Is placing the hands below the navel in prayer forbidden?

The Sunnah in prayer is to place the hands on the chest, not below the navel. This is because the hadith of Ali, which mentions placing the hands below the navel, is weak, whereas the placement of hands on the chest is firmly established in the hadith of Wa'il ibn Hujr. Nevertheless, placing the hands below the navel is not considered forbidden; there is leniency in this matter. A group of scholars has adopted this view, and there is no prohibition against it. This falls under the category of what is recommended (istihbab), not obligatory.