The Ruling on Imitating Prayer

Your Eminence! A person imitated the prayer, whether it was the funeral prayer, the prayer for rain, or the obligatory prayer.For example: A group of people were sitting in a gathering, and a person said the takbir—for example—As if he is praying the funeral prayer and recited al-Fatihah. The Shaykh: For teaching purposes, or what?The questioner: For no reason. Is this considered mocking the prayer?The Shaykh: It is not mocking unless the intention was to mock; because his intention might have been to teach. If the intention to teach is absent, does it remain mocking or not?We say: The default is that it is not mocking, but nevertheless, it is prohibited with the strongest prohibition. For this reason, we prohibit what some people do in theatrical performances, such as standing up, and another person comes and talks to him while he is praying, or similar acts. We prohibit this absolutely and strictly.

The questioner: But it does not take one out of the religion?The Shaykh: No, taking someone out of the religion is difficult and not easy.