To raise hands or not after standing up from Ruku?

Question

I have seen some people raising hands after standing up from ruku but some don't raise their hands. Should I raise my hands or not after Ruku?
What is the correct method according to Sunnah?

Answer 1

The status of raising the hands ( رفع اليدين ) on other than the opening takbir is disagreed upon among the madhabs.

According to the Shafi'is and Hanbalis, it is Sunnah to raise the hands before doing rukuh, and after rising from it. Some of them also hold that it is sunnah to raise the hands on standing up in the third rakah of prayers. They give precedence to the reports stating that, such as:

عن عبد الله بن عمر، رضى الله عنهما قال رأيت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا قام في الصلاة رفع يديه حتى يكونا حذو منكبيه، وكان يفعل ذلك حين يكبر للركوع، ويفعل ذلك إذا رفع رأسه من الركوع ويقول ‏ "‏ سمع الله لمن حمده ‏"‏‏.‏ ولا يفعل ذلك في السجود‏

Narrated Abdullah bin Umar:

I saw that whenever Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) stood for the prayer, he used to raise both his hands up to the shoulders, and used to do the same on saying the Takbir for bowing and on raising his head from it and used to say, "Sami'a l-lahu liman hamidah". But he did not do that (i.e. raising his hands) in prostrations.

^{— Bukhari}

أن ابن عمر، كان إذا دخل في الصلاة كبر ورفع يديه، وإذا ركع رفع يديه، وإذا قال سمع الله لمن حمده‏.‏ رفع يديه، وإذا قام من الركعتين رفع يديه‏.‏ ورفع ذلك ابن عمر إلى نبي الله صلى الله عليه وسلم

Whenever Ibn Umar started the prayer with Takbir, he used to raise his hands: whenever he bowed, he used to raise his hands (before bowing) and also used to raise his hands on saying, "Sami'a l-lahu liman hamidah", and he used to do the same on rising from the second rak'a (for the 3rd rak'a). Ibn Umar said: "The Prophet (ﷺ) used to do the same."

^{— Bukhari}

According to the Hanafis and Malikis, it is not prescribed to raise the hands except in the opening takbir. They give precedence to the reports on that such as:

قال عبد الله بن مسعود ألا أصلي بكم صلاة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فصلى فلم يرفع يديه إلا في أول مرة

Abdullah bin Mas'ud said: "Shall I not demonstrate the Salat of Allah's Messenger to you?" Then he offered Salat and he did not raise his hands except while saying the first Takbir."

^{— Jami at-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasai classed as Sahih by al-Albani, see his discussion here}

صليت مع عمر فلم يرفع يديه في شيء من صلاته إلا حين افتتح الصلاة

I prayed with Umar and he did not raise his hands except in the beginning of the salah

^{— Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah}

أن عليا كان يرفع يديه إذا افتتح الصلاة ثم لا يعود

Ali used to raise his hands at the beginning of Salah and then did not repeat that

^{— Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah}

Note that performing it is not obligatory according to any of the four madhabs.

---

Ref:

قال الحنفية والمالكية: لا يسن رفع اليدين في غير الإحرام عند الركوع أو الرفع منه ... وقال الشافعية والحنابلة: يسن رفع اليدين في غير الإحرام: عند الركوع، وعند الرفع منه ... وأضاف الشافعية ... أنه يستحب الرفع أيضا عند القيام من التشهد الأول

^{— Fiqh al-Islami wa Adillatuhu}

Answer 2

Bismillah Hir Rahmaan Nir Raheem

As Salaamu 3laykum,

I hope you are doing well. When it comes to raising hands there is a difference of opinion. Some show that there was hands that were raised and others will show that they were not. I will present to you the two views.

