Tashbik (interlacing the fingers)

Tashbik is putting the fingers of one hand between those of the other. The jurists agree it is disliked in prayer. ¹

The jurists agree that interlacing in prayer is disliked, on the report of Ka'b ibn Ujra that the Messenger opened the fingers of a man who had interlaced them in his prayer. ¹ Ibn Umar said of one who interlaces his fingers while praying: «that is the prayer of those who earned anger». ²

The Hanafis, Shafiis and Hanbalis dislike interlacing in the mosque for one waiting for prayer, since waiting counts as prayer, on the hadith «one of you is in prayer as long as prayer holds him». ² Other hadiths: «then he should not interlace before him, for he is in prayer», and «interlacing is from Satan». ^{2 3} The reasons given: it is idle play; it resembles Satan; it invites sleep, which may break ablution. ²

The majority do not dislike it after the prayer, even in the mosque, on the hadith of Dhu al-Yadayn reported by Abu Hurayra (may God be pleased with him), when the Messenger interlaced his fingers after the salam. ³ The Hanafis do not dislike it when there is a need, as an image of the believers' mutual support in the hadith «the believer to the believer is like a building». Idle interlacing is disliked as a matter of discretion. ⁴

For the Shafiis, one who sits in the mosque for a purpose other than prayer, such as a lesson or writing, is not disliked; one who combines waiting for prayer with that purpose is disliked. ⁴ For the Malikis it is disliked for the worshipper alone, even outside the mosque, and allowed outside prayer, even in the mosque. ⁴

Interlacing during the Friday sermon is disliked by the schools other than the Malikis, since the listener is waiting for prayer and is like one in prayer; the Malikis do not dislike it, since their dislike applies only to prayer. ⁴