

كتاب الافتتاح

Chapter 1: What is done at the beginning of the prayer

It was narrated that Ibn Umar said

I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) when he said the opening Takbir of the prayer, raise his hands until they were level with his shoulders. When he said the Takbir before bowing he did likewise, and when he said: 'Sami Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears those who praise Him),' he did likewise, then he said: 'Rabbana wa lakal-hamd (Our Lord, to You be praise).' But he did not do that when he prostrated or when he raised his head from prostration.

Chapter 2: Raising the hands before saying the takbir

It was narrated that Ibn Umar said

"I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), when he stood to pray, raise his hands until they were in level with his shoulders, then he said the takbir. He did that when he said the Takbir before bowing, and he did that when he raised his head from bowing and said: 'Sami Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears those who praise Him).' Bu he did not do that during the prostration."

Chapter 3: Raising the hands in level with the shoulders

It was narrated from Abdullah bin Umar

that when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) started to pray, he would raise his hands in level with his shoulders, and when he bowed and when he raised his head from bowing, he would raise them likewise and say "Sami Allahu liman hamidah, Rabbana wa lakal-hamd (Allah hears those who praise Him, our Lord, to You be praise." And he did not do that when he prostrated.

Chapter 4: Raising the hands parallel to the ears

It was narrated from Abdul-Jabbar bin Wa'il that his father said

"I prayed behind the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and when he started to pray he said the Takbir and raised his hands until they were in level with his ears. Then he recited the Opening of the Book, and when he had finished he said 'Amin' and raised his voice with it."

It was narrated from Malik bin Al-Huwairith- who was one of the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ)- that

When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed he would raise his hands-when he said the Takbir- until they were parallel to his ears, and when he wanted to bow and when he raised his head from bowing.

It was narrated from Malik bin Al-Huwairith said

"I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), when he started to pray, raise his hands, and when he bowed, and when he raised his head from bowing, until they were parallel with the top of his ears."

Chapter 5: Location of the thumbs when raising the hands

It was narrated from Abdul-Jabbar bin Wa'il, from his father, that

He saw the Prophet (ﷺ), when he started to pray, raise his hands until his thumbs were almost level with his earlobes.

Chapter 6: Raising the hands, extended

Sa'eed bin Sam'an said Abu Hurairah came to the Masjid of Banu Zuraiq and said

"There are three things that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to do and the people have abandoned; he used to raise his hands extended when praying, and he would fall silent briefly, and say takbir when he prostrated and when he sat up."

Chapter 7: Obligation of the first takbir

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered the Masjid, then a man entered and prayed, then he came and greeted the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) with Salam. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) returned his greeting and said: Go back and pray, for you have not prayed." So he went back and prayed as he has prayed before, then he came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and greeted him with Salam, and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to him: "Wa alaika as-salam (and upon you be peace). Go back and pray for you have not prayed." He did that three times, then the man said: "By the One Who sent you with the truth, I cannot do any better than that; teach me." He said: "When you stand to pray, say the Takbir, then recite whatever is easy for you of Quran. Then bow until you have tranquility in your bowing, then stand up until you are standing straight. Then prostrate until you have tranquility in your prostration, then sit up until you have tranquility in your sitting. Then do that throughout your entire prayer."

Chapter 8: The saying with which the prayer is begun

It was narrated from Abdullah bin Umar that

A man stood behind the Prophet of Allah (ﷺ) and said: "Allahu Akbaru kabira wal-hamdu Lillahi kathira, wa subhan-Allahi bukratan was asila (Allah is Most Great and much praise be to Allah and glorified be Allah at the beginning and end of the day)." The Prophet of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Who spoke these words?" A man said: "I did, O Prophet of Allah (SWT)." He said: "Twelve angels rushed (to take them up)."

It was narrated that Ibn Umar said

"While we were praying with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), a man among the people said: 'Allahu Akbaru kabira, wal-hamdu Lillahi kathira, wa subhan-Allahi bukratan was asila (Allah is Most Great and much praise be to Allah and glorified be Allah at the beginning and end of the day).' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Who is the one who said such and such?' A man among the people said: 'I did, O Messenger of Allah.' He said: ' I like it,' and he said words to the effect that the gates of the Heavens had been opened for it." Ibn Umar said: "I never stopped saying it since I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say that."

Chapter 9: Placing the right hand on the left hand during the prayer

It was narrated that Musa bin Umair Al-Anbari and Qais bin Sulaim Al-Anbari said

"Alqamah bin Wa'il told us that his father said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), when he was standing in prayer, holding his left hand with his right.'"

Chapter 10: If the Imam sees a man placing his left hand on his right

It was narrated that Al Hajjaj bin Abi Zainab said

X"I heard Abu Uthman narrate that Ibn Mas'ud said: 'The Prophet (ﷺ) saw me when I had placed my left hand on my right in prayer. He took hold of my right hand and placed it on my left.'"

Chapter 11: The location of the right hand on the left in prayer

Wa'il bin Hujr said

"I said: 'I am going to watch how the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prays.' So I watched him and he stood and said the takbir, and raised his hands until they were in the level with his ears, then he placed his right hand over his left hand, wrist and lower forearm. When he wanted to bow he raised his hands likewise. Then he prostrated and placed his hands in level with his ears. Then he sat up and placed his left leg under him; he put his left hand on his left thigh and knee, and he put the edge of his right elbow on his right thigh, then he held two of his fingers together and made a circle, and raised his forefinger, and I saw him moving it and supplicating with it."

Chapter 12: The prohibition of putting one's hand on one's waist when praying

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that

The Prophet (ﷺ) forbade praying with one's hands on one's waist.

It was narrated that Ziyad bin Subaih said

"I prayed beside Ibn Umar and put my hand on my waist, and he did this to me-knocked it with his hand. When I had finished praying I said to a man: 'Who is this?' He said: "Abdullah bin Umar.' I said: 'O Abu Abdur-Rahman, why are you angry with me?' He said: 'This is the posture of crucifixion, and the Mesenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade us to do this.'"

Chapter 13: Standing with the feet together when praying

It was narrated from Abu Ubaidah that

Abdullah saw a man who was praying with his feet together. He said: "He is going against the Sunnah; if he shifted his weight from one to the other that would be better."

It was narrated from Abdullah that

He saw a man praying with his feet together. He said: "He is not following the Sunnah. If he were to shift his weight from one to the other I would like that better."

Chapter 14: The Imam pausing after starting the prayer

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pause briefly when he had started to pray.