Certain prayer postures haram?

sunbeam wrote: Hello, I have heard somewhere that praying in a posture with one's arms outstretched in a cruciform position is forbidden. Can anyone help me on this? In praying, is it haram to look upwards when praying?

There are 4 acceptable means to derive religous, and these methods are names after the those who founded the methodologies.

Imam Malik, Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Sh�fi��, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal. These methodologies are given the term "madhab". The religous law from these four schools of thought are all derived from the primary texts of Islam, the Quran and Sunnah, and their texts give us the opinions of the best way to pray, to pay zakah, and all other rleligous law. Those who can give an opinion have studied under the feet of a qualified scholar for many, many, many long years and have aquired mastery over many skills needed to issue religous opinion.

It is obligatory for Muslims to seek out those who know more than you for knowledge. And one should make sure that the source is valid with a continuous source back to the Prophet (saw).

I will give a brief description to your questions and these are based upon the best works that scholars have veer produced based upon the primary texts in Islam.

Af far as where to gaze, Malikis have given an opinion that one may look forward, while the other madhabs have given the opinion that one should gaze down where one will place their head in sajdah.

The more popular opinions regarding the position of the hand is together at the navel, together at the chest (near the heart), or at the sides.

The differences between the madhabs can slightly vary over minor points due to wording in the primary texts or insufficient evidence. All four madhabs are correct.

In my signature, there is a link (guiding helper) to an online book of Maliki fiq (religous law). Two common Shaffi texts in the english language are Al Maqasid (easy to follow and not overly long), and Reliance of the Traveller.

I know of these off hand. There are also Hanifi books, and if you are interested I will look at my bookshelf and give you the info!

Hope this helps.

(www.sunnipath.com offers great educational, online courses and they have a question and answer section)