What are the categories of movement in prayer?
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The questioner : In a previous session, we discussed movement in prayer, and you mentioned the categories. We ask that you complete the remainder of this question, may Allah reward you?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. I ask Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, to make our beginning and ending good.
The questioner : O Allah, amen.
The Shaykh : Concluding what has preceded.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : He mentioned it among the categories of movement in prayer, where we stated that movement in prayer has five categories.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The first is obligatory, which is that upon which the validity of the prayer depends.
The second is recommended, which is that upon which the performance of a recommended act in the prayer depends.
The third is forbidden and invalidating, which is excessive consecutive movement without dire necessity. We explained the meaning of these conditions and said that slight forbidden movement is like excessive consecutive movement. We gave as an example a man who is praying and turns to look at a non-mahram woman for the sake of desire. This is forbidden; this looking is forbidden, and even if it is a slight movement, it invalidates the prayer because it contradicts the prayer. Indeed, prayer is humility and presence before Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and prayer forbids indecency and wrongdoing. This completely contradicts the prayer, so we say that it invalidates the prayer.
The fourth category is permissible movement, which is excessive movement for dire necessity or slight movement for pressing need; excessive movement for dire necessity or slight movement for pressing need.
Slight movement for pressing need, such as a man whose head covering falls down, for example.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : From the middle of his head, so he pulls it to the front of his head. A man who experiences inflammation or itching and scratches it; this is from slight movement for pressing need. A man who doubts whether the imam stood up or sat down, so he turns to look to see if he is standing or sitting; this is also from slight permissible movement. We may say that it is recommended in order to complete following the imam.
The important point is that slight movement for pressing need is permissible, and excessive movement for dire necessity, as mentioned in the previous session, is also permissible from the category of permissible movement.
The fifth category is disliked movement, which is what remains of these four categories. It is the default ruling for movement in prayer. The default is that movement in prayer is disliked. Therefore, a person should be humble in his heart and still in his limbs so that he performs the prayer in the required manner. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. I ask Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, to make our beginning and ending good.
The questioner : O Allah, amen.
The Shaykh : Concluding what has preceded.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : He mentioned it among the categories of movement in prayer, where we stated that movement in prayer has five categories.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The first is obligatory, which is that upon which the validity of the prayer depends.
The second is recommended, which is that upon which the performance of a recommended act in the prayer depends.
The third is forbidden and invalidating, which is excessive consecutive movement without dire necessity. We explained the meaning of these conditions and said that slight forbidden movement is like excessive consecutive movement. We gave as an example a man who is praying and turns to look at a non-mahram woman for the sake of desire. This is forbidden; this looking is forbidden, and even if it is a slight movement, it invalidates the prayer because it contradicts the prayer. Indeed, prayer is humility and presence before Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and prayer forbids indecency and wrongdoing. This completely contradicts the prayer, so we say that it invalidates the prayer.
The fourth category is permissible movement, which is excessive movement for dire necessity or slight movement for pressing need; excessive movement for dire necessity or slight movement for pressing need.
Slight movement for pressing need, such as a man whose head covering falls down, for example.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : From the middle of his head, so he pulls it to the front of his head. A man who experiences inflammation or itching and scratches it; this is from slight movement for pressing need. A man who doubts whether the imam stood up or sat down, so he turns to look to see if he is standing or sitting; this is also from slight permissible movement. We may say that it is recommended in order to complete following the imam.
The important point is that slight movement for pressing need is permissible, and excessive movement for dire necessity, as mentioned in the previous session, is also permissible from the category of permissible movement.
The fifth category is disliked movement, which is what remains of these four categories. It is the default ruling for movement in prayer. The default is that movement in prayer is disliked. Therefore, a person should be humble in his heart and still in his limbs so that he performs the prayer in the required manner. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.