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Why do we leave using the left hand?

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Qibla.com

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Can you please explain why as Muslims are we not permitted to use our left hand, and we are not allowed to be left handed. I was told that the devil is left handed. But no is able to give me any further clarification, or proof.

Answer:
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Walaikum assalam,

It is a sunna to use the right hand for noble matters, and the left hand for lowly matters, whenever reasonably possible.  This is a general recommendation. It is not sinful or prohibited to use the left hand; doing so without need is, however, blameworthy because it is going against recommended Prophet practice.

Sayyida `A’isha (Allah be pleased with her) related that, “The Messenger of Allah loved using the right in wearing his shoes, combing his hair, purification, and in all his matters.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

She also related that, “The Messenger of Allah’s hand (blessings and peace be upon him) was for his purification and eating, and his left for the toilet and anything lowly.” [Abu Dawud; Nawawi declared it rigorously authentic in his Majmu`]

Anas (Allah be pleased with him) said, “It is from the sunna that you enter the mosque with your right leg, and leave with your left leg. [Hakim]

The hadiths related to this are numerous.

Ibn Daqiq explained that this is a general recommendation from which certain particulars have been excepted, such as entering the washroom, cleaning one’s private parts, leaving the mosque, and the like, for the sunna in these is to use the left. [Sharh Umdat al-Ahkam]

The scholars deduced from the hadiths related to right and left that the general principle is:

1. To prefer the right [hand or foot] for all noble matters, such as:

          Wudu

          Entering the mosque

          Wearing clothes

          Praying to the right of the imam if the lines are even [otherwise, evening the lines is superior]

          Giving salams to the right first in prayer

          Turning one’s head to the right first in the adhan when saying ‘Hayya `ala al-Salah’

          Brushing the right side of one’s teeth first

          Starting to cut one’s hair from the right side first

          Serving food or water to those on one’s right first

          Sleeping on one’s right side

          Shaking hands

          Eating and drinking with one’s right

          Giving and taking things

          Brushing one’s hair.

2. To prefer the left for all lowly or less desirable matters, such as:

  • Going from a more noble to a less noble place:

o        Going out of the house

o        Going out of the mosque

o        Entering the toilet

  • Cleaning one’s private parts or filth

Ref: [Ibn Daqiq Sharh Umdat al-Ahkam; Saffarini, Ghida’ al-Albab (2.91-93); Nawawi, Majmu` (1.408-410); Kasani, Bada’i` al-Sana’i` (1.22); Baji, al-Muntaqa Sharh al-Muwatta’ (7.234-235); Khadimi/Barkawi, al-Bariqa fi Sharh al-Tariqa (4.74-77)]

And Allah alone gives success.

