Sunnis pray like Majoos?

Placing the right hands over the left hands is the Sunnah of all Prophets (most Christians and Jews have abandoned this practice, however, some Orthodox Jews still practice it. Islam does not denounce every belief and custom of the Ahlul-Kitab. What it denounces is what opposes Tawhid).

It was narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (ﷺ) said: “We Prophets have been commanded to delay our suhur and to break our fast straight away, and to place our right hands over our left hands when praying.” [narrated by Ibn Hibban in al-Sahih, 3/13-14]

The truth of the matter is, there is not a single clear report (strong or weak) in which the Prophet (ﷺ) was known to have prayed with sadl (with his hands by his side) according to Ahl al-Sunnah. Even in the Maliki school, one will find major authorities who championed qabd (folding the hands in prayer) and wrote books in defense of it.

The gullible and ignorant masses of the Shia have been brainwashed into believing that folding the hands in prayer ( قبض اليدين ) was initiated by Omar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) who copied it from the Zoroastrians (Majoos). This Rafidi folk belief is of course based on nothing but the imagination and grudge of the Shia clergy who at best cite some fabrications.

As for Twelver Shia narrations (fabrications attributed to the Ahl al-Bayt): All those reports where the Imams say that folding hands is prohibited are weak.

Some Rafidis consider themselves very slick and argue with images like the following:

The sculptures that Rafidis Google and Photoshop are not even Persian sculptures – they depict Mesopotamian Semites whose land has been occupied by the Majoos. But to give them a taste of their own medicine, let us play their game:

And to put the final nail in the coffin:

If placing the hands on the chest area originates from the customs of the Persian Zoroastrians, then according to reliable Shia reports, Shia women were advised to pray like Zoroastrians.

RevivingalIslam (Rafidi website):

وَ بِهَذِهِ الْأَسَانِيدِ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ إِذَا قَامَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ فِي الصَّلَاةِ جَمَعَتْ بَيْنَ قَدَمَيْهَا وَ لَا تُفَرِّجُ بَيْنَهُمَا وَ تَضُمُّ يَدَيْهَا إِلَى صَدْرِهَا لِمَكَانِ ثَدْيَيْهَا

“When the women stand in Salaah, she joins her feet together without separation between them, and she joins her hands towards her breast at the place of her chest”

Source:

1. Al-Kulayni, Al-Kaafi, vol. 3, pg. 335 – 336, hadeeth # 2
2. Al-Toosi, Tahdheeb al-aHkaam, vol. 2, ch. 8, pg. 94, hadeeth # 118

Grading:

1. Al-Majlisi said this hadeeth is SaHeeH
   à Mir’aat Al-`Uqool, vol. 2, pg. 343
2. Bahboodee said this hadeeth is SaHeeH

à SaHeeH Al-Kaafi, vol. 1, pg. 284

In Another SaHeeH hadeeth in Al-Sadooq’s `Ilal al-Sharaa’i` through a different chain, it is said:

وتضم يديها إلى صدرها لمكان ثدييها
“She places her hands towards her breasts at the place of her chest”

Source:

1. Al-Sadooq, `Ilal Al-Sharaa’i`, vol. 2, ch. 68, pg. 355, hadeeth # 1

In another hadeeth it is said:

و وضعت يديها على صدرها

“And she places her hand on her chest”

Source:

1. Al-Sadooq, Al-KhiSaal, vol. 2, pg. 585, hadeeth # 12

و وضعت يديها على صدرها لمكان ثدييها

“And she places her hand on her chest at the place of her chest”
Source:

1. Fiqh Al-RiDaa, ch. 7, pg. 115

Scholarly Opinion:

(Taken from my personal copy of Al-Sadooq’s Man Laa YaHDuruh Al-Faqeeh, vol. 1, Chapter: Etiquettes of Women in Salaah, pg. 144)

1a.) Al-Sadooq says in Man Laa YaHDuruh Al-Faqeeh:

‎صلاتها جمعت بين قدميها ولم تفرج بينهما، ووضعت يديها على صدرها

“Her salaah: She joins her feet, without separation between them, and she places her hands on her chest”

Source:

1. Al-Sadooq, Man Laa YaHDuruh Al-Faqeeh, vol. 1, pg. 372

1b.) Al-Sadooq says in Al-Hidaayah:

ووضعت يديها على صدرها لمكان ثدييها

“She places her hands on her chest at the place of her breast”

Source:

1. Al-Sadooq, Al-Hidaayah, pg. 165

2.) Al-Mufeed says in Ahkaam Al-Nisaa’:

ووضعت أصابع يدها اليمنى على ثديها الأيمن، وأصابع يدها اليسرى على ثديها الأيسر

“She places the fingers of her right hand upon her right breast, and the fingers of her left hand upon her left breast”

