ANSWERED: Why do we hold our hands the way we do in dua?

[Mossy]

Like a book open?

[Abdullah_Faysal]

Salam Mossy I heard the Prophet SAW never held his hands during a dua.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

[jaylen]

Salam Mossy I heard the Prophet SAW never held his hands during a dua.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

hmmm I heard the opposite. I heard that the Prophet Muhammad PBUH used to hold his hands together and so high that his arms would stretch as far as they could go (meaning high up in the air)..

Now I'm confused

if someone can please correct us if they know..

[Yusuf]

I remember reading that its good to lift your hands, the way we do, parallel to your chest, with a little bit of distance between each hand. This I read in my fiqh notes, so it must be a sunnah or mustahab.

[Zain121]

As Salaamu Alaykum,

If one was to search the collections of Ahadeeth (narrations), one will find that there are many ways in which Du'aa can be made.

The most common form of asking from Allah is the way we hold our hands up in line to our chest and our palms facing us slightly parted.

The reason we seek from Allah in this manner is because we are begging from Allah Subhaanhu Wa Ta'ala. We will see this practice in third world countries, where the beggars will life there hands in this manner seeking from the person, at times hold a piece of cloth between the palms in order to collect the money.

In similar way, we are begging from Allah to give us that which we need, we are showing him our humbleness and need. This quality is loved by Allah and therefore we will be given what we ask for, if Allah wills.

Similarly, it has been narrated that the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam would raise his hands far apart and high into the air, so much so that the Sahaaba (companions) would be able to see the whiteness of his underarm. This is similar to seeking from Allah as the above method, but taking into account that the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam would be asking for something immense. The bigger the need the wider the hands would be spread.

Another method which can also be found is similar to the method mentioned first; however the palms of the hand would face down instead of up. This was the gesture the Arabs would use and many of us also do, to indicate that we don't want such a thing or to get rid of something. This method was used when the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam would ask Allah to remove famine, difficulty, disease etc.

Finally, we can also find another method which was used whilst the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam would be mounted on his camel/horse. He would raise his finger (Shahaadah finger) and make Du'aa to Allah. This is also why some scholars believe we raise our finger during Tashahhud (final posture) in Salaam (prayers).

Wallahu A'lam bis Sawaab.

Wasalaam