The Innovation of Raising the Hands in Qunut al-Witr and Saying Allahu Akbar – Imam Badi ud deen Shah Rashidi Sindhi [1416H]

The Innovation of Raising the Hands in Qunut al-Witr and Saying Allahu Akbar

Imam Badi ud deen Shah Rashidi Sindhi (1416H)

Compiled and Translated

Abu Hibban & Abu Khuzaimah Ansaari

Reciting qunut before or after the ruku in the last rakah are both established from the Messenger of Allaah (Sallalahu Alayhee Wasallam) (Bukhari, Nasai and others) however the narrations mentioning reciting the qunut after the ruku are more in number hence this is given precedence (Baihaqi).

Furtheremore, raising the hands during the qunut or saying Allahu Akbar is a Bidah ie an innovation because there is no evidence for both actions in any hadith, rather infact there is no authentic chain reported from a companion that they raised their hands at such an instance.

On the contrary those who opine that one should raise their hands do so by reasoning (Qiyas) on the raising of the hands in the Qunut an-Nazilah ie calamity or affliction for example like Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal has verified and accepted. (Mukhtasar Qiyam ul-Layl)

With regards to any individual from the Ummah saying that we should raise our hands cannot be superimposed on the words of the leaders of both words the Messenger of Allaah (Sallalahu Alayhee Wasallam), even though if it may be good to observe or to look at (ie the action of dua in the Witr) whereas in reality he is free from it.

If however it was something good or beneficial the Messenger of Allaah (Sallalahu Alayhee Wasallam) would have most definitely not kept it from us because this would be treachery and Allah has purified him of this.

Refer to Raf’a as-Satr Min Ahkam al-Witr, manuscript form