Speech And Action
During Namaaz
Maulana Ali (AS) has said: “He who speaks during prayer should say it afresh.” This means
that the speech which is permitted in the namaaz does
not render it null and void. If something is uttered other than
the supplication prescribed in the namaaz then surely
it should be performed afresh.
Imaam Mohammad Ul-Baaqir
(AS) has said: ‘The words addressed by a man to Allah during namaaz (ritual prayer) do not constitute speech.'
Therefore anything that is spoken except, the declaration of
greatness of Allah (takbeer) ; the recitation of the
Qur'an (qeraat) ; the glorification of Allah (tasbeeh)
; the giving of praise to Allah (tahmeed) ; bearing
witness to Allah and Rasulullah (SAWS) (tashahhud) ;supplication
to Allah (du'a) ; invalidates the prayer.
Maulana Ali (AS) has said: ‘A man approached Rasulullah (SAWS) during the very first ‘umrah he was performing, and saluted (saying of the assalaamo
alaykum ) him while Rasulullah (SAWS) was praying. Rasulullah
(SAWS) did not answer to him. When he completed his prayer and
was about to go away, Rasulullah (SAWS) asked, “Where is the
man who saluted me a little while ago? I was praying and the
angel Jibraeel (Gabriel) came to me and said: Prevent
your community to return salutation while praying.'”
It is permitted to indicate
a desire to reply by saying Subhaan Allah, if the necessity
arises and there is no escape but to fulfill the need. If you
are in need of something while in state of prayer, then you
should say Subhaan Allah or point to it with the finger
. In case of woman in similar circumstances, she may
clap her hands gently without turning the face from Qibla.
Imaam Ja'far us-Saadiq (AS)
has said: ‘He who laughs during prayer, renders it void, but
a mere smile does not nullify it.' To preserve the magnitude
of prayer it is better neither to smile nor to pay attention
to anyone, nor to engage in any other matter, for this will
be more meritorious and safer for the person who is praying.
Rasulullah (SAWS) forbade
the worshipper ( ‘ebaadatguzaar ) to blow from his
mouth during prayer. He prohibited the blowing of breath at
the place of prostration; however, such an act does not render
the prayer invalid.
Rasulullah (SAWS) has said:
“Allah dislikes six actions: playfulness during prayer (either
with beard or clothes or rosary); expectation of gratitude in
charity; coarse speech while fasting; laughter in the cemetery
( qabarastaan ); looking into privacy of another's
house without his permission; and sitting in the mosque while
in a state of major ritual impurity.”
Imaam Ja'far us-Saadiq (AS)
has said: A person is allowed to rub the spot where he feels
itching sensation during prayer; but he forbade cracking the
knuckles (tanqeed) intentionally during prayers, and
this means bending the fingers fro their joints so that they
make crackling sound.
He also said that if an insect
were to bite a man during prayers, he may throw it away. He
was asked what a man should do if he were to find a serpent
or scorpion or any harmful animal during prayer which poses
a threat to his life, and he said that the man should kill it.
Thereafter he should begin his prayer afresh.
Imaam Mohammad ul-Baaqir
(AS) has said: “Do not turn your face from the Qibla (place
of prostration) during prayers lest the prayers be void. Show
your fear by your eyes and do not raise them towards the sky;
but let your sight be engaged to the place of prostration.”
Imaam Ja'far us-Saadiq (AS)
has said: “He who loses his attention in prayer ceases to pray.”
Rasulullah (SAWS) once entered
the mosque and saw Anas bin Maalik looking around while praying.
So Rasulullah (SAWS) said: ‘O Anas, worship as if you are saying
farewell, believing that this was the very last of your prayers.
Engage your eyes to the place of prostration. Care not for him
who is on your right or on your left. Know only that you are
before Allah Who beholds you while you cannot behold Him.'
Imaam Ja'far us-Saadiq (AS)
has said that a man who happens to look at a Qur'an or book
while praying renders it void. He forbade playing with the ring
or looking at its engraving during prayers. Rasulullah (SAWS)
saw a man playing with his beard during prayer, and he said:
‘Behold! If the fellow had fear in his heart, his limbs would
have mirrored it.' You should not play with your hair, ring,
ornaments, buttons of your dress, beard, or rosary during prayers.
You should not indulge in making gestures with your fingers
or arranging your dress properly, that might divert your attention
from prayer. Any such thing that is committed will make the
prayer void.
Imaam Ja'far as-Saadiq (AS)
disliked that the face be veiled during prayers unless there
was a valid reason for it. He forbade the closure of the eyes
during prayers.
Maulana Ali (AS) was asked
about some living creature crossing in front of the worshipper.
He said: “Nothing causes the discontinuance of prayer. But do
not allow crossing anyone in front of you, even if you have
to use force!” Maulana Ali (AS) said: ‘It came to pass that
once Rasulullah (SAWS) was praying and a dog passed in front
of him, then a donkey, and then a woman, but he continued to
pray. When he finished praying, he said: “I saw what you saw;
the prayer of faithful, however, is not terminated by such events.
Nevertheless, prevent such events as far as you can.”'
Maulana Ali (AS) has said:
‘Rasulullah (SAWS) has warned us against the habit of yawning
excessively during prayers; surely, it is the disorderly cry
of Shaitaan . Allah is very pleased with the act of
sneezing, but dislikes yawning during prayers.'
Imaam Ja'far us-Saadiq (AS)
disapproved the act of yawning and stretching during prayers,
for they clearly indicate a state of laziness. Therefore, both
their practice and their repetition are prohibited. Yawning
is an unintentional act; thus he who yawns and cannot control
it, should place his hand over his mouth and then return it
to its normal position.
Maulana Ali (AS) said: If
Rasulullah (SAWS) happened to yawn during prayers; he would
put his right hand to his mouth. The act of sneezing, however,
generally indicates health and is therefore approved. It is
desirable when sneezing during prayers to control as far as
possible and not sneeze loudly.
Maulana Ali (AS) has said:
‘When anyone of you happens to sneeze during prayers, let him
do so as gently as a cat.' If one happens to sneeze while praying,
he should praise Allah and send salawaat to Rasulullah
(SAWS) secretly in his heart.
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