Reprehensible matters of Salah

It is reprehensible to leave a Sunnah of Salah besides the following actions:

1- Few actions during Salah if there is no necessary to do them:

Therefore, the Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade the settlement of pebbles and dust in the spot of prostration so as not to be busy with that action from the mercy a person receives during Salah. Abu Dhar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "When one of you gets up to pray, he must not remove pebbles, for mercy is facing him."[1]

2- Salah while the hair is plaited:[2]

Scholars agreed -as Imam An-Nawawy mentioned- on the reprehensibility of performing Salah while plaiting one's hair or rolling up one's garment or sleeve. All these actions are forbidden, but if a person performs Salah while doing one of these actions, his Salah shall be valid but he had committed a mistake.

The proof to this is the Hadith reported by Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "I have been ordered to prostrate on seven bones i.e. on the forehead along with the tip of the nose and the Prophet (peace be upon him) pointed towards his nose, both hands, both knees and the toes of both feet and not to gather the clothes or the hair."[3]

3- Standing akimbo while praying:

It is placing the hands on the waist as the action of the Jews. That was reported by Al Bukhari from `A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) in his Sahih. The proof on the reprehensibility of placing the hand on the waist during Salah is that the Prophet (peace be upon him) prohibited standing akimbo while praying.[4]

4- Depending on both hands in sitting and rising:

It was reported by Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) prohibited a person from sitting during Salah depending on his hands.[5]

However, if a person is sick, old, or fat, it is permissible for him to use a stick or any other means to stand because of the Hadith that was reported by Um Qays bint Mihsan (may Allah be pleased with her) that when the Prophet (peace be upon him) became a little bit fat, he used to stand leaning on a pole in his praying place.[6]

- 5Expelling phlegm before or at the right hand of the one who offers Salah:

Abu Hurayrah and Abu Sa`id (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saw some expectoration[7] on the wall of the mosque; he took gravel and scraped it off and said: If anyone of you wanted to spit he should neither spit in front of him nor on his right but he could spit either on his left or under his left foot."[8]

However, when the one who offers Salah expel phlegm, he should place it under his left foot in order to bury it because of the Hadith that was reported by Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) who said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Expectoration inside a masjid is a sin and its expiation is to bury it."[9]. The reason of prohibition in this case is the harm which happens to a believer because phlegm may stain the skin or the garment of the one who offers Salah. This case is applicable if the floor of the masjid is dusty or sandy, but if the floor is paved or covered with tiles, it is not permissible because the second Hadith is more specific than the first.

6- Looking at distracting things:

`A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed in a Khamisah (a square garment) having marks. During the prayer, he looked at its marks. So when he finished the prayer he said: Take this Khamisah of mine to Abu Jahm and get me his Inbijaniya (a woollen garment without marks) as it (the Khamisah) has diverted my attention from the prayer."[10]

The reason for prohibition is busying the heart with these images and colors and distracting it from pondering over Adkar and its meanings.

7- Performing Salah while something distracts the heart:

Based on this, it is reprehensible to advance Salah to food if the time of Salah is still present. Al Zhahiry school of Fiqh made it obligatory to advance food to Salah and said that the Salah of the one who advances Salah to food is invalid even if the time of Salah is about to over.

The proof on the reprehensibility or the prohibition is the Hadith that was reported by `A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) who narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "If the Iqama for ('Isha') prayer is proclaimed and supper is served, take your supper first."[11]

Likewise, offering Salah while resisting the urge of relieving oneself because of the Hadith that was reported by `A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saying: "There is no prayer when food is ready, or when one is resisting the urge to relieve oneself.''[12]

8- Salah while feeling sleepy

It was reported by `A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "If anyone of you feels drowsy while praying he should go to bed (sleep) till his slumber is over because in praying while drowsy one does not know whether one is asking for forgiveness or for a bad thing for oneself."[13].

9- Crossing and cracking fingers during Salah

It was reported by Ka`b ibn `Ujrah (may Allah be pleased with him): I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saying: "If any of you performs ablution, and performs his ablution perfectly, and then goes out intending for the mosque, he should not cross the fingers of his hand because he is already in prayer."[14].

Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Do not crack your fingers during the prayer."[15]

It should be known that all the mentioned items do not annul Salah except if they are done for amusement such as playing or cracking one's fingers frequently.

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[1] Reported by the Five Compilers of Hadith (Imams ahmad, Abu Dawud, Al-Tirmidhy, Al-Nasa'y and Ibn Majah).

[2] Braiding the hair.

[3] Reported by Al Bukhari and Muslim.

[4] Reported by the Group except Ibn Majah

[5] Reported by Imam Ahmad and Abu Dawud.

[6] Reported by Abu Dawud

[7] Sputum: It is what comes out of the chest.

[8] Reported by Al Bukhari and Muslim.

[9] Reported by Al Bukhari and Muslim.

[10] Reported by Al Bukhari and Muslim.

[11] Reported by Al Bukhari and Muslim.

[12] Reported by Ahmad, Muslim, and Abu Dawud

[13] Reported by the Group.

[14] Reported by Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawud, and At-Tirmidhy,

[15] Reported by Ibn Majah.