What is the ruling on joining the hands in prayer?

Question:
He also asks, saying: We have a point of scholarly disagreement regarding joining the hands and letting them hang in prayer. There is much evidence for joining the hands, so we ask you to clarify this issue.

Answer:
The Sunnah in prayer is to join the hands while standing, placing the right hand—specifically the right palm—over the left palm. This is joining the hands on the chest, as it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the hadith of Wail ibn Hujr that "he used to place his right hand over his left hand... his right palm over his left palm on his chest." It is also established in the hadith of Qabisa ibn al-Hubab al-Tai from his father to the same effect. In Sahih al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, Sahl ibn Sa'd said: "A man was instructed to place his right hand over his left forearm in prayer." The meaning of "in prayer" here is while standing, as explained by the hadith of Wail and the hadith of Qabisa ibn al-Hubab, because prayer has different postures:
In bowing, he places his hands on his knees with his fingers together; this is the Sunnah.
In prostration, he places them on the ground opposite his shoulders or opposite his ears.
In sitting, he places them on his thighs or his knees.
So what remains is the state of standing. While standing, he places them on his chest, with the tips of his right hand—his right palm—over his left forearm, as in the hadith of Sahl. Also, in the Sunnah, from the hadith of Tawus ibn Kaysan al-Yamani, the great Tabi'i, there is a report from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that agrees with this: "that he used to place his right hand over his left palm on his chest in prayer." This is a good mursal report that agrees with the authentic, connected, marfu' hadiths.
As for letting them hang at the sides, as some people do, there is no evidence for it. Although some of the Maliki school adopted this view, there is no evidence for it... It is better to leave it, it is better to leave it and adopt what the authentic hadiths indicate.
However, one should not engage in dispute, disagreement, enmity, or hostility over this. One should be lenient and tolerant, because it is a Sunnah; if he lets his hands hang, his prayer is valid, and if he joins them, his prayer is valid. The disagreement is only about what is better and what is the Sunnah. Many of our brothers in Africa develop hostility because of this, and that is not appropriate. In such matters, one should be tolerant and call to good with gentleness. One should advise his brothers to place their hands on their chests without harshness, dispute, or boycotting, and he should clarify the Sunnah and call to it with patience, forbearance, and gentleness.
And whoever is called to the Sunnah should respond, and taqlid (following a scholar without knowing his evidence) is not permissible. It is not permissible to follow Zayd or 'Amr in a matter that contradicts the Sunnah, even if he is great, even if he is Malik, Abu Hanifa, al-Shafi'i, or Ahmad. No. A student of knowledge does not follow scholars blindly; he takes what is supported by evidence. If the evidence is hidden from him, he follows the scholars known for adhering to the Sunnah and uprightness. But if the evidence from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is established, it is obligatory and prescribed to follow the one who has the evidence, whether it is a Sunnah matter or an obligatory one. Allah says: [al-Nisa:59], and He says, Exalted is He: [al-Shura:10], and He says, Glorious and Majestic is He: [al-Nisa:59], and He says, Glorious and Majestic is He: [al-Nisa:80].
So you are commanded to obey the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) when you know the Sunnah. The Sunnah is clear in this: that you place your right hand—your right palm—over your left palm in prayer while you are standing, before bowing and after it. Before bowing, and likewise after bowing, when you stand up and are standing after bowing, you place your right palm over your left palm on the chest. This is what is best.
A group of scholars said: on the navel. Some said: below the navel. But there is no authentic evidence for this. The hadith narrated from 'Ali regarding placing them below the navel is weak. What is preserved is placing them on the chest... placing the hands on the chest. This is what is preserved from the hadith of Wail, from the hadith of Qabisa ibn al-Hubab al-Tai from his father, and from the mursal report of Tawus. It is supported by what al-Bukhari narrated in his Sahih from the hadith of Abu Hazim from Sahl ibn Sa'd, as mentioned earlier.
So my advice to my brothers is to adopt this Sunnah without being harsh on others, with gentleness, wisdom, and advising one another to follow the Sunnah. Yes.

The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.