Hadith Analysis of Salafi Practice of Placing hand on Chest

A NEUTRAL ANALYSIS OF SALAFI/AHLE HADITH 

BROTHERS CLAIM THAT ONLY THEY ARE TRUE

The following discussion will Present the hadith and authenticity discussion and Status of hadith on keeping the hands on chest in Prayer.That form the basis of Slafi/Ahle Hdith brother practice and claim that only they are true. This claim was also done by Brother Dr.zakir Naik in one of his talk.

However, before all else it should be borne in mind that the debate is not regarding one method being prohibited and another permissible or Fardh. 

The discussion is not to establish the supremacy of one opinion over to other But to teach the muslims that there is difference of opinion and it is natural based on Ahadith.

Narration is that of Wa’il Ibn Hujr (RA) which is found in S’ahih-Ibn-Khuzamah. He reports,

“I performed Salaah with Rasoolullah (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam), (in which) he placed  his right hand on the left one. upon his chest.”

1.This particular report is from S’ahih-Ibn-Khuzamah. The same Wail Ibn Hajar Hadith version mentioned in Musnad-ul-Bazzar instead of the term. ‘upon his chest’ has the words. ‘near his chest’ and the one found in Musannaf-Ibn-Abi-Shavbah contains the statement. ‘beneath the navel’. 
2.The second reports, apparently establish the Shafi’ee’s point of view and the third one is in favour of the Hanafi’s opinion. 
3.It should be remembered, however, that all three reports do contain some type of a weakness. 
BUT SALAFI BROTHER CLAIM THAT THEIR HADITH IS SAHEEH ........TRULY SPEAKING..........

The report of Wa’il Ibn Hujr (RA) to be found in S’ahih-Ibn-Khuzamah  which has these extra words. ‘on his chest’ is also  weak Hadith (DAEEF). It is a weak Hadith for following reasons: 

 

1. Muaminil lbn Ismail reports the extra statement and he is known to be a weak narrator. He is said to have made a great deal of mistakes in the later part of his life when he was forced to resort to narrating from his memory due to his books becoming buried. lmaam Dhahabi (RA) states in Al-Mizan (on the Authority of Imam Bukhari (RA)). “His hadith are disowned.” Abu Hatim (RA) informs, ‘He made a great deal of mistakes.” Abu Zur’ah (RA) states. “His narrations contain a lot of mistakes.”

  2.This same hadiih. although mentioned in many other books of ahadith, through various chains of narrations does not contain these extra words (on the chest) in any other one of the transmissions. This indicates that the narrations which contain that statement are only narrated through Muammil Ibn Ismail, who has been proven to be dha ‘eef.

Adding to this. Allamah Nimwi presents the same narration in his book through Abu Daud. Nasai and lbn Majah. It is also found in the Musnad of Abu Daud At Tayalisi. but none of them have any transmission which contains these extra words. ‘On the chest’. 

  3.Hafiz Ibn Hajar has confirmed in Fathul-Baari that the link of Muammil Ibn Ismail from Sufvan Thawri is weak. 

4. Sufyan Thawri (who is mentioned in the chain of transmission) held the opinion of placing the hands beneath the navel thus, when his narration is found to be on the contrary, it will not be accepted. according to the rules of jurisprudence. 

5.All the ahadith of S’ahih-Ibn-Khuzamah are asserted by some to be sahih. but this claim is not entirely true. Allamah Suyuti (RA) has stated in his book, Tadreebur-Rawi, that S’ahih-Ibn-Khuzamah also contains weak and munkar (disowned) reports. 

CONCLUSION..........

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JAZAKALLAH