(1) The layout and design of the prayer place:
If there are any designs or decorations on the prayer mat or in front of the worshipper that attract attention and distract him, it is necessary for the worshipper to remove those things from there (or pray in a place where such things are not present).
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas رضي الله عنه that there was an embroidered curtain at the house of Umm al-Mu’minin Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنها, which she had hung on one side of her house. The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said to her:
أميطي عني فإنه لا تزال تصاويره تعرض لي فى صلاتي
“O Aisha! Remove this curtain from in front of me, its pictures kept coming before me during prayer.”
From Umm al-Mu’minin رضي الله عنها, it is narrated by Janab Qasim bin Muhammad bin Abi Bakr رحمه الله that actually, a small embroidered curtain was hung in front of a small room in the house, and the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم used to pray facing it. He صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ordered it to be removed. Accordingly, Sayyida رضي الله عنها removed it and made pillows out of it.
In the same context, there is also a narration that when the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم entered the Kaaba, he saw the horns of the ram (which Sayyiduna Ibrahim عليه السلام had sacrificed) placed inside. After finishing the prayer, he said to Sayyiduna Uthman رضي الله عنه, who was the keeper of the keys of the Kaaba:
إني نسيت أن آمرك أن تخمر القرنين فإنه ليس ينبغي أن يكون فى البيت شيء يشغل المصلي
“I forgot to tell you to cover those horns. There should be nothing in the House of Allah that distracts the worshipper.”
It is also mentioned that the worshipper should avoid praying in places where people pass by, make noise, or where people sit and talk, or where there is a gathering of idle talk or distractions for the eyes.
Similarly, one should consider not praying in places where there is extreme cold or extreme heat, if possible.
The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم advised that the Zuhr prayer in summer should be performed at a somewhat cooler time. Allama Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله states:
Severe heat is an obstacle for a person in achieving humility and presence of heart in prayer. In such conditions, a person prays with great discomfort and restlessness. Therefore, the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم instructed to delay the prayer a little so that the intensity of the heat decreases, and then the person prays with attentiveness and gains the real benefit of humility and attention towards Allah عزوجل.
(2) Clothes that have patterns, inscriptions, and pictures:
Regarding this, there is a hadith from Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her):
قام النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم يصلي فى خميصة ذات أعلام فنظر إلى أعلامها فلما قضى صلاته قال: اذهبوا بهذه الخميصة إلى أبى جهم بن حذيفة وأتوني بأنبجانية، فإنها ألهتني آنفا عن صلاتي
“The Prophet (peace be upon him) started praying in a patterned cloth that had some pictures on it. During the prayer, his gaze fell upon the patterns, and after the prayer, he said: Take this patterned cloth to Abu Juhaym bin Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him), who was a cloth merchant, and bring a plain cotton cloth. It kept me occupied during the prayer.”
The most important point is that a person should not pray in clothes that have pictures, especially of living beings, as is commonly practiced nowadays.
(3) If the food is prepared and present:
Even in this condition, one should refrain from praying. Because the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
لا صلاة بحضرة الطعام
“When food is present, there is no prayer.”
When food is present, spread on the dining cloth or served, one should eat first. Because it is obvious that if a person does not eat this food, his heart will not be focused on the prayer. The heart will be stuck on the food. Rather, one should not rush while eating but eat calmly according to one’s need, then go for prayer. Because the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
إذا قرب العشاء وحضرت الصلاة فابدءوا بالعشاء قبل أن تصلوا صلاة المغرب، ولا تعجلوا عن عشائكم
In Ramadan, this situation generally occurs at the time of Iftar. Therefore, a proper interval should be given for eating.
“When the evening meal is served and it is also time for prayer, eat before praying Maghrib, and do not rush in eating.”
And many hadiths have been narrated in this sense.
(4) To stop speaking and defecating and then pray:
Undoubtedly, it is a fact that when a person needs to go to the restroom, this condition is a major obstacle to a person’s concentration and humility in prayer. Therefore, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) forbade praying in this state:
نهى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أن يصلي الرجل وهو حاقن
The Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade a person from praying while holding back urine.
Allama Albani declared this hadith authentic in Sahih Ibn Majah.
“Haqin” refers to a person who is holding back urine, and one who holds back stool is called “Aqin.”
So, due to this necessity, a person should first go to the restroom even if it means missing the congregation, because the Prophet (peace be upon him) explicitly said:
إذا أراد أحدكم أن يذهب إلى الخلاء وقامت الصلاة فليبدأ بالخلاء
“When any one of you needs to go to the restroom while the prayer is ongoing, he should first relieve himself.”
