The Shaykh’s discussion with one of the students regarding the issue of placing the hands after bowing.

The questioner: What do you mean it is not a sunnah, O Shaykh?

The Shaykh: If you would allow me, keep your question in mind. If your answer is no, why do you do it, and why is there a disagreement between you and the majority of the people of the Sunnah, who are with you, over something that is not a sunnah? Why?

The questioner: The hadith, O Shaykh, is the hadith of Wail ibn Hujr.

The Shaykh: This is what we want to reach, but do you want to go back to what I told you? Keep your question in mind?

The questioner : Yes, Shaykh.

The Shaykh: So, which one do you start with? Start with whichever you prefer.

The questioner: I will start by going back to my question, which is that when I asked you if doing this is a sunnah, you said no?

The Shaykh: This is not an action.

The questioner: His statement, but does his statement that it is not a sunnah mean how, O Shaykh?

The Shaykh: Yes, because if it were a sunnah, he would have said it is a sunnah. If he were asked about placing the hands before bowing, would he say what he said about placing the hands after bowing? Would he say what he said about placing the hands after bowing, as far as you know?

The questioner: Well, this is the understanding of the Salaf.

The Shaykh : You deviated.

The questioner: No, I did not deviate.

The Shaykh: You deviated. May Allah guide you. A believer is not bitten twice from the same hole.

The questioner: I do not deviate. This is my understanding.

The Shaykh: I am not speaking to you about knowledge. You say, "I am not an authority." I am speaking with logic. My logic is like your logic, and your logic is like mine. There is nothing in that. I may have more than you in some things, such as knowing that this hadith is authentic and that hadith is weak, and so on. But that is not our topic. Our topic is logical and rational. So I asked you about what you have of knowledge, and let us add to it your humble statement that you are not an authority. Let us add this: If Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) or others from the people of the Sunnah were asked about placing the hands in the first standing, would he say what you quoted from him regarding the second standing?

The questioner: No.

The Shaykh: If so, this is my answer.

The questioner: But there is a detail with me. Allow me to explain the detail.

The Shaykh: Bring it out, my brother. I told you to bring it out before you said, "Allow me."

The questioner: Okay, may Allah reward you with good. Here, did we say that according to the methodology of the righteous Salaf, is it permissible for an Imam to tell a person to place his hands or not to place them, without knowing a sunnah in that matter taken from general texts, such as the hadith of Wail ibn Hujr? This is my question?

The Shaykh: Yes, he has that right, because Imam Ahmad is known for his school of thought that if there are some opinions in an issue, he does not make it difficult for others if he does not have a decisive text on the matter. So he says, "If you wish, do it, and if you wish, do not do it." And the proof is that we are now in agreement that if he were asked about the first placement, he would say it is a sunnah. In fact, I may say it is obligatory, because it falls under the generality of his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): And what came that he (peace and blessings be upon him) let his hands hang down one day, here and there, Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) distinguishes with his knowledge of the Sunnah and his estimation of it on one hand, and his estimation of the opinions of others on the other hand. So he is not a fanatic; he is a moderate man by the grace of the Sunnah that he contained in his chest (may Allah have mercy on him). Therefore, we agree now that if he were asked about what he was not asked about, his answer would be that it is a sunnah, unless he says, "It is obligatory," as we say. But there, there is absolutely no sunnah. But you, like others, are now saying, "The hadith of Wail." Well, I say to you: Is the indication of the hadith of Wail by a specific indication or a general one?

The questioner : It is general.

The Shaykh: Well, we answered this just now, and the covenant with you is not far, I think, is it not so?

The questioner: In the issue of what?

The Shaykh: We said it is something that the practice of the Salaf did not follow. So it is not permissible for us to argue with generalities. This is a recorded statement when we mentioned that the basis of the innovators in what they innovate is taking generalities. And we argue against them, and I remember well, we and those who place their hands in the second standing and those who do not place them agree in arguing against the people of innovation by saying, "O people, if your understanding of these general texts were correct, the Salaf would have been quicker to this correct understanding. And if they had understood that, they would have practiced it, because they were more eager to draw near to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) than you. So if they did not do it, that indicates that your understanding is wrong." And I think we cited the poem: "Every good is in following those who came before *** And every evil is in the innovation of those who came after." Now, I can give you a very simple example to clarify this issue and to make clear the error of arguing with generalities that the practice of the Salaf did not follow. And at the same time, this will be an answer to a question that may occur to some people. You have the right to ask: From where did we know that the Salaf did not place their hands in the second standing?

The questioner: I was going to ask him, O Shaykh.

The Shaykh: So I say to you, O people of the Salaf, on the occasion of your denial of Sufi unveiling, you do not have knowledge that there is Sufi unveiling from the Salaf.

The questioner: We do not know this.

The Shaykh: I know what is meant. You have the right to ask this question, and I am able to give you the answer, but I will give you the answer my way, not your way. I am not free, meaning I will speak my way, just as you speak your way. So I will give you the answer from your own tongue, and this is the strongest argument, correct?

The questioner : Authentic

The Shaykh: Well, if you saw a man who, every time he raised his hands from bowing, heard "Allah hears the one who praises Him," and we have witnessed this, it is not imagination, it is reality. He said, "Allah hears the one who praises Him. Our Lord, to You is praise, much good and blessed praise." What do you think? Is this action a sunnah or an innovation?

The questioner: This is a mistake.

The Shaykh: You deviated. I am asking you: Is it a mistake or correct? So that you say, "It is a mistake, O Shaykh. May Allah guide you." I told you just now that any question answered with an answer forces the question to develop into a second question. This is a mistake in style. I did not ask you if this is correct or incorrect so that your answer would be "incorrect." I asked you if this is a sunnah or an innovation?The questioner : Developing the question into a second question is a mistake in style. I did not ask you whether this is right or wrong, so that your answer would be "wrong." I asked you whether this is a sunnah (recommended practice) or a bid'ah (religious innovation).

The questioner: May Allah bless you. I may not have seen that this is a sunnah or that this is an innovation. I saw that this is a mistake. That this man made a mistake. It is not an innovation.

The Shaykh: We have a word in Syria that our brothers have heard from me many times: "If you do not come with me, come with us, and we will ask you: Why is it a mistake?"

The questioner: Because he contradicted the Sunnah.

The Shaykh: May Allah guide you.