8/23. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1486 — Ask With Palms Raised
Regarding Supplication (Ad-Du'a)
Hadith About Making Dua With the Palms of the Hands
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1486
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1486
حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ الْبَهْرَانِيُّ، قَالَ قَرَأْتُهُ فِي أَصْلِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ - يَعْنِي ابْنَ عَيَّاشٍ - حَدَّثَنِي ضَمْضَمٌ عَنْ شُرَيْحٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو ظَبْيَةَ أَنَّ أَبَا بَحْرِيَّةَ السَّكُونِيَّ حَدَّثَهُ عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ السَّكُونِيِّ ثُمَّ الْعَوْفِيِّ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِذَا سَأَلْتُمُ اللَّهَ فَاسْأَلُوهُ بِبُطُونِ أَكُفِّكُمْ وَلاَ تَسْأَلُوهُ بِظُهُورِهَا " . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ قَالَ سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ لَهُ عِنْدَنَا صُحْبَةٌ يَعْنِي مَالِكَ بْنَ يَسَارٍ .
Malik ibn Yasar as-Sakuni, al-Awfi Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: When you make requests to Allah, do so with the palms of your hands, and not backs, upwards. Abu Dawud said: The narrator Sulaiman b. 'Abd al-Hamid said: according to us Malik b. Yasar was a Companion of the Prophet (ﷺ).
[1] Abū Dāwūd heard this narration from him.Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1486In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 71English translation : Book 8, Hadith 1481
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1486
This hadith gives a short instruction about the posture of the hands in supplication. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said that when people make requests to Allah, they should do so with the palms of their hands, not with the backs of the hands upward. The narration focuses on a physical manner connected to dua. It does not add a long explanation, so the main message is simple: when asking Allah, the palms are mentioned as the way of asking. Abu Dawud also includes a note from the narrator Sulaiman ibn Abd al-Hamid, saying that Malik ibn Yasar was regarded by them as a Companion of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم). This hadith is useful for people searching for raising hands in dua, palms up in dua, and dua hand position.
What we learn from this hadith
- When asking Allah, the palms of the hands are mentioned in this narration.
- The backs of the hands should not be used upward when making requests.
- The hadith gives guidance on the outward manner of supplication.
- Abu Dawud records a note about Malik ibn Yasar being regarded as a Companion.
