Where should we place our hands while in salah?
We know that right hand is placed on the left hand; but what about where to place them? Is it below or above the navel or on the chest?
Hadiths pertaining to placing the right hand on left
There are clear hadiths stating that Prophet Muhammad pbuh placed and also told the companions to place right hand on left hand during qiyam position in salah. So, Hanafi, Shafee and Hanbali schools of thought agree upon this act.
“[The Prophet] (pbuh) used to place his right hand on his left hand.” (Muslim)
It was narrated from Waa’il ibn Hajar that he saw the Prophet (pbuh) raise his hands when he started to pray and say Takbeer, and according to Hammaam he raised his hands level with his ears. Then he wrapped his hands in his garment, putting his right hand on his left. When he wanted to bow in rukoo’ he took his hands from beneath his garment, raised them, then said Takbeer and bowed. When he said “Sami’a Allaah liman hamidah,” he raised his hands, and when he prostrated, he prostrated between his two hands.” (Muslim)
Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas'ud: Abu Uthman an-Nahdi said:
When Ibn Mas'ud prayed he placed his left hand on the right. The Prophet (pbuh) saw him and placed his right hand on his left one. (Abu Dawud, Kitab al Salat, 754)
‘Qutaybah narrated to us; Abû al-Ahwas narrated to us; from Sammâk bin Harb; from Qabîsah bin Hulb; from his father [Hulb at-Tâ’î] who said,
“The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to lead us in prayer and grasp his left hand with his right.” (Tirmidhi)
The People of Knowledge amongst the Companions of the Prophet (pbuh) and the Tâbi‘în acted upon this hadith (above), they were of the opinion that one should place his right hand upon his left hand while in prayer. Some of them were of the opinion that one places his hands above the navel and others below the navel.’ (Tirmidhi)
As to placing the hands whether above or below the navel
Although there is a general agreement on placing the right hand on the left, there are different opinions about whether to place them above or below the navel depending on the different narrations.
Where to place the hands according to the four sunni schools of thought (source: (Wahba Zuhayli, Islamic Jurisprudence and its Proofs, vol; 2))
According to Hanafi and Hanbali schools of thought, it is sunnah to place the hands below the navel depending on the following narration:
Abu Juhayfah said: Ali said that” it is a sunnah to place one hand on the other in prayer below the navel. “(Abu Dawud, Kitab al- Salat, 755; Kutub al Sitta, 2520)
Besides, in Hanafi madhab, women place their hands on their chest.
In Shafee school of thought, hands are kept above the navel under the chest.
Jarir ad-Dabbi reported: I saw Ali (ra) catching hold of his left hand) by his right hand on the wrist above the navel. (Abu Dawud, Kitab al Salat, 756)
The followers of Maliki school of thought do not fasten their hands but let it hang on both sides.
In conclusion;
Since Hanafi, Hanbali, Shafee and Maliki schools of thought follow the blessed sunnah path of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the differences, which are just in the details of the actions, not in main issues concerning faith, are due to different narrations of hadiths and are all accepted authentic. What is the best to do for a Muslim is to perform the worship according to the fiqh of his madhab.