Question

How do we know that the majority of the Companions of the Prophet (sws) and their Successors (tabi’oon) did or did not perform rafa’ al yadain? Can you cite proper references?

Answer

Thank you for the email. I would refer you to the view of the Hanafi scholars in this regard which is very sound. They hold that the Prophet (sws) offered the Prayer openly before the multitude of the Companions. The Companions did not abandon the Prayer so that the method of the ritual could go into oblivion. They continued the practice and handed it down to the next generation namely the tabi’oon. The tabi;oon transmitted the practice to the next generation with their consensus. Now this process goes on till our time. The Hanafi scholars did not act upon the many traditions about rafa’ al-yadain saying that the practice received through consensus of the Companion and all the next generations cannot be abandoned on the basis of individual-to-individual narratives (khabr-e wahid). I belive their view is sound and cannot be refuted on the basis of reason and revelation.

Answered by: Tariq Mahmood Hashmi

Date: 2015-03-07