What is the ruling on excessive movement in prayer?
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Question:
The questioner says that he sees many people in prayer moving excessively. He sees them combing their beards with their hands, adjusting their turbans, and fixing their headbands, and so on. What is the ruling on the prayer of such a person?
Answer:
It is prescribed for the believing man and woman to be humble, still, and free of movement in prayer; because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:, and Allah the Exalted says: [Al-Mu'minun: 1-2]. Humility is stillness, modesty, presence of heart, and turning to Allah. This is obligatory for the believing man and woman in their prayer: to be at rest.
When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw a man who was not humble, who was not at rest, he ordered him to repeat the prayer. So being at rest in prayer is a necessity, a pillar of it. And the perfection and completeness of humility is a recommended practice, and part of the perfection of prayer.
If fidgeting takes him out of being at rest, his prayer is invalid. If it is little, his prayer is not invalid. So little, scattered movements that are not consecutive are excused in prayer; they do not invalidate the prayer. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to carry Amamah, the daughter of Zaynab, his granddaughter, in prayer. He would carry her, and when he bowed, he would put her on the ground, and when he stood up, he would carry her, peace and blessings be upon him.
It has been mentioned previously that when Paradise was shown to him, he took a few steps, and when Hellfire was shown to him, he stepped back a few steps. He prayed on the pulpit, and when he wanted to prostrate, he would descend and prostrate at the base of the pulpit. When he finished his prostration, he would ascend and recite on it, so that the people would know.
So movements in teaching the prayer and in completing and perfecting it are required. And movements necessitated by need in prayer, if they are little, are excused, such as if his turban falls off and he adjusts it, or similar matters that occur to him in his prayer. The trivial thing is excused, and praise be to Allah. But he should observe stillness and ignore some things that might distract him, so that he completes and perfects his prayer with humility and rest. But the trivial thing is excused.
The questioner says that he sees many people in prayer moving excessively. He sees them combing their beards with their hands, adjusting their turbans, and fixing their headbands, and so on. What is the ruling on the prayer of such a person?
Answer:
It is prescribed for the believing man and woman to be humble, still, and free of movement in prayer; because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Be calm in your prayer.
اسكنوا في الصلاة(1) Certainly will the believers have succeeded: (2) They who are during their prayer humbly submissive
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِمْ خَاشِعُونَWhen the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw a man who was not humble, who was not at rest, he ordered him to repeat the prayer. So being at rest in prayer is a necessity, a pillar of it. And the perfection and completeness of humility is a recommended practice, and part of the perfection of prayer.
If fidgeting takes him out of being at rest, his prayer is invalid. If it is little, his prayer is not invalid. So little, scattered movements that are not consecutive are excused in prayer; they do not invalidate the prayer. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to carry Amamah, the daughter of Zaynab, his granddaughter, in prayer. He would carry her, and when he bowed, he would put her on the ground, and when he stood up, he would carry her, peace and blessings be upon him.
It has been mentioned previously that when Paradise was shown to him, he took a few steps, and when Hellfire was shown to him, he stepped back a few steps. He prayed on the pulpit, and when he wanted to prostrate, he would descend and prostrate at the base of the pulpit. When he finished his prostration, he would ascend and recite on it, so that the people would know.
So movements in teaching the prayer and in completing and perfecting it are required. And movements necessitated by need in prayer, if they are little, are excused, such as if his turban falls off and he adjusts it, or similar matters that occur to him in his prayer. The trivial thing is excused, and praise be to Allah. But he should observe stillness and ignore some things that might distract him, so that he completes and perfects his prayer with humility and rest. But the trivial thing is excused.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.