What is the position for raising the hands in the opening takbir? Some people raise their hands to their chest, while others raise them to the lower part of the chest. What is the correct ruling on this, with guidance?

The questioner : The questioner asks: What is the position for raising the hands in the opening takbir? Some people raise their hands to their chest, while others raise them to the lower part of the chest. What is the correct ruling on this, with guidance? May Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh : Raising the hands in prayer occurs in four places. The first place is at the opening takbir, the second place is at the bowing, the third place is when rising from the bowing, and the fourth place is when standing up from the first tashahhud.
The raising ends at the tips of the ears, or at the earlobes, or at the shoulders. This is the sunnah (recommended practice). That is, you either raise your hands to the tips of the ears, or to the earlobes, or to the shoulders. As for raising them to the chest, not reaching the shoulders, this is an error. In reality, this is a futile act for which a person is not rewarded, because he has not followed the sunnah and has not achieved stillness. It is an unlegislated movement, so it is considered futility in prayer. Therefore, we say to the brothers who are eager to perform the sunnah in raising the hands that they should raise their hands to the shoulders at the very least, or to the tips of the ears, or to the earlobes. It is best to do this one way at a time and that way at another, so that the sunnah is kept alive in all its forms. Yes.

The questioner : May Allah reward you.