Fatwa ID: 08859

Answered by: Mufti Sibghat Ullah

Question:

During the closing salams of salah my head was shaking a bit, it may have gone left to right, instead of turning slowly and constantly. Is the salah valid?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

During the tasleem (salams) at the end of salah, the correct method is to turn the head to the right and then left and say:

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله

The movement should be calm and deliberate, ideally turning the face and not just the eyes or neck. However, unintentional shaking of the head will not invalidate the salah[i].

References:

[i] Radd ul Mukḥtar, Volume 1, Book of salah. Chapter of things that invalidate salah, page 673.

 الحركة المتوالية الكثيرة لغير ضرورة تبطل الصلاة، أما الحركة القليلة أو الحركة غير متوالية فلا تبطل الصلاة بها

Excessive continuous movement without necessity invalidates the prayer. However, a small movement or movement that is not consecutive does not invalidate the prayer.

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Mufti Sibghat Ullah

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham