The ruling on turning and speaking in prayer due to old age
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
Another questioner says: We have an elderly woman who, when she stands for prayer or says the takbir in prayer, exhibits certain movements, such as turning to the right or left, or talking. What do you advise us to do regarding her? May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh:
As for turning the head, turning the head is disliked. It is a theft that Satan steals from the slave’s prayer. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade turning like a fox, facing one’s prayer. However, if it happens and he turns, this does not affect his prayer because he has done a disliked act. Or, if the turning is for a need, there is no harm; he may turn for a need and there is no blame on him. As for
The questioner:
speaking, she talks in prayer due to her old age.
The Shaykh:
Speaking in prayer is forbidden. Speaking was forbidden. “Stand before Allah and be devout” — they used to speak in prayer in the early days of Islam, then they were forbidden from it when the word of Allah the Exalted was revealed:[Al-Baqarah 2:238] So we were commanded to be silent and forbidden from speaking. Therefore, if the speech is intentional, it invalidates the prayer. But if it is due to forgetfulness, ignorance, or old age where one cannot control himself, then he is excused; there is an excuse for his speech. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you,
Another questioner says: We have an elderly woman who, when she stands for prayer or says the takbir in prayer, exhibits certain movements, such as turning to the right or left, or talking. What do you advise us to do regarding her? May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh:
As for turning the head, turning the head is disliked. It is a theft that Satan steals from the slave’s prayer. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade turning like a fox, facing one’s prayer. However, if it happens and he turns, this does not affect his prayer because he has done a disliked act. Or, if the turning is for a need, there is no harm; he may turn for a need and there is no blame on him. As for
The questioner:
speaking, she talks in prayer due to her old age.
The Shaykh:
Speaking in prayer is forbidden. Speaking was forbidden. “Stand before Allah and be devout” — they used to speak in prayer in the early days of Islam, then they were forbidden from it when the word of Allah the Exalted was revealed:
Maintain with care the [obligatory] prayers and [in particular] the middle prayer and stand before Allah, devoutly obedient.
حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلَاةِ الْوُسْطَىٰ وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَانِتِينَThe presenter:
May Allah reward you,
Source
نور على الدرب - الفوزان - 02/283 — archive.org (13:41)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.