What is the ruling on closing the eyes during prayer?
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The questioner : I am asking about closing the eyes during prayer; what is its ruling?
The Shaykh : The scholars have mentioned that closing the eyes during prayer is disliked, and it is prescribed that a person keep his eyes open and look at the place of his prostration, unless there is a reason to close the eyes, such as a distraction in front of him. In that case, there is no blame on him for closing his eyes. A distraction that occupies him is, for example, children playing around him, where if he kept his eyes open, his gaze would fall on them and he would be preoccupied with them. In that case, there is nothing wrong with closing his eyes.
So the rule is that closing the eyes is disliked, but if there is a reason that necessitates it, it is not disliked.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : The scholars have mentioned that closing the eyes during prayer is disliked, and it is prescribed that a person keep his eyes open and look at the place of his prostration, unless there is a reason to close the eyes, such as a distraction in front of him. In that case, there is no blame on him for closing his eyes. A distraction that occupies him is, for example, children playing around him, where if he kept his eyes open, his gaze would fall on them and he would be preoccupied with them. In that case, there is nothing wrong with closing his eyes.
So the rule is that closing the eyes is disliked, but if there is a reason that necessitates it, it is not disliked.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.