Permissibility of Placing a Heater in Front of the One Praying
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We see some people placing a heater in front of them while they are praying?
There is no problem with this; it is permissible to pray with a heater in front of you, and there is no blame on you. As for what some scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) disliked, namely facing the fire, there is no authentic hadith from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding this. However, they reasoned that this resembles the Majus who worship fire. The Majus who worship fire do not worship something like this; rather, they worship a fire that they kindle, which has a flame and is held in high esteem. Just as we are praying now facing the qiblah wall, where there are electric lamps, and an electric lamp is closer to the fire that the Majus worship, because the smaller, round electric lamps resemble a kindled fire, yet this was not a matter of concern. Furthermore, these heaters are not placed in front of the imam, but rather in front of the ma'mum (those praying behind him). A distinction is made between what is in front of the imam and what is in front of the ma'mum. For this reason, if a woman passes in front of the praying people, it does not break their prayer, but if she passes in front of the imam, it breaks the imam's prayer and the prayer of those behind him.
There is no problem with this; it is permissible to pray with a heater in front of you, and there is no blame on you. As for what some scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) disliked, namely facing the fire, there is no authentic hadith from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding this. However, they reasoned that this resembles the Majus who worship fire. The Majus who worship fire do not worship something like this; rather, they worship a fire that they kindle, which has a flame and is held in high esteem. Just as we are praying now facing the qiblah wall, where there are electric lamps, and an electric lamp is closer to the fire that the Majus worship, because the smaller, round electric lamps resemble a kindled fire, yet this was not a matter of concern. Furthermore, these heaters are not placed in front of the imam, but rather in front of the ma'mum (those praying behind him). A distinction is made between what is in front of the imam and what is in front of the ma'mum. For this reason, if a woman passes in front of the praying people, it does not break their prayer, but if she passes in front of the imam, it breaks the imam's prayer and the prayer of those behind him.
