THIS LESSON
1] Etiquettes of the prayer
2] Things that invalidate the prayer
3] Things that are disliked in the prayer
4] Things that are permissible in the prayer
5] Breaking the prayer
ADAB OF THE PRAYER
(Their omission does not entail any blame; they are synonymous with mandub (encouraged).)
1. To look to one’s place of prostration when standing; the top of one’s feet while bowing; the tip of one’s nose while prostrating; the lap while sitting; and each shoulder when making the closing salams.
2. To try one’s best to refrain from coughing, and to keep one’s mouth closed when yawning. [Purposely coughing or belching that produces sound may invalidate the prayer]
● Closing the eyes in prayer is not preferred, unless one is having a difficult time focusing due to outside stimuli.
● Coughing for no reason–if it results in enunciated letters, like ‘uh,’ would invalidate the prayer.
● If one cannot control their yawning, they should cover their mouth with their hand or sleeve.
THINGS THAT INVALIDATE THE PRAYER
1. To utter a word of ‘human speech’ (as opposed to words of prayer), even if out of forgetfulness.
2. Excessive movement. This is defined as: That, due to which, an onlooker from afar, who did not know from the onset that the person was praying, would be fairly certain that its doer was not praying. Excessive movement is estimated as three continuous movements, such that if one walks three continuous steps, the prayer in invalid. If the movements are separated the prayer remains sound. (If the movement is to fix the prayer, it remains sound
3. To eat or drink (if there is leftover food in the mouth, the prayer is invalid only if what is swallowed is the size of a chickpea or larger).
4. To say salam to someone or shake their hand.
5. To turn the torso away from the qibla.
6. To make du’a using words that resemble normal human speech.
7. For one’s ‘awra to be uncovered for the length of time it takes to perform a pillar [e.g., three tasbihat].
● If one-fourth of a limb or more becomes exposed for less than this time, it is excused.
● If less than one-fourth of a limb becomes exposed for any duration of time, it is excused.
● If someone purposely exposes a limb from the ‘awra during the prayer, the prayer in invalidated no matter how short a duration or how little.
8. To carry on one’s body or clothing and inexcusable amount of filth.
9. For the follower the precede the imam by a pillar.
10 To miss a pillar of the prayer and not make it up before the end of the prayer.
THINGS THAT ARE DISLIKED IN PRAYER
● The basis for the list of things that are disliked in prayer is the offensiveness of deliberately omitting an obligation (wajib) of the prayer or a sunna act. Every Makruh in this list entails leaving what is either wajib or sunna.
● Leaving a wajib act is ‘prohibitively disliked,’ and leaving a sunna is ‘mildly disliked’; however, it could be sinful if it is habitual.
1. To fiddle around (‘abath) with one’s garment or body, without excessive movement.
2. To wipe away pebbles on the ground, except once for prostration.
3. To crack one’s knuckles (this is prohibitively disliked in the prayer).
4. To place one’s hands on one’s hips (prohibitively disliked).
5. To turn one’s neck (prohibitively disliked).
6. To roll up one’s sleeves.
7. For men to pray in only a lower garment [that covers the ‘awra] while having the ability to cover the whole body (prohibitively disliked).
8. To gather one’s garment close to the body before going into prostration (prohibitively disliked as it is a sign of arrogance).
9. To close one’s eyes. (This is mildly disliked, unless there is a legitimate reason, such as it helping one to focus.)
10. To yawn.
11. To stretch one’s arms, exposing the chest (mildly disliked, unless there is excessive movement).
12. To cover one’s mouth and nose [except when yawning].
13. To prostrate with the forehead covered (mildly disliked, unless there is an excuse, such as if the ground is very hot).
14. To prostate on a picture.
15. To pray in a road, lavatory, or graveyard.
16. To pray while having the urge to urinate or defecate. (This is prohibitively disliked)
17. To pray in work clothes (clothes that are usually dirty and worn out, or clothes that one normally wears in the house and are not suitable attire for meeting distinguished people. (Mildly disliked)
18. To pray in a garment one which there is a picture of an animate creature (prohibitively disliked).
19. To pray with one’s head uncovered, unless done out of humility.
20. To pray when food has been served (when one is hungry, such that it would distract one from the prayer).
21. To prayer in the presence of a picture of an animate creature. This is most severely disliked if the picture is in front of one (between one and the qibla), followed by above one’s head, followed by on one’s right or left–in all cases being prohibitively disliked. If the picture is behind one, it is mildly disliked. It is not disliked if the picture is so small that, if one the ground, the details of the limbs would not be plainly visible to a standing person; nor if it is covered or if the face is severed. (This does not apply to reflections in a mirror, or window, or body of water.)
22. To pray around that which would distract one.
23. To prayer in a congregation standing alone in a row.
24. To pray in front of a furnace.
25. To wipe dirt or sweat of of one’s face that does not distract him, during the prayer.
THINGS THAT ARE PERMISSIBLE IN THE PRAYER
1. It is recommended for one praying alone to place a barrier (sutra) in front of him. If someone passes in front of him, he may say SubhanAllah or gesture to ward off the passerby.
2. Fastening one’s belt.
3. To pray facing a copy of the Quran, a sword, the back of someone sitting [not someone’s face–prohibitively disliked], a candle, or a lamp.
4. To kill a snake or scorpion, if one fears their harm, with no more than two strikes, even with turning away from the Qibla.
BREAKING THE PRAYER
The basis is that once we start prayer, we continue it and do no break it. Allah says:یَا أَیُّھَا الَّذِینَ آمَنُوا أَطِ یعُوا اللهَّ َ وَ أَطِ یعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَ لاَ تُبْطِ لُوا أَعْمَالَكُمْ ‘O you who believe, obey Allah and obey the Messenger, and do not invalidate your actions.’
● It is permissible to break the prayer if one is being robbed of something worth one dirham or more.
● It is obligatory to break the prayer if one hears a call for help from someone in an emergency, or if one fears that a blind person will fall into a well or the like.
● If one is praying a Sunna prayer and they hear the iqama, they should speed up slightly but not break the prayer.
NEXT CLASS
1] The Witr prayer
2] The prayer of the traveller
3] The emphasized Sunna prayers
4] The prostration of forgetfulness
5] The prostration of recitation (tilawa) 5] Making up missed prayers