In the state of bowing in prayer, should one look at the place of prostration?
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The questioner : In the state of bowing in prayer, should one look at the place of prostration? We ask for your guidance.
The Shaykh : Looking at the place of prostration is the opinion of the majority of scholars. Some have said that the one praying should look straight ahead when standing, at his feet when bowing, and at his right hand when sitting. However, looking at the right hand during the gesture of testimony is what came from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Looking at the place of prostration is how many scholars interpreted the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Mu'minun 23:1-2] They said: "They are those who look at the place of their prostration." This is the closest of the opinions: that a person should look at the place of his prostration while bowing and standing, and at the place of his gesture while sitting. Some scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) said: If a person is praying in the Sacred Mosque, he should look at the Ka'bah. They reasoned that looking at it is an act of worship. But this is questionable; it is questionable from two aspects. The first aspect is that it is not established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that looking at the Ka'bah is an act of worship, and it is not permissible to establish a legal ruling except with evidence from the Lawgiver or evidence from the Lawgiver.
The second aspect is that even if it were established that looking at it is an act of worship, it would be an independent act of worship not related to the prayer. The prayer has its own specific acts of worship, and it is not possible to establish that looking at the Ka'bah is an act of worship within the prayer unless that is specifically reported.
Furthermore, the prayer's looking at the Ka'bah while in the Sacred Mosque leads to the distraction of the heart, because the Ka'bah is generally not free of those circumambulating it. It is well known that the movement of the circumambulators, their shifting, and the diversity of their races and colors leads to the distraction of the heart.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Therefore, we see that looking at the Ka'bah during prayer in the Sacred Mosque is not prescribed, and it is not befitting for a person to look at it during his prayer, because that has not been reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and because, as we mentioned earlier, it causes the one praying to be distracted from his prayer. Yes.
The questioner : Thank you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah magnify your reward for what you have clarified for us in this week's session.
The Shaykh : Looking at the place of prostration is the opinion of the majority of scholars. Some have said that the one praying should look straight ahead when standing, at his feet when bowing, and at his right hand when sitting. However, looking at the right hand during the gesture of testimony is what came from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Looking at the place of prostration is how many scholars interpreted the saying of Allah the Exalted:
(1) Certainly will the believers have succeeded: (2) They who are during their prayer humbly submissive
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ * الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي صَلاتِهِمْ خَاشِعُونَThe second aspect is that even if it were established that looking at it is an act of worship, it would be an independent act of worship not related to the prayer. The prayer has its own specific acts of worship, and it is not possible to establish that looking at the Ka'bah is an act of worship within the prayer unless that is specifically reported.
Furthermore, the prayer's looking at the Ka'bah while in the Sacred Mosque leads to the distraction of the heart, because the Ka'bah is generally not free of those circumambulating it. It is well known that the movement of the circumambulators, their shifting, and the diversity of their races and colors leads to the distraction of the heart.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Therefore, we see that looking at the Ka'bah during prayer in the Sacred Mosque is not prescribed, and it is not befitting for a person to look at it during his prayer, because that has not been reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and because, as we mentioned earlier, it causes the one praying to be distracted from his prayer. Yes.
The questioner : Thank you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah magnify your reward for what you have clarified for us in this week's session.