Ruling on Repeating the Prayer Due to Excessive Whispers
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Q: The sister (S. A.) from Buraydah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia says in her question: When I want to perform the prayer, I am distracted and think a lot, and I do not realize I am praying until I have said the closing salam. Then I repeat it a second time and find myself in the same state as before, to the point that I forget the first tashahhud, and I do not know how many rak'ahs I have prayed? This increases my disturbance and fear of Allah, then I perform the prostration for forgetfulness. Please give us a ruling, may Allah reward you with good, and we are very grateful to you.
A: Whispers are from Satan, and it is obligatory for you to take care of your prayer and focus on it, and to be tranquil in it so that you perform it with awareness. And Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Mu'minun: 1-2], and when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw a man who did not complete his prayer or be tranquil in it, he ordered him to repeat it, and said to him: Bulugh al-Maram 2:139 agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim.
And if you remember that you are in prayer, standing before Allah, whispering to Him the Exalted, then that calls for your humility in prayer, your focus on it, Satan’s distance from you, and your safety from his whispers. And if the whispers become excessive for you in prayer, spit to your left three times, and seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan three times, for it will be removed from you if Allah wills.
And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered some of his Companions to do that when he said to him: O Messenger of Allah, Satan has confused my prayer for me.
It is not obligatory for you to repeat the prayer because of the whispers, but you must perform the prostration for forgetfulness if you do what necessitates it, such as: leaving the first tashahhud by mistake, and such as: leaving the tasbih in ruku' and sujud by mistake. And if you doubt: did I pray three or four in the Zuhr prayer, for example? Then make it three, complete the prayer, and perform the prostration for forgetfulness, two prostrations before the salam. And if you doubt in the Maghrib prayer: did I pray two or three? Then make it two, complete the prayer, then perform the prostration for forgetfulness, two prostrations before the salam; because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered that. And success is from Allah.
A: Whispers are from Satan, and it is obligatory for you to take care of your prayer and focus on it, and to be tranquil in it so that you perform it with awareness. And Allah the Exalted said:
(1) Certainly will the believers have succeeded: (2) They who are during their prayer humbly submissive
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِمْ خَاشِعُونَ When you get up to pray, perform ablution perfectly, then face the Qiblah and say: 'Allahu Akbar' (Allah is the Most Great). Then recite a convenient portion of the Qur'an; then bow and remain calmly in that position for a moment, then rise up and stand erect; then prostrate and remain calmly in that position for a moment, then rise up and sit calmly, then prostrate and remain calmly in that position for a moment; then do that throughout your prayer.
إذا قمتَ إلى الصلاة فأسبغ الوضوء، ثم استقبل القبلة فكبِّر، ثم اقرأ ما تيسر معك من القرآن، ثم اركع حتى تطمئن راكعًا، ثم ارفع حتى تعتدل قائمًا، ثم اسجد حتى تطمئن ساجدًا، ثم ارفع حتى تطمئن جالسًا، ثم اسجد حتى تطمئن ساجدًا، ثم افعل ذلك في صلاتك كلهاAnd if you remember that you are in prayer, standing before Allah, whispering to Him the Exalted, then that calls for your humility in prayer, your focus on it, Satan’s distance from you, and your safety from his whispers. And if the whispers become excessive for you in prayer, spit to your left three times, and seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan three times, for it will be removed from you if Allah wills.
And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered some of his Companions to do that when he said to him: O Messenger of Allah, Satan has confused my prayer for me.
It is not obligatory for you to repeat the prayer because of the whispers, but you must perform the prostration for forgetfulness if you do what necessitates it, such as: leaving the first tashahhud by mistake, and such as: leaving the tasbih in ruku' and sujud by mistake. And if you doubt: did I pray three or four in the Zuhr prayer, for example? Then make it three, complete the prayer, and perform the prostration for forgetfulness, two prostrations before the salam. And if you doubt in the Maghrib prayer: did I pray two or three? Then make it two, complete the prayer, then perform the prostration for forgetfulness, two prostrations before the salam; because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered that. And success is from Allah.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.