Chapter: The Limit of Raising the Hands at the Commencement of Prayer

• I asked Ahmad ibn Hanbal, saying: To what point should one raise his hands; I mean: at the commencement of prayer? He said: "It has been narrated from Ibn Umar, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), that he raised them to the shoulders."

And Ahmad said: "Raise them to the lobes of the ears," following the hadith of Malik ibn al-Huwayrith. I said: Should he exceed the earlobes with them? He said: "I hope that it suffices."

• And Ishaq was asked about a man who exceeds his ears with his hands when commencing prayer? He disliked it and said:

736 - "Jarir informed us, from Mughirah, from Ibrahim, who said: 'They used to dislike exceeding the ears with the hands.'" And Abu Ya'qub disliked that.

• And I heard Ishaq—another time—regarding the hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that he raised his hands level with his ears: "Meaning: opposite his ears, facing them, not that he should retract them until he attaches them to his shoulders or his ears; it is only opposite the ears."

• And I also heard Ishaq saying: "When he says the Takbir, he should raise his hands level with his shoulders, then say the Takbir. If he raises them to his ears, it is permissible, but level with the shoulders is more correct and more frequent. If he forgets to raise them after having said the Takbir, it suffices him—if Allah the Exalted wills."

• And I heard Ishaq—another time—saying: "When you commence prayer, say: 'Allah is the Greatest,' and raise your hands level with your shoulders."

• I asked Ali ibn Abdullah, saying: Raising the hands in prayer; to which position? He said: "To the shoulders," and he went by the hadith of Salim ibn Abdullah, from his father.