What is the interpretation of placing the hands (takatuf) in prayer, and why is it likened to the posture of idols, Jews, and Christians, and how can one respond to those who say it is an innovation?

The true religion, which Allah revealed to His prophets, predates all other religions and idols. Every nation received a warner. Islam is an extension and the seal of the prophetic messages. The similarity between Islam and other religions stems from a single, common divine source, for the prophetic message is complementary to and supersedes previous messages, not separate from them.

As for the placement of the hands in prayer, jurists have differed on this matter due to conflicting hadiths. Some hadiths mention placing them on the chest, while others do not. Some scholars deemed the hadiths that mention placement on the chest as odd (munkar). Therefore, scholars differed on the position of the hands: whether it is on the chest, the navel, or below it. This difference is evidence of the authenticity of the hand placement in Islam, and that it was not intended to imitate a previous religion.