"He (sallallaahu 'alaihi
wa sallam) used to incline his head during prayer and fix his sight towards the
ground"81-
"while he was in the Ka'bah, his sight did not leave the place of his prostration
until he came out from it"82;
and he said, It is not fitting that there should be anything in the House which disturbs
the person praying.83
"He used to forbid looking
up at the sky"84,
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).85
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 away86,
and he also said about looking here and there, "it is a snatching away which the
devil steals from the slave during prayer."87
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
him88;
he "forbade three things: pecking like a hen, squatting (iq'aa'), like a dog and
looking around like a fox"89;
he also used to say, Pray a farewell prayer as if you see Him, but if you do not
see Him, surely He sees you90;
and, Any person who, when an obligatory prayer is due, 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.91
Once he (sallallaahu 'alaihi
wa sallam), prayed in a khameesah92
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 anbijaaniyyah93,
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).94
Also "'Aaishah had a cloth with pictures spread towards a sahwah95,
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].96
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.97
Footnotes
81
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).
82
ibid.
83
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.
84
Bukhaari & Abu Daawood.
85
Bukhaari, Muslim & Siraaj.
86
Tirmidhi & Haakim, who declared it saheeh, cf.
Saheeh at-Targheeb
(no. 353)
87
Bukhaari and Abu Daawood.
88
Transmitted by Abu Daawood and others. Ibn Khuzaimah and Ibn Hibbaan declared
it saheeh. See
Saheeh at-Targheeb (no.555)
89
Ahmad and Abu Ya`laa. See
Saheeh at-Targheeb (no. 556).
90
Mukhlis in
Ahaadeeth Muntaqaah, Tabaraani,
Rooyaani, Diyaa' in
al-Mukhtaarah, Ibn Maajah, Ahmad and Ibn
`Asaakir. Haitami declared it saheeh in
Asnaa al-Mataalib.
91
Muslim.
92
A woollen garment having marks.
93
A coarse garment without marks.
94
Bukhaari , Muslim & Maalik. It is given in
Irwaa' (376).
95
"A small room embedded in the ground slightly, like a small chamber or
cupboard" (Nihaayah).
96
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).
97
Bukhaari and Muslim.
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