What is the ruling on an imam who walks a little after the takbir of ihram, and it has become a habit for him?
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The questioner : Your Eminence, there is an imam, I do not know if he is ill or has a condition, I do not know. In prayer, when he says the takbir for prayer and the takbir comes, he moves forward, walking two or three steps. It has become a habit for him, to the point that the congregation in the mosque where he prays do not rebuke him for it. But when a stranger comes, or someone who is actually praying with him, they notice that he walks, sometimes covering half the row, and he is the imam. So I do not know...?
The Shaykh : Then does he return, or does he stay?
The questioner : No, he stays in his place.
The Shaykh : Okay, and in the second rak'ah, does he move forward after?
The questioner : He returns a little, every little bit he returns and moves forward, just a little, but the first takbir, you notice very much that he walks.
The Shaykh : In any case, if this is something beyond his control, he is excused, because some people may have some dizziness, so they hold themselves back, but they must move forward in this case.
And if it is by his choice, then it is prohibited, because this is movement in prayer without need, and every movement in prayer without need is disliked. Do you understand? Here it is good for us to explain the categories of movements in prayer.
The categories of movements in prayer are five: an obligatory movement, a forbidden movement, a permissible movement, a disliked movement, and a recommended movement.
The obligatory movement: it is that upon which the validity of the prayer depends. This is the criterion for the obligatory movement: it is that upon which the validity of the prayer depends. We will give two examples:
The first example: a person remembers that there is impurity on his head covering while he is praying. It is obligatory for him now to move to do what? To remove the head covering; he removes it and remains in his prayer.
The second example: a man is praying in a direction other than the qiblah, so a scholar of the qiblah comes to him and says: "The qiblah is to your right." So here, what is obligatory for him? To turn toward the qiblah. And for each of these two issues, there is evidence.
As for the first issue: its evidence is.
And as for the second: فإن أهل قباء كانوا يصلون صلاة الفجر إلى جهة بيت المقدس، مكة وراءهم فجاءهم آت فقال لهم: إن النبي صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم أنزل عليه قرآن، وقد أمر أن يستقبل القبلة فاستقبلوها، فانحرفوا وهم يصلون ، هذه الحركة واجبة.
والحركة المستحبة: هي التي يتوقف عليها فعل مستحب هذا ضابطها، التي يتوقف عليها فعل مستحب.
مثال ذلك: انفتحت فرجة أمامك في الصف، وسد الفرج؟ سنة، تقدمت لهذه الفرجة، هذه حركة، هذه حركة مستحبة، وكذلك تقارب الصف، فصار بينك وبين جارك فرجة فقربت منها هذا أيضاً تقارب مستحب، كذلك تقدمت على الصف قليلًا أو تأخرت إذا قلنا بعدم وجوب التسوية هذه حركة مستحبة.
الحركة المحرمة: هي الحركة التي تنافي الصلاة، يعني: أنها كثيرة بحيث يقول من رآك تتحرك: إنك لست في صلاة، هذه محرمة، وضابطها أن تكون كثيرة متوالية.
الحركة المكروهة: هي الحركة القليلة بلا حاجة، مثل ما يحصل من بعض الناس عبث يعبث في قلمه في ساعته في عقاله في مشلحه بدون حاجة، هذه مكروهة.
الحركة الجائزة: هي الحركة اليسيرة إذا كانت لحاجة، أو الحركة الكثيرة إذا كانت لضرورة، انتبه!.
مثال الحركة اليسيرة للحاجة: إنسان يشق عليه أن يصلي على الأرض مباشرة لأنها حارة، أو لأن فيها شوكاً، أو فيها حصىً يؤلم جبهته، فصار يتحرك، يضع المنديل يسجد عليه، هذه حركة جائزة وإلا لا؟ جائزة لأنها لحاجة، لكنها يسيرة، والمنديل ينبغي أن يكون واسعاً بحيث يتسع لكفيه وجبهته، هذا هو الأحسن، لماذا؟ لأنه لو كان للجبهة فقط صار فيه نوع مشابه للرافضة الذين يسجدون على حصىً معين، أو على حجر معين، فالعلماء قالوا: يكره أن يخص جبهته بما يسجد عليه، لأن هذا فعل الرافضة، لكن على كل حال إذا لم يكن معه إلا منديل صغير لا يتسع إلا للجبهة وهو محتاج إلى أن يسجد عليه فلا بأس هذه حركة يسيرة لحاجة.
حركة كثيرة لحاجة تصلي فهاجمك سبع هاجمك تحتاج إلى عملية كثيرة لا بأس تدافعه وتمضي في صلاتك لقوله تعالى: فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ فَرِجَالاً أَوْ رُكْبَاناً يعني: إن خفتم على أنفسكم فصلوا رجالاً يعني: على أرجلكم، ولو كنت تهرب، أو ركباناً.
