Lesson 37 Permissibles, Offensives and Nullifiers of Prayers

Lesson 37

Permissibles, Offensives and Nullifiers of Prayers

It is permitted for the person who is praying to:

a) drive away those passing in front of him,

It is permitted to

b) straighten the row,

It is permitted to

c) audibly remind the Imam if he forgets ,

It is permitted to

d) move his palm to reply a greeting,

It is permitted to

e) clear the throat, yawn, scratch, reform his dress but not to do these acts

excessively,

It is permitted to

and

f) kill a scorpion or a snake if one appears

It is offensive in prayers to:

a) turn one’s head or eyes around, or raise the sight upward,

It is offensive to

b) make vain gestures or movements with garments, hair or anything else,

It is offensive to

c) put one’s hand in one’s waist (Takhassur),

It is offensive to

d) try to resist urine or feces,

It is offensive to

e) pray in the presence of food,

It is offensive to

f) sit on one’s heels and spread the two arms,

It is offensive to

g) recite the Qur’an while bowing or prostrating

Prayer is nullified by any of the following:

a) Leaving out any of its obligatory elements

Prayer is nullified by

b) Speaking unless for correction


c) Eating or drinking


d) Laughing aloud


e) Excessive movement.


Some Schools of Jurisprudence added:

f) Remembering that one forgot the performance of a previous obligatory prayer

e) The great sahw (forgetfulness) by excessive increase in the number of rakàhs

If one forgets during prayers, by increasing or leaving out any of the

confirmed Sunnahs, he should prostrate twice before greeting;

the one who greets before finishing his prayer should immediately finish it and

prostrate after greeting.

Evidence from Qur’an and Sunnah

Things permitted for the person in prayer:

Reminding the imam loudly if he forgets:

The Prophet (SAWS) said:

“If something happens during prayer, you should say Subhan Allah

(Glory be to Allah).”

(Reported by al-Bukhariyy and Muslim)

Driving away persons who pass in front of him:


“If anybody amongst you is praying behind something as a sutrah (i.e., some things that prevents people from passing before him)

and somebody tries to pass in front of him, then he should repulse him and if he refuses,

he should use force against him for he is shaytan (a devil).’”


Straightening the row:

It was narrated that the Prophet (SAWS) turned Ibn-Àbbas from his left side to

his right side when he was praying beside him .

(Reported by al-Bukhariyy))

Moving the palm to reply greeting:

At-Tirmidhiyy reported that the Prophet (SAWS) moved his palm to reply the greetings of others while performing

prayers.

Killing insects and the like if exposed to them:


“Kill the two black things during prayer, the snake and scorpion.”

(Reported by at-Tirmidhiyy)

Offensive acts in prayers:Turning around:


“It (turning around) is something which the devil snatches from the prayer of a

servant.”

(Reported by al-Bukhariyy)

The Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) also said:

“How is it that the people raise their eyes towards the sky during prayer? He stressed and added,

‘People must refrain from raising up their looks towards heaven during prayer. Otherwise

their sights will certainly be snatched.” (Reported by al-Bukhariyy and Muslim)

Putting one’s hand in one’s waist (Takhassur):

Abu-Hurayrah (RA) narrated:

“It was forbidden to pray with the hands over one's waist.”


Vain gestures:


“Be calm in prayer.”

(Reported by Muslim)

The Prophet (SAWS) also said:

“I have been commanded to prostrate on seven (bones), and not to fold back the

hair or the clothing.”



“When one of you gets up to pray, he must not remove pebbles, for mercy is facing

him.” (Reported by Abu-Dawud and at-

Tirmidhiyy)

The resistance of urine and feces, and the presence of food:

The Messenger of Allah (SAWS) said:

“No prayer should be performed while the food is being served, or while a person is

in need of relieving himself.”


Undesirable way of sitting:

À’ishah (RA) narrated:“He (the Prophet) prohibited the devil’s

way of sitting on the heels, and he forbade people to spread out their arms

like a wild beast.” (Reported by Muslim)

Reciting Qur’an while bowing and prostrating:


“And see that I have been forbidden to recite the Qur'an in the state of bowing

and prostration.”


Nullifiers of prayers:Leaving out an obligatory element:

The Prophet (SAWS) said to a man:

“Go back and repeat your Salah because you have not performed the Salah

(properly).”


Speaking except for correction:

Allah says:

اِن�ِت�يَن� ﴿ َق� ِل�َّلِه� وا وُم� ﴾َو�َق� : [ 238البقرة]

This means:

“And stand before Allah with obedience.”

(Al-Baqarah: 238)


“Talking to persons is not fitting during the prayer.”


Eating and drinking:


“In the prayer, one is occupied (with a more serious matter).”

(Reported by al-Bukhariyy)

Laughing out loudly:


“Smile does not interrupt prayer, but it is interrupted by guffaw.”

(Reported by al-Bayhaqiyy)

Prostration due to forgetfulness:

The Prophet (SAWS) said: “When one of you is in doubt about his prayer, and

does not know how much he has prayed, three or four Rakàhs, he should pray one (additional)

Rakàh and make two prostrations while sitting before giving the salutation. If the (additional) Rakàh which he prayed is the fifth one, he will

make it an even number by these two prostrations. If it is the fourth one, the two

prostrations will be a disgrace for the devil.” (Reported by Muslim)


“Anyone who is in doubt in his prayer should make two prostrations after

giving the salutation.”

(Reported by an-Nasa’iyy and Abu-Dawud)

Documents

Lesson 37 Permissibles, Offensives and Nullifiers of Prayers