The reason behind the Maliki position on leaving their hands on the side – Sadl al-Yadain
Many Muslims are under the impression that the reason why Imam Malik actually favored the view of leaving his hands to the side and praying was because the khalifah during his time Abu Ja`far al-Mansour had him beaten to the extent that Imam Malik was unable to fold his hands and pray. Now though this has been read in many fataawa and books like evolution of Fiqh by Dr. bilal philips hafidhahullah and others such as Shaykh Saleh al-Munnajid hafidhahullah and elsewhere, the reality is something different. Now i don’t doubt Imam Malik would have been beaten or tortured because we do have reports as such
أنا أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ، ثنا أَبِي، ثنا حَرْمَلَةُ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ الشَّافِعِيَّ، قَالَ: ” كَانَ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ الْهَاشِمِيُّ، فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى مَالِكٍ، فَقَالَ: أَنْتَ الَّذِي تُفْتِي فِي الإِكْرَاةِ، وَإِبْطَالِ الْبَيْعَةِ؟ ! فَضَرَبَهُ مُجَرَّدًا مِائَةً، حَتَّى أَصَابَ كَتِفَهُ خَلْعٌ، وَكَانَ لا يَزُرُّ أَزْرَارَهُ بِيَدِهِ “.قَالَ حَرْمَلَةُ: هُوَ جَدُّ جَعْفَرٍ الْقَاضِي.قَالَ حَرْمَلَةُ: قَالَ ابْنُ وَهْبٍ: مَكَثَ مَالِكُ بْنُ أَنَسٍ حَتَّى مَاتَ، لا يَقْدِرُ أَنْ يَزُرَّ زِرَّهُ بِيَدِهِ الْيُسْرَى، مِنْ شِدَّةِ مَا مُدَّتْ، حَيْثُ ضُرِبَ(آداب الخافعي:156،سنده صحيح)
Imam malik was also beaten i.e 100 lashes on the bare back and his shoulder was displaced and he could not even close the button of his shirt
[Ref: Aadaab As-Shafa’i Libni Abi Haatim P 156,authenticated by Muhaddis ul asr Shaykh Zubayr rahimahullah, ,Maqalaat Vol 5,page 564]
but to say that the beatings were a primary reason why Imam Malik kept it on the sides is academically incorrect. So this short and quick compilation will only enlist the narrations Malikis use in their favour along with a very brief hukum on it and nothing else. I am not getting into it’s validity , the different views in the Maliki Madhab, or the different arguments for different narrations, so on and so forth.
I came across some narrations which i thought to quickly , enlist and give a summarized hukum on them. To give a head start, the reason why Malikis practice sadl is
A) The Malikis say : Near Imam Malik and the fuqaha of Madeenah and the `amal of madeenah was a bigger proof than a single hadeeth. i cannot explain this usool at length here because it is too detailed and requires proper referencing. However, Imam Malik’s view is based on the Taba`een and the people of madeenah whom he happened to take this stance from (though this is argued to be weak by some Aimmah). Imam malik himself has enlisted two ahadeeth on tying or folding the hands in his muwatta and the maliki fuqaha and others have stated the reason being is Imam malik did not hold the opinion of typing the hands as haraam. his opinion was that both qabd (tying) and sadl (leaving) are permissible but what the modern day or say recent mutakhhireen Mailki `Ulema have taken is from the report of Ibn al-Qaasim :
Ibn al-Qasim in al-Mudawanna(1:74 or 79 or 1/111)
الامام مالك بن أنس :
جاء في المدوتة قال ابن القاسم قال مالك في وضع اليمنى على اليسرى فيالصلاة لاأعرف ذالك في الفريضة ولكن في النوافل لابأس بذالك , يعين به على نفسه ( المدونةج1 ص79 ).
