Permissible and Prohibited Acts During Salah Explained

Source Information

This excerpt is taken from the book Ṣaḥīḥ Ṣalāh al-Nabawī ﷺ, authored by al-Shaykh ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ʿAzīz, published by Maktabah Dār al-Andalus.

Permissible and Impermissible Acts During Prayer​

Permissible Acts in Prayer​

❀ Spitting into clothing, tissue, etc., or clearing nasal discharge is permissible.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

فلا يبزقن أحدكم قبل قبلته ولكن عن يساره أو تحت قدمه، ثم أخذ طرف ردائه فبصق فيه، ثم رده بعضه على بعض فقال: أو يفعل هكذا

“None of you should spit in front of his qiblah, but rather to his left or beneath his foot.” Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ took the edge of his cloak, spat into it, folded part of it over the other, and said: “Or he may do it like this.”

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitab al-Ṣalāh, Bab Ḥakk al-Buzāq bi al-Yad min al-Masjid: 405

❀ Coughing during prayer to grant permission for someone to enter the house is permissible.

Reference: al-Nasā’ī, Kitab al-Sahw, Bab al-Tanaḥnuḥ fī al-Ṣalāh: 1212–1214

❀ If Shayṭān whispers during prayer, the worshipper should recite
أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم
and lightly blow to the left side three times (with slight saliva).

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitab al-Salām, Bab al-Taʿawwudh min Shayṭān al-Waswasah fī al-Ṣalāh: 2203

❀ It is permissible to greet a person who is praying, and the one praying should respond with a gesture.
Sayyidunā Ṣuhayb رضي الله عنه said: I passed by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while he was praying, greeted him, and he responded with a gesture.

Reference: Abu Dāwūd, Kitab al-Ṣalāh, Bab Radd al-Salām fī al-Ṣalāh: 925

Reference: al-Tirmidhī: 367

(Ṣaḥīḥ)

Sayyidunā Bilāl رضي الله عنه described the Prophet’s ﷺ method of responding to salām in prayer by gesturing with his hand.

Reference: Abu Dāwūd, Kitab al-Ṣalāh, Bab Radd al-Salām fī al-Ṣalāh: 927

(Ṣaḥīḥ)

❀ Carrying a child during prayer is permissible.
Sayyidunā Abū Qatādah رضي الله عنه said:

إن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يحمل أمامة بنت زينب وهو يصلي، فإذا سجد وضعها، وإذا قام حملها

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to carry his granddaughter Umāmah bint Zaynab while praying. When he prostrated, he put her down, and when he stood up, he carried her.”

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitab al-Ṣalāh, Bab Idhā Ḥamala Jāriyah Ṣaghīrah ʿalā ʿUnuqih fī al-Ṣalāh: 516

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 543

❀ Making a gesture that conveys meaning is permissible.
Sayyidah Asmā’ bint Abī Bakr رضي الله عنها said: I went to ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها while she was praying and people were also praying. I asked, “What is the matter with the people?” She gestured toward the sky with her head. I asked, “Is it a sign?” She gestured, “Yes.”

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitab al-Sahw, Bab al-Ishārah fī al-Ṣalāh: 1235

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 905

❀ Correcting a minor mistake of the adjacent worshipper is permissible.
ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed wuḍū’ and began praying. I stood on his left, so he took hold of me and placed me on his right.

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitab al-Adhān, Bab Idhā Qāma al-Rajul: 698

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 763

❀ If something is lying at the place of prostration, or someone is sitting or lying there, it may be moved by hand.
Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها said: I would lie in front of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ with my feet in the direction of his qiblah. When he intended to prostrate, he would gently push me, and I would draw my feet back.

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitab al-Ṣalāh, Bab al-Ṣalāh ʿalā al-Firāsh: 382

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 512

❀ Prayer may be shortened due to an urgent situation.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“Sometimes I intend to prolong the prayer, but when I hear a child crying, I shorten the prayer so as not to cause hardship to his mother.”

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitab al-Adhān, Bab man Akhaffa al-Ṣalāh ʿinda Bukā’ al-Ṣabī: 707

❀ There is no harm if one weeps during prayer due to a reason.
Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها said: During the illness of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he said: “Tell Abū Bakr to lead the people in prayer.” I said: “When Abū Bakr stands in your place, he will be unable to make the people hear the recitation due to crying.”

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitab al-Adhān, Bab Idhā Bakā al-Imām fī al-Ṣalāh: 716

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 418

❀ Yawning should be suppressed as much as possible.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

التثاؤب من الشيطان، فإذا تثاءب أحدكم فليكظمه ما استطاع، وفي رواية: فليمسك بيده على فمه

“Yawning is from Shayṭān. When one of you yawns, he should suppress it as much as possible.”
In another narration: “He should place his hand over his mouth.”

