(Class by Sister Eman al Obaid on Tuesday, 15 th January 2013) The Sunnah Acts, Disliked Acts and Nullifiers of the Prayer (Continuation) Last week we did Sunan as-salaat (The Sunnah acts of the prayer). Today we will see Makroohaat as-salaat (The disliked acts of the prayer). Makroohaat As-Salaat (The Disliked Acts of the Prayer) http://alhudasisters.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/fiqh3.pdf - Page 77 1
1. Turning around during the prayer or turning one s face or chest without any reason or need. There are different types of turning: a) Turning one s face or chest for a reason or need is permissible (allowed) If you have any emergency during the prayer, turning is allowed. For example: While praying if you find your child crying badly or he is in danger then you can turn to take care of him without breaking the prayer. Also during the prayer if you discover that you are facing the wrong direction of the Qiblah, it is permissible for you to turn or change your position to face the (proper) direction of the Qiblah, and then continue praying (i.e without breaking it). 2
b) Turning one s face or chest without any reason or need is disliked. c) Turning one s whole body to any direction other than the direction of Qiblah unnecessarily (i.e. without any valid reason) invalidates the prayer but in a case if one fears any harm or an attack during war (from behind/from the opposite direction of Qiblah), then there is nothing wrong in it (means there is nothing wrong in turning to any direction other than the direction of the Qiblah in such situations). This means a person who is offering the prayer facing towards the Qiblah fears any harm from wild animals or attack from enemies during war, from his behind (i.e. from the opposite direction of the Qiblah), it is permissible for him to turn his whole body to the opposite direction of the Qiblah or to any direction which is safer for him, without breaking/cancelling his prayer due to the necessity in such situations. When one has a fear of harm/attack from his behind while praying, it would be difficult for him to focus on his prayer and so it is allowed to turn the whole body during necessity. 2. Raising one s sight towards the sky Looking up at the sky during the prayer is disliked. 3. Closing the eyes without a reason It is makrooh (disliked) to close the eyes during the prayer unless there is a genuine reason for doing so. People think that they can concentrate/focus more if they close their eyes but this is actually one of the tricks of shaytaan. If a person closes his eyes for a valid reason, for ex: due to something like dust getting into the eyes or because of some irritations or anything like that, then there is nothing wrong with it. In order to have more concentration/focus during the prayer we should not close our eyes but seek help in Allah (Isti anabillah) and rely on Him (Tawakkul- alallah). May Allah protect us from the tricks of shaytaan (ameen) 3
4. Spreading out the forearms in the Sujood/Prostration. It is makrooh (disliked) to spread the forearms along the ground like a dog while in the Sujood (prostration). One has to keep his forearms off the ground during the Sujood. Hadith: The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: If any of you prostrates (Sajdah) then keep straight and not spread his arms like the sitting of a dog. [Muslim] 5. Fidgeting/moving restlessly which prevents one from concentration (focusing) and self-assurance during the prayer For example: Moving without a reason or need such as: Fiddling/playing with one s beard, clothes, head dress (ghutrah)/hijaab or watch/rings Cracking knuckles Intertwining the fingers etc. Playing or being engaged with anything instead of focusing in the prayer is a sign of heedlessness and it is makrooh (disliked). 6. Covering the mouth or face in the prayer. It is disliked to cover the mouth or face with hands or anything during the prayer without any reason or need. 7. Entering the prayer while one s mind is being occupied with different thoughts/worries or while having something in front of him which distracts him from his prayer or (praying) while holding the urine. It is disliked to pray while our mind is being occupied with different issues 4
or worries or to pray on a mat having decorations/designs that may distract us while offering our prayer. Hadith: Aa ishah (radhiyallahu anha) said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed in a black cloak that had markings, and he looked at its markings. When he finished praying, he said: Take this cloak to Abu Jahm ibn Hudhayfah [i.e., the person who gave it to the Prophet], and bring me a plain cloak, for they distracted me just now when I was praying. [Agreed upon] So in order to avoid the distractions during the prayer, it is better to remove such things from our body such as any jewellery or colorful garments with lots of decorations/designs which we may play with or admire and also remove things such as attractive furnitures or carpets from the room or the place where we pray. Also offering the prayer in the presence of food (i.e. while one is hungry when the food is served) or while holding on the call of nature (i.e. when one is in desperate need to relieve himself) is disliked as it can distract or prevent one from focusing during the prayer. Hadith: Narrated 'Aishah (radhiyallahu anha) that she heard the Messenger of Allah saying: "No one should pray when the food is served nor when one needs to answer the call of nature." [Ahmad, Muslim, and Abu Dawud]. Narrated Thauban (radhiyallahu anhu) that the Messenger of Allah said: "There are three acts which are not allowed: For a person to lead a people in prayer and then make supplications for himself without including them, for then he would be dishonest to them; to look inside a house without obtaining permission, for if he does so (it is as if) he has already entered it (without permission); and to offer prayer while he needs to answer the call of nature until he relieves himself." [Ahmad, Abu Dawud, and at-tirmidhi] We should avoid doing these makroohat as-salaat/disliked acts of prayer as much as possible though they are not haraam/forbidden. Seek help in Allah and rely on Him to focus fully on our prayer and to have proper presence of mind, and remember that we are standing before none but Al-Malik! 5
Al-Mubtilaat As-Salaat (The Nullifiers of the Prayer] 6
