It is recommended that he place it upon his wrist and what is near it, for what Wa'il ibn Hujr narrated: He described the prayer of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and he said in his description: "Then he placed his right hand upon the back of his left palm [and the wrist and the forearm] (9)."
145 - Issue; He said: "And he places them below his navel."
There is a difference of opinion in the narration regarding the location of placing them. It was narrated from Ahmad that he places them below his navel. This is narrated from Ali, Abu Hurayrah, Abu Mijlaz, al-Nakha'i, al-Thawri, and Ishaq (1); due to what was narrated from Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: "It is from the Sunnah to place the right (2) over the left below the navel." Recorded by Imam Ahmad and Abu Dawud (3). This refers to the Sunnah of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and because it is the statement of those whom we have mentioned among the Companions. According to Ahmad, he also places them above the navel. This is the opinion of Sa'id ibn Jubayr and al-Shafi'i; due to what Wa'il ibn Hujr narrated, who said: I saw the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) praying, and he placed his hands upon his chest, one upon the other (4). And it is also narrated from him that one is free to choose in that regard, because everything is narrated, and the matter in this is broad.
146 - Issue; He said: "And he says: Subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika, wa tabaraka ismuka, wa ta'ala jadduka, wa la ilaha ghayruk (Glory be to You, O Allah, and with Your praise, blessed is Your name, exalted is Your majesty, and there is no deity worthy of worship other than You)."
The general point is that the opening supplication (istiftah) is among the Sunan of prayer according to the opinion of most scholars. Malik was...
(9) Recorded by al-Nasa'i, with this wording, in: The Chapter on the Position of the Right from the Left in Prayer, from the Book of the Opening. Al-Mujtaba 1/98. In Al-Sunan al-Kubra: "And the wrist from the forearm." It was recorded by al-Bayhaqi, in: The Chapter on Placing the Right Hand upon the Left in Prayer, from the Book of Prayer. Al-Sunan al-Kubra 2/28. According to al-Darimi: "Near the wrist." It was recorded in: The Chapter on Gripping the Right over the Left in Prayer, from the Book of Prayer. 1/283. See what preceded in the authentication (takhrij) of the hadith of Wa'il ibn Hujr on page 139.
(1) Omitted from: The original manuscript. (2) In the original: "The right". According to Abu Dawud: "Placing the palm upon the palm", and according to Imam Ahmad: "Placing the palms upon the palms". (3) Recorded by Imam Ahmad, in: Al-Musnad 1/110. And Abu Dawud, in: The Chapter on Placing the Right upon the Left in Prayer, from the Book of Prayer. Sunan Abi Dawud 1/174. (4) The authentication (takhrij) of the hadith of Wa'il preceded on page 139.