قال الامام السيوطي خالف مالك موطئه في ستين موضعاً ( تنوير الحوالك1 ,ص9 )
Imam Malik is reported to have said in al-Mudawanna about putting the right hand over the left while in prayer” I do not know of this practice as far as obligatory prayers are concerned (Laa `arifu dhaalikafil fareeda) but there is no harm in someone doing it in voluntary prayers ifhe has been standing for a long time in order to make things easier for him
Note: See the takhreej of this statement below . Though this document is not compiled with the intention of refuting the Maliki stance for it is too lengthy and detailed, nevertheless, i deem it important to clarify this particular riwaayah coming from Ibn al-Qaasim for many of our modern day maliki brothers have developed and enshrined this aspect of salah based on this particular statement – encircled by the best ta`weelat possible
B) Second reason (or not, just my personal opinion from what I’ve observed) is that the narrations of sadl , due to the identical meaning of this word used in context to trailing our garment and leaving the hands aside, many of Maliki scholars have quoted in support of their stance some of the narrations which originally or actually are referring to the trailing of the thawb. This will be explained ahead in sha allah.
Below i have gathered only few narrations that speak or are used by the Malikis as a proof for their stance. I haven’t translated all of them because this is just a quick compilation i am doing right now. But all the narrations underneath enlist the Taba`een and other aslaaf such as ibrahim an nakha`ee, hasan basri, `ata ibn abi raibah, so on and so forth plus one sahaabi to whom the practice of sadl is attributed. Now according to what i’ve come across the narrations mentioning the `amal of many of the salaf are weak except 3, Nevertheless, my aim was to only enlist these narrations and comment on what i’ve found. I’ll keep editing and explanding them as and when required.
رحم الله امرأ أهدى إلي عيوبي
May Allah have mercy on the one who shows me my faults.
[A statement attributed to `Umar radhiallahu anhu in Sunan ad-Darimee1/506 or 1/166 or # 675 with a weak chain and Ahmad Shaakir (ed.), ar-Risalahof ash-Shaf`ee, P: 73 footnote no. 8 SeeDr. Muhammad Adhmi’s book titled “ Thehistory of the quranic text page 20 “]
1)
أبوبكر الصديق : روى الامام أحمد قال حدثنا عبد الرزاق قال : أهل مكة يقولون : أخذ ابن جريج الصلاة من عطاء وأخدها عطاء من ابن الزبير وأخذها ابن الزبير من أبي بكر وأخذها أبوبكر من النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم
وابن الزبير كان يسدل في الصلاة باتفاق الائمة وكذالك ابن جريج الذي أخذها من عطاء ( المغني ج1ص334 ) ( نيل الاوطار 2 ,201 ) ( المصنف لعبد الرزاق ج2 ص276 )
( فتح المالك 3, 198 )
The attribution to Ibn Jurayj praying with `ata, Ibn Zubayr radhiallahu anhu, with abu bakr radhiallahu anhu and the prophet is done without enlisting the names of Ahl al-Makkah. thus their `adalah, etc is unknown.
Nevertheless, the Malikis do consider Ibn az-Zubayr and Jurayj and even `Ata practicing sadl
As a matter of fact, on the contrary it is mentioned in al-Musannaf of Ibn Abi Shaybah that Yahya ibn Sa`eed narrated to us from Thawr from Khaalid bin Madaan from Abu Ziyaad, the free slave of `Ali Daraaj: “ I will never forget that when Abu Bakr as-Siddiqui used to stand up in prayer he would place his right hand over his left (hand).
The sanad is saheeh and the men are of Bukhaari except for Abu Ziyaad and al-Haafidh ibn Asaakir provides his biography twice emphasizing that he reported from Abu Bakr
[ See: Tareekh ad-Dimishq, under the letter ‘zay’ titled Ziyaad Mawla `Ali Daraaj al-Qurayshi al-Jahmi [no. 2320 and 8533]]
2)
علي ابن أبي طالب : روى ابن حزم عن علي : أنه اذا طول في الصلاة يمسك بيده اليمنى ذراعه اليسرى في أصل الكف ( المحلي ج3 ص 313 رقم 448 ) .
Ibn hazam brought this chain-less and on the contrary to this we have other narrations of `Ali radhiallahu anhu wherein he prays with his hands folded.
3)
} عبد الله ابن الزبير قال ابن المنذر مما روينا عنه الارسال ابن الزبير ( تفسير القرطبي ج 20 ص221 )
وقال الشوكاني : روى عن ابن المنذر عن ابن الزبير : أنه يرسلهما ولايضع اليمنى على اليسرى . ( نيل الأوطار ج 2 ص 201 )
Ibn Zubayr radhiallahu is reported to leave his hands and pray and not put the right one over the left.
