سورة الكوثر

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him)— Hariz narrates from a man from Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) that he said: he narrated from Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) that regarding فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّکَ وَ انْحَرْ [Therefore pray to your Lord and make a sacrifice] he said: "انْحَرْ [nahr] is standing upright in qiyam, that is, he should keep his back and his neck straight." Then he (peace be upon him) said: "Do not place hand upon hand, for this is what the Magians do; and do not veil your mouth, and do not squat, and do not sit back upon your feet, and do not spread out your forearms."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him)— فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّکَ وَ انْحَرْ [Therefore pray to your Lord and make a sacrifice] — what is meant is the raising of the hands up to level with the face.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him)— Ali (peace be upon him) said regarding فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّکَ وَ انْحَرْ [Therefore pray to your Lord and make a sacrifice]: "al-Nahr is the raising of the hands in prayer toward the face."

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family)— Asbagh ibn Nubata narrates from Imam Ali (peace be upon him) that he said: When فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّکَ وَ انْحَرْ [Therefore pray to your Lord and make a sacrifice] was revealed to the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), he said: "O Jibra'il! What is this sacrifice that my Lord has commanded me to?" He replied: "O Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family)! It is not a sacrifice, rather it is the raising of the hands in prayer."

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): When this surah was revealed, the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said to Jibra'il (peace be upon him): "What is this sacrifice which my Lord has commanded me to perform?" He replied: "It is not a sacrifice; rather Allah has commanded you that when you enter the state of ihram for the prayer, at the time of the takbirat al-ihram, and when going into ruku (bowing), and when raising your head from ruku, and when going into sujud (prostration), you should raise your hands, for this is our prayer and the prayer of the angels who are in the seventh heaven. Everything has an adornment, and the adornment of the prayer is the raising of the hands at every takbir."

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): Asbagh ibn Nubata narrates from Imam Ali (peace be upon him) who said: The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said: "Raising the hands is a sign of istikana (humble submission and pleading)." I asked: "What is istikana?" He said: "Have you not read this verse: فَمَا اسْتَکانُوا لِرَبِّهِمْ وَ ما یَتَضَرَّعُون [But they did not humble themselves before their Lord, nor do they supplicate to Him]. (Al-Mu'minun/76)."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Jamil said: I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) about فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّکَ وَ انْحَرْ [Therefore pray to your Lord and make a sacrifice]. He indicated with his hand.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Jamil ibn Darraj narrates from Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) regarding فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّکَ وَ انْحَرْ [Therefore pray to your Lord and make a sacrifice]: He indicated with his hand and said: "That is, at the opening of the prayer, one should face the qibla by raising his hands in front of his face."