A word from the Shaykh on some issues related to prayer: including a discussion on how to place the hands in all the postures of prayer.

The Shaykh : We spoke in yesterday's lesson about the description of the prayer as reported from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and now we are discussing some issues. We say: When a person says the takbir of ihram, where does he place his hands after that? The answer to this is that he places his hands on his chest, placing his right hand on the forearm of his left hand or on the wrist. The forearm is well known, and the wrist is the joint of the palm from the forearm. Where does he place his hands when he bows? He places his hands on his knees when he bows, with his fingers spread apart. Where does he place his hands when he prostrates? He places his hands when he prostrates either level with his shoulders or level with the lobes of his ears. Where does he place his hands when he sits between the two prostrations? He places his hands on his thighs, or on his right knee, the right hand on the right and the left hand on the left. As for the right hand, he grasps the little finger, the ring finger, the middle finger, and the thumb, and leaves the index finger open, pointing with it every time he makes a supplication. For example, if he says, "My Lord, forgive me," he points; "and have mercy on me," he points; "and heal me," he points, and so on. For every supplicatory phrase, he points with his index finger to the sky, indicating the exaltedness of the One he is supplicating to, (Glorified and Exalted is He). As for the left hand, it is placed on the left leg, on the thigh, with the fingers extended and joined together, or he clasps it with his knee, meaning like this, or he clasps it on the knee. All of this is reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). And where...