Is raising hands in du'a (dua) bid'ah?

Raising hands during du'a (supplication) has varying opinions among scholars, and the practice is supported by hadiths attributed to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

In Sahih al-Bukhari, it is reported: I saw that whenever Allah's Apostle stood for the prayer, he used to raise both his hands up to the shoulders, and used to do the same on saying the Takbir for bowing and on raising his head from it and used to say, 'Sami a-l-lahu Liman hamida'. But he did not do that (i.e. raising his hands) in prostrations. Sahih al-Bukhari 12:703 This narration indicates that the Prophet did raise his hands during certain acts of prayer, which can also extend to du'a.

Moreover, Al-Mizan explains that the granting of prayer is according to the measure of intention, indicating that sincere supplication is essential. The act of raising hands can be seen as an expression of humility and earnestness in one’s request to Allah.

Furthermore, it is noted in another narration that "A servant does not extend his hand towards Allah, but that Allah is ashamed to return it empty" (Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an). This highlights the importance of raising one's hands when making du'a, as it reflects a sincere and hopeful approach to supplication.

While some may label the act of raising hands in du'a as bid'ah (innovation), many scholars cite these practices from the Prophet ﷺ to argue against that classification, emphasizing that the intention behind the act is what truly matters.