Wassalam,
Faraz Rabbani

 عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رضي الله عنها قَالَتْ : { كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ يُحِبُّ التَّيَامُنَ فِي تَنَعُّلِهِ وَتَرَجُّلِهِ وَطَهُورِهِ وَفِي شَأْنِهِ كُلِّهِ . } مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِفي المجموع للإمام النووي: (1/408)( فَرْعٌ ) قَالَ أَصْحَابُنَا وَغَيْرُهُمْ مِنْ الْعُلَمَاءِ : يُسْتَحَبُّ تَقْدِيمُ الْيَمِينِ فِي كُلِّ مَا هُوَ مِنْ بَابِ التَّكْرِيمِ كَالْوُضُوءِ وَالْغُسْلِ وَلُبْسِ الثَّوْبِ وَالنَّعْلِ وَالْخُفِّ وَالسَّرَاوِيلِ وَدُخُولِ الْمَسْجِدِ وَالسِّوَاكِ وَالِاكْتِحَالِ وَتَقْلِيمِ الْأَظْفَارِ وَقَصِّ الشَّارِبِ وَنَتْفِ الْإِبِطِ وَحَلْقِ الرَّأْسِ وَالسَّلَامِ مِنْ الصَّلَاةِ وَالْخُرُوجِ مِنْ الْخَلَاءِ وَالْأَكْلِ وَالشُّرْبِ وَالْمُصَافَحَةِ وَاسْتِلَامِ الْحَجَرِ الْأَسْوَدِ وَالْأَخْذِ وَالْعَطَاءِ وَغَيْرِ ذَلِكَ مِمَّا هُوَ فِي مَعْنَاهُ , وَيُسْتَحَبُّ تَقْدِيمُ الْيَسَارِ فِي ضِدِّ ذَلِكَ كَالِامْتِخَاطِ وَالِاسْتِنْجَاءِ وَدُخُولِ الْخَلَاءِ وَالْخُرُوجِ مِنْ الْمَسْجِدِ وَخَلْعِ الْخُفِّ وَالسَّرَاوِيلِ وَالثَّوْبِ وَالنَّعْلِ وَفِعْلِ الْمُسْتَقْذَرَاتِ وَأَشْبَاهِ ذَلِكَ . وَدَلِيلُ هَذِهِ الْقَاعِدَةِ أَحَادِيثُ كَثِيرَةٌ فِي الصَّحِيحِ , مِنْهَا حَدِيثُ عَائِشَةَ رضي الله عنها ” قَالَتْ : { كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُعْجِبُهُ التَّيَمُّنُ فِي شَأْنِهِ كُلِّهِ فِي طُهُورِهِ وَتَرَجُّلِهِ وَتَنَعُّلِهِ } رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ وَمُسْلِمٌ , وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ أَيْضًا قَالَتْ : { كَانَتْ يَدُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْيُمْنَى لِطُهُورِهِ وَطَعَامِهِ , وَكَانَتْ الْيُسْرَى لِخَلَائِهِ , وَمَا كَانَ مِنْ أَذًى } , حَدِيثٌ صَحِيحٌ رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد وَغَيْرُهُ بِإِسْنَادٍ صَحِيحٍ , وَعَنْ حَفْصَةَ رضي الله عنها : { أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يَجْعَلُ يَمِينَهُ لِطَعَامِهِ وَشَرَابِهِ وَثِيَابِهِ , وَيَسَارَهُ لِمَا سِوَى ذَلِكَ } , رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد وَغَيْرُهُ بِإِسْنَادٍ جَيِّدٍ . وَعَنْ أُمِّ عَطِيَّةَ رضي الله عنها { أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ لَهُنَّ فِي غُسْلِ ابْنَتِهِ رضي الله عنها : ابْدَأْنَ بِمَيَامِنِهَا وَمَوَاضِعِ الْوُضُوءِ مِنْهَا } رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ وَمُسْلِمٌ .  وَفِي الْبَابِ حَدِيثُ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ الْمَذْكُورُ فِي الْكِتَابِ { إذَا لَبَسْتُمْ وَإِذَا تَوَضَّأْتُمْ فَابْدَءُوا بِأَيَامِنِكُمْ } وَثَبَتَ الِابْتِدَاءُ فِي الْوُضُوءِ بِالْيَمِينِ مِنْ رِوَايَةِ عُثْمَانَ وَأَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ وَابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ وَغَيْرِهِمْ رضي الله عنهم وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضي الله عنه أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ : { إذَا انْتَعَلَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَبْدَأْ بِالْيُمْنَى وَإِذَا نَزَعَ بَدَأَ بِالشِّمَالِ لِتَكُونَ الْيُمْنَى أُولَهُمَا تُنْعَلُ وَآخِرَهُمَا تُنْزَعُ } رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ وَمُسْلِمُ وَعَنْ أَنَسٍ رضي الله عنه أَنَّهُ قَالَ : { مِنْ السُّنَّةِ إذَا دَخَلْت الْمَسْجِدَ أَنْ تَبْدَأَ بِرِجْلِك الْيُمْنَى وَإِذَا خَرَجْتَ أَنْ تَبْدَأَ بِرِجْلِك الْيُسْرَى } رَوَاهُ الْحَاكِمُ فِي الْمُسْتَدْرَكِ فِي أَوَائِلِ بَابِ صِفَةِ الصَّلَاةِ وَقَالَ : هُوَ حَدِيثٌ صَحِيحٌ عَلَى شَرْطِ مُسْلِمِ

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