Ask Qul - Shia Sunni Dialogue - Praying open hands to close hands

Pearl of Wisdom

'Whoever backbites a Muslim man or woman, Allah, most High, neither accepts his prayer nor his fasting for forty days until its victim has forgiven him.'

Prophet Muhammad al-Mustafa [sawa]

Jami' al-Akhbar, p. 412, no. 1141

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Question : #100

Category: Shia Sunni Dialogue

Subject:	Praying open hands to close hands
Question:	Did the Prophet Muhammad pray open or close hands, and when did this division take place?
Answer:	The Prophet (s) prayed with his hands open. I do not know the exact instance that this division took place, although it is commonly known that it took place during the reign of the second caliph.

Follow Up
Question:

I recently had a short discussion about this with a Sunni sister and she said that they do that as a sign of respect, as when someone who was approaching Prophet Muhammad (saw) did before him. My questions are; is it respectful? is it obligatory or optional? And finally where and why did this tradition arise? Thank you!