Is the prayer of a person who reads something that catches his eye in prayer invalidated?
Submitted by on Tue, 10/10/2017 - 16:21
Dear Brother / Sister,
If a writing in a fiqh, hadith and any other book catches a person’s eye and if he reads it silently, his prayer is not invalidated even if he understands it. There is unanimous agreement on it. However, it is makruh to do such a thing. (Tatarhaniyya – Fatawaw al-Hindiyya)
If the writing on the mihrab is something other than the Quran and if a person reads it silently and understands it, his prayer is invalidated according to Imam Muhammad but it is not invalidated according to Imam Abu Yusuf. The scholars say the ijtihad of Imam Abu Yusuf is preferred. This is the sound view. (al-Hidaya / Marghinani)
(Celal Yıldırım, Kaynaklarıyla İslam Fıkhı, Uysal Kitabevi: 1/347)
Questions on Islam
- What is amal kathir in prayer? I know that changing the place of things in prayer invalidates prayer. Is prayer invalidated if a person changes the place of things involuntarily?
- Is the prayer of a person who says Alhamdulillah (All Praise and Thanks be to God) to himself after sneezing invalidated?
- If the imam and the male congregation stand in the same line, is the prayer invalidated?
- Is it possible to say prayers (duas) in a different language during prostration (sajdah)?
- Imam’s breaking wudu; istikhlaf. What should the congregation do if the wudu of the imam is invalidated while leading a fard prayer?
- If somebody from the congregation does not follow the imam when the imam performs sajdah as-sahw, is his prayer invalidated?
- Is it all right to say prayers while the imam is reciting while leading a prayer to the congregation? For example can one pray by saying, “O Allah forgive me“?
- What are the necessary qualities for an Imam to have in order to lead a congregational prayer?
- Is it valid for the congregation to salute after the imam salutes to the right and left?
- Is it permissible to perform prayers when Friday sermon is delivered? Is it not fard to listen to Friday sermon?