Raising Hands Ahadith

Malik b. Huwairith reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) raised his hands apposite his ears at the time of reciting the takbir (i. e. at the time of beginning the prayer) and then again raised his hands apposite the ears at the time of bowing and when he lifted his head after bowing he said: Allah listened to him who praised Him, and did like it (raised his hands up to the ears). (Bukhari in the chapter called book of prayers)

Malik b. al-Huwairith said: I saw the Prophet (ﷺ) raise his hands when he uttered the takbir (Allah is most great), when he bowed and when he raised his head after bowing until he brought them to the lobes of his ears. (Abu Dawud in the chapter called prayer)

It was narrated from Salim that his father said: "When the Prophet (ﷺ) started to pray he said the takbir and raised his hands, and when he bowed, and after bowing, but he did not raise them between the two prostrations." (Nasai, chapter "The Book of The At-Tatbiq")

I was a small boy and I did not understand the prayer of my father. So Wa’Il b. ‘Alqamah reported Wa’il b. Hujr as saying: I offered prayer along with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He used to raise his hands when he pronounced the takbir (Allah is most great), then pulled his garment around him, then placed his right hand on his left, and entered his hands in his garment. When he was about to bow he took his hands out of his garment, and then raised them. And when he raised his head after bowing, he raised his hands. He then prostrated himself and placed his face (forehead on the ground) between his hands. And when he raised his head after prostration, he also raised his hands until he finished his prayer. Muhammad (a narrator) said: I mentioned it to al-Hasan b. Abu al-Hasan who said: This is how the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) offered prayer; some did it and others abandoned it. Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated by Hammam from ibn Juhadah, but he did not mention the raising of hands after he raised his head at the end of the prostration. (Abu Dawud, chapter "Prayer")

Salim reported on the authority of his father (Ibn ‘Umar): I saw the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) that when he began prayer, he used to raise his hands opposite his shoulders, and he did so when he bowed, and raised his head after bowing. Sufyan(a narrator) once said: “When he raised his head:; and after he used to say: “When he raised his head after bowing. He would not raise (his hands) between the two prostrations."

Raised Hands Only Once Ahadith (Source)

Alqama reports that ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (Allah be pleased with them) said: “Should I not demonstrate the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) for you” He performed the prayer, and did not raise his hands except at the initial takbir (Sunan al-Tirmidhi 1:59, Sunan al-Nasa’i 1:161, Sunan Abi Dawud 1:116).

Imam Tirmidhi classifies this hadith as sound (hasan). “Allama ibn Hazm classifies it as rigorously authenticated (sahih) (al-Muhalla 4:88), and “Allama Ahmad Muhammad Shakir, rejecting the criticism of some scholars, writes in his commentary of Sunan al-Tirmidhi, “This hadith has been authenticated by Ibn Hazm and other hadith masters (huffaz), and whatever has been stated about it containing defects is incorrect.” It is mentioned in the al-Jawhar al-naqi that its narrators are those of Sahih Muslim” (I’la’ al-sunan 3:45).

‘Alqama reports that ‘Abdullah ibn Mas”ud (Allah be pleased with him) asked: “Should I not inform you of the Messenger of Allah’s (Allah bless him & give him peace) prayer” ” He stood up and raised his hands at the outset and did not do so again (Sunan al-Nasa’i 1:158, I’la’ al-sunan 3:48).

‘Alqama narrates from ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (Allah be pleased with him):The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) would raise his hands at the opening takbir, then would not raise them again (Sharh Ma’ani ‘l-athar 224).

‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (Allah be pleased with them) narrates: I performed prayer with the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (Allah be pleased with him and his father). They did not raise their hands except at the beginning of prayer (Nasb al-raya 1:526, Majma’ al-zawa’id 2:101).

Conclusion

It is up to you whether you want to raise your hands or not. If the question arise why the different narrations. One explanation is that the hands were in the beginning being raised more than once and later on it was told to raise only once. Or vice versa where it was only raised once and then later showed to raise multiple times. Last viewpoint could be that both are allowed as at times the Prophet (Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him) raised them multiple times and other times only once.

Have a Nice Day!