This is also brought forth by Ibn abi Shaybah in 3971 via
حَدَّثَنَا عَفَّانُ , قَالَ : حدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ إبْرَاهِيمَ ، قَالَ : سَمِعْتُ عَمْرو بْنَ دِينَارٍ ، قَالَ : كَانَ ابْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ إذَا صَلَّى يُرْسِلُ يَدَيْهِ.
`Affan narrated to us that Yazeed ibn Ibraaheem narrated to us that he said : “I heard `Amr ibn Deenaar say : `Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr (the grandson of Abu bakr as-Siddique), whenever he prayed, he used to lay his hands (to the side)
The chain upto az-Zubayr is saheeh and we argue that maybe he liked praying as such, maybe it was preferred according to him or maybe he wanted to show the people that Qabd (tying) is not wajib. Imaam Ibn `Abdil Birr al-Maaliki rahimahullah said :
A scholar may pray with his hands by the sides in order to show the people that it is not wajib (to make qabd)
[Ref: At-Tamheed , Vol. 2, Page 76, Baab : `Abdul Kareem bin Maalik al-Jazaari]
Another hadeeth adjoined with this for the purpose of Istedlaal is the statement of Ibn `Abbas wherein he says the most beloved or closest prayer resembling to the prophet is of `Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr :
قال ابن عباس رضى الله عنهما من أحب أن ينظر الى صلاة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فليقتد بابن الزبير ( تلخيص الحبير لابن حجر العسقلاني ج1 ص 542) ( سنن أبي داوود رقم 735 ) .
this is weak because
ميمون المكي is majhool as said in at-taqreeb by al-Hafidh (7054)
the narrator Ibn Lahee`a is weak. Shaykh Zubayr rahimahullah said here that he narrated this after his ikhtilaat. Also He is mentioned in Tabaqaat al-Muddaliseen (5/140) and Imam al-Haythami in Majma` az-Zawaid (10/375) said : he has been weakened by the majority . Moreover the samaa`of this narration is not found. See fath al-Mubeen
Even if we consider this to be saheeh, yet to deduce any hint of leaving the hands from this hadeeth is far from wisdom
4)
أبو أمامة بن سهل بن حنيف الأنصاري الأوسي المدني : عن بكر بن عمرو المعافري قال
لم أر أبا أمامة واضعاً إحدى يديه على الأخرى قط
Abu Zur`ah narrated this whole version in tareekh via ibn Asaakir (1785 – page 622)
sanad : وَحَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ يَحْيَى المَعَافِرِيِّ عَنْ حَيْوَةَ عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو: أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَرَ أَبَا أُمَامَةَ……
the narrators of this chain overall are thiqah except بكر بن عمرو المعافري المصري – the Imaam of Masjid al-Jaami` of Misr
some have praised him some have not.
E.g
- Ibn abi Haatim in Jarh wa Ta`deel said he’s a shaykh
- Ahmad ibn Hanbal said : يروى لهDaraqutni said يعتبر بهAl-Hakim said : ينظر في أمره
- Ibn al-Qattan said:
وَلَا تعلم عَدَالَته ، وَإِنَّمَا هُوَ من الشُّيُوخ الَّذين لَا يعْرفُونَ بِالْعلمِ ، وَإِنَّمَا وَقعت لَهُم رِوَايَات أخذت عَنْهُم .
- But al-Hafidh in Taqreeb praising him said :
بكر بن عمرو المعافري المصري إمام جامعها صدوق عابد من السادسة
5)
الامام سعيد ابن المسيب : عند عبد الله بن يزيد قال مارأيت سعيد بن المسيب قابضاً يمينه على شماله في الصلاة كان يرسلهما ( فتح المالك ج 3ص199 ) .
`Umar ibn Haroon narrated to us on the authority of ‘Abd Allah ibn Yazid who said, “I never saw Sa`eed ibn al-Musayyib (one of the most knowledgable taba`ee) holding his left hand with his right hand in the prayer, (rather) he used to leave them straight
This has come in At-Tamheed 20/76 via the route [Shamela users see the fifth line]
وَذَكَرَ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ هَارُونَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ…
Also narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah ibn his Musannaf (3973)
- Al Hafidh Ibn Hajar said in at-Taqreeb at-Tadheeb (page 728, no. 5014) that `Umar ibn Haroon is matrook but was a haafidh.