1. Ignoring/violating any of the Shuroot/Conditions of the prayer- for example: Having that which invalidates tahaarah/purity (i.e. wudhu ) [for ex: breaking wind which invalidates the wudhu (ritual purity) also invalidates the prayer. Praying without wudhu (tahaarah) nullifies the prayer.] Uncovering one s awrah deliberately Turning all his body away from the direction of the Qiblah intentionally (i.e. changing the direction of the Qiblah intentionally by moving the whole body away from it to a large extent will invalidate the prayer) Breaking the niyyah (intention). Niyyah is one of the conditions of the prayer. So if one starts praying without niyyah (intention), his prayer is not accepted. The place of niyyah/intention is the heart (i.e. action of the heart) and so one evokes it in his heart to do an act for the sake of Allah but doesn t utter it/express it verbally. If one intends/thinks to break or cut his prayer while praying, his prayer is already cancelled or cut. So if one breaks the niyyah (intention) while praying, his prayer is invalidated and he has to repeat it. If any of the Shuroot as-salaat (conditions of the prayer) is left out intentionally, the prayer is nullified and it has to be repeated. 2. Intentionally leaving a Pillar (Rukn) or Obligation (Waajib) of the prayer Skipping one of the Arkaan/Pillars (essential parts) or Waajibaat (Obligations) of the prayer such as Rukoo (Bowing), Sujood (prostration), First Tashahhud/Final Tashahhud etc. deliberately (i.e. without any valid excuse) will invalidate the prayer. 3. Excessive (continuous) movements or walking frequently during the prayer without any valid reason. Intentionally making many movements/motions or walking continuously whilst in the prayer without any necessity will nullify the prayer. 7
Moving a great deal or walking continuously during the prayer for no valid reason invalidates the prayer. If one sees a cockroach or a snake next to him during the prayer and he wants to run, then he can break the prayer and run, because running during the prayer nullifies the prayer. As for small movements or actions for a reason during the prayer such as a person praying in congregation moving to make the row straight, moving forward to fill the gap in the front row or other such slight movements do not invalidate the prayer. 4. Laughing out loud Merely smiling during the prayer does not invalidate the prayer but laughing loudly or giggling invalidates it. 5. Speaking intentionally Deliberately talking during the prayer invalidates the prayer. Responding to someone s greeting (salaam) or sneezing during the prayer invalidates the prayer. Sometimes if we find some people or children laughing loudly or talking during the prayer, we should not blame them for doing so because they may be doing that out of ignorance of the ruling and so we should tell them that these actions are not allowed while praying as they can nullify their prayer. Hadith: Ibn Mas'ud (radhiyallahu anhu) reports: "We used to greet the Messenger of Allah while he was in salah and he would respond to our greeting. When we returned from Abyssinia, we greeted him [during prayer] but he did not respond to our salutation. We said to him: 'O Messenger of Allah, we used to greet you while you were in salah and you used to respond to us!' He then said: 'Prayer demands one's complete attention.'" [al-bukhari and Muslim] Mu'awiyyah ibn al Hakam said: "I was praying behind the Messenger of Allah and someone in the congregation sneezed. I said [to him]: 'May Allah have mercy upon you.' The people then stared at me, showing their disapproval of my act. I said: 'Woe to me, why do you stare at me so?' They started to strike their hands on their thighs and when I saw that they wanted me to become silent, I was angered but said nothing. When the Messenger of Allah finished the prayer and may my father and mother be ransomed for him, I found no teacher better than him either before or after him he did not scold, beat, or revile me but he simply said: 'Talking to others is not seemly during the salah, for the salah is for glorifying Allah, extolling His Greatness, and reciting the Qur'an. [Ahmad, Muslim, Abu Dawud, and an-nasa'i]. 8
6. Eating and drinking intentionally Eating or drinking deliberately during the prayer invalidates the prayer. If a person chews any food or chewing gum while praying, his prayer is nullified and he needs to repeat the prayer. 7. Intentionally adding a Rak ah/unit or a Rukn/Pillar (in the prayer) If a person intentionally adds an extra unit or a pillar to his prayer, for ex: recites extra Faatihah or makes extra Sujood, his prayer is nullified. One should not misunderstand or misinterpret this hadith stated below and increase/add extra Sujood in the prayer - Rabi'a bin Ka'b (radhiyallahu anhu) said: I used to spend my nights in the company of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and used to bring him water for ablution, one day the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said to me, Ask something of me. I replied, I request your companionship in Jannah. He (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) asked Is there anything else? I said That is all. He (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said, Then help me to achieve that for you by increasing your prostrations. [Muslim] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- According to this hadith, it doesn t mean adding extra Sujood (Prostration) to the prayers, but it means to increase (performing) the Nawaafil/Sunnah (Voluntary) prayers. (And Allah knows best) If one adds a rak ah (unit) or a rukn (pillar) to his prayer unintentionally or by mistake, his prayer is not nullified but he should make Sujood as-sahw. 8. The ma mum (i.e. the one who is praying behind the imam) saying the salaam (Tasleem) intentionally before the imam. The ma mum/a person who is praying behind the imam in jama ah (congregation) should follow the imam. So the ma mum has to say the salaam after the imam has said the two salaams (i.e. Tasleematayn-> 9
saying: Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullah to the right side first and then to the left to exit the prayer). It is not permissible for the ma mum to precede the imam. So if he had intentionally said the salaam before the imam had said the two salaams, then his prayer is invalidated. This is all about makroohaat as-salaat (disliked acts of the prayer) and mubtilaat as-salaat (nullifiers of the prayer) Insha Allah next week we will be doing Sujood As-Sahw.. And Allah Knows Best 10