Answer
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In this fatwa:
According to most scholars and authentic reports, one should place the right hand over the left forearm while standing in prayer. Although different positions like above the navel, below the navel, and on the chest are cited, the collective weight of reports favors placing the hands on the chest.
Answering your question about placing hands in prayer, Dr. Muhammad Salama, PhD, Islamic Studies in English, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Islamic Sciences al-Madinah International University (Mediu), states:
Placing the Right Hand Over the Left in Prayer
While standing in Prayer, one should basically place his right hand over his left forearm. Sahl ibn Sad, one of the Prophet Muhammadโs Companions, is reported to have said, โPeople were commanded that a man should place his right hand over his left forearm in Prayer.โ (Al-Bukhari)
The Prophetic Tradition on Hand Position in Prayer
Authentic reports that describe the Prayer of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) prove that he used to place his right hand over the left one. The majority of scholars, thus, consider this as one of the recommendable acts in Prayer.
Scholarly Opinions on Hand Placement during Prayer
Nevertheless, scholars have different views as to where to place both hands- above or below the belly button or on the chest?
Each of the three positions finds favor with a group of jurists who support their opinion with a report attributed to the Messenger of Allah.
But all the reports in this regard proved to be of doubtful authenticity, though the collectivity of the reports that attest to placing both hands on the chest gives this opinion more weight over the others.
The fatwas below shed more light on prayer:
- Importance of Prayer in Islam
- Can a Muslim Abandon Prayer?
- Does the Quran Say Pray 5 Times a Day?
- Who Must Pray in Islam?
Almighty Allah knows best.