Source:

1. Al-Mufeed, aHkaam Al-Nisaa’, pg. 26

3.) Al-Toosi says in Al-Nihaayah:

‎ويستحب لها إذا قامت في الصلاة أن تجمع بين قدميها ، ولا تفرج بينهما ، وتضم يديها إلى صدرها لمكان ثديها

“And it is mustaHab for her when she stands in Salaah that she joines her feet, without separation between them, and she joins her hands towards her breast at the place of her chest”

Source:

1. Al-Toosi, Al-Nihaayah, pg. 73

4a.) `Allaamah Al-Hillee says in Qawaa’id Al-aHkaam:

المرأة كالرجل في الصلاة ، إلا أنها في حال القيام تجمع بين قدميها وتضم يديها إلى صدرها
“The women is like the man in Salaah, except in the state of rukoo` that she joins her feet and joins her hands towards her chest”
Source:

1. Al-Hillee, Qawaa’id Al-aHkaam, vol. 1, pg. 282

4b.) `Allaamah Al-Hillee says in Nihaayah Al-iHkaam:

ويستحب لها إذا قامت في الصلاة أن تجمع بين قدميها ، ولا تفرج بينهما ، وتضم يديها إلى صدرها لمكان ثديها

“And it is mustaHab for her when she stands in Salaah that she joines her feet, without separation between them, and she joins her hands towards her chest at the place of her breasts”
Source:

1. Al-Hillee, Nihaayah Al-iHkaam, vol. 1, pg. 525

5.) Al-Bahaa’ee (d. 1031 AH) says in Al-Habl Al-Mateen:

إذا قامت المرأة في الصلاة جمعت بين قدميها ولا تفرج بينهما وتضم يديها إلى صدرها لمكان ثدييها
“When the women stand in Salaah, she joins her feet, without separation between them, and she joins her hands towards her chest at the place of her breasts”
Source:

1. Al-Bahaa’ee, Al-Habl Al-Mateen, pg. 212

6a.) Al-Sabzawaaree (d. 1090 AH) says in Kafaayah Al-aHkaam:
إذا قامت المرأة في الصلاة جمعت بين قدميها ولا تفرج بينهما ، وتضم يديها إلى صدرها لمكان ثدييها
“When the women stand in Salaah, she joins her feet, without separation between them, and she joins her hands towards her chest at the place of her breasts”
Source:

1. Al-Sabzawaaree, Kafaayah Al-aHkaam, vol. 1, pg. 100

6b.) Al-Sabzawaaree (d. 1090 AH) says in Al-Dhakheerah Al-Ma`aad:

إذا قامت المرأة في الصلاة جمعت بين قدميها ولا تفرج بينهما ، وتضم يديها إلى صدرها لمكان ثدييها
“When the women stand in Salaah, she joins her feet, without separation between them, and she joins her hands towards her chest at the place of her breasts”
Source:

1. Al-Sabzawaaree, Al-Dhakheerah Al-Ma`aad, vol. 1, pg. 295

7.) Al-BaHraanee (d. 1186 AH) says in Al-Hadaa’iq Al-NaaDirah:

وأما المرأة فإنها تضم يديها إلى صدرها لمكان ثدييها
“And concerning the women that she joins her hands upon her chest at the place of her breast”
Source:

1. Al-BaHraanee, Al-Hadaa’iq Al-NaaDirah, vol. 8, pg. 87

8.) Kaashif Al-GhiTaa’ (d. 1228 AH) says in Kashf Al-GhiTaa’:

وضمت يديها إلى صدرها لمكان ثدييها

أقول ويأتي ما ذكر في الرواية من ضم اليدين بوجوه منها وضع الزندين أو العضدين على الثديين ومنها وضع الكفين عليهما

“And she joins her hands towards her chest at the place of her breasts”
“I say: What comes in the narration about joining the surface of her hands and placing the forearms or upper arm upon her breasts and placing her palms upon it (her breast)”
Source:

1. Kaashif Al-GhiTaa’, Kashf Al-GhiTaa’, vol. 1, pg. 251

9.) Al-Yazdee (d. 1337 AH) says in Al-`Urwah Al-Wuthqa:

(Taken from my personal copy of Al-Yazdee’s Al-`Urwah Al-Wuthqa, vol. 2, pg. 614)

وضم ثدييها إلى صدرها بيديها
Highlighted: “Joins (at) her breast towards her chest her hands”

Source:

1. Al-Yazdee, Al-`Urwah Al-Wuthqa, vol. 2, Kitaab Al-Salaah, pg. 614, ruling # 16

Here are a picture from a Salaah manuel that I have found at my house, this will allow you to see how women are suppose to put their hands upon their chest.