Imam Tirmidhi graded this hadith as Hasan Sahih.
Moreover, if this condition arises during the prayer, one should leave the prayer, relieve oneself, perform ablution again, and then pray. Because the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
لا صلاة بحضرة الطعام ولا هو يدافعه الأخبثان
If food is present or a person is holding back two impurities, then prayer is not allowed.
This natural and physical pressure and restraint is certainly contrary to humility in prayer. And the same issue applies to holding back wind (gas).
(5) Dominance of Sleep:
If a person is overcome by sleep and is dozing off, even then the prayer is not valid.
Sayyiduna Anas رضي الله عنه stated that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
إذا نعس أحدكم فى الصلاة فلينم حتى يعلم ما يقول
“When any one of you feels drowsy during prayer, he should sleep until he becomes aware of what he is saying and what he is uttering.”
And the reason for this is also mentioned in the narration of Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنها, where the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
إذا نعس أحدكم وهو يصلي فليرقد حتى يذهب عنه النوم، فإن أحدكم إذا صلى وهو ناعس لا يدري لعله يستغفر فيسب نفسه
“When drowsiness overcomes someone during prayer, he should sleep. If he prays while overcome by sleep, he will not even realize that instead of seeking forgiveness for himself, he might be uttering curses.”
(6) Prayer behind a person who is busy talking or sleeping:
A worshiper should also be cautious not to pray behind a sleeping person or in front of people who are engaged in their own conversations, because their talking will distract the worshiper, or the sleeping person might have some unpleasant condition. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
لا تصلوا خلف النائم ولا المتحدث
“Do not pray behind a sleeping person or someone engaged in conversation.”
The commentator of Abi Dawood, Allama Khattabi (may Allah have mercy on him), states that Imam Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him) and Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him) consider it disliked for a person to pray behind someone who is engaged in their own conversation, because their talking will distract the worshiper. However, regarding praying behind a sleeping person, the evidences are considered weak by many scholars.
In Sahih al-Bukhari, there is a chapter titled “باب الصلاة خلف النائم” and as evidence, a hadith from Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) is presented:
كان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم يصلي وأنا راقدة معترضة على فراشه
“The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to pray while I was sleeping crosswise on his bed in front of him.”
Whereas Imam Mujahid, Tawus, and Malik (may Allah have mercy on them) dislike this practice, fearing that the sleeping person’s condition might cause dislike or distraction for the worshiper. In short, when there is no such concern regarding the sleeping person, there is no harm in praying behind them.
(7) Leveling the Pebbles:
During prayer, the worshipper started adjusting the place of their prostration, removing pebbles or blowing away dust, etc. The correction of the place for prayer should be done before the prayer, not during it. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) corrected a worshipper and said:
لا تمسح الحصى وأنت تصلي فإن كنت لا بد فاعلا فواحدة
“Do not be occupied with pebbles while praying; if it is absolutely necessary, then only once!”
And the sole reason for this is to protect the worshipper’s concentration and humility so that the person does not engage in any other activity during prayer. Yes, it should be done before the prayer begins.
Also, this includes the matter of wiping one’s forehead and nose after prostration during prayer. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was seen once prostrating on muddy ground due to rain. The mud stuck to his forehead and nose, but he did not remove it.
If a person engages in such actions, surely their attention will be diverted from the prayer, which cannot be considered acceptable. For this reason, the person who says the salam (ending the prayer) is not responded to verbally. The Prophet (peace be upon him) explained the reason:
إن فى الصلاة لشغلا
“The prayer itself is an engagement.”
Or it can mean that such engagement diverts attention away from the prayer. Regarding wiping the forehead, this narration is very explicit:
عن أبى الدرداء رضى الله عنه قال ما أحب أن لي حمر النعم وأني مسحت مكان جبيني من الحصى
“The Companion of the Prophet, Sayyiduna Abu Darda (may Allah be pleased with him), says: (During prayer) I do not tolerate wiping my forehead because of pebbles, even if I were to be given a red camel in exchange.”
Imam Iyad (may Allah have mercy on him) says that the Companions and the Followers disliked wiping the forehead before finishing the prayer.
In short, the worshipper should avoid any action that causes distraction or engagement during prayer or causes inconvenience to others.
(8) Reciting loudly near others:
Some people do not consider that another worshiper beside them is also engaged in supplication and remembrance of Allah, and they recite their prayers or tasbihat so loudly that it causes great disturbance to those nearby, making it difficult for them to concentrate. The teachings and guidance of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ make this very clear when he said:
ألا إن كلكم مناج ربه، فلا يؤذين بعضكم بعضا، ولا يرفع بعضكم على بعض فى القراءة فى الصلاة، ولا يجهر بعضكم على بعض بالقرآن
“Beware! You all are in private conversation with your Lord. So no one should cause harm to another, no one should recite loudly for others, or as he said, in prayer, do not recite the Qur’an loudly.”
