Is this hadith authentic?

This hadith is graded Hasan. Hasan hadiths are considered good and acceptable in hadith classification.

Which collection is this hadith from?

This hadith is from Sunan Abu Dawud, which contains 5,276 hadiths across 43 books. It is hadith number 1490 in the Book of Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Detailed Injunctions about Witr.

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#1489

#1490

Sunan Abu Dawud

#1491

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Sunan Abu Dawud #1490

Q: What is Sunan Abu Dawud 1490 about?

This hadith from Sunan Abu Dawud (Book of Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Detailed Injunctions about Witr), narrated by Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:, states: "Ikrimah quoted Ibn Abbas as saying: When asking for something you should raise your hands opposite to your shoulders; when asking for forgiveness you should point with one finger; and when making an e…"

Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Detailed Injunctions about Witr

Hasan

The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.

حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا وُهَيْبٌ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ خَالِدٍ - حَدَّثَنِي الْعَبَّاسُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَعْبَدِ بْنِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ الْمَسْأَلَةُ أَنْ تَرْفَعَ، يَدَيْكَ حَذْوَ مَنْكِبَيْكَ أَوْ نَحْوَهُمَا وَالاِسْتِغْفَارُ أَنْ تُشِيرَ بِأُصْبُعٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَالاِبْتِهَالُ أَنْ تَمُدَّ يَدَيْكَ جَمِيعًا ‏.‏

Ikrimah quoted Ibn Abbas as saying: When asking for something you should raise your hands opposite to your shoulders; when asking for forgiveness you should point with one finger; and when making an earnest supplication you should spread out both your hands.

Narrated by Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas:

Context

This narration from Ibn Abbas describes the proper etiquette for raising hands during supplication. It specifies different postures for various types of dua: raising hands to shoulder level for requests, pointing with one finger for seeking forgiveness, and spreading both hands for earnest supplications. This guidance reflects the significance of intention and posture in prayer.

Modern Application

In contemporary practice, understanding how to make dua effectively can enhance one's spiritual experience. By adopting these postures, individuals can express their sincerity and humility while asking Allah for their needs, thus enriching their connection with Him.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Supplication and Prophetic Conduct because it provides specific guidance on the physical actions associated with different types of supplications as practiced by the Prophet (ﷺ).

Supplication Prophetic Conduct