هذه أقسام الحركات في الصلاة، فاحرص على أن تخشع جوارحك وأن يخشع قلبك حتى تكون صلاتك تامة، وقد امتدح الله الذين هم في صلاتهم خاشعون. For the people of Quba used to pray the Fajr prayer facing the direction of Bayt al-Maqdis, with Makkah behind them. So a messenger came to them and said to them: "The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has been revealed to him the Qur'an, and he has been commanded to face the qiblah." So they faced it, and they turned while they were praying. This movement is obligatory. The recommended movement: it is that upon which a recommended act depends. This is its criterion: that upon which a recommended act depends. An example of that: a gap opened up in front of you in the row, and closing the gap is a sunnah. You moved forward to this gap; this is a movement, this is a recommended movement. And likewise, drawing close in the row, so there was a gap between you and your neighbor, and you drew close to it; this is also a recommended drawing close. Likewise, you moved forward in the row a little, or you moved back, if we say that equalizing the rows is not obligatory, this is a recommended movement. The forbidden movement: it is the movement that contradicts the prayer, meaning: that it is much, such that whoever sees you moving says: "You are not in prayer." This is forbidden, and its criterion is that it is much and continuous. The disliked movement: it is the little movement without need, like what happens with some people who fiddle with their pen, their watch, their tie, their shirt without need. This is disliked. The permissible movement: it is the slight movement if it is for a need, or the much movement if it is for a dire necessity. Pay attention! An example of the slight movement for a need: a person finds it difficult to pray directly on the ground because it is hot, or because there is thorns in it, or pebbles that hurt his forehead, so he moves, placing a handkerchief to prostrate on it. This is a permissible movement, or not? It is permissible because it is for a need, but it is slight. And the handkerchief should be wide enough to accommodate his two hands and his forehead; this is the best. Why? Because if it were for the forehead only, it would involve a type of resemblance to the Rafidah who prostrate on a specific pebble, or a specific stone. So the scholars said: it is disliked to specify the forehead with what one prostrates on, because this is the action of the Rafidah. But in any case, if he has nothing but a small handkerchief that does not accommodate more than the forehead, and he needs to prostrate on it, there is no harm. This is a slight movement for a need. A much movement for a need: you are praying and a beast attacks you, you need a lot of action, there is no harm, you defend yourself and continue in your prayer, due to the saying of the Exalted: "Then if you fear, [pray] on foot or riding." Meaning: if you fear for yourselves, pray standing, meaning: on your feet, even if you are fleeing, or riding. These are the categories of movements in prayer. So strive to make your limbs humble and your heart humble, so that your prayer is complete. And Allah has praised those who are humble in their prayer.
The Shaykh : Then does he return, or does he stay?
The questioner : No, he stays in his place.
The Shaykh : Okay, and in the second rak'ah, does he move forward after?
The questioner : He returns a little, every little bit he returns and moves forward, just a little, but the first takbir, you notice very much that he walks.
The Shaykh : In any case, if this is something beyond his control, he is excused, because some people may have some dizziness, so they hold themselves back, but they must move forward in this case.
And if it is by his choice, then it is prohibited, because this is movement in prayer without need, and every movement in prayer without need is disliked. Do you understand? Here it is good for us to explain the categories of movements in prayer.
The categories of movements in prayer are five: an obligatory movement, a forbidden movement, a permissible movement, a disliked movement, and a recommended movement.
The obligatory movement: it is that upon which the validity of the prayer depends. This is the criterion for the obligatory movement: it is that upon which the validity of the prayer depends. We will give two examples:
The first example: a person remembers that there is impurity on his head covering while he is praying. It is obligatory for him now to move to do what? To remove the head covering; he removes it and remains in his prayer.
The second example: a man is praying in a direction other than the qiblah, so a scholar of the qiblah comes to him and says: "The qiblah is to your right." So here, what is obligatory for him? To turn toward the qiblah. And for each of these two issues, there is evidence.
As for the first issue: its evidence is
That the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray in his sandals, and there was dirt in them which he did not know about, so Jibril came to him and informed him of it, so he removed his sandals and continued in his prayer.
أن النبي صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم كان يصلي في نعليه وفيهما قذر لم يعلم به، فجاءه جبريل فأخبره بذلك، فخلع نعليه ومضى في صلاتهAnd as for the second: فإن أهل قباء كانوا يصلون صلاة الفجر إلى جهة بيت المقدس، مكة وراءهم فجاءهم آت فقال لهم: إن النبي صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم أنزل عليه قرآن، وقد أمر أن يستقبل القبلة فاستقبلوها، فانحرفوا وهم يصلون ، هذه الحركة واجبة.
والحركة المستحبة: هي التي يتوقف عليها فعل مستحب هذا ضابطها، التي يتوقف عليها فعل مستحب.
