Question Summary:
Does Istilaam have to be done with one hand or both the hands?

Question Detail:

Does Istilaam have to be done with one hand or both the hands?

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
JazakAllah for your question.
The correct procedure of Istilaam with regards to the placement of the hands is as follows:
 One should place the palms of both the hands upon the Hajar al- Aswad while reciting Takbeer, Tahleel (to recite the Kalimah), place one’s mouth between both the palms and kiss the Hajar al- Aswad.[1]
 If this is not possible, then one should place both the palms of both the hands or the palm of the right hand on the Hajar al- Aswad.[2]
If this is not possible, then one should face the Hajar al- Aswad and raise both the hands in line with the shoulders and face the palms of both the hands in the direction of the Hajar al- Aswad and thereafter kiss both the hands.[3]
The above procedure is that of the Hanafi Mazhab (School of Thought).
The procedure of doing Istilaam in the other Schools of Thought might differ from that of the Hanafi School of Thought.
There may be adherents of the various Schools of Thought carrying out the various rites of Hajj or Umrah at the same time in different methods and ways, therefore, it is imperative that we should respect the opinions, practices and views of the other Schools of Thought.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Moulana Ismail Desai,
Student Darul Iftaa
Durban, South Africa
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.