How Should Hands Be Positioned While Making Dua? Is There A Religious Basis For Rubbing Hands On Face After Dua?

How should hands be positioned while making dua? Is there a religious basis for rubbing hands on face after dua?

Holding hands with palms facing upward (toward the sky) and separately is a condition suitable to the meaning of demand and supplication. The reason for raising hands up to the sky is not because Allah is in the sky or in a specific place, but because skies represent supremacy and magnificence. Prophet Muhammad (saw) would raise his hands high enough to show the whiteness of his armpit while making dua (Bukhari, Da’awat, 23). He (saw) says, “Pray to Allah with palms facing not downward but upward. When you finish dua, rub your hands on your face.” (Ibn Majah, Dua, 13). However, it was narrated that Prophet Muhammad (saw) made dua with his palms facing downward during troubles and calamities (Ahmad ibn Hanbal, al-Musnad, XVII, 98; Azimabadi, Awn al-Ma’bud, IV, 251).

It was also reported that Prophet Muhammad (saw) made dua without raising his hands up (Ahmad ibn. Hanbal, al-Musnad, XXI, 231).

The distance between hands that are raised to the level of shoulders during dua (Bukhari, Da’awat, 23) should be normal. The narrative, “Prophet Muhammad (saw) brought his hands together during dua.” was interpreted as “He aligned his hands; he did not hold one below and the other above.” (Tahtawi, Hashiyah, p. 317-318). However, it is possible to keep the hands together. The important point is not to be bigoted about this issue.

Rubbing hands to face after prayers or in other times is sunnah when one raises hands in dua (Ibn Majah, Dua, 13). One does not need to rub his hands to his face when he prays without raising hands (Tahtawi, Hashiyah, 318).

Source: Presidency Of Religious Affairs The Turkey, High Board of Religious Affairs FATWA