Author: Abdulrazzaq al-Maghribi
Date published: 2026-04-12
Updated: 2026-04-12
Hands while standing in prayer
Where should the hands be placed while standing in prayer? Should they be placed on the chest, below it, or below the navel, or is it also okay to let them hang at the sides of the body?
Below, we present the views of the madhhabs, and these rulings apply to both men and women.
- Imam Abu Hanifa: below the navel
- Imam Malik: leaving the hands hanging down the sides
- Imam al-Shafi'i: on the chest
- Imam Ahmad: right above the navel, or below the navel
- Ishaq ibn Rahawayh: on the chest, between chest and navel, or below the navel
١٣٨ - فِي وضع الْيَمين على الْيَسَار
قَالَ أَصْحَابنَا وَالثَّوْري وَالشَّافِعِيّ يضع يَمِينه على يسَاره
قَالَ أَصْحَابنَا تَحت السُّرَّة
وَقَالَ الشَّافِعِي عِنْد الصَّدْر
وَقَالَ مَالك وضع الْيَدَيْنِ إِحْدَاهمَا على الْأُخْرَى فِي الصَّلَاة إِنَّمَا يفعل فِي صَلَاة النَّوَافِل فِي طول الْقيام وَتَركه أحب إِلَيّ
وَقَالَ اللَّيْث يسدل الْيَمين فِي الصَّلَاة أحب إِلَيّ أَن لَا يُطِيل الْقيام فَلَا بَأْس أَن يضع يَده الْيُمْنَى على ذراعه الْيُسْرَى
وَقَالَ الْأَوْزَاعِيّ من شَاءَ فعل وَمن شَاءَ ترك
حَمَّاد بن سَلمَة عَن عَاصِم الجحدري عَن عقبَة بن صهْبَان عَن عَليّ رَضِي الله عَنهُ فِي قَوْله عز وَجل {فصل لِرَبِّك وانحر} قَالَ وضع الْيُمْنَى على الْيُسْرَى فِي الصَّلَاة
[اختلاف الفقهاء - الطحاوي - المجلد ١ - الصفحة ٢٠٢]
Al-Tahawi said:
"Regarding placing the right hand over the left
Our companions (Hanafis), as well as al-Thawri and al-Shafi‘i, say that one should place the right hand over the left.
Our companions say: below the navel.
Al-Shafi‘i said: on the chest.
Malik said: placing one hand over the other in prayer is only done in voluntary prayers during long standing, and leaving it is more beloved to me.
Al-Layth said: letting the hands hang in prayer is more beloved to me, unless one stands for a long time—in that case, there is no problem in placing the right hand over the left forearm.
Al-Awza‘ee said: whoever wishes may do it (placing the right over the left), and whoever wishes may leave it.
Hammad ibn Salamah narrated from ‘Asim al-Jahdari, from ‘Uqbah ibn Suhban, from ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding His statement, the Exalted: {So pray to your Lord and sacrifice} — he said: placing the right hand over the left in prayer."
[Ikthilaf al-Fuqaha - al-Tahawi - Volume 1 - Page 202]
وَاخْتَلَفُوا فِي الْمَكَانِ الَّذِي تُوضَعُ عَلَيْهِ الْيَدُ مِنَ السُّرَّةِ، فَقَالَتْ طَائِفَةٌ: تَكُونَانِ فَوْقَ السُّرَّةِ، وَرُوِيَ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ أَنَّهُ وَضَعَهُمَا عَلَى صَدْرِهِ، وَرُوِيَ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: فَوْقَ السُّرَّةِ، وَقَالَ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ: فَوْقَ السُّرَّةِ قَلِيلًا، وَإِنْ كَانَتْ تَحْتَ السُّرَّةِ فَلَا بَأْسَ. وَقَالَ آخَرُونَ: وَضْعُ الْأَيْدِي عَلَى الْأَيْدِي تَحْتَ السُّرَّةِ، رُوِيَ هَذَا الْقَوْلُ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، وَأَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ النَّخَعِيِّ، وَأَبِي مِجْلَزٍ.
[الأوسط - المجلد ٣ - الصفحة ٩٣]
Ibn al-Mundhir said:
"They differed regarding the place where the hands should be positioned in relation to the navel.
A group said: they should be placed above the navel. It is narrated from ‘Ali that he placed them on his chest, and it is narrated from Sa‘id ibn Jubayr that he said: above the navel.
Ahmad ibn Hanbal said: slightly above the navel, and if they are below the navel, then that is no problem either."
Others said: placing the hands over one another should be below the navel. This view is narrated from ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, Abu Hurayrah, Ibrahim al-Nakha‘i, and Abu Mijliz.
[Al-Awsat - Volume 3 - Page 93]
وَرَأَى بَعْضُهُمْ أَنْ يَضَعَهُمَا فَوْقَ السُّرَّةِ . وَرَأَى بَعْضُهُمْ أَنْ يَضَعَهُمَا تَحْتَ السُّرَّةِ . وَكُلُّ ذَلِكَ وَاسِعٌ عِنْدَهُمْ .
[سنن الترمذي ٢٥٢]
Imam al-Tirmidhi said:
"Some of them held the view that they should be placed above the navel, while others held the view that they should be placed below the navel. And all of that was considered acceptable (wide in allowance) by them."
[Sunan al-Tirmidhi 252]
قَالَ أَصْحَابنَا تَحت السُّرَّة
[اختلاف الفقهاء - الطحاوي - المجلد ١ - الصفحة ٢٠٢]
Al-Tahawi said: "Our companions (Hanafis) say: below the navel."
[Ikthilaf al-Fuqaha - al-Tahawi - Volume 1 - Page 202]
١٢٩٠ - حَدَّثنا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ قُتَيْبَةَ، قَالَ: ثنا أَبُو بَكْرٍ، قَالَ: ثنا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ زِيَادِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ عَنْ أَبِي جُحَيْفَةَ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَ: «مِنْ سُنَّةِ الصَّلَاةِ وَضْعُ الْأَيْدِي عَلَى الْأَيْدِي تَحْتَ السُّرَّةِ».
[الأوسط - المجلد ٣ - الصفحة ٩٤]
Ibn al-Mundhir mentioned:
Isma‘il ibn Qutaybah narrated to us, he said: Abu Bakr narrated to us, he said: Abu Mu‘awiyah narrated to us, from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Ishaq, from Ziyad ibn Zayd, from Abu Juhayfah, from ‘Ali, who said: “From the Sunnah of the prayer is placing the hands one over the other below the navel.”
[Al-Awsat - Volume 3 - Page 94]
١٢٩١ - حَدَّثنا مُوسَى بْنُ هَارُونَ، قَالَ: ثنا يَحْيَى بْنُ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ، قَالَ: ثنا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ بْنُ زِيَادٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ سَيَّارٍ أَبِي الْحَكَمِ، عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ: «مِنَ السُّنَّةِ أَنْ يَضَعَ الرَّجُلُ يَدَهُ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى الْيُسْرَى تَحْتَ السُّرَّةَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ».
[الأوسط - المجلد ٣ - الصفحة ٩٤]
Ibn al-Mundhir mentioned:
Musa ibn Harun narrated to us, saying: Yahya ibn ‘Abd al-Hamid narrated to us, saying: ‘Abd al-Wahid ibn Ziyad narrated to us, from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Ishaq, from Sayyar Abu al-Hakam, from Abu Wa’il, from Abu Hurayrah, who said: “It is from the Sunnah that a man places his right hand over his left hand below the navel in prayer.”
[Al-Awsat - Volume 3 - Page 94]
وَبِهِ قَالَ سُفْيَانُ الثَّوْرِيُّ، وَإِسْحَاقُ، وَقَالَ إِسْحَاقُ: تَحْتَ السُّرَّةِ أَقْوَى فِي الْحَدِيثِ، وَأَقْرَبُ إِلَى التَّوَاضُعِ.
[الأوسط - المجلد ٣ - الصفحة ٩٤]
Ibn al-Mundhir said:
"And this is also the view of Sufyan al-Thawri and Ishaq. Ishaq said: “Below the navel is stronger in terms of the hadith, and it is closer to humility.”"
[Al-Awsat - Volume 3 - Page 94]
فأمّا اختِلافُ الفُقَهاءِ في هذا البابِ، فذهَبَ مالكٌ، في رِوايةِ ابن القاسم عنهُ، واللَّيثُ بن سعدٍ إلى سَدْلِ اليَدَينِ في الصَّلاةِ.
