It is not valid to cite a general text or expression as evidence for a specific detail that was not practiced by the Salaf.

The Shaykh : So what is permissible is that we establish a sunnah (recommended practice) based on that, and I am giving an example to clarify why one should not rely on the generality of a text for a part of it, when we know by one means or another that the practice was not carried out for that specific part itself. We say: He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: , and He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . If a group of people entered the mosque intending to pray the sunnah (recommended practice) of the time, for example the pre-Zuhr sunnah (recommended practice), and each one of them moved to a corner of the mosque intending to pray alone, one of them would call out to them: "O group, instead of praying individually, let us gather to pray in congregation," and he would cite the two previous hadiths. Naturally, this argument misleads those who do not pay attention to the previous rule, thinking it is clear evidence, , . However, if among these individuals there is someone with prior knowledge that such a congregation was not established in the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), he will not respond to this arguer with these two authentic hadiths. He will say to him: "You are citing a hadith as evidence for the specific detail of people gathering for the rawatib (the regular voluntary prayers attached to the obligatory ones), but the practice of the Salaf (the earliest generations) was not carried out in that manner. Therefore, your argument is rejected." This is what can be said briefly. Accordingly, establishing the position after raising the head from ruku' (the bowing of prayer) requires a text stating that so-and-so saw the Messenger do that, meaning: a specific text. It is not permissible to cite a hadith like that of Wail ibn Hujr: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and his family) used to place his right hand over his left when standing in prayer," because this is an argument based on a general expression. We said that it is not valid to cite a general expression issued by the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) as long as it indicates a practice that was not carried out by the Salaf (the earliest generations). How then can we cite a general text whose wording is from a Companion, whose expression is not expected to be as precise as the expression of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)?
This is what we say on this occasion.