Is this hadith authentic?

This hadith is graded Sahih. Sahih hadiths are considered the most authentic grade in hadith classification.

Which collection is this hadith from?

This hadith is from Sunan Ibn Majah, which contains 4,345 hadiths across 38 books. It is hadith number 914 in the Book of Establishing the Prayer and the Sunnah Regarding Them.

I searched for a different number — is this the right hadith?

Hadith numbering varies across editions and translations (USC-MSA, Dar as-Salam, Fath al-Bari, and others). If you followed a link citing a different number but landed here, you may have been redirected to the canonical version in our library. If you were looking for a different hadith entirely, use the search bar to find it by text.

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#913

#914

Sunan Ibn Majah

#915

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Sunan Ibn Majah #914

Q: What is Sunan Ibn Majah 914 about?

This hadith from Sunan Ibn Majah (Book of Establishing the Prayer and the Sunnah Regarding Them) states: "It was narrated from Anas bin Malik that the Prophet (ﷺ) did not raise his hands in any of his supplications except when praying for rain (Istisqa’), when he raised his hands so high that the whitenes…"

Establishing the Prayer and the Sunnah Regarding Them

Sahih

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

حَدَّثَنَا نَصْرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْجَهْضَمِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ زُرَيْعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَرُوبَةَ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، أَنَّ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ كَانَ لاَ يَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهِ فِي شَىْءٍ مِنْ دُعَائِهِ إِلاَّ عِنْدَ الاِسْتِسْقَاءِ فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ يَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى يُرَى بَيَاضُ إِبْطَيْهِ ‏.‏

It was narrated from Anas bin Malik that the Prophet (ﷺ) did not raise his hands in any of his supplications except when praying for rain (Istisqa’), when he raised his hands so high that the whiteness of his armpits could be seen.

Context

In this narration, Anas bin Malik describes how the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) raised his hands in supplication only during the prayer for rain (Istisqa’). This act illustrates the specific occasions when the Prophet (ﷺ) would raise his hands, indicating a particular significance to this form of supplication.

Modern Application

This hadith encourages Muslims to be mindful of the etiquette of supplication. In daily life, it can serve as a guide for when to raise hands in prayer, particularly during significant requests such as seeking rain or divine assistance.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Prayer and Supplication because it highlights the practice of raising hands in specific supplications, particularly during times of need.

Prayer Supplication