Filling the Vessel with Evidence for Raising the Hands in Supplication

Abstract

And I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, whom his Lord sent as a mercy to the worlds and a guidance for all people. He taught his community the etiquette of supplication, including raising the hands and showing humility before Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He. May Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him, upon his family and all his Companions, and upon those who follow them in righteousness until the Day of Judgment. And may He gather us with

them through His mercy and generosity, O Lord of the worlds.

• To proceed:

This research revolves around the raising of the hands to Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, during supplication. The believer always turns to his Lord in every matter, great and small. He seeks His forgiveness when he commits a sin, seeks His help when he is wronged, seeks His provision when he is in need, and seeks His guidance when he goes astray. Thus, the believer is always connected to his Lord, and Allah loves His servant to call upon Him, and he does not turn to anyone but Him in all his circumstances. The poet spoke the truth when he said:

“I ask Ibn Ādam for a need,

and the one whose doors I knock upon does not answer me.

So I ask Allah for my need,

for my Lord’s door is never barred.”

 “For Allah becomes angry when you abandon asking Him,

while Ibn Ādam becomes angry when you ask him.”

Supplication is one of the forms of devotion in religion, and it is an act of worship. It has been observed that there is considerable neglect regarding supplication after the prayers in the mosques, and it has been said that it is an innovation. If this situation continues, many people will not know the meaning of supplication, nor will they know the etiquette of supplication. Among the etiquettes of supplication is raising the hands, because it is a means of ensuring that the supplication is answered.

I have attempted in this research to shed light on this matter, perhaps I may find an academic answer that will be of benefit to me and to the reader. If I am successful, it is by the grace of Allah alone; and if I make mistakes, they are mistakes of myself. I ask Allah to accept it sincerely for His noble sake, to make it beneficial to me and to the reader, and He is capable of that. There is no power and no strength except through Allah, the Most High, the Almighty.

May Allah bless Muhammad, the Noble Prophet

-           Research Topic:

Addressing the phenomenon of mosque imams refraining from collective supplication, raising the hands during supplication, and wiping the face with them upon its completion, following the obligatory prayers.          

-           Aim of the Study:

In this modest research, I have sought to establish, by conclusive evidence, textually and by consensus, that collective supplication, raising the hands, and wiping the face with them upon the completion of supplication are among the recommended Sunnah practices.