In this context, we recall the Hadith of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him,“Prayer is the cornerstone of religion…” In Islam, Prayer stands as the second pillar of Islam after testifying that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His final Messenger. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Islam is built upon five pillars: testifying that there is no true god except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, performing Prayer, paying the Zakah, making the pilgrimage to the Sacred House (Hajj), and fasting the month of Ramadan.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari)
Prayer has a certain time in which a Muslim should offer it. Allah says, “Worship at fixed hours hath been enjoined on the believers.” (An-Nisa’: 103)
Sheikh Sayyed Sabiq, states in his well-known book, Fiqh As-Sunnah, in this regard has stated that: “Amongst the Sunnah acts of Prayer is placing the right hand upon the left hand:
Placing the right hand over the left one is preferred in Prayer. There are twenty Hadiths on this effect. In this context, Sahl ibn Sa`d said, “People were ordered to place their right hand on their left hand in Prayer.” Commenting on this saying, Abu Hazm said, “I do not know if Sahl ascribed this Hadith to the Prophet or not.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari, Ahmad and Malik)
Al-Hafez said, “Sahl’s saying indicates that it was the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, who ordered people to place their right hand over their left on in Prayer.”
Al-Hafiz, also, reported that the Prophet, peace and ble
ssings be upon him, said, “All prophets were ordered to hasten the breaking of the fast, to delay the Suhur (pre-fast dawn meal), and to place their right hands on their left ones in Prayer.”
The position of the hands in Prayer:
Al-Kamal ibn Al-Hamam said, “There is no authentic Hadith stating that one must place the hands under the chest or below the navel. According to the Hanafi school of Fiqh (Jurisprudence), the hands are to be placed below the navel, and the Shaf`iyyah say that it is to be below the chest. Ahmad has two different opinions on this issue. However, the correct position is to place the hands between the navel and the chest.”
At-Tirmizhi said, “Knowledgeable Companions of the Prophet, their followers and those that came after them believed that one should put his right hand over the left hand in Prayer, while some of them say that the hands is to be above the navel and others prefer it to be below the navel…”
Nevertheless, there is a Hadith that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, placed his hands on his chest. Hulb At-Ta’i said, “I saw the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, praying with his right hand over his left one, placing them on his chest above the elbow.” (Reported by Ahmad)
Wa’il ibn Hajr reported, “Once when I was praying with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, he placed his right hand over his left hand upon his chest.” (Reported by Ibn Khuzaimah)”
In the light of the above Fatwa, it becomes crystal clear that placing the right hand over the left one while standing in Prayer is the Sunnah of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. There are different opinions regarding the position of the hands on the chest or the navel. One, however, has to choose that which helps him maintain humbleness and concentration in Prayer.”