- Ar-Raazi , Yahya ibn Ma`in , Ibn Mubarak, `Abdur rahman ibn al-Mahdi said he’s a liar.
- Adh-Dhahabi said he was confused, so this hadeeth is weak. Adh-Dhahabi also said in Tadhkirat al-Huffadh (vol.1 , page 341) that there is no doubt in his ( `Umar ibn Haroon) weakness, but he was an Imaam and Haafidh in the letters of recitations.
- He was also called a khabeeth :
وقال الحسين بن حيان قال أبو زكريا عمر بن هارون البلخي كذاب خبيث ليس حديثه بشيء
- Ibn al-Mubarak :
– وقال ابن أبي حاتم سألت أبي عنه فقال تكلم فيه بن المبارك فذهب حديثه
- Ibn Jarood & ابن التبان both said he is nothing and he is not strong
6)
Imam al-Shawkani and others stated:
الحسن البصري : روى ابن المنذر عن الحسن البصري أنه يرسلهما ولايضع اليمنى على اليسرى ( نيل الأوطار 2 , 201 ) .
Ibn al-Munthir narrated that Ibn al-Zubayr, al-Hasan al-Basri and al-Nakha`ee all used to lay their arms straight in the prayer, and not put their/the right hand over the left.
Ibn abi shaybah narrated this in his Musannaf (3970) under the chapter ‘Man kaana yursal yadayhu fis salaah’ [Those who used to leave their hands by their sides]
it is da`eef due to the tadlees of هشيم [Hushaym bin Basheer bin al-Qaasim bin Deenar] , who is considered thiqah or among the aimmah but he is a severe muddalis. Imam ibn Hajar put him in the third category .
قال ابن العجمي : مشهور بالتدليس مكثر منه
Likewise , Mugheera bin Muqsim ad-Dabbee who is though thiqah, but a muddallis too.
7)
قَالَ أَبُو عُمَرَ رُوِيَ عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ أَنَّهُ قَالَ إِنْ كَانَ وَضَعَ الْيَمِينَ عَلَى الشِّمَالِ فعلى كفه أو على الرسغ عند الصَّدْرِ وَكَانَ يَكْرَهُ ذَلِكَ وَلَا وَجْهَ لِكَرَاهِيَةِ مَنْ كَرِهَ ذَلِكَ……..
Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr narrated in his book, al-Tamheed that:
Mujahid said, “If the right hand is to be placed over the left, then it should be on the palm or the wrist on the chest.” The narrator added from Mujahid, “and he hated that.”
Again Ibn abi Shaybah narrated this in his Musannaf 3968 via :
حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصٌ ، عَنْ لَيْثٍ [1] ، عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ :
He is ابن أبي سليم [1]
- Ibn Hajar , Abu Haatim and Abu Zur`ah said he is known for making mistakes, has a lot of idtiraab. Ibn Hajar said but he’s sudooq
- like wise Imam Ahmad said almost the same : مضطرب الحديث ولكن حدث الناس عنه
- Imam hakim said he has a poor memory
- Ibn Shaheen said like wise in hi ath-Thiqaat that he is turthful but not a Hujjah
8)
وَذَكَرَ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْعَيْزَارِ قَالَ كُنْتُ أَطُوفُ مَعَ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ فَرَأَى رَجُلًا يُصَلِّي وَاضِعًا إِحْدَى يَدَيْهِ عَلَى الْأُخْرَى هَذِهِ عَلَى هَذِهِ وَهَذِهِ عَلَى هَذِهِ فَذَهَبَ فَفَرَّقَ بَيْنَهُمَا ثُمَّ جَاءَ
( فتح المالك ج3 ص199 ) It has come in
( and Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr also narrates in at-Tamheed (20/76
Yahya ibn Sa`eed narrated on the authority of ‘Abd Allah ibn al-`Ayzar who said, “I used to make tawaaf around the Ka`bah with Sa`eed ibn al-Jubayr. Once, he saw a man placing one hand over the other, so he went to him, separated his hands, and then returned to me.
- `Abdullah ibn al-`Ayzar is probably `Ubaydullah ibn al-`Ayzar who is among the shuyukh of Yahya ibn Sa`eed al-Qattan and was declared as thiqah by him as well as Ibn Hibban in his Thiqaat.
- So this is authentic upto Sa`eed ibn al-Jubayr rahimahullah.
