I heard that the presence of the heart in prayer is a recommended practice, and that a person is not credited with any of his prayer except what he understood of it. How is that, and does the absence of the heart in prayer invalidate the prayer?
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The questioner : He says, "I heard that the presence of the heart in..."
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : This questioner says, "I heard that the presence of the heart in prayer is a recommended practice, and that a person is not credited with any of his prayer except what he understood of it. How is that, and does the absence of the heart in prayer invalidate the prayer?"
The Shaykh : The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed on whether the prayer is invalidated if the heart is not present in the prayer, specifically if the heart was not present for most of the prayer.
Some scholars said that if waswas (whispers) or intrusive thoughts dominate most of the prayer, the prayer is invalidated. However, the majority opinion is that the prayer is not invalidated, even if waswas dominates most of it. The majority cited as evidence that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us that Satan comes to a person during his prayer and says to him, "Remember such and such, on such and such a day," until the person does not know how many rak'ahs he prayed. This indicates that waswas does not invalidate the prayer. This opinion is more lenient for people and closer to what Islamic law requires in terms of ease and facilitation. If we said that the prayer is invalidated when a person is inattentive and his heart is not present, the prayer of many people would be invalidated. Although the opinion of invalidation does not necessarily imply this, because if we said that if waswas dominates most of the prayer, it is invalidated, this might be a cause for people to strive to bring their hearts to presence in prayer, or to focus their hearts in prayer.
But in any case, what appears to be correct is the opinion of the majority, and that if a person's heart is not present in his prayer, his prayer is valid, but it is deficient to the extent of his inattention to his prayer. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you and your knowledge, and benefit the Muslims through you.
O dear listening brothers, he has answered.
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : This questioner says, "I heard that the presence of the heart in prayer is a recommended practice, and that a person is not credited with any of his prayer except what he understood of it. How is that, and does the absence of the heart in prayer invalidate the prayer?"
The Shaykh : The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed on whether the prayer is invalidated if the heart is not present in the prayer, specifically if the heart was not present for most of the prayer.
Some scholars said that if waswas (whispers) or intrusive thoughts dominate most of the prayer, the prayer is invalidated. However, the majority opinion is that the prayer is not invalidated, even if waswas dominates most of it. The majority cited as evidence that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us that Satan comes to a person during his prayer and says to him, "Remember such and such, on such and such a day," until the person does not know how many rak'ahs he prayed. This indicates that waswas does not invalidate the prayer. This opinion is more lenient for people and closer to what Islamic law requires in terms of ease and facilitation. If we said that the prayer is invalidated when a person is inattentive and his heart is not present, the prayer of many people would be invalidated. Although the opinion of invalidation does not necessarily imply this, because if we said that if waswas dominates most of the prayer, it is invalidated, this might be a cause for people to strive to bring their hearts to presence in prayer, or to focus their hearts in prayer.
But in any case, what appears to be correct is the opinion of the majority, and that if a person's heart is not present in his prayer, his prayer is valid, but it is deficient to the extent of his inattention to his prayer. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you and your knowledge, and benefit the Muslims through you.
O dear listening brothers, he has answered.