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Detailed Answer:
Question:is placing the hand over another considered as tradition or innovation (Bidaa)?
Answer: in prayer, placing the hand over another is an innovation which was made after the death of the prophet –s.a-. In this regard, we state two valid hadith from Sunnis and shi’a. These two hadith are absolute proofs for this matter that the prophet and his households kept their hands hanging in the prayer and placing the hand on another has been innovated after the death of the prophet –s.a-.
A: Abu Hamid Saa’edi’s hadith
This hadith has been quoted by some of scholars of hadith. Here we refer to Sunan Baihaqi: Haafez ‘Abdullaah has narrated that Abu Hamid Saa’edi said “do you want I inform you about the quality of the prayer of the prophet?”, “what for? You have not accompanied and followed him more than us”, they said. He said “yes”. They told him “then tell us”. He said “the prophet used to stand upright, while raised his hands up to the shoulders, then he recited Takbir (recitation of the phrase < Allahu Akbar>) so that all of the parts of his body were at ease, and then recited Al-Hamd Sura. He raised his hands up to the shoulders and bowed down while putting palms on the knees and keeping the head level with his body. when he was going to standing position, said <Sami' allaahu liman hamidah> and raised his hands up to the ears and completely stood up and said <Allahu Akbar> and went down to Sajda (prostration) position [kneeling and having hands on the floor], then he separated his hands from the sides and sat up incline toward his left foot. He kept his toes apart while going to Sajda (prostration) position. Then sat up incline toward his left foot and said <Allahu Akbar>. He also did the same for the next Rak’at (unit of prayer). After two Rak’at, he recited Takbir and raised his hands up to the shoulders as he did at the beginning of prayer, he continued his prayer in the same way. In the last Sajda -in which there is Salaam or Tashahud- he brought back his left foot and while bending, sit up on his foot”. Everyone said “he is right. The messenger of God –s.a- used to perform prayer in this way”. (1)
The following narrative is from Shia’:
B: Hemaad Ibne ‘Isaa’s hadith
Hemaad Ibne ‘Isaa has quoted from Imam Saadeq –pbuh- that he said “this is pity that a sixty or seventy years old person has not performed a complete and correct prayer during his life”. Hemaad said “I was ashamed of myself so I asked him to teach me the correct way of performing prayer”, then Imam Saadeq –pbuh- faced Qibla (the direction of Mecca), kept his hands hanging by his sides, kept his fingers together, separated his feet equal to three opened fingers and all of his toes faced Qibla, he has been standing with humbleness and modesty, he said < Allahu akbar> (Allah is great) and then recited Al-Hamd Sura (with melodic recitation) and Fateha Sura, he paused for a moment, said < Allahu akbar> and bowed down (Ruk’u), he placed his fingers on the knees and pushed his knees back until spread his waist so that in the case of pouring drops of grease, they will not fall from his waist. He did not bend his neck, closed his eyes and recited <Subhaana Laah> three times with melodic recitation. And after saying <Subhaana Rabbiy al-‘Azheeme Va Behamdeh> stood and after a moment said <Sami' allaahu liman hamidah >. While standing, he said < Allahu akbar>, then raised his hands up to his face and performed Sajda, at first he put his hands, then his knees on the floor and said three times <Subhaana rabbiyal 'Alaa Va Behamdeh>, he did not place any part of his body on another. While performing Sajda, eight parts of his body touched the floor: forehead, palms, knees, bottom of two toes and nose. The touching of seven of them is obligatory, except than the nose which is tradition and is kind of prostration. Then raised off and completely sat down and said < Allahu akbar>. Then he sat incline toward the left side, placed his right foot on the left sole and said <Astaqforo Laaha Rabby Va A’tubo Alayh >, while sitting he recited Takbir and performed Sajda again and said the same words of first Sajda. While performing Ruku’ and Sajda, he did not involve any other part of his body. In Sajda he separated his hands from the body and did not put his forearms on the floor. He performed two Rak’ats in this way. Then he told Hemaad “O Hemaad, perform your prayer in this way, do not look around or play with your fingers nor spit left, right or front”. (2)
Both of narratives regard the quality of obligatory prayer for the people, and in which, it is not referred to any kind of placing hand over the other. If that was tradition, Imam Saadeq –pbuh- would referred to that, while he has showed us how the prophet –s.a- performed prayer, he has learned it from his father, Imam Baaqer –pbuh- ,he from his fathers, they from Imam Ali –pbuh- and he from The prophet –s.a-. So placing hand over the other is innovation (Bidaa), since that is something which is innovated and it wasn’t part of divine law of Islam. (3)
1. Sunan Baihaqi: volume2, page 72, 73, 101 and 102; Sunan Aby Daavud: volume1, page 194; Sunan Termizi: volume2, page 98; Musnad Ahmad: volume5, page 424
2. Vasaa’el Al-shi’a: volume4, the first chapter of Af’aal Namaz, hadith1 and also chapter 17, hadith 1 and 2
3. The aspects of shia’s creed, page 389
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