[التمهيد - المجلد ١٢ - الصفحة ٤١٩]
Ibn Abdul-Barr said:
"As for the differences of the jurists in this chapter, Malik—according to the narration of Ibn al-Qasim from him—and al-Layth ibn Sa‘d held the view of letting the hands hang down in prayer (sadl al-yadayn)."
[Al-Tamheed - Volume 12 - Page 419]
قال مالكٌ (٢): وَضْعُ اليَدَينِ إحداهُما على الأُخْرَى في الصَّلاةِ إنَّما يُفعلُ ذلك في النَّوافِلِ، من طُولِ القِيام. قال: وتركُهُ أحبُّ إليَّ. هذه رِوايةُ ابن القاسم عنهُ.
وقال عنه غير ابن القاسم: لا بأسَ بذلك في الفَرِيضةِ والنّافِلةِ. وهي رِوايةُ المدنِيِّين عنهُ.
[التمهيد - المجلد ١٢ - الصفحة ٤١٩]
Ibn Abdul-Barr said:
"Malik said: Placing one hand over the other in prayer is only done in voluntary prayers when the standing is long. He said: but leaving it is more beloved to me. This is the narration of Ibn al-Qasim from him.
And others besides Ibn al-Qasim narrated from him (Malik): there is no problem in doing that (putting the right hand over the left) in both obligatory and voluntary prayers. This is the narration of the people of Madinah from him."
[Al-Tamheed - Volume 12 - Page 419]
من المستخرجة، رَوَى أشهب عن مالك، أنه لا بأس أن يضع يده اليمنى على كوع اليسرى، في الفريضة والنافلة.
[النوادر - ابن أبي زيد القيرواني - المجلد ١ - الصفحة ١٨٢]
Ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani said:
"From al-Mustakhraja, Ashhab narrated from Malik that there is no problem in placing the right hand over the left wrist in both obligatory and voluntary prayers."
[Al-Nawadir - Ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani - Volume 1 - Page 182]
وَقَدْ رُوِّينَا عَنْ غَيْرِ وَاحِدٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يُرْسِلُونَ أَيْدِيَهُمْ فِي الصَّلَاةِ إِرْسَالًا،
[الأوسط - المجلد ٣ - الصفحة ٩٢]
Ibn al-Mundhir said: "We have narrated from more than one of the people of knowledge that they used to let their hands hang freely in prayer (without placing one over the other)."
[Al-Awsat - Volume 3 - Page 92]
فَمِمَّنْ رُوِّينَا عَنْهُ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يُرْسِلُ يَدَيْهِ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، وَالْحَسَنُ الْبَصْرِيُّ، وَإِبْرَاهِيمُ النَّخَعِيُّ، وَابْنُ سِيرِينَ، وَرُوِيَ أَنَّ سَعِيدَ بْنَ جُبَيْرٍ رَأَى رَجُلًا يُصَلِّي وَاضِعًا إِحْدَى يَدَيْهِ عَلَى الْأُخْرَى فَذَهَبَ فَفَرَّقَ بَيْنَهُمَا.
[الأوسط - المجلد ٣ - الصفحة ٩٢]
Ibn al-Mundhir said:
"Among those from whom we have narrated that they used to let their hands hang freely are ‘Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr, al-Hasan al-Basri, Ibrahim al-Nakha‘ee, and Ibn Sirin.
It is also narrated that Sa‘id ibn Jubayr saw a man praying with one hand placed over the other, so he went and separated them."
[Al-Awsat - Volume 3 - Page 92]
١٢٨٨ - حَدَّثنا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، قَالَ: ثنا أَبُو بَكْرٍ، قَالَ: ثنا عُثْمَانُ، قَالَ: ثنا يَزِيدُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ عَمْرَو بْنَ دِينَارٍ، قَالَ: كَانَ ابْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ إِذَا صَلَّى يُرْسِلُ يَدَيْهِ ".
[الأوسط - المجلد ٣ - الصفحة ٩٣]
Ibn al-Mundhir mentioned:
Isma‘il narrated to us, he said: Abu Bakr narrated to us, he said: ‘Uthman narrated to us, he said: Yazid ibn Ibrahim narrated to us, he said: I heard ‘Amr ibn Dinar say: “Ibn al-Zubayr, when he prayed, used to let his hands hang freely.”
