2/123. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 728 — Raising Hands Near the Ears
Raising The Hands In The Prayer
Raising Hands Near the Ears When Opening Prayer
Sunan Abi Dawud : 728
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 728
حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا شَرِيكٌ، عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ كُلَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ وَائِلِ بْنِ حُجْرٍ، قَالَ رَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم حِينَ افْتَتَحَ الصَّلاَةَ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حِيَالَ أُذُنَيْهِ - قَالَ - ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُهُمْ فَرَأَيْتُهُمْ يَرْفَعُونَ أَيْدِيَهُمْ إِلَى صُدُورِهُمْ فِي افْتِتَاحِ الصَّلاَةِ وَعَلَيْهِمْ بَرَانِسُ وَأَكْسِيَةٌ .
Wa’il b. Hujr Narrated from:
I witnessed the Prophet (ﷺ) raise his hands in front of his ears when he began to pray. I then came back and saw them (the people) raising their hands up to their chest when they began to pray. They wore long caps and blankets.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 728In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 338English translation : Book 3, Hadith 727
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 728
This hadith about raising hands near the ears focuses on the opening of prayer. Wa'il ibn Hujr says he witnessed the Prophet raise his hands in front of his ears when he began to pray. He later saw people raising their hands up to their chest at the beginning of prayer while wearing long caps and blankets. The narration gives two observations: what he saw from the Prophet and what he later saw among people. It does not give a long legal discussion. Its value is in the careful report of visible prayer form, especially for readers searching for opening takbir hand position hadith.
What we learn from this hadith
- Wa'il reports seeing the Prophet raise his hands near the ears at the start of prayer.
- The hadith mentions later observations of people raising their hands to the chest.
- The report is focused on the opening movement of salah.
