I had asked a question about a book two week ago I don't have answer no 149058. I have other questions: 1) Does breast feeding nullify fasting? 2) What is putting a piece of wood where to make prostration, Is this Sunnah or Bid'a? What is about praying without putting right hand over the left while ? I asked a Shaykh about this he said the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, used both , He added he prayed like that [putting right hand over the left] because he was sick its only the Wahaabis said its a Sunnah. Please help me about these.

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

First of all, we thank you for visiting our site many times and we apologize for the delay which is due to a backlog of questions.

With regard to a woman breastfeeding while fasting, this does not break her fast; for more details please refer to Fatwa 86896. Also, refer to Fatwa 85493 on the method of putting one’s hands while performing the prayer.

There is no evidence supporting the statement of the Shaykh you asked, that the Prophet used sometimes to put his right hand over the left one, and sometimes he did not do so. Indeed, it is confirmed that the Prophet used to put his right hand over the left one when performing the prayer, but the opposite of this is not confirmed. Whoever claims the contrary has to provide evidence. The statement of the Shaykh that the reason why the Prophet used to put his right hand over the left one was due to sickness is a lie about him . Many Prophetic narrations on putting the right hand over the left prove that the Shaykh’s statement is wrong.

For instance Suhayl Ibn Sa’d narrated that the Prophet used to order the people to put the right hand over the left one when performing the prayer. [Al-Bukhari] So, did the people do that because they were all sick? Moreover, it is confirmed that Ibn Mas’ood once prayed while putting the left hand over the right hand, so when the Prophet saw him, he went to him and put his right hand over his left hand.” [Abu Daawood and An-Nasaa’ee] Was Ibn Mas’ood sick as well? Rather, it is confirmed that the Prophet said: “We, as Prophets were ordered to break the fast early (i.e. as soon as the sun sets) and delay the Suhoor [pre-dawn meal] and we were ordered to place our right hand over the left one when performing the prayer.” [At-Tabaraani and At-Tayaalisi] Therefore, Allaah ordered the Prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention, to put their right hand over the left one during the prayer. ‘Ali interpreted the verse in which Allaah Says (what means): {So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone].}[Quran 108:2], to mean: “.., and put your right hand over the left.”

What is even more of a lie is his [the Shaykh] claim that it is only the Wahabites who are of the view that it is a Sunnah to put the right hand over the left hand in prayer. This is evidence about his deep ignorance. All the four Imaams: Maalik, [in one of his two opinions], Ash-Shaafi’ee, Abu Haneefah and Ahmad and the scholars from our Salaf, the companions and those who followed them exactly in faith and other scholars of the nation throughout the centuries, said that it confers with the Sunnah to place the right hand over the left one. And this was centuries before Allaah created Shaykh Ibn ‘Abdal-Wahhaab. For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 81463.

Finally, we advise you to stay away from this man and not seek Fatwa from him as his statement proves that he is ignorant and he is not worthy of giving Fataawa.

As regards putting a piece of wood at the place of prostration when performing the prayer, it is not a Sunnah to do so, rather it is an innovation which was not reported from the Prophet or his companions . Verily, the Prophet said: “The earth is made for me as a mosque and a pure place [to offer my prayers wherever I am].” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] So the soil is pure and one does not need to put a piece of wood under his front head when prostrating. So, this act is purely an innovation. The Prophet said: “Whoever performs an act which is not in accordance with ours [our religion], it will be rejected from him.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Nonetheless, if one is in need for such a piece of wood to protect his front head from the heat of the soil then there is no harm. [However, nowadays all the mosques are cleanly and tidily carpeted, and the carpet is pure and one does not need such a thing when performing the prayer.]. 

Allaah Knows best.