I know that according to the Hanafi Fiqh, If a person’s chest moves away from the Qibla, then the salah becomes invalid. What is Imam Maliks view?

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

 Answer

The condition of facing the qiblah in salah has been derived from the Quran, Sunnah and Ijma (consensus) of the scholars.

There is consensus amongst the scholars that salah will become invalid if a person turns away from the direction of the qiblah. However there is a difference of opinion in regards to when it is said that a person has turned away from the qiblah.

Hanafi and Shafi schools of thought state that salah will become void by turning the chest away from the qiblah.

However, Maliki school of thought states that merely turning away from the qiblah does not invalidate the salah until the feet are moved away from the direction of the qiblah.

The Hanbali School of thought states that Salah will become invalid when the person performing salah turns away from qiblah completely. (Kitabul Fiqh Alal Mazhabil Arbaah, p277 v.1)

Only Allah knows best.

Sayeedur Rahman

Darul Ifta, Birmingham