2/128. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 761 — Raising Hands and Seeking Forgiveness
The Supplication With Which The Prayer Should Be Started
Raising Hands in Salah: Prayer Posture and Forgiveness Dua
Sunan Abi Dawud : 761
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 761
حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ الْهَاشِمِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ عُقْبَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي رَافِعٍ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ كَانَ إِذَا قَامَ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ الْمَكْتُوبَةِ كَبَّرَ وَرَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَذْوَ مَنْكِبَيْهِ وَيَصْنَعُ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ إِذَا قَضَى قِرَاءَتَهُ وَإِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَرْكَعَ وَيَصْنَعُهُ إِذَا رَفَعَ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ وَلاَ يَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهِ فِي شَىْءٍ مِنْ صَلاَتِهِ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ وَإِذَا قَامَ مِنَ السَّجْدَتَيْنِ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ كَذَلِكَ وَكَبَّرَ وَدَعَا نَحْوَ حَدِيثِ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ فِي الدُّعَاءِ يَزِيدُ وَيَنْقُصُ الشَّىْءَ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ " وَالْخَيْرُ كُلُّهُ فِي يَدَيْكَ وَالشَّرُّ لَيْسَ إِلَيْكَ " . وَزَادَ فِيهِ وَيَقُولُ عِنْدَ انْصِرَافِهِ مِنَ الصَّلاَةِ " اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَأَخَّرْتُ وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَأَعْلَنْتُ أَنْتَ إِلَهِي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ " .
‘Ali b. Ali Talib Narrated from:
When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood up for (offering) obligatory prayer, he uttered the takbir (Allah is most great) and raised his hands opposite to his shoulders, and he did so when he finished the recitation (of the Qur’an) and when he was about to bow; and he did like that when he raised (his head) after bowing. He did not raise his hands in prayer when he was sitting.When he stood at the end of two rak’ahs, he raised his hands in a similar way and uttered the takbir and supplicated in a more or less the same manner as narrated by ‘Abd al-‘Aziz in his version. This version does not mention the words “All good is in Thy Hands and evil does not pertain to Thee.” And this adds: He said when he finished the prayer: “O Allah, forgive me my former and latter sins, my open and secret sins; Thou art my deity; there is no God but Thee.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 761In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 371English translation : Book 2, Hadith 760
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 761
This hadith about raising hands in salah describes how the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم began the obligatory prayer with takbir and raised his hands level with his shoulders. The same action is mentioned before bowing, after rising from bowing, and when standing after two rak’ahs. The report also says he did not raise his hands while sitting. The focus is clear and practical: prayer has ordered movements, and takbir marks key changes in the prayer. The ending also teaches a short but deep prayer for forgiveness. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asked Allah to forgive former and later sins, hidden and open sins, and ended by affirming that there is no god but Allah. The main lesson is humility in salah, both in body and in words.
What we learn from this hadith
- Takbir is connected with important movements in the obligatory prayer.
- Raising the hands is described at specific standing points, not while sitting.
- The prayer ends with a humble request for forgiveness for open and hidden sins.
- The hadith joins outward prayer actions with inner need before Allah.
