Question:

I am a strong Hanafi follower. However, can i do Raf'ul yadain (raising hands before ruku') in my Nafl Salaat? I want to do it, so I can do this particular sunnat. Any advice/ruling you give me I will act upon it without any questioning. Jazakallahu Khairan.

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

According to the Hanafi mazhab, raising one’s hands before going into ruku’ or after getting up from it is not sunnah. This is due to many narrations, the details of which can be found in the books of Fiqh.

Those narrations in which it is mentioned that the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) raised his hands before going into ruku and after getting up from ruku’, according to the Hanafi mazhab, such narrations refer to the earlier part of the life of the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam). Later in his life, the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) abandoned this practice and hence this practice became mansookh (cancelled). Therefore, it is no longer sunnah to raise one’s hands before going into ruku and after getting up from ruku’. A proof of this is that Ali (Radiyallahu Anhu) did not raise his hands before going into ruku and after getting up from ruku’ although he had narrated that the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) did it. This is because Ali (Radiyallahu Anhu) knew that the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) only did this in the earlier part of his life and that later on he abandoned it. (Sharh Mukhtasar at-Tahawai: 1/599-607)

Hence, if you follow the Hanafi mazhab, you should not raise your hands in salat except in the beginning when doing takbeer tahreema, whether you are offering nafl salat or some other salat.

And Allah knows best.

Mufti Faizal Riza
28/3/2012
Darul Ifta Australia
www.fatwa.org.au
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