HAND

Arabic yad ( يـد‎ ), pl. ayādī . Heb. ‏יָד‎ . (1) It is a rule with Muslims to honour the right hand above the left; to use the right hand for all honourable purposes, and the left for actions which, though nece ary, are unclean. The hands must be washed before prayers [ ABLUTIONS ] and before meals. (2) The expre ion yadu ʾllāh , the “hand of God,” occurs in the Qurʾān:— Sūrah v. 69 : “The Jews say, ‘ God’s hand is fettered’; their hands are fettered, for they are cursed.” Sūrah xlviii. 10 : “God’s hand is above their hands.” There is a controversy between the orthodox Sunnīs and the Wahhābīs regarding the expre ion, “God’s hand.” The former maintaining that it is a figurative expre ion for the power of God, the latter holding that it is literal ; but that it is impo ible to say in what sense or manner God has a hand; for as the e ence of God is not known, how can the manner of His existence be understood?