[Al-Awsat - Volume 3 - Page 93]
وَرَأَيْتُ ابْنَ جُرَيْجٍ يُصَلِّي فِي إِزَارٍ وَرِدَاءٍ مُسْبِلٌ يَدَيْهِ.
[مصنف عبد الرزاق - المجلد ٣ - الصفحة ١٠]
Abdurrazzaq mentioned:
And I saw Ibn Jurayj praying in an izar (lower garment) and a rida’ (upper garment), letting his hands hang freely.
[Musannaf Abdurrazzaq - Volume 3 - Page 10]
١٣٨ - فِي وضع الْيَمين على الْيَسَار
وَقَالَ الشَّافِعِي عِنْد الصَّدْر
[اختلاف الفقهاء - الطحاوي - المجلد ١ - الصفحة ٢٠٢]
Al-Tahawi said: "Al-Shafi‘i said: on the chest."
[Ikthilaf al-Fuqaha - al-Tahawi - Volume 1 - Page 202]
١٢٨٤ - حَدَّثنا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ، قَالَ: ثنا حَجَّاجٌ، قَالَ: ثنا حَمَّادٌ، عَنْ عَاصِمٍ الْجَحْدَرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي عُقْبَةَ بْنِ ظَبْيَانَ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ رِضْوَانُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ: " أَنَّهُ قَالَ فِي الْآيَةِ ﴿فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ﴾ [الكوثر: ٢] فَوَضَعَ يَدَهُ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى سَاعِدِهِ الْيُسْرَى ثُمَّ وَضَعَهَا عَلَى صَدْرِهِ ".
[الأوسط - المجلد ٣ - الصفحة ٩١]
Ibn al-Mundhir mentioned:
Ali ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz narrated to us, he said: Hajjaj narrated to us, he said: Hammad narrated to us, from ‘Asim al-Jahdari, from Abu ‘Uqbah ibn Dhabyan, from ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him), that he said regarding the verse: {So pray to your Lord and sacrifice} [Al-Kawthar: 2], that he placed his right hand over his left forearm and then placed them on his chest.
[Al-Awsat - Volume 3 - Page 91]
١٢٨٧ - حَدَّثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَ: ثنا سَعِيدٌ، قَالَ: ثنا هُشَيْمٌ، عَنْ مَنْصُورِ بْنِ زَاذَانَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبَانَ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ: «ثَلَاثٌ مِنَ النُّبُوَّةِ، تَعْجِيلُ الْإِفْطَارِ، وَتَأْخِيرُ السَّحُورِ، وَوَضْعُ الْيَدِ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى الْيُسْرَى فِي الصَّدْرِ».
[الأوسط - المجلد ٣ - الصفحة ٩٢]
Ibn al-Mundhir mentioned:
Muhammad ibn ‘Ali narrated to us, he said: Sa‘id narrated to us, he said: Hushaym narrated to us, from Mansur ibn Zadhan, from Muhammad ibn Aban al-Ansari, from ‘A’ishah, who said: “Three things are from prophethood: hastening the breaking of the fast, delaying the pre-dawn meal (suhoor), and placing the right hand over the left hand on the chest in prayer.”
[Al-Awsat - Volume 3 - Page 92]
ويجعلهما تحت السرة، لما روي عن علي أنه قال: «السنة وضع الكف على الكف في الصلاة تحت السرة» . رواه أبو داود. وعنه: فوق السرة. وعنه: أنه مخير.
[الكافي في فقه الإمام أحمد - ابن قدامة - المجلد ١ - الصفحة ٢٤٤]
Ibn Qudamah said:
"One should place them below the navel, based on what is narrated from ‘Ali, who said: ‘The Sunnah is placing the palm over the palm in prayer below the navel.’ This is narrated by Abu Dawud. It is also reported from Ahmad that it should be above the navel, and it is also reported from him that one may choose between the two."
[Al-Kafi fi Fiqh al-Imam Ahmad - Ibn Qudamah - Volume 1 - Page 244]
٢٦٠ - حَدثنَا قَالَ رَأَيْت ابي اذا صلى وضع يَدَيْهِ احدهما على الاخرى فَوق السُّرَّة
[مسائل عبد الله - الصفحة ٧٢]
Abdullah ibn Ahmad said: "I saw my father, when he prayed, placing his hands one over the other above the navel.
