Is sneezing and blowing the nose analogous to the prohibition of spitting in prayer?
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The questioner : Some scholars have analogized sneezing to spitting?
The Shaykh : No, one does not turn away when he sneezes. First, the one who sneezes is commanded to cover his face, even with his hands, like this, because this covers the breath. But he should cover it with his cloak or his head covering; that is one point. The second point is that sneezing is not by the person's choice. The third point is that it is not necessary for something to come out when one sneezes. And if something does come out, where will it be? It will be on the ground, not in front of the person. So this analogy is not valid. Then they say, from a medical perspective, that if a person turns his head while sneezing, it is dangerous for the nerves of the neck.
The Shaykh : No, one does not turn away when he sneezes. First, the one who sneezes is commanded to cover his face, even with his hands, like this, because this covers the breath. But he should cover it with his cloak or his head covering; that is one point. The second point is that sneezing is not by the person's choice. The third point is that it is not necessary for something to come out when one sneezes. And if something does come out, where will it be? It will be on the ground, not in front of the person. So this analogy is not valid. Then they say, from a medical perspective, that if a person turns his head while sneezing, it is dangerous for the nerves of the neck.