Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … "Qaniteen" has two meanings: obedient, and remaining silent. In the early days, speaking external words during prayer was permissible; later, through the aforementioned and other related ahadith on this subject, speaking during prayer was declared haram. On this issue, the scholars are agreed that if someone deliberately speaks, his prayer will be invalid, provided he is aware of this ruling. However, there is a difference of opinion regarding the one who speaks out of forgetfulness or ignorance. The preferred opinion is that such a person's prayer will not be affected. This is the view of Imam Malik, Imam Shafi'i, Imam Ahmad, and the majority of scholars. The evidences for this position are as follows:

(1) The hadith of Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah bin Hakam Sulami radi Allahu anhu, according to which the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam taught the one who spoke out of ignorance about this issue and did not order him to repeat the prayer, even though the prohibition of speaking during prayer had already been established before this incident. See Hadith number (1887).

(2) The hadith regarding the story of Dhu’l-Yadayn, according to which the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, out of forgetfulness, ended the prayer with salam after two rak‘ahs of Zuhr or Asr and also spoke, yet he only performed two more rak‘ahs. If speaking out of forgetfulness invalidated the prayer, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would have declared the first two rak‘ahs invalid and performed four rak‘ahs anew. This incident occurred after the seventh year of Hijrah, whereas the prohibition of speaking during prayer had been established before the second year of Hijrah. See Hadith number (1989).

(3) The Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: ((Inna Allaha tajawaza ‘an ummati al-khata’ wa al-nisyan wa ma istukrihu ‘alayh.)) … The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: Verily, Allah the Exalted has pardoned for my ummah mistakes, forgetfulness, and what they are compelled to do. (Ibn Majah: 2043)

However, Imam Abu Hanifah and some other scholars are of the opinion that speaking out of forgetfulness or ignorance will also invalidate the prayer. They have presented in their favor those general evidences which have been mentioned in this chapter. But the reality is that when, in the incidents that occurred after the statement of these evidences, speaking out of forgetfulness or ignorance took place and the prayer was not declared invalid, then the issue should be understood in light of these specific ahadith. It is also noteworthy that if a fasting person eats or drinks out of forgetfulness during Ramadan, then according to both the Ahl al-Hadith and the Hanafis, his fast is not affected, even though eating and drinking during an obligatory fast is haram just like speaking during prayer. In summary, if someone speaks during prayer out of forgetfulness or ignorance, the prayer will not be affected; otherwise, it will be invalid.