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitab al-Zuhd, Bab Tashmīt al-ʿĀṭis wa Karāhiyat al-Tathā’ub: 2994, 2995

❀ Leaning on support during prayer due to necessity is permissible.
Umm Qays bint Miḥṣan رضي الله عنها said: When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ became old and heavy in body, he placed a pillar in his prayer area and would lean on it during prayer.

Reference: Abu Dāwūd, Kitab al-Ṣalāh, Bab al-Rajul Yaʿtamad fī al-Ṣalāh ʿalā ʿAṣā: 948

(Ṣaḥīḥ)

❀ Walking a few steps during prayer for a need, such as opening a door, is permissible.
Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها said: I knocked on the door while the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was praying voluntary prayer, and the door was in the direction of his qiblah. He stepped slightly to the right or left, opened the door, then returned to his place of prayer.

Reference: al-Nasā’ī, Kitab al-Sahw, Bab al-Mashy Amāma al-Qiblah Khuṭan Yasīrah: 1207

(Ḥasan)

❀ Killing a snake, scorpion, or any dangerous creature during prayer is permissible.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

اقتلوا الأسودين فى الصلاة الحية والعقرب

“Kill the two black ones during prayer: the snake and the scorpion.”

Reference: Abu Dāwūd, Kitab al-Ṣalāh, Bab al-ʿAmal fī al-Ṣalāh: 921

Reference: al-Tirmidhī: 390

(Ṣaḥīḥ)

❀ When sneezing during prayer, one should lower the sound and cover the face with the hand or cloth.

Reference: Abu Dāwūd, Kitab al-Adab, Bab fī al-ʿAṭās: 5029

Reference: al-Tirmidhī: 2745

(Ṣaḥīḥ)

❀ If one sneezes during prayer, it is permissible to say:

الحمد لله حمدا كثيرا طيبا مباركا فيه، مباركا عليه، كما يحب ربنا ويرضى

“All praise is for Allah — abundant, pure, and blessed praise, blessed upon it, as our Lord loves and is pleased with.”

Reference: al-Tirmidhī, Kitab al-Ṣalāh, Bab mā jā’a fī al-Rajul Yaʿṭis fī al-Ṣalāh: 404

Reference: al-Nasā’ī: 932

(Ḥasan)

Prohibited Acts in Prayer​

❀ Responding verbally to one who sneezes.

❀ Speaking during prayer.
Sayyidunā Muʿāwiyah bin al-Ḥakam al-Sulamī رضي الله عنه said:

بينا أنا أصلي مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذ عطس رجل من القوم، فقلت: يرحمك الله، فقال: إن هذه الصلاة لا يصلح فيها شيء من كلام الناس

“I was praying with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ when a man sneezed, so I said: ‘May Allah have mercy on you.’ After the prayer, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘This prayer does not allow any worldly speech.’”

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitab al-Masājid, Bab Taḥrīm al-Kalām fī al-Ṣalāh: 537

❀ Interlocking the fingers.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

ثم خرج عامدًا إلى المسجد فلا يشبكن يديه فإنه فى صلاة

“When one goes out intending to pray, he should not interlock his fingers, for he is considered to be in prayer.”

Reference: Abu Dāwūd, Kitab al-Ṣalāh, Bab mā jā’a fī al-Hady fī al-Mashy ilā al-Ṣalāh: 562

Reference: al-Tirmidhī: 386

(Ṣaḥīḥ)

❀ Reciting only in the heart with lips closed is inappropriate; rather, recitation should be with the tongue and open lips. The Companions رضي الله عنهم would recognize the recitation of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ by the movement of his beard, indicating that he recited with his lips moving.

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitab al-Adhān, Bab al-Qirā’ah fī al-Ẓuhr: 760

❀ Tying the hair or folding garments during prayer.

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitab al-Adhān, Bab lā Yakuff Shaʿran: 815

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 490

Some people infer from this ḥadīth that if trousers extend below the ankles, they should not be raised during prayer. This inference is incorrect, because allowing garments below the ankles is itself prohibited.

❀ Prayer becomes invalid if one is naked, because covering the ʿawrah is a condition. However, if a person has insufficient clothing, prayer will not be invalidated.

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitab al-Maghāzī: 4302

Reference: Kitab al-Zuhd by Imām Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal: 171

(Ṣaḥīḥ)

❀ Looking toward the sky or looking around during prayer.

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitab al-Adhān, Bab Rafʿ al-Baṣar ilā al-Samā’ fī al-Ṣalāh: 750, 751

❀ Unnecessary movements that contradict humility and devotion (khushūʿ).

❀ Spitting to the right or in front during prayer. If there is no fear of soiling the mosque, spitting between the feet or to the left is permissible.

❀ Reciting supplications or Qur’ān loudly.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

لا يجهر بعضكم على بعض بالقراءة فى الصلاة

“None of you should raise his voice over another in recitation during prayer.”

Reference: Musnad Aḥmad: 2/2, Ḥadīth: 4928

Reference: Isnāduhu Ṣaḥīḥ, Shuʿayb al-Arna’ūṭ