SIFAT SALAAT AN NĀBI ﷺ* *(The Prophet's Prayer Described From The Beginning To The End As Though You See It) Episode 17 To Look at the Place of Prostration, and Humility

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*SIFAT SALAAT AN NĀBI ﷺ*

*(The Prophet's Prayer Described From The Beginning To The End As Though You See It)*

*Episode 17*

 

*To Look at the Place of Prostration, and Humility*

"He (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) used to incline his head during prayer

and fix his sight towards the ground"162 "while he was in the Ka'bah, his

sight did not leave the place of his prostration until he came out from

it"163; and he said, It is not fitting that there should be anything in

the House which disturbs the person praying.164

"He used to forbid looking up at the sky"165, and he emphasised this

prohibition so much that he said: People must refrain from looking

up at the sky in prayer, or their sight will not return to them (and

in one narration: or their sight will be plucked away).166 In another

hadeeth: So when you pray, do not look here and there, for Allaah

sets His Face for the face of his slave in his prayer as long as he

does not look away167, and he also said about looking here and there,

"it is a snatching away which the devil steals from the slave

during prayer."168

He (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) also said: Allaah does not cease to

turn to a slave in his prayer as long as he is not looking around;

when he turns his face away, Allaah turns away from him169; he

"forbade three things: pecking like a hen, squatting (iq'aa'), like a dog

and looking around like a fox"170; he also used to say, Pray a farewell

prayer as if you see Him, but if you do not see Him, surely He sees

you171; and, Any person who, when an obligatory prayer is due..., 

162 Baihaqi and Haakim, who declared it saheeh and it is as he said. It also has a strengthening hadeeth reported by ten

of his Companions: transmitted by Ibn `Asaakir (17/202/2). See Irwaa' (354). 

*NB: These two ahaadeeth show that the sunnah is to fix one's sight on the place of prostration on the

ground, so the action of some worshippers of closing their eyes during Prayer is misdirected piety, for the best

guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (Sallallaahu `Alaihi wa Sallam).

163 ibid.

164 Abu Daawood & Ahmad with a saheeh isnaad (Irwaa', 1771); what is meant here by

 `the House' is the Ka'bah, as the context of this hadeeth shows.

165 Bukhaari & Abu Daawood.

166 Bukhaari, Muslim & Siraaj.

167 Tirmidhi & Haakim, who declared it saheeh, cf. Saheeh at-Targheeb (no. 353)

168 Bukhaari and Abu Daawood.

169 Transmitted by Abu Daawood and others. Ibn Khuzaimah and Ibn Hibbaan declared it

 saheeh. See Saheeh at-Targheeb (no.555)

170 Ahmad and Abu Ya`laa. See Saheeh at-Targheeb (no. 556).

171 Mukhlis in Ahaadeeth Muntaqaah, Tabaraani, Rooyaani, Diyaa' in al-Mukhtaarah, Ibn

 Maajah, Ahmad and Ibn `Asaakir. Haitami declared it saheeh in Asnaa al-Mataalib.

 

...excels in its ablution, humility and bowings, will have it as a

remission for his previous minor sins as long as he does not

commit a major sin, and this (opportunity) is for all times.172

Once he (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam), prayed in a khameesah173 and

(during the prayer) he looked at its marks. So when he finished, he said:

Take this khameesah of mine to Abu Jahm and bring me his

anbijaaniyyah174

, for it has diverted my attention from the prayer

(in one narration: for I have looked at its marks during the prayer

and it almost put me to trial).175 Also "'Aaishah had a cloth with

pictures spread towards a sahwah176, towards which the Prophet

(Sallallaahu 'Alaihi wa Sallam) prayed and then said: Take it away from

me [for its pictures did not cease to thwart me in my prayer].177

He would also say: Prayer is not valid when the food has been

served, nor when it is time to relieve oneself of the two filths.178

172 Muslim.

173 A woolen garment having marks.

174 A coarse garment without marks.

175 Bukhaari , Muslim & Maalik. It is given in Irwaa' (376).

176 "A small room embedded in the ground slightly, like a small chamber or cupboard" (Nihaayah).

177 Bukhaari , Muslim & Abu `Awaanah. The Messenger (Sallallaahu `Alaihi wa Sallam) did not order the wiping out or

tearing of the pictures but only removed them because - and Allaah knows best - they were not pictures of things

having souls. The evidence for this is that he (Sallallaahu `Alaihi wa Sallam) tore other pictures as proved by many

narrations in Bukhaari and Muslim, and whoever wishes to explore this further should consult Fath al-Baari(10/321)

and Ghaayah al-Maraam fi Takhreej Ahaadeeth al-Halaal wal-Haraam (nos. 131-145).

178 Bukhaari and Muslim.