(9) Looking around here and there:
Looking around during prayer is disrespectful and contrary to the presence required in prayer. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
لا يزال الله عزوجل مقبلا على العبد وهو فى صلاته ما لم يلتفت، فإذا التفت انصرف عنه
When a servant is in prayer, Allah remains fully attentive to His servant until the servant looks around; when he starts looking around, Allah also turns His attention (mercy) away from him.
Al-Albani has also declared the hadith weak.
There are two types of looking around (Iltafāt) in prayer:
❀ One is turning the heart towards something other than Allah.
❀ The other is moving the eyes around.
The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, forbade both. This reduces the reward of the prayer. When asked about this, he said:
هو اختلاس يختلسه الشيطان من صلاة العبد
“(Looking around) is a snatch by which Satan snatches away part of the servant’s prayer.”
The great scholar Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, has explained this issue well in “Al-Wabil al-Sayyib,” saying:
A person who looks around during prayer or whose heart is directed elsewhere is like someone whom a king calls, grants an audience, and speaks with, but during this time the person looks around here and there, and his heart is not with the king, and he does not understand what the king is saying. What do you think the king will do with him? Would he not at least consider him disliked and unwanted in the court and expel him, making him extremely worthless in the king’s eyes? Similarly, a worshiper who is fully attentive with heart and soul to his Lord and another who looks around cannot be equal… The one present should be aware of the great presence he is in, his heart should be humbled by the majesty and grandeur, and his neck bowed before Him, feeling modesty towards his Lord so that he does not turn his attention elsewhere. So how great is the difference between these two men and their prayers. As Hassan bin Atiyyah said, two people may be praying at the same time, but the difference in their virtue is like the difference between earth and sky. The reason is only that one is attentive with heart and soul to his Lord, and the other is heedless and careless.
Yes, if there is a genuine Shariah necessity and something is seen with the eyes, it is permissible. For example, it is proven from the practice of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, that once during a battle he sent a rider to monitor a valley, and during the morning prayer he looked towards the valley.
Similarly, once the Prophet, peace be upon him, lifted his granddaughter Sayyida Umamah bint Abi al-As, may Allah be pleased with her, and prayed while holding her. Or he opened the door for Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her. Or he prayed standing on the pulpit for teaching purposes and then came down for prostration. Or he caught and strangled Satan when he came to attack him and disrupt the prayer, etc. The Prophet, peace be upon him, also said that during prayer one should kill snakes or scorpions or stop someone passing in front of the worshiper by gesture, but if the person insists, fighting is permissible.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, allowed women to clap or signal during prayer. These are actions that can be done under Shariah necessity. But if done without necessity, they are considered useless and wrong, and contrary to humility, which is not allowed in prayer.
(10) Looking up towards the sky:
It is mentioned in the Ahadith that it is not permissible to raise one’s gaze towards the sky during prayer. It is stated:
إذا كان أحدكم فى الصلاة فلا يرفع بصره إلى السماء أن يلتمع بصره
“When any one of you is in prayer, he should not raise his eyes towards the sky, lest his eyes be snatched away.”
In one narration it is said:
ما بال أقوام يرفعون أبصارهم إلى السماء فى صلاتهم
What has happened to the people that they raise their eyes towards the sky during prayer?
And in another narration it is said:
لينتهين أقوام عن رفعهم أبصارهم عند الدعاء فى الصلاة إلى السماء أو لتخطفن أبصارهم
People should refrain from raising their eyes towards the sky during supplication in prayer, otherwise their eyes will be snatched away.
In short, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) strictly forbade this act.
(11) Spitting forward during prayer:
Some people do not consider this and spit facing the Qibla in the mosque. Spitting towards the Qibla, especially during prayer, has been strongly prohibited by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. This act is against the greatness and majesty of Allah Almighty and the sanctity of prayer. The Prophet ﷺ said:
إذا كان أحدكم يصلي فلا يبصق قبل وجهه فإن الله قبل وجهه إذا صلى
When any one of you is praying, he should not spit in front of him (towards the Qibla), for indeed Allah Almighty is before him when he is praying.
