Fatwa ID: 07291

 

 

Answered by: Alimah Shireen Mangera-Badat

 

Question:

 

I wanted to ask this question as I feel like I didn’t realise until now what I’ve been doing. So during Salah when I’m reciting the fatiha and it comes to the last words: وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ. I do this thing where when the last word is pronounced elongated I move my head up and down (not vigorously but as I’m saying the last words) because of the way I say it elongated.

 

I just wanted to know because this is continuous and I forget I’m doing it and its been going on a while ever since I’ve been getting doubts in my salah, will this invalidate my prayers and all the prayers I performed like this?

 

I don’t know why I do this but sometimes I cant help it and I feel like it’s something I have to do otherwise in my brain I think I haven’t read the last words properly and then I think that the faitha I’ve read is incorrect so I tend to start over.

 

Please can you help me with this?

 

 

 

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

 

 

Answer:

 

Minor and infrequent movements do not invalidate Salah. These include slight adjustments or minor involuntary actions, like moving the head slightly up and down.

 

Continuous, repetitive, or significant movements that disrupt the prayer can invalidate it. This includes actions that are noticeable and detract from the focus of Salah.

 

The movement you describe (slight head movement when elongating the word “وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ”) seems minor and unintentional. Such minor movements, especially when done unconsciously or out of habit, typically do not invalidate Salah.

 

According to Hanafi scholars, unintentional minor movements that do not constitute a distraction or change the posture significantly are generally overlooked and prayer is not invalidated.¹

 

It is common to experience doubts (waswasah) in Salah. The key is to maintain focus and ignore these whisperings. Continuous doubts and starting over can stem from waswasah, which should be consciously avoided.

 

Since the movement is minor, you should try to ignore it and focus on the recitation. It does not invalidate your Salah, but it’s advisable to work on reducing it gradually.

 

According to Hanafi fiqh, the minor movement of your head when elongating the word “وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ” does not invalidate your Salah. It is considered a minor and involuntary action, which is excused in prayer. However, it’s beneficial to work on reducing this habit and managing doubts during Salah. Trust in the validity of your prayers and focus on maintaining tranquility and concentration.

 

 

 

1 وَمِنْهَا الْعَمَلُ الْكَثِيرُ الَّذِي لَيْسَ مِنْ أَعْمَالِ الصَّلَاةِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ مِنْ غَيْرِ ضَرُورَةٍ فَأَمَّا الْقَلِيلُ فَغَيْرُ مُفْسِدِ، وَاخْتُلِفَ فِي الْحَدِّ الْفَاصِلِ بَيْنَ الْقَلِيلِ وَالْكَثِيرِ قَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: الْكَثِيرُ مَا يُحْتَاجُ فِيهِ إلَى اسْتِعْمَالِ الْيَدَيْنِ وَالْقَلِيلُ مَا لَا يُحْتَاجُ فِيهِ إلَى ذَلِكَ حَتَّى قَالُوا: إذَا زَرَّ قَمِيصَهُ فِي الصَّلَاةِ فَسَدَتْ صَلَاتُهُ، وَإِذَا حَلَّ إزَارَهُ لَا تَفْسُدُ، وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: كُلُّ عَمَلٍ لَوْ نَظَرَ النَّاظِرُ إلَيْهِ مِنْ بَعِيدٍ لَا يَشُكُّ أَنَّهُ فِي غَيْرِ الصَّلَاةِ فَهُوَ كَثِيرٌ، وَكُلُّ عَمَلٍ لَوْ نَظَرَ إلَيْهِ نَاظِرٌ رُبَّمَا يُشْبِهُ عَلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ فِي الصَّلَاةِ فَهُوَ قَلِيلٌ وَهُوَ الْأَصَحُّ، وَعَلَى هَذَا الْأَصْلِ يُخَرَّجُ مَا إذَا قَاتَلَ فِي صَلَاتِهِ فِي غَيْرِ حَالَةِ الْخَوْفِ أَنَّهُ تَفْسُدُ صَلَاتُهُ؛ لِأَنَّهُ عَمَلٌ كَثِيرٌ لَيْسَ مِنْ أَعْمَالِ الصَّلَاةِ لِمَا بَيَّنَّا، وَكَذَا إذَا أَخَذَ قَوْسًا وَرَمَى بِهَا فَسَدَتْ صَلَاتُهُ؛ لِأَنَّ أَخْذَ الْقَوْسِ وَتَثْقِيفَ السَّهْمِ عَلَيْهِ وَمَدِّهِ حَتَّى يَرْمِيَ عَمَلٌ كَثِيرٌ أَلَا تَرَى أَنَّهُ يَحْتَاجُ فِيهِ إلَى اسْتِعْمَالِ الْيَدَيْنِ، وَكَذَا النَّاظِرُ إلَيْهِ مِنْ بَعِيدٍ لَا يَشُكُّ أَنَّهُ فِي غَيْرِ الصَّلَاةِ، وَبَعْضُ أَهْلِ الْأَدَبِ عَابُوا عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ فِي هَذَا اللَّفْظِ وَهُوَ قَوْلُهُ وَرَمَى بِهَا فَقَالُوا: الرَّمْيُ بِالْقَوْسِ إلْقَاؤُهَا مِنْ يَدِهِ وَإِنَّمَا يُقَالُ فِي الرَّمْي بِالسَّهْمِ رَمَى عَنْهَا لَا رَمَى بِهَا، وَالْجَوَابُ عَنْ هَذَا أَنَّ غَرَضَ مُحَمَّدٍ تَعْلِيمُ الْعَامَّةِ وَقَدْ وَجَدَ هَذَا اللَّفْظَ مَعْرُوفًا فِي لِسَانِهِمْ فَاسْتَعْمَلَهُ لِيَكُونَ أَقْرَبَ إلَى فَهْمِهِمْ فَلِذَلِكَ ذَكَرَهُ، وَكَذَا لَوْ ادَّهَنَ أَوْ سَرَّحَ رَأْسَهُ أَوْ حَمَلَتْ امْرَأَةٌ صَبِيَّهَا وَأَرْضَعَتْهُ لِوُجُودِ حَدِّ الْعَمَلِ الْكَثِيرِ عَلَى الْعِبَارَتَيْنِ، فَأَمَّا حَمْلُ الصَّبِيِّ بِدُونِ الْإِرْضَاعِ فَلَا يُوجِبُ فَسَادَ الصَّلَاةِ لِمَا رُوِيَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ «كَانَ يُصَلِّي فِي بَيْتِهِ وَقَدْ حَمَلَ أُمَامَةَ بِنْتَ أَبِي الْعَاصِ

 

 

 

ص241 – كتاب بدائع الصنائع في ترتيب الشرائع – فصل بيان حكم الاستخلاف – المكتبة الشاملة

 

 

 

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Alimah Shireen Mangera-Badat

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham