Is the prohibition of interlacing fingers restricted to the mosque, as is apparent from the hadith: “When one of you heads to the mosque, let him not interlace his fingers, for he is in prayer”?

The questioner : Before the prayer, there was a question regarding interlacing fingers in a place like this. Is it the same as in the mosques? I said: It is the same thing. Knowing that a hadith was reported from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): !!

The Shaykh: Yes.

The questioner : This hadith seems to be restricted to the mosque?!

The Shaykh : Yes.

The questioner : !

The Shaykh : What did you understand from me?

The questioner : I understood that interlacing fingers is permissible in a place like this, and this place is not a mosque!

The Shaykh : Now you will know your mistake: Do you not remember that I told you that there is a hadith that says: , did I tell you this or not?

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : Fine, merely leaving your home to go to the mosque, it is not permissible to interlace your fingers. So you are here now, and before we gather for prayer, it is different from when you attended for prayer. Therefore, I cited as evidence against you the hadith that says: . So we distinguish between sitting in this place and sitting in the same place for another purpose. Our sitting now is not sitting for prayer, but rather a religious discussion. So now, if I interlace my fingers like this, there is no obstacle for me. But when I sit for prayer, even if I am not in the prayer, interlacing is not permissible.

The questioner : Except after the prayer ends!

The Shaykh : Except after the prayer ends. And so it seems you did not understand me when I cited the hadith as evidence against you, that merely when you leave your home to the mosque, interlacing is not permissible, whereas you have not yet entered the mosque, interlacing is not permissible.

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : Why? Because you are intending the prayer. We are here, when we sat and you asked me this question, we are sitting for what?

The questioner : Prayer.

The Shaykh : For prayer, so no interlacing. This hadith is very clear, and we say: even in the mosque and after the prayer, interlacing is permissible, and in the mosque.

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : Because it came in "Sahih al-Bukhari": "That the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when he prayed the 'Asr prayer in two rak'ahs, and Dhul-Yadayn said to him: Was the prayer shortened or did you forget? He said: . He said: Yes. So he (peace be upon him) looked at his Companions and said: . They said: Yes. And he had moved to a side of the mosque and placed one of his feet on the other, and interlaced his fingers." So the scholars, combining this Prophetic action with the Prophetic statement, said: that before the prayer, even if departing for the prayer, no interlacing. When the prayer ends, interlacing is permissible, even if you are in the mosque. So interlacing is not specific to the mosque, but specific to your heading toward the prayer. Yes, that is right.

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh : And beware of that.