Brief Comments on Riyaadh al-Saaliheen #86

Undesirability of looking around while praying:

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Chapter: From the prohibited actions in prayer: Undesirability of looking here and there during the prayer without a valid excuse.

1755 - Narrated `Aaishah رضي الله عنها: I asked the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم about one’s randomly looking here and there during the prayer. He صلى الله عليه وسلم replied: “It is what Shaitaan (Satan) steals from the prayer of any one of you.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (751, 3291)]

1756 - Anas رضي الله عنه said: The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said to me: “O my son! Beware of looking around in al-Salaah (prayer), because random looks in al-Salaah are a cause of destruction. If you must do so, then do it in the voluntary prayers and not in obligatory prayers.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhee (589) and graded as “Dha`eef” by Shaikh al-Albaanee and Shaikh Zubair `Alee Zai]

Shaikh Muhammad Ibn Saaleh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله said:

“The author (Imaam al-Nawawee) رحمه الله mentioned in his book: “Riyaadh al-Saaliheen”: Chapter: Undesirability of glancing here and there during the prayer without a valid excuse.

A person while praying is standing in front of Allaah عز وجل; therefore he should not glance here and there – neither with his heart nor with his face – to things other than Allaah سبحانه وتعالى. As for glancing with the heart, then this is when a person is preoccupied with thoughts that are not relevant with the prayers, like the many number of people that are affected by it during the prayers. The disturbance (confusion, deviation) in the prayer caused by the glancing (i.e. the diversion) of the heart is more severe than by glancing with the body; because (the deviation of the heart in the prayer) reduces (the reward) from the prayer till a person is only rewarded a tenth or less for what he has offered – depending upon the presence (concentration) of his heart in the prayer. ^[1]

As for the glancing here and there with the face, then this is when a person turns his neck towards the right or the left. (This is not allowed) because a person is commanded in the prayer to face towards the Qiblah, neither inclining (diverting) towards the right nor the left. `Aaishah رضي الله عنها had asked the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, and he صلى الله عليه وسلم prohibited from looking randomly (to the right or the left) and said: “It is what Shaitaan snatches from the prayer of the slave (of Allaah).”

(The word) al-Ikhtilaas means stealthily taking away a thing; meaning that Shaitaan tries to overpower a person in his prayer till he leads him to glance towards the right or the left so that he may be able to cause reduction in his reward. For verily! Allaah سبحانه وتعالى is facing His slave (while the slave is praying), so when a person turns away from his Lord, then soon Allaah too will turn away from him. ^[2] This is why the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم warned against looking around in the prayer as has been mentioned in the Hadeeth of Anas bin Maalik and said that looking around in the prayer is a cause of destruction; but if there is a reason then there is no problem with that. ^[3] Example: if you hear the sound of an animal charging towards you, then there is no problem if you glanced at it or if there is a person in dire need and you looked at him then there is no problem, with the condition that you only turn your head (slightly) for making the glance; ^[4] but as for turning with your body, then it will invalidate the whole prayer as this leads to diverting away from the Qiblah. And from the conditions of prayer is to face the Qiblah.

You will find some people who will not be turning their necks, but they will be glancing here and there a lot with their eyes, their eyes swirling left and right, and no doubt that this reduces the reward of the prayer. The person should rather face the Qiblah with his eyes fixed upon the place of prostration and he should not look around.^[5] [6] And Allaah is the One who grants success.

