Assalaam Alaikum dear mufti sahib,

If a person's phone rings out loud during salah and he reaches into his pocket to turn the ringing off, does this affect the salah? 

Jazakallah khair  

In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful.

Answer

Before answering your question we will firstly look at the definition of amal katheer. Amal katheer is that an onlooker who sees him in the act from a distance becomes certain that he is not in salah, otherwise it will be amal qaleel which does not break ones salah. Using both hands from its normal place is amal katheer whereas using one hand  from its normal place in salah is considered as amal qaleel. This is the correct definition with regards to amal kathir. Thus it is not the number of times you make the movement that invalidates your salah, rather the type of movement.

Another definition of amal katheer is that if there are three successive actions in salah that will constitute amal katheer hence, break your salah.

The answer to your question is that as long as you stopped the ringing with one hand then your salah will be intact. Furthermore, if the ringing were to be stopped within three successive actions the salah will also remain intact.  (Raddul Muhtar p.385 v.2 & Taqrir Abu Dawud p.331 v.2)

Only Allah Knows Best

Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham