Raising the hands in prayer

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to raise his hands for takbeerat al-ihram (the takbeer at the beginning of the prayer), sometimes whilst saying the takbeer, sometimes after it and sometimes before. (al-Bukhari and al-Nisaa’i)

When he had finished reciting Quran, he would pause for a moment then raise his hands, say takbeer and do rukoo’.

(Sifat Salat al-Nabi (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), p. 128).

He used to raise his hands when he stood up from rukoo’

(reported by al-Bukhaari and Muslim), and this raising of the hands is mutawaatir (reported by so many to so many that it is inconceivable that they could all have agreed on a lie). It is the opinion of the majority of scholars and of some of the Hanafis. (Sifat Salat al-Nabi (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) by al-Albaani, p. 136).

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to say takbeer when he got up for the third rak’ah

(reported by al-Bukhaari and Muslim), and he would raise his hands sometimes when he said this takbeer. (al-Bukhaari and Abu Dawood). (Sifat Salat al-Nabi (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), p. 177).

Raising the hands in prayer was a well-known practice among the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Imaam al-Bukhaari said: “Al-Hasan and Humayd ibn Hilaal said: ‘The Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) all used to raise their hands, without exception.”

(Juz’ raf’ al-yadayn, p. 26, ma’a jila’ al-‘aynayn).

Ibn al-Qayyim said: “Look at the practice at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and the Sahaabah after him. They used to raise their hands in prayer when doing rukoo’, and when standing up again. And in the time of the Sahaabah, if ‘Abd-Allah ibn ‘Umar saw someone not raising his hands in prayer, he would throw a stone at him. [next phrase is unclear].

(I’laam al-Muwaqqi’een, 2/376).

So what is proven in the Sunnah with regard to raising the hands in prayer is that they should be raised at four points in the prayer: when pronouncing takbeerat al-ihram, when doing rukoo’, when standing up from rukoo’, and after standing up from the first tashahhud.

And Allah knows best.