Raf’ Yadayn In The Prayer

July 10, 2024

2 min read 2 min

Question

What is the difference between the viewpoints of Deobandis and Ahl-hadith on the question of raf’-yadayn?

Answer

I would suggest that it would be better if you wrote to the representatives of both the schools about their stance on raf’ yadain. I understand that the Hanafi School (which is followed by Deobandi scholars) does not permit raf’ yadain except for in the start of the salah. They do not follow the traditions which tell that the Prophet (sws) indeed did this while going into ruku’ and going into sajdah and standing after sajdah and qa’dah. The Hanafi school argues that the Prayer (sws) was taught by the Prophet (sws) to the entire generation of the Companions (rta) and that they followed the Prophet (sws) and then passed the form of the Practice on to the next generation with their consensus. Every successive generation of the believers passed on the practice with their consensus till it reached us. Since the Prayer is not a private matter which the Prophet (sws) offered at home or in seclusion so that only a number of individuals saw him and reported that he did raf’ yadain it is very unlikely that the practice of the communicty is wrong and the report of few is correct. The reports therefore need to be reinterpreted made in line with the more established fact.

We believe that the Hanafi view is justified and the reprots need to be re-interpreted. They might be telling us about some individual instances in the Prophet’s (sws) lifetime when he did do raf’ yadain. At the time of his death the form of the Prayer he taugh to the believers which did not include raf’ yadain after every rising and bowing. Therefore, insisting on that it is not all all allowed as Hanafis would do or ruling that it is necessary part of the Prayer as the ahl-e Hadith do is not very correct.

Answered by: Tariq Mahmood Hashmi

Date: 2015-02-13