*Chapter Three: The Recommended Acts
They are twenty seven
The general amongst them are seventeen, they are:
1- Raising the hands in the opening takbir[1]
2- Raising the hands in the qunut[2]
3- Raising the hands in the takbirs of eid[3]
4- Spreading[4] out of the fingers in all (of the three above)[5]
5- The Thana[6]
6- Placing the right hand upon the left[7]
7- The takbirs for movement including the qunut[8]
8- Glorification (tasbih) in bowing three times[9]
9- Grasping the knees when bowing[10]
10- Spreading out the fingers in it[11]
11- Standing up[12]
12- Sitting[13]
13- Prostrating upon seven limbs[14]
14- Glorification (tasbih) in prostration three times
15- Salutations upon the Prophet (s) after the tashahhud[15]
16- Supplication (dua) after it for himself and all of the believers[16]
17- Salam to the right and left[17]
They are twenty seven
The general amongst them are seventeen, they are:
1- Raising the hands in the opening takbir[1]
2- Raising the hands in the qunut[2]
3- Raising the hands in the takbirs of eid[3]
4- Spreading[4] out of the fingers in all (of the three above)[5]
5- The Thana[6]
6- Placing the right hand upon the left[7]
7- The takbirs for movement including the qunut[8]
8- Glorification (tasbih) in bowing three times[9]
9- Grasping the knees when bowing[10]
10- Spreading out the fingers in it[11]
11- Standing up[12]
12- Sitting[13]
13- Prostrating upon seven limbs[14]
14- Glorification (tasbih) in prostration three times
15- Salutations upon the Prophet (s) after the tashahhud[15]
16- Supplication (dua) after it for himself and all of the believers[16]
17- Salam to the right and left[17]
[1] Such that the thumbs are in line with the earlobes. A woman however raises her hands up to her shoulders. The hands are to be raised first and then the takbir is to be uttered according to Abu Hanifah and Muhammad bin Hasan al-Shaybani (Allah be pleased with them). This is the position of the generality of the hanafi scholars and is the view held by the authors of al-Wiqayah (p.147), al-Hidayah (1/46), al-Ghurar (1/65) and was chosen by al-Luknawi in al-Umdah (1/14).
The other view in the madhab is that the takbir should be uttered at the same time that the hands are raised, this is the view of Abu Yusuf (Allah be pleased with him) and is the apparent position of Mukhtasar al-Quduri (p.9) and was chosen by Qadi Khan in his Fatawa (1/85), the author of al-Muniyah (p.86) and al-Ghaznawi in his Muqaddimah.
[2] Meaning to raise the hands in a similar fashion in the takbir of qunut which is in the witr prayer. However here a man raises his hands up to the level of his shoulders. Durar al-Hukkam (1/66), Tabyin (1/109)
[3] Meaning likewise raising the hands up to the shoulders in the three extra takbirat in each unit of the eid prayer. Al-Tabyin (1/109), Durar al-Hukkam (1/66)
[4] This is by not totally closing tight the fingers nor spreading them out totally, rather they are left in their natural position. Al-Wiqayah (p.147), al-Tabyin (1/107), al-Maraqi (p.257)
[5] Meaning when raising the hands at these three places, the sunnah is to face the palm of the hand towards the direction of the qiblah. Al-Jawhar
[6] Meaning quietly
[7] They are to be placed below the navel. The palm of the right hand is placed on top of the left forming a ring at the wrist with the smallest finger and the thumb. A woman places her left hand upon her right on her chest without grasping. Al-Wiqayah (p.147), al-Maraqi (p.258-259)
[8] Meaning to recite the takbir in the bowing (ruku) and prostration (sujud), one does not utter the takbir when rising up from bowing but rather utters the tasmi’. Al-Tabyin (1/107), al-Maraqi (p.265)
[9] This is the least of the sunnah amount
[10] This is by grasping the knees whilst spreading out the fingers, with the back totally straight and inline with the head. Spreading out the fingers is not recommended except here where it is to aid the grasping of the knees so as to aid straightening the back when bowing. A woman however does not spread out her fingers nor does she straighten her back, she bows forward enough till her hands reach her knees. Al-Jawhar
[11] Meaning in the bowing
[12] Meaning rising up from the bowing such that the one praying comes to a still standing up. It is also reported from Abu Hanifah (Allah be pleased with him) that it is obligatory (fard). Al-Tabyin (1/107)
[13] Meaning rising up from prostration to a sitting position where the one praying is still.