[Masail Abdullah - Page 72]
[[٢١٣-] قلت: أين يضع يمينه على شماله؟]
قال: كل هذا عندي واسع١.
[[٢١٤-] قلت: إذا وضع يمينه على شماله٢ أين (يضعهما) ٣؟]
قال: فوق السرة وتحته، كل هذا ليس بذاك٤.
قال إسحاق٥: كما قال تحت السرة أقوى في الحديث١ وأقرب إلى التواضع.٢.
[مسائل الكوسج - المجلد ٢ - الصفحة ٥٥٢]
Ishaq ibn Mansur al-Kawsaj said: "I asked (Imam Ahmad), “Where should one place his right hand over his left?” He said: “All of this, in my view, is broad (can be done).”
I said: “When he places his right hand over his left, where should he place them?” He said: “Above the navel and below it—both are acceptable. None of it is a problem.”
Ishaq said: “Like he (Ahmad) said (both can be done). Placing them below the navel is stronger (more mentioned) in hadith and closer to humility.”
[Masail al-Kawsaj - Volume 2 - Page 552]
وَسَمِعْتُهُ، يَقُولُ: " يَكْرَهُ أَنْ يَكُونَ، يَعْنِي: وَضْعَ الْيَدَيْنِ عِنْدَ الصَّدْرِ «.
[مسائل أبي داود - الصفحة ٤٨]
Abu Dawud mentioned: I heard him (Ahmad) say: “I dislike it that the hands be placed at the chest.
[Masail Abu Dawud - Page 48]
وَسَمِعْتُهُ،» سُئِلَ عَنْ وَضْعِهِ، فَقَالَ: فَوْقَ السُّرَّةِ قَلِيلًا، وَإِنْ كَانَ تَحْتَ السُّرَّةِ فَلَا بَأْسَ ".
[مسائل أبي داود - الصفحة ٤٨]
Abu Dawud mentioned: I heard him (Ahmad) say: He was asked about placing the hands, and he said: “Slightly above the navel, and if it is below the navel, then there is no problem.”
[Masail Abu Dawud - Page 48]
وَضْعُ الْيَمِينِ عَلَى الشِّمَالِ قُلْتُ لِأَحْمَدَ» وَضْعُ الْيَمِينِ عَلَى الشِّمَالِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ تَخْتَارُهُ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ «.
[مسائل أبي داود - الصفحة ٤٧]
Abu Dawud mentioned: I said to Ahmad, “Placing the right hand over the left in prayer—do you prefer it?” He said: “Yes.”
[Masail Abu Dawud - Page 47]
حَدثنَا قَالَ حَدثنِي ابي قَالَ نَا يحيى بن زَكَرِيَّا بن زَائِدَة ابو سعيد عَن عبد الرَّحْمَن بن اسحق عَن زِيَاد بن زيد السوَائِي عَن ابي جُحَيْفَة قَالَ عَليّ ان من السّنة فِي الصَّلَاة وضع الاكف على الاكف تَحت السُّرَّة
[مسائل عبد الله - الصفحة ٧٢-٧٣]
Abdullah ibn Ahmad mentioned:
My father (Ahmad) narrated to me, he said: Yahya ibn Zakariyya ibn Za’idah Abu Sa‘id narrated to us, from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Ishaq, from Ziyad ibn Zayd al-Suwa’i, from Abu Juhayfah, who said that ‘Ali said: “From the Sunnah in prayer is placing the palms over one another below the navel.”
[Masail Abdullah - Page 72-73]
وكان إسحاق يرى قضاء الوتر بعد الصبح ما لم يصل الفجر،١ ويرفع يديه في القنوت الشهر كله،٢ ويقنت قبل الركوع،٣ ويضع يديه على ثدييه أو تحت الثديين
[مسائل الكوسج - المجلد ٩ - الصفحة ٤٨٥١]
Al-Kawsaj said: "Ishaq viewed that one can make up Witr if he had not yet prayed Fajr. He would raise his hands in qunūt throughout, and he would perform qunūt before ruku‘. He would also place his hands on his chest, or below the chest."
[Masail al-Kawsaj - Volume 9 - Page 4851]