And He said:
إذا قام أحدكم إلى الصلاة فلا يبصق أمامه فإنما يناجي الله عزوجل ما دام فى مصلاه، ولا عن يمينه فإن عن يمينه ملكا، وليبصق عن يساره أو تحت قدمه فيدفنها
“When one of you stands for prayer, he should not spit in front of him, for indeed he is in conversation and whispering with Allah Almighty as long as he remains in his place of prayer, nor should he spit to his right side, for indeed there is an angel on his right side. If he must spit, then let him spit to his left side or under his foot, then bury it.”
Spitting to the left side or under the foot applies when the ground beneath is bare earth and there is no other worshipper on that side.
And He said:
إن أحدكم إذا قام فى صلاته فإنما يناجي ربه ، وإن ربه بينه وبين قبلته فلا يبز قن أحدكم فى قبلته ولكن عن يساره أو تحت قدمه
“Indeed, when one of you stands in his prayer, he is conversing with his Lord. His Lord is between him and the Qibla, so he should never spit towards the Qibla but rather to his left side or under his foot.”
(12) Yawning in Prayer:
Yawning is a sign of sluggishness and laziness of the temperament. A person should be alert and attentive during prayer. However, if yawning occurs, one should try to suppress it as much as possible. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
إذا تثاءب أحدكم فى الصلاة فليكظم ما استطاع فإن الشيطان يدخل
“When any one of you yawns during prayer, he should try to stop it as much as possible, for indeed Satan enters through the mouth in this way.”
If Satan enters the body in this way, he does not stop disturbing the one who prays. It is also mentioned that if a person utters the word هاه from his mouth, Satan laughs as well.
(13) Placing the Hand on the Hip During Prayer:
During prayer, placing the hand on the hip or hips is prohibited. It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه:
نهى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن الإختصار فى الصلاة
The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم forbade placing the hand on the hips during prayer.
Hazrat Ziyad bin Subaih al-Hanafi رحمه الله says that once I stood close to Sayyiduna Ibn Umar رضي الله عنه and prayed, and I placed my hand on my hip. He struck my hand and after the prayer said: This resembles the cross (crucifixion) in prayer, and the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم used to forbid this.
Moreover, in a Marfoo’ hadith, it is explicitly stated that standing with hands on the hips will be a way of comfort for the people of Hellfire.
(14) Hanging cloth over the heart, i.e., head or shoulders:
During prayer, it is also prohibited to wear a cloak (sudl) in such a way that the cloth hangs from the head or shoulders down to the ground (addressing the congregation).
In Mirqat al-Mafatih, it is stated: Sudl is absolutely forbidden because it is a sign of arrogance, and during prayer, it is even more disgraceful and detestable.
In a hadith:
إن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم نهى عن السدل فى الصلاة وأن يغطي الرجل فاه
“The Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade sudl in prayer and also forbade wrapping the face (i.e., covering it with a cloth).”
Allama Albani graded this hadith as Hasan.
Nihayat Ibn al-Athir mentions another form of this, that a person wraps the cloth tightly around himself and then performs bowing and prostration from within it.
It is said that the Jews used to do this. It is also mentioned that sudl is when the cloth is placed on the head or shoulders and its edges are left hanging in front or on the arms. In this way, during prayer, the person remains busy adjusting and managing it, which is against khushu‘ (concentration) in prayer. Unlike this, if the cloth is properly wrapped and tied, there is no fear of it falling, and it does not distract the worshipper, preserving his khushu‘. Nowadays, especially among Africans or Arab sheikhs, it is seen that they wear such cloaks and clothes that they remain busy managing them during prayer, so the worshipper should be cautious about these things.
Regarding the prohibition of wrapping the face (dhata bandhna), scholars say that in this way, a person cannot recite properly and there is also a defect in prostration.
(15) Resemblance to Animals:
The Lord of Glory has bestowed upon the son of Adam the best form and beautiful stature. Therefore, it is a great defect for a person to resemble animals. Especially during prayer, we are prohibited from several postures that resemble animals, as these postures are contrary to humility and the dignity of the worshiper. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
نهى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فى الصلاة عن ثلاث: عن نقر الغراب وافتراش السبع وأن يوطن الرجل المقام الواحد كإيطان البعير
“The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) forbade three things in prayer: pecking like a crow, spreading the hands like a wild beast, and a person reserving a specific place for himself (in the mosque) as a camel does (and not changing it).”
The hadith is Hasan (good).
In one narration:
نهاني عن نقرة كنقرة الديك وافعاء كافعاء الكلب والتفات كالتفات الثعلب
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) forbade me (in the state of prayer) from pecking like a rooster, squatting like a dog, and looking around like a fox.
Summary of the Book:
The reasons by which a praying person can make his prayer more humble and attentive, and Allah Almighty is the One who grants success.