[14] Meaning to place the hands and knees upon the ground when prostrating due to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) ordering this. It is regarded as being recommended. Tabyin al-Haqaiq (1/107)
[15] Meaning after the tashahhud in the last sitting of the prayer
[16] Meaning dua after the final tashahhud with that which resembles the wording of the Quran and Sunnah, not with that which resembles human speech e.g. To say ‘O Allah give me such and such amount of gold and silver’. Al-Tabyin (1/107), al-Maraqi (p.273)
[17] Meaning turning to the right and then the left with two salams.
The other view in the madhab is that the takbir should be uttered at the same time that the hands are raised, this is the view of Abu Yusuf (Allah be pleased with him) and is the apparent position of Mukhtasar al-Quduri (p.9) and was chosen by Qadi Khan in his Fatawa (1/85), the author of al-Muniyah (p.86) and al-Ghaznawi in his Muqaddimah.
[2] Meaning to raise the hands in a similar fashion in the takbir of qunut which is in the witr prayer. However here a man raises his hands up to the level of his shoulders. Durar al-Hukkam (1/66), Tabyin (1/109)
[3] Meaning likewise raising the hands up to the shoulders in the three extra takbirat in each unit of the eid prayer. Al-Tabyin (1/109), Durar al-Hukkam (1/66)
[4] This is by not totally closing tight the fingers nor spreading them out totally, rather they are left in their natural position. Al-Wiqayah (p.147), al-Tabyin (1/107), al-Maraqi (p.257)
[5] Meaning when raising the hands at these three places, the sunnah is to face the palm of the hand towards the direction of the qiblah. Al-Jawhar
[6] Meaning quietly
[7] They are to be placed below the navel. The palm of the right hand is placed on top of the left forming a ring at the wrist with the smallest finger and the thumb. A woman places her left hand upon her right on her chest without grasping. Al-Wiqayah (p.147), al-Maraqi (p.258-259)
[8] Meaning to recite the takbir in the bowing (ruku) and prostration (sujud), one does not utter the takbir when rising up from bowing but rather utters the tasmi’. Al-Tabyin (1/107), al-Maraqi (p.265)
[9] This is the least of the sunnah amount
[10] This is by grasping the knees whilst spreading out the fingers, with the back totally straight and inline with the head. Spreading out the fingers is not recommended except here where it is to aid the grasping of the knees so as to aid straightening the back when bowing. A woman however does not spread out her fingers nor does she straighten her back, she bows forward enough till her hands reach her knees. Al-Jawhar
[11] Meaning in the bowing
[12] Meaning rising up from the bowing such that the one praying comes to a still standing up. It is also reported from Abu Hanifah (Allah be pleased with him) that it is obligatory (fard). Al-Tabyin (1/107)
[13] Meaning rising up from prostration to a sitting position where the one praying is still.
[14] Meaning to place the hands and knees upon the ground when prostrating due to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) ordering this. It is regarded as being recommended. Tabyin al-Haqaiq (1/107)
[15] Meaning after the tashahhud in the last sitting of the prayer
[16] Meaning dua after the final tashahhud with that which resembles the wording of the Quran and Sunnah, not with that which resembles human speech e.g. To say ‘O Allah give me such and such amount of gold and silver’. Al-Tabyin (1/107), al-Maraqi (p.273)
[17] Meaning turning to the right and then the left with two salams.
