Praying with Unfolded Arms (Sadr) by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf

Praying with Unfolded Arms (Sadr) by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf
Monday, August 19, 2013

An in depth analysis by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, a Western convert to the Sunni Maliki school of Islam, on practice of Praying with Unfolded Arms must be viewed by the believers with an open mind.. He, quite carefully and skillfully concludes after a tremendous amount of research and examination of the traditions of Imams and scholars (Faqihs) of Islam, that Praying with Unfolded Arms (Sadr) was indeed, a practice of the prophet, of almost all of his companions, his endeared Ahl-ul-Bayt as well as Imams of Sunni schools . Also, We learn from this rather formidable lecture by Shaykh Yusuf, as to why praying with folded Arms (Qabr) as many of Sunni Muslims observe, was the result of a political agenda to oppose Shia and Khawarij during the Umayyah reign.

Now, the Shias have no purpose in rejoicing that an outstanding Sunni intellectual has belittled the Sunni school by deliberating on a centuries old practice, nor do the Sunni Muslims have any reason to fume and get flustered on an opinion by a single but brilliant scholar of Islam, who has an inalienable right to express his inner self in a scholarly manner. The real moral outcome of this this presentation, though, is the victory of Ijtehad, the most vibrant and core concept of our exalted faith. Muslim Ummah's practice of folding their arms or otherwise, is not going to challenge or question one's faith, rather it will strengthen it. But we need preachers like Hamza Yusuf who, unlike many other divisive, delusional and destructive occupiers of our pulpits, have a God given ability to bring the global Muslim Community under one banner.

Hope it may be beneficial for you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6vobY94XkE