مثال ذلك: انفتحت فرجة أمامك في الصف، وسد الفرج؟ سنة، تقدمت لهذه الفرجة، هذه حركة، هذه حركة مستحبة، وكذلك تقارب الصف، فصار بينك وبين جارك فرجة فقربت منها هذا أيضاً تقارب مستحب، كذلك تقدمت على الصف قليلًا أو تأخرت إذا قلنا بعدم وجوب التسوية هذه حركة مستحبة.
الحركة المحرمة: هي الحركة التي تنافي الصلاة، يعني: أنها كثيرة بحيث يقول من رآك تتحرك: إنك لست في صلاة، هذه محرمة، وضابطها أن تكون كثيرة متوالية.
الحركة المكروهة: هي الحركة القليلة بلا حاجة، مثل ما يحصل من بعض الناس عبث يعبث في قلمه في ساعته في عقاله في مشلحه بدون حاجة، هذه مكروهة.
الحركة الجائزة: هي الحركة اليسيرة إذا كانت لحاجة، أو الحركة الكثيرة إذا كانت لضرورة، انتبه!.
مثال الحركة اليسيرة للحاجة: إنسان يشق عليه أن يصلي على الأرض مباشرة لأنها حارة، أو لأن فيها شوكاً، أو فيها حصىً يؤلم جبهته، فصار يتحرك، يضع المنديل يسجد عليه، هذه حركة جائزة وإلا لا؟ جائزة لأنها لحاجة، لكنها يسيرة، والمنديل ينبغي أن يكون واسعاً بحيث يتسع لكفيه وجبهته، هذا هو الأحسن، لماذا؟ لأنه لو كان للجبهة فقط صار فيه نوع مشابه للرافضة الذين يسجدون على حصىً معين، أو على حجر معين، فالعلماء قالوا: يكره أن يخص جبهته بما يسجد عليه، لأن هذا فعل الرافضة، لكن على كل حال إذا لم يكن معه إلا منديل صغير لا يتسع إلا للجبهة وهو محتاج إلى أن يسجد عليه فلا بأس هذه حركة يسيرة لحاجة.
حركة كثيرة لحاجة تصلي فهاجمك سبع هاجمك تحتاج إلى عملية كثيرة لا بأس تدافعه وتمضي في صلاتك لقوله تعالى: فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ فَرِجَالاً أَوْ رُكْبَاناً يعني: إن خفتم على أنفسكم فصلوا رجالاً يعني: على أرجلكم، ولو كنت تهرب، أو ركباناً.
هذه أقسام الحركات في الصلاة، فاحرص على أن تخشع جوارحك وأن يخشع قلبك حتى تكون صلاتك تامة، وقد امتدح الله الذين هم في صلاتهم خاشعون. For the people of Quba used to pray the Fajr prayer facing the direction of Bayt al-Maqdis, with Makkah behind them. So a messenger came to them and said to them: "The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has been revealed to him the Qur'an, and he has been commanded to face the qiblah." So they faced it, and they turned while they were praying. This movement is obligatory. The recommended movement: it is that upon which a recommended act depends. This is its criterion: that upon which a recommended act depends. An example of that: a gap opened up in front of you in the row, and closing the gap is a sunnah. You moved forward to this gap; this is a movement, this is a recommended movement. And likewise, drawing close in the row, so there was a gap between you and your neighbor, and you drew close to it; this is also a recommended drawing close. Likewise, you moved forward in the row a little, or you moved back, if we say that equalizing the rows is not obligatory, this is a recommended movement. The forbidden movement: it is the movement that contradicts the prayer, meaning: that it is much, such that whoever sees you moving says: "You are not in prayer." This is forbidden, and its criterion is that it is much and continuous. The disliked movement: it is the little movement without need, like what happens with some people who fiddle with their pen, their watch, their tie, their shirt without need. This is disliked. The permissible movement: it is the slight movement if it is for a need, or the much movement if it is for a dire necessity. Pay attention! An example of the slight movement for a need: a person finds it difficult to pray directly on the ground because it is hot, or because there is thorns in it, or pebbles that hurt his forehead, so he moves, placing a handkerchief to prostrate on it. This is a permissible movement, or not? It is permissible because it is for a need, but it is slight. And the handkerchief should be wide enough to accommodate his two hands and his forehead; this is the best. Why? Because if it were for the forehead only, it would involve a type of resemblance to the Rafidah who prostrate on a specific pebble, or a specific stone. So the scholars said: it is disliked to specify the forehead with what one prostrates on, because this is the action of the Rafidah. But in any case, if he has nothing but a small handkerchief that does not accommodate more than the forehead, and he needs to prostrate on it, there is no harm. This is a slight movement for a need. A much movement for a need: you are praying and a beast attacks you, you need a lot of action, there is no harm, you defend yourself and continue in your prayer, due to the saying of the Exalted: "Then if you fear, [pray] on foot or riding." Meaning: if you fear for yourselves, pray standing, meaning: on your feet, even if you are fleeing, or riding. These are the categories of movements in prayer. So strive to make your limbs humble and your heart humble, so that your prayer is complete. And Allah has praised those who are humble in their prayer.