Chapter of Ta'qeeb (Prayer Supplications)
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 1|Book 1|Chapter 47
وَقَالَ أَمِيرُ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «إِذَا فَرَغَ أَحَدُكُمْ مِنَ اَلصَّلاَةِ فَلْيَرْفَعْ يَدَيْهِ إِلَى اَلسَّمَاءِ وَ لْيَنْصَبْ فِي اَلدُّعَاءِ» فَقَالَ اِبْنُ سَبَإٍ يَا أَمِيرَ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَ لَيْسَ اَللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بِكُلِّ مَكَانٍ قَالَ «بَلَى» قَالَ فَلِمَ يَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهِ إِلَى اَلسَّمَاءِ فَقَالَ «أَ وَ مَا تَقْرَأُ: «وَ فِي اَلسَّمٰاءِ رِزْقُكُمْ وَ مٰا تُوعَدُونَ» فَمِنْ أَيْنَ يُطْلَبُ اَلرِّزْقُ إِلاَّ مِنْ مَوْضِعِهِ وَ مَوْضِعُ اَلرِّزْقِ وَ مَا وَعَدَ اَللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ اَلسَّمَاءُ.
The Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام said: "When one of you finishes the prayer, let him raise his hands to the sky and be earnest in supplication." Ibn Saba asked: "O’ Commander of the Faithful, is not Allah سبحانه وتعالى present everywhere?" He (Imam Ali) replied: "Indeed, He is." Ibn Saba then asked: "So why do we raise our hands towards the sky?" Imam Ali answered, "Do you not recite: ' And in the heaven is your sustenance and what you are promised' (Surah Adh-Dhariyat 51:22)? From where else should sustenance be sought except from its place, and the place of sustenance and Allah’s سبحانه وتعالى promise is in the sky."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh