π€²
Palms Up Together
pahms uhp tuh-GETH-er
Definitions
1
Gesture Β· Prayer
Very Common
A gesture of prayer, supplication or reverence, showing both palms raised together. Commonly used to express religious devotion, gratitude, or making a heartfelt request.
Frequently used in religious contexts, particularly in Islamic digital communication to represent dua (prayer).
May Allah bless you and your family π€²
Social media well-wishes
Please keep my grandmother in your prayers π€²
Request for prayer support
So grateful for this opportunity π€²
Expressing gratitude
While universally recognized as a prayer gesture, its strongest association is with Islamic prayer traditions, though it appears across multiple faiths.
2
Gesture Β· Request
Common
A gesture of pleading, begging, or requesting something earnestly. Shows vulnerability and openness when making a request or asking for help.
Often used playfully in casual conversations to emphasize a request or to show you're pleading for something.
Please can we get pizza tonight? π€²
Casual message to family/friends
I'm begging you to send the photos π€²
Friendly text conversation
The 'begging' connotation is more prevalent in Western contexts, while the religious meaning dominates in Muslim-majority regions.
3
Gesture Β· Offering
Uncommon
A gesture of offering or presenting something with both hands, showing respect and deference. Indicates giving or receiving something with reverence.
Less common than prayer/request meanings, but used to show respectful offering, particularly in East Asian contexts.
Here's my humble contribution to the project π€²
Professional message
In East Asian cultures, offering items with both hands shows respect; this meaning transfers to digital communication but is less widespread globally.
Evolution Timeline
2017
Introduced in Unicode 10.0 as 'Palms Up Together', initially gaining popularity in Muslim digital communities.
Growing need for representation of Islamic prayer gestures in digital communication
2018
Expanded beyond religious contexts to represent general pleading or begging in Western social media.
Adoption by younger users who repurposed the emoji for casual, playful requests
2020
Saw significant increase in usage during COVID-19 pandemic as prayers and well-wishes became more common in digital communication.
Global health crisis prompting more expressions of hope, prayer and community support
2022
Increasingly used in interfaith contexts and multicultural communication as awareness of diverse prayer gestures grew.
Greater digital literacy around cultural and religious symbols in global communication
Cultural Context
Most strongly associated with Islamic dua (supplication), where raising hands with palms up is a traditional prayer position. This association makes it particularly significant during Ramadan and other Islamic observances.
In South and Southeast Asia, this gesture transcends Islam to represent various forms of prayer across Hinduism, Sikhism, and Buddhism, making it more religiously versatile than in Western contexts.
The universal human gesture of open palms symbolizes vulnerability, honesty, and openness across cultures, which explains its dual meaning of both reverent prayer and humble pleading.
Often accompanied by phrases like 'Ameen,' 'InshaAllah,' or 'Alhamdulillah' in Islamic contexts, while paired with 'please' or 'I beg you' in secular Western usage.
Younger users have secularized this emoji beyond its religious origins, using it to emphasize requests or express gratitude in non-religious contexts, particularly in Western digital culture.
Regional Variations
United Kingdom
Similar to US usage, but with more frequent appearance in interfaith contexts and multicultural communication due to larger Muslim population.
India
Used across religious contexts including Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh prayers, with broader spiritual applications than in Western regions.
Saudi Arabia
Almost exclusively used for religious context of dua (Islamic supplication). Very high frequency in daily communication.
United States
More commonly used for casual pleading or begging in non-religious contexts. Religious usage primarily appears in Muslim American communities.
Generational Usage
Gen_X: Primarily used in religious contexts, especially by Muslim Gen X users. Less likely to use it in secular conversations than younger generations.
Gen_Z: Frequently used for exaggerated pleading or begging in casual contexts. Often used ironically or humorously when asking friends for favors or information.
Older: Limited usage, mostly confined to religious contexts. When used, almost exclusively represents prayer or spiritual devotion rather than casual pleading.
Millennials: Used both for religious purposes and casual requests. Muslim millennials use it extensively for religious expression in digital spaces.
Common Combinations
π€²π
Emphasizes deep prayer or spiritual devotion using gestures from different traditions.
Represents interfaith respect or multicultural prayer, combining Islamic and Christian/Hindu prayer gestures.
π€²β¨
Blessed prayers or divine intervention being requested or received.
Adds magical or divine element to prayer, suggesting answered prayers or spiritual blessing.
π€²β€οΈ
Heartfelt prayers or loving supplication, often for someone's wellbeing.
Adds emotional dimension to prayer, showing love and concern for the subject of prayer.
π€²π
Desperate prayer or emotional pleading, often in difficult circumstances.
Used during hardships or when making emotional appeals for divine intervention.
π€²π½π
Islamic prayer specifically related to Hajj, Umrah, or the Kaaba in Mecca.
Used by Muslims when discussing pilgrimage or directing prayers toward Mecca.
Related Emojis
π
Alternative prayer gesture more associated with Christian/Hindu traditions
β
Single raised hand, less formal version of requesting or offering
π
Open hands gesture, similar positioning but different meaning
π
Often used together in Islamic religious contexts
π§
Kneeling person, often used in religious context like prayer