A boy who has reached the age of ten: if he falls asleep during the prayer, is he ordered to repeat the prayer?
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The questioner : His EminenceThe Shaykh : Some boys over the age of ten, when they come for the Fajr prayer and sit waiting for the iqamah, are overcome by sleep and sometimes fall asleep. Sometimes they also fall asleep while sitting for the tashahhud. So, is he ordered to repeat the prayer when he returns home, or is his prayer sufficient for him?
The Shaykh : Say: And the same applies during the sujud.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And during the sujud, as long as this man, whether he is a young man or not, feels that if he were to break his wudu, his prayer would be valid and he would not repeat it, so likewise, if he is speaking with the tasbih, takbir, and recitation, and even if he is speaking but does not understand it well, there is no harm; it is sufficient for him.
However, if he is absent-minded at times and, for example, sits between the two prostrations or sits for the tashahhud but does not know whether he said anything or not, then it is obligatory for him to repeat the prayer. Here is a point: the scholars say that if a person has severe drowsiness such that he cannot complete the prayer with the congregation, he should pray alone and sleep, because this is more severe than the presence of food. If a person has food present, it is permissible for him to sit and eat until he is full, even if he misses the congregation, so this is even more so. There is no doubt that the analogy is clear. Do you understand now? So, if this person has severe sleepiness and says, "If I go to the mosque, I will not know what I am saying, but if I pray now, I will catch the prayer," we say: pray now and sleep.
The questioner : Even if it continues with the person?
The Shaykh : No, this does not continue except for a person who does not care. The important thing is that he catches the prayer, that he catches it with his heart, meaning he understands it with his heart.
The Shaykh : Say: And the same applies during the sujud.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And during the sujud, as long as this man, whether he is a young man or not, feels that if he were to break his wudu, his prayer would be valid and he would not repeat it, so likewise, if he is speaking with the tasbih, takbir, and recitation, and even if he is speaking but does not understand it well, there is no harm; it is sufficient for him.
However, if he is absent-minded at times and, for example, sits between the two prostrations or sits for the tashahhud but does not know whether he said anything or not, then it is obligatory for him to repeat the prayer. Here is a point: the scholars say that if a person has severe drowsiness such that he cannot complete the prayer with the congregation, he should pray alone and sleep, because this is more severe than the presence of food. If a person has food present, it is permissible for him to sit and eat until he is full, even if he misses the congregation, so this is even more so. There is no doubt that the analogy is clear. Do you understand now? So, if this person has severe sleepiness and says, "If I go to the mosque, I will not know what I am saying, but if I pray now, I will catch the prayer," we say: pray now and sleep.
The questioner : Even if it continues with the person?
The Shaykh : No, this does not continue except for a person who does not care. The important thing is that he catches the prayer, that he catches it with his heart, meaning he understands it with his heart.