Wa’il ibn Hujr reported: He saw the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, raise his hands upon entering into prayer, exalting Allah, and Hammam described his hands as parallel to his ears. Then, the Prophet wrapped his hands in his cloak and placed his right hand over his left hand. When he intended to bow, he would take his hands out from his cloak, raise them, exalt Allah, and then bow. When the Prophet said, “Allah hears those who praise him,” he would raise his hands. When the Prophet prostrated, he prostrated between his two palms.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 401
Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Muslim
Al-Nawawi said, “It is recommended to place the right hand over the left hand after the opening exaltation, and to place them under the chest and above the navel. This is our well-known position and it is adopted by the majority.”
Source: Sharḥ al-Nawawī ‘alá Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 401
عَن وَائِلِ بْنِ حُجْرٍ أَنَّهُ رَأَى النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حِينَ دَخَلَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ كَبَّرَ وَصَفَ هَمَّامٌ حِيَالَ أُذُنَيْهِ ثُمَّ الْتَحَفَ بِثَوْبِهِ ثُمَّ وَضَعَ يَدَهُ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى الْيُسْرَى فَلَمَّا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَرْكَعَ أَخْرَجَ يَدَيْهِ مِنْ الثَّوْبِ ثُمَّ رَفَعَهُمَا ثُمَّ كَبَّرَ فَرَكَعَ فَلَمَّا قَالَ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ فَلَمَّا سَجَدَ سَجَدَ بَيْنَ كَفَّيْهِ
401 صحيح مسلم كتاب الصلاة باب وضع اليمنى على اليسرى بعد تكبيرة الإحرام تحت الصدر وفي السجود على الأرض حذو منكبيه
قال النووي وَاسْتِحْبَابُ وَضْعِ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى الْيُسْرَى بَعْدَ تَكْبِيرَةِ الْإِحْرَامِ وَيَجْعَلُهُمَا تَحْتَ صَدْرِهِ فَوْقَ سُرَّتِهِ هَذَا مَذْهَبُنَا الْمَشْهُورُ وَبِهِ قَالَ الْجُمْهُورُ
401 شرح النووي على مسلم