The Middle Ground Fallacy
This fallacy comes as a result of someone trying to argue that the correct answer to a question must lie somewhere between two opposing contending arguments. Unfortunately, it is a common fallacy that many Muslims commit because in their minds, Islam promotes “wasatiyyah.”
You see this in the istighatha to the dead debates, for example. One side says it is major shirk, while the other side says it is permissible, then the “moderate” crowd who think they are balanced come and argue that it is merely “haram.”
We see many examples of this, unfortunately. It is one to be cognizant of so we avoid falling into it ourselves.
Assalamualaikum can you address a common confusion regarding the position of hands during salah?
Should they be clasped on the chest or not? The following two articles support the argument that it is bid'ah :
https://central-mosque.com/index.php/Acts-of-Worship/investigating-the-narrations-of-placing-the-hands-upon-the-chest-in-salah.html
https://reliablefatwas.com/the-bidah-of-al-takfeer-men-placing-the-hands-on-the-chest/
The latter shared the following :
Ibn ul-Qayyim, in his Badaaī’ al-Fawaaid cites al-Muzani, the student of Imam Ahmad, as follows:
ونقل المزني عنه…ويكره أن يجعلهما على الصدر، وذلك لما روي عن النبي -صلى اللَّه عليه وسلم- أنه نهى عن التكفير، وهو وضع اليد على الصدر
بدائع الفوائد
Imam Ahmad said:
“It is reprehensible for him to place both of them (hands) upon the chest. And that is because of what is related from the Prophet ﷺ that he prohibited al-Takfeer – and that is placing the hand upon the chest.” (end quote)
Is this authentically attributed to ibn Hanbal RH? Have Salafis been praying the wrong way? Are the narrations affirming the placement of hands on the chest, contrary to al-Albani, inauthentic? I believe a comprehensive written piece is needed.