There does arise one question about the final view of Abu Yusuf:
Does his view mean that the hands are kept in duaa position AFTER the hands are raised to the ears with the takbir al-qunut ?
Its mentioned by Shurunbulali in Maraqi that this opnion (of holding the hands as in dua during the qunut) was due the narration of Ibn Mas'ud:
"...When he completes reciting the chapter in it, i.e. in the third unit, he raises his hands parallel to his ears, as we have mentioned, unless he is making it up so that his negligence in it is not seen by raising his hands in the presence of someone who sees him. He then utters takbir because he is moving to the state of supplication.
After takbir he recites the supplication standing because the Prophet, upon him be blessings and peace, used to recite the supplication in witr before the bow. With the Imam (Abu Hanifa), he places his right on his left but from Abu Yusuf, he raises them as ibn Mas’ud used to raise them to his chest whilst their palms were to the sky. Farj, the slave of Abu Yusuf, said, “I saw my master Abu Yusuf raising his hands in supplication when he would enter the supplication in witr” – ibn Abu ‘Imran said, “Farj was trustworthy”. Kamal said, “His basis is the general nature of the proof of raising for supplication. However, it is refuted that it is specific to that which is not in the prayer because of the consensus that there is no raising in the testification supplication.” I say, “There is a problem with this because of the statement of ibn Mas’ud which has just been mentioned.”
There is also some kalaam on this issue by Shaykh Muin al Sindi:
Shayk Muin al Sindi (d. 1161AH) has stated in Dirasat al Labib fi Uswa al Hasana bi al Habib;
‘’From amonst the legal rulings which are baseless is the obligation of the takbir before the Qunut of Witr. Pertaining to its obligation I have found no marfu hadith let alone that the Prophet (SAW) performed it perpetually or that ant warning exists upon abandoning it, though I perform the takbir perpetually trusting in the Hanafi scholars, I do not regard it as Wajib.
The same work states;
From those legal rulings which have no foundation is the statement of Abu Hanifa that to raise the hands for the takbir of Qunut is Wajib. I as yet, I have not found an authentic athar from an eminent Tabii upon the issue, let alone anything from a Sahabi.
In the same work it is stated;
‘’It is established from the narration related by Hafiz Abu bakr ibn Abi Shaibah in his Muasannaf upon the authority of Abdullah ibn Masud (ra) that he would raise his hands for the Qunut of Witr.
He has also related another narration stating that in the final rakah of the Witr after the recitation, Abdullah ibn Masud (ra) would not perform anything else after the takbir.
He has also related from Abd al Rahman ibn al Aswad (rah) from his father that, ‘’After the recitation in the final rakah of Witr; Abdullah ibn Masud (rah) would recite the takbir and then the Qunut. When he would the Qunut then he would recite the takbir and perform ruku.
The Hanafis have contradicted the actions of Abdullah ibn Masud (ra) in two issues;
-Firstly, the raising of the hands at the Qunut.
-Secondly, the addition of the raising of the hands at the time of the takbir.’’