- Anyways Imaam of the Malikis, Ibn `Abdil Birr states : It is possible that Sa`eed saw a man placing his left hand over his right (instead of the correct way i.e right over left) and thus went to correct him as it has been relayed by the prophet (sallalahu `alayhi wa sallam) who (likewise) corrected/taught Ibn Mas`ood radhiallahu anhu. And this interpretation is accurate because it is reported that Sa`eed ibn al-Jubayr used to tie his hands (right over left) above the navel
[Ref: At-Tamheed , Vol. 2, Page 76, Baab : `Abdul Kareem bin Maalik al-Jazaari]
9)
الامام التابعي عطاء ابن أبي رباح : عن ابن جريج قال كثيراً مارأيت عطاء يصلي سادلاً
( المعيارالجديد ج1 ص294 )
Ibn Jurayj said that i often saw `Ata praying with sadl [ here the meaning argued by some `Ulema is trailing his garment but the malikis take this sadl to mean as if leaving his hands and praying]
This is taken by some to mean the trailing of the garments, because Imam abi dawood brings a hadeeth above this one wherein the prophet meant to say that trailing the garment whilst prayer is not allowed. And we have the famous disputed hadeeth of the salah not being counted if the garment is trailed to support this understanding.
one of the shuyukh discussing this issues said :
ليس هو إرسال اليدين بل المراد سدل الثوب
“this is not about the leaving/trailing of hands but it implies towards the trailing of clothes “
Another reason to believe this is because Imam ibn Abi Shaybah mentioned the above narration in his Musannaf numbering 6549 & 6540 but he preceded these ahadeeth with :
6543- حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ إِدْرِيسَ ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عُبيْدِ اللهِ ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ؛ أَنَّهُ كَرِهَ أَنْ يَسْدُلَ الرَّجُلُ>> ثَوْبَهُ
see 6545 and 6548. The hadeeth mentioned in 6548 is also recorded by Abi Dawood above the hadeeth 644 in his kitaab as-salat
Imam ibn Abi Shaybah put all of these narrations under the chapter : مَنْ كَرِهَ السَّدْلَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ
Moreover, these narrations and more like them were reported by Imam `abdur razzaq under the same context , and the same title as the above two did , i.e بَابُ السَّدْلِ . This also further strengthens our position that these narrations of sadl do not necessarily mean the resting of hands, but from what is apparent is that it is related to the garment
10) The narration of Ibrahim an-Nakha`ee
الامام اراهيم النخعي شيخ الكوفة : روى ابن شيبة أن ابرهيم النخعي يرسل يديه في الصلاة ( مصنف ابن أبي شيبة ج1 ص334_ فتح المالك ج3 ص199 )
Ibrahim an-Nakha`ee used to leave his hands during prayer
Ibn abi shaybah narrates this in his musannaf under 3970 and `Abdu razzaq under 3347
حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ ، عَنْ يُونُسَ ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ (ح) وَمُغِيرَةَ ، عَنْ إبْرَاهِيمَ : أَنَّهُمَا كَانَا يُرْسِلاَنِ أَيْدِيَهُمَا فِي الصَّلاَةِ.
هشيم is a muddalis [ see point no. 6 above]
11) al-Tamheed (20:75) and فتح المالك ج3 ص198, Imaam al-Layth as-Sa’d is reported to have said:
وَقَالَ اللَّيْثُ سَدْلُ الْيَدَيْنِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ إِلَّا أَنْ يُطِيلَ الْقِيَامَ فَيَعِيَا فَلَا بَأْسَ أَنْ يَضَعَ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى الْيُسْرَى
The laying of the hands if prayer is preferred, unless he is standing (qiyaam – praying) for an long period and becomes tired, then there is no problem (la ba’as) in putting the right hand over the left.
Even Imam nawawi also attributed this to imam Layth. Imam an-Nawawi said in his Majmoo` :
وقال الليث بن سعد: يرسلهما فإن طال ذلك عليه وضع اليمنى علي اليسرى للاستراحة
After searching, this narration is traced back to the Hilyah of Ash-Sha`shi (if any of the brothers find other routes please let me know) and the underlined part shows it’s defect
وَرُوِيَ عَنهُ -[أي:مالك]- أَنه يُرْسل يَدَيْهِ إرْسَالًا وَرُوِيَ ذَلِك عَن الْحسن الْبَصْرِيّ وَابْن سِيرِين وَقَالَ اللَّيْث بن سعد أَنه يُرْسل يَدَيْهِ إِلَّا أَن يُطِيل الْقيام فيعيا
[2/ 81-82]
[Reported in hilyatul of as-shaashi 2/ 81 (last line of the page to first line of the page) 82 – http://shamela.ws/browse.php/book-6131#page-279 and Al-Musannaf. 2/276]
just f.y.i , The whole passage of istidhkar says :
وفي الاستذكار:
وأما أقاويل الفقهاء في هذا الباب فذهب مالك في رواية بن القاسم عنده إلى إرسال اليدين في الصلاة ، وهو قول الليث بن سعد
قال بن القاسم قال مالك في وضع اليدين إحداهما على الأخرى في الصلاة إنما يفعل ذلك في النوافل من طول القيام قال وتركه أحب إلي ، وقال الليث سدل اليدين في الصلاة أحب إلي إلا أن يطول القيام فلا بأس أن يضع اليمنى على اليسرى
[Ref: 2/ 291]
11) The famous statement attributed to Imam Malik rahimahullah by Ibn al-Qaasim
Ibn al-Qasim in al-Mudawanna(1:74 or 79 or 1/111)
الامام مالك بن أنس :
جاء في المدوتة قال ابن القاسم قال مالك في وضع اليمنى على اليسرى فيالصلاة لاأعرف ذالك في الفريضة ولكن في النوافل لابأس بذالك , يعين به على نفسه ( المدونةج1 ص79 ).
قال الامام السيوطي خالف مالك موطئه في ستين موضعاً ( تنوير الحوالك1 ,ص9 )
Imam Malik is reported to have said in al-Mudawanna about putting the right hand over the left while in prayer” I do not know ofthis practice as far as obligatory prayers are concerned (Laa `arifu dhaalikafil fareeda) but there is no harm in someone doing it in voluntary prayers ifhe has been standing for a long time in order to make things easier for him
Analysis
Firstly : This narration is shadh and weak as pointed out by many Imams. Won’t go into the minute details but one of the reason why it is shadh is because it opposes the narration from a group of the students of Maalik and it is known that taking from the Jama`ah takes precedence over the narration of one person. Moreover, several treatise have been written on this topic by both Non Maliki and Maliki Aimmah refuting the behavior of later ta`ssubi Malikis based on this ghareeb narration of Ibn al-Qaasim. Moreover this Muddawana Kubra of Sahnoon is not even authentically established to be the work of it’s author as explained by some Muhadditheen.
In al-Waadihah of Ibn Habeeb [1] : I asked al-Mutarrif and Ibn al-Maajishoon about this (qabd) and they both said there is no problem in this (qabd i.e tying the hands) whether in the naafilah (voluntary prayers) or in the maktoobah (prescribed/obligatory prayers). They both related this from Imam Maalik and both affirmed that Imam maalik favored qabd. Ibn Habeeb said : Ashaab reported from Maalik that he said there is no problem with qabd within the naafilah and maktoobah prayers. Likewise Ibn Naafi stated qabd is from sunnah.
And Ibn Muzzayyin stated : Ashaab , Ibn Naafi and Ibn Wahb reported that Maalik permitted that (i.e qabd) within the faraidh prayers.
[Ref: Imaam and Muhaddith of the Malikis and Andalus (and maghrib) – Ibn `Abdil Birr reported this in his book (whose title is enough to demolish ta`ssubi malikis stance) Ikhtilaaf Aqwaal Maalik wa Ashaabihi – the differences between the statements of Maalik and his companions – page 107]
[1] Dr. Badawee `Abdus samad at-Taahir Saalih (Lead researcher of the Dubai center of Islamic studies and Research and revival of heritage) in his book titled : ” Al-Ithaaf bi Takhreej Ahadeeth il-Ishraaf : Takhreej wa Dirasaat Ahadeeth wal Athaar fil Kitaab: al-Ishraaf `ala Masailil Khilaaf lil Imaam al-Qaadhi `Abdul Wahhab bin `Ali bin Nasr al-Baghdaadi al-Maaliki (d. 422 AH) in Vol 1 , Page 52 cited the brief bio of Ibn Habeeb wherein he said Ibn Habeeb first studied the Madhab of Imam Malik in al-Andalus from al-Ghaazi bin Qays (d. 199 AH), Ziyaad bin `Abdur rahmaan aka Shabtoon and other students of Maalik. Then he travelled to the east and heard from the egyptian and Madeenian students of Imam Maalik.