An Important Question:
An important issue related to this topic is whether the prayer of a person who experiences excessive whispers (waswas) during prayer is valid or if it should be repeated.
Imam Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
“If it is asked whether the prayer of a person without khushu’ (humility and concentration) is considered a prayer or not, the answer is that in terms of reward, it is not counted at all, except only to the extent that he prayed with understanding and was humble before his Lord.”
Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
ليس لك من صلاتك إلا ما عقلت منها
“Your prayer is only that which you have prayed with understanding.”
And in Musnad and Marfoo’ narrations it is stated:
إن العبد ليصلي الصلاة ولم يكتب له إلا نصفها أو ثلثها أو ربعها حتى بلغ عشرها
“A person prays, but only half, a third, a quarter, or even a tenth of the prayer is recorded for him.”
And Allah Almighty has also linked the success of the worshippers to their prayer with khushu’. The necessary meaning of this is that whoever does not have khushu’ in prayer is not among the successful ones. If the reward of such a prayer were counted, then that person would be among those who attain success.
However, from a worldly perspective, this prayer is indeed counted in the sense that the person is considered a worshipper and is not required to make up (qada) the prayer, meaning that the person is absolved of his obligation.
If khushu’ predominates in it and the person prays with understanding, then such a prayer is unanimously considered valid, and the subsequent adhkar (remembrances) and sunnahs help to remove the defects and weaknesses remaining in it.
But if the prayer is such that khushu’ does not predominate and the person prays without understanding and awareness, then the jurists differ on whether it must be repeated or not.
Among the companions of Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on them, Imam Ibn Hamid, may Allah have mercy on him, says that its repetition is obligatory. Therefore, there is a difference of opinion among these scholars regarding the issue of khushu’ in prayer, and there are two opinions, and in the Madhhab of Ahmad there are also only two opinions.
However, most other jurists do not say that repetition is obligatory. Their reasoning is that the Prophet, peace be upon him, instructed the one who forgets in prayer to perform two prostrations at the end, but he did not order him to repeat the prayer, while the Prophet, peace be upon him, also said:
إن الشيطان يأتى أحدكم فى صلاته فيقول اذكر كذا، اذكر كذا، لما لم يكن يذكر، حتى يظل الرجل لا يدري كم صلى
“When one of you is praying, Satan comes to him and says, ‘Remember this,’ and he remembers those things which he does not recall, until he does not even know how much prayer he has performed.”
But the scholars unanimously agree that the servant receives the reward of the prayer only to the extent that he had presence of heart and was humble in it, as the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
“A person turns away from prayer and only half of his prayer is recorded for him, or a third, a quarter, or even a tenth.”
And Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, says the same: “Your prayer is only that which you have prayed with understanding.”
This prayer, which is called valid, is so in the sense that we are not commanded to repeat it.
And it is established from authentic hadiths that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
إذا أذن المؤذن بالصلاة أدبر الشيطان وله ضراط حتى لا يسمع التأذين، فإذا قضي التأذين أقبل، فإذا نوبي بالصلاة أدبر، فإذا قضي التنويب أقبل، حتى يخطر بين المرء ونفسه يقول اذكر كذا، اذكر كذا ما لم يكن يذكر حتى يظل لا يدري كم صلى فإذا وجد أحدكم ذلك فليسجد سجدتين وهو جالس
“When the mu’adhdhin gives the adhan, Satan turns his back and runs away farting until the adhan is finished. Then he returns, and when the iqamah is said, he turns his back again. When the iqamah is completed, he comes and begins to put thoughts into the heart of the servant, saying, ‘Remember this, remember that,’ things which he does not recall. Eventually, the servant reaches a state where he does not know how much prayer he has performed. So when any of you experiences this condition, he should perform two prostrations while sitting.”
The scholars say: Look, the Prophet, peace be upon him, said that in such a prayer when Satan kept the person heedless to the extent that he did not know its quantity or number, he commanded him to perform two prostrations of forgetfulness (sujud al-sahw). If this prayer were invalid as some say, the Prophet, peace be upon him, would have ordered its repetition.
Also, they say that the wisdom of sujud al-sahw is that these prostrations cause humiliation and disgrace to Satan, who kept the servant in whispers, and the Prophet, peace be upon him, described these prostrations as those that rub dust on Satan’s nose (murghamatayn).
If you consider the repetition of the prayer obligatory to obtain these benefits and fruits, then this matter is your own affair; you may obtain it or leave it. But if you say that repetition is obligatory and its neglect is punishable and that the rulings of a prayer neglecter (tarik al-salah) apply to him, then this is absolutely not the case. In short, the second opinion is more correct.
