Is there an exception to the dislike of closing the eyes in prayer?

The questioner : Is there an exception to this regarding closing the eyes? There is an exception in one case: if there is something in front of me that distracts me, may I close my eyes to complete my humility?

The Shaykh : Yes, indeed. What is the evidence?

The questioner : The evidence is that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged humility, and this is a means to humility, and the means to a thing is [permissible].

The Shaykh : To what is prescribed, it is prescribed. There is also another evidence. Yes.

The questioner : The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was praying when a cloak distracted him, so he ordered it to be cut and brought to Abu Jahal.

The Shaykh : But someone might say that imitating the Jews exists, as they close their eyes.

The questioner : This is the opposite. It indicates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would remove everything that distracted him from the prayer.

The Shaykh : Yes.

The presenter : We said that the disliked state is removed by need. If closing the eyes is disliked and a person needs to close them, then the dislike is removed.

The Shaykh : We said that prayer is prohibited at the time of the sun’s rising and setting, out of fear of imitating the disbelievers. So if the cause is present? The prohibition is removed, attributing the act to its cause. For this reason, if one enters the mosque at this time, he prays the greeting of the mosque, attributing it to the cause. So the one who closes his eyes for this cause, no similarity is said of him. Yes, good.