Secondly: This statement of Ibn al-Qaasim also opposes Imam Malik’s own pennded down book – Al-Muwatta – wherein under Kitaab as-Salah he has not only titled a chapter calling it : ” Placing the right hand over the left in SALAH (did not differentiate between fardh and nafil) ” but also chalked down two ahadeeth supporting it. This position of Imam Malik is also proven from his senior and latter most students such as Yahya al-Andalusi (d. 234 AH) , Abu Mus`ab az-Zuhri (d. 242 AH) al-Qanabi (d. 221 AH) and others who stayed with him and their statements can be read about from Muwatta itself
Al-Allamah Taqeeuddin al-Hilaali al-Maghribi said in his book Al-Hisaam al-Maahiq li Kulli Mushrikeen wal Munaafiq [ The decisive sword for every polythiest and munafiq] :
Imam Malik authored his book al-Muwatta and taught (and revised) it for sixty years and went over all what is mentioned within it. So all statements that are attributed to him and conflict with what is in al-muwatta either have to have narrators who agree with him or they differ from him. If they differ from him in their narrations then the Muwatta takes precedence because his narrations (in muwatta) are more abundant and better preserved as he had written it with his own hands and it has been transmitted mutawaatir from Imaam malik. So all that conflicts with it (the muwatta) is to be rejected and those who conflict with it have no recourse to ascribe anything to him that conflicts with what is in it.
[Ref: www.mahaja.com/library/books/book/171 or http://www.albaidha.net/vb/showthread.php?t=6379 . For audio explanation : http://www.alhilali.net/index.php?c=4&p=1&f=12]
Thirdly: Even if this stance of Imam Malik is correct as reported by Ibn al-Qaasim then we should always remember Imam Malik said : Truly I am only a mortal: I make mistakes (sometimes) and I am correct (sometimes). Therefore, look into my opinions: all that agrees with the Book and the Sunnah, accept it; and all that does not agree with the Book and the Sunnah, ignore it.”
[Ref: http://the-finalrevelation.blogspot.com/2012/08/4-imams-forbidding-taqleed.html]
12) The fatwa of Imaam Ibn Sireen rahimahullah
Ibn abi shaybah relates in his Musannaf under the Baab ‘Man kaana yursal yadayhu fis-salaah’ (What is said about those who did irsal during salah) :
Ibn `Aliyyah declared to us: On the authority of Ibn `Aun about Ibn Sireen that he was asked about the man who holds his right hand with his left (during prayer). He (Ibn sireen) replied : ” That was merely done because of the roman (influence)”
This is authentic up to Ibn Sireen but still it is mursal and thus does not take the level of being either Mawqif, or Marfoo` so not really useful to trace it back to the prophet or his companions . the least that could be said is as we already accept and believe that yes some Taba`een did practise Irsaal.
Some points to consider
1. Muddawwana Kubra of Suhnun is not authentic as explained by Shaykh Zubayr in many of his works
2. The irsaalul yadain – leaving of the hands is proven from `Abdullah ibn Zubayr and even folding the hands is proven from him.
3. Shaykh Zubayr `ali zaee has spoken about this in his sharh under hadeeth 409 of Muwatta Maalik and reconciled both these contrary reports of Abdullah ibn Zubayr in Fatawa `ilmia vol 1
4. Either ways this is a fiqhi issue, where the stronger and major stance is of folding the hands but it is not a rukn of salah so it does not invalidate the salah
5. Imaam Ibn `Abdil Birr says in At-Tamheed , Vol. 2, Page 76, Baab : `Abdul Kareem bin Maalik al-Jazaari :
So this is what has been reported from some of the Taba`een in this regard and there is no disagreement on the fact that there is no dislike (of qabd) affirmed from them. Even if this was affirmed (from them) then it would not be proof because proof is in the sunnah for those who follow it. Those who oppose the Sunnah require such proofs, especially those acts of the Sunnah which have been confirmed that none of the Sahaaba opposed.
Will update soon In sha Allah