[Riyaadh al-Saaliheen (6/510-511)]

[1] `Ammaar bin Yaasir رضي الله عنهما said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم say: “A man returns after saying his prayer while a tenth part of his prayer, or a ninth part, or an eight part, or a seventh part, or a sixth part, or a fifth part, or a third part, or half of it, is recorded for him.” [Sunan Abu Dawood (796) and graded as “Hasan” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

[2] Narrated Abu Dharr رضي الله عنه: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Allaah عز وجل continues to face the servant while he is praying as long as he does not turn around; when he turns Allaah turns away from him.” [Sunan Abu Dawood (909) and Sunan al-Nasa’ee (1196) and graded as “Hasan li ghairihee” (acceptable due to supporting chains) by Shaikh al-Albaanee in Saheeh al-Targheeb (554) and graded as “Hasan” by Shaikh Zubair `Alee Zai]

[3] Ibn `Abbaas رضي الله عنهما narrated: The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم would glance toward the right and the left during the Salaah but he would not turn his neck to look behind him. [Sunan al-Tirmidhee (578, 579) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

[4] Remember that the Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله mentioned that this is only allowed when there is a need for doing so for the protection and safety against a dangerous animal or insect, which even Imaam al-Nawawee also mentioned in the chapter heading: “Undesirability of looking here and there during the prayer without a valid excuse.”

Also, Imaam al-Bukhaaree رحمه الله mentioned in his Saheeh: Chapter: To cast a look at the Imaam during the Salaah:

`Aaishah رضي الله عنها said: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم while narrating about the Salaah (prayer) of eclipse and said: “I saw Hell, and one of its sides was destroying the other. (And that was) when you saw me retreating (during the Salaah).”

Narrated Abu Ma`mar: We asked Khabbaab رضي الله عنه whether Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم used to recite (the Qur’aan) in the Dhuhr and the `Asr prayers. He replied in the affirmative. We said: How did you come to know about it? He said: “By the movement of his beard.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (746, 760, 761, 777)]

Imaam al-Bukhaaree رحمه الله further mentioned three more Ahaadeeth under this chapter.

[5] Narrated Abu Hurairah: “The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to incline his head during prayer (and fix his sight towards the ground).” [al-Haakim in his Mustadrak (3483) and Shaikh al-Albaanee said: “It is Saheeh as per the condition of Imaam Muslim” in Sifat al-Salaat al-Nabiy]

`Aaishah رضي الله عنها said: “While the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was in the Ka’bah, his sight did not leave the place of his prostration until he came out from it” [Mustadrak al-Haakim (1761) and said it is “Saheeh as per the conditions of the Shaikhain” and al-Dhahabee agreed with him. Shaikh al-Albaanee said it is as they have said]

Narrated Anas bin Malik رضي الله عنه: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “What is wrong with those people who look towards the sky during the prayer?” His talk grew stern while delivering this speech and he صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “They should stop (looking towards the sky during the prayer); otherwise their eyesight would be taken away.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (750)]

Jaabir bin Samurah رضي الله عنه reported: The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “The people who lift their eyes towards the sky in Prayer should avoid it or they would lose their eyesight.” [Saheeh Muslim (862)]

Narrated Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه: the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم forbade three things: “pecking like a rooster, squatting (iq'aa') like a dog and looking around like a fox.” [Musnad Ahmed (8106) and graded as “Hasan li ghairihee” by Shaikh al-Albaanee in al-Targheeb (555)]

[6] Where to look while in Rukoo` (bowing) and in Sujood (prostration):

Question: The one who is praying looks at the place of Sujood while he is standing. But where should he look while is doing the Rukoo`, and while he is doing Sujood, and during the Tashahhud?

Answer: When doing the Rukoo`, the one who is praying should also look at the place of his Sujood. When he is reciting the Tashahhud, he should look at the finger with which he is pointing. When he is doing Sujood he should look at the ground directly beneath his eyes.

And Allaah is the One Who grants success. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions, and grant them peace.

[Fataawa al-Lajna al-Daaimah lil-Buhooth al-`Ilmiyyah wal-Iftaa (7/25)]
The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta'

Member: Shaikh `Abdullah Ibn Qa`ood
Member: Shaikh `Abdullah Ibn Ghudayyaan
Deputy Chairman: Shaikh `Abdul Razzaaq `Afeefee
Chairman: Shaikh `Abdul `Azeez Ibn `Abdullaah Ibn Baaz

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