Q & A : Prayer ( Total Questions : 15 )

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Question :

Is it makruh to close the eyes during Prayer?

Answer :

It is permissible but it is makrooh (undesirable).1

Question :

Is it allowed for a man to put his elbows on the ground during sajdah in prayer?

Answer :

It is permissible and it's better not to put them on the ground.2

Question :

Is it allowed for a man's wife or daughter to pray next to him in Prayer?

Answer :

No, they must not stand next to him or in front of him in prayer, if there is no barrier in between them.3

Question :

Can I say congregational prayer with my Sunni brothers? And can I lead prayers when I pray with them?

Answer :

There is no objection in standing in a Sunni congregational prayer. However, the person should recite Hamd and Surah on his own in the first two ‘Rak’ats’ – even if it has to be in low voice though. Also, it is permissible for him to lead them in prayer.4

Question :

What should be the minimum distance between a man and a woman when both are offering prayers?

Answer :

If a man standing in front and a woman behind, the least distance between them is that the place of prostration for woman can be in equal line with knee of the man. There would be no objection in it.5

Question :

What should be the minimum distance between a woman and a man while both are performing prayers (salat)? whether both can offer prayers within the same room?

Answer :

The least distance is an “arm” length. In the said case, a woman can pray behind a man, if she believe the man is 'Adil'.6

Question :

A person used to make mistakes in the way he performed his wudhu (minor ablution) or ghusl (major ablution). After many years, he comes to realize his mistakes. When he inquires as how to solve his problem, he is told: "Repeat all your prayers and perform the pilgrimage again." Since saying all the prayers and doing the pilgrimage again is difficult, is there a solution which would salvage his prayers and pilgrimage performed with wudhu and ghusl that he thought was correct? Is there such a solution as a concession to this person so that he does not become disheartened and rebellions against religious obligations in a society which encourages such kind of rebellion?

Answer :

If he was ignorant out of innocence, and therefore made mistakes without causing harm (e.g., did not follow the proper sequence in washing the head and the other parts of the body in ghusl; or did the wiping of the head or feet [mash] with a new water), then his wudhu and ghusl will be considered correct; and, consequently, his past prayers and pilgrimage will also be considered correct.

But if he was ignorant out of negligence in learning the Islamic laws or did mistakes which do invalidate the act in general (e.g., leaving out some parts of the body which must be washed in wudhu or ghusl), there is no way to validate his past prayers and pilgrimage.

However, if there is the fear that he would totally rebel when asked to make up all the past prayers and pilgrimage, then it is not appropriate to ask him to do so. Maybe Allah will improve his situation in future.7

Question :

Some people pray for years and even perform pilgrimage, yet they do not pay khums. Is it obligatory on them to repeat their prayers and pilgrimage?

Answer :

Based on precaution, it is obligatory on them to repeat prayers and pilgrimage, if the particular dress that they used in prayers, in tawaf and in salat of tawaf was from items on which khums had become due.

However, if only the dress they used in salat of tawaf was from items on which khums had become due, and they were ignorant (even out of negligence) of the law or the status of the dress, their pilgrimage is valid, but they have to repeat salat of tawaf if they had no excuse for their ignorance. [In this case,] they have, as a matter of precaution to return to Mecca [to perform the salat of tawaf again], if it does not entail great difficulty; otherwise they can perform that salat wherever they are.

Similarly, they will have to do the pilgrimage again if the animal offered as a sacrifice was bought with money on which khums had become due. However, if they had bought it with money whose unspecific portion was liable for khums -as is the case normally - there is no problem in their pilgrimage, even if they used it from the money on which khums had become liable; of course, they will be responsible for that amount [for payment of khums].

All this is applicable, if they knew about the obligation of khums and the law forbidding them to utilize items on which khums has become wajib or if they were ignorant out of negligence. But, if they were ignorant out of innocence, their prayers and pilgrimage are valid.8

Question :

If a traveller leaves his home town immediately after the adhan of noon prayer, i.e. without saying that prayer, and reaches his destination after sunset, has he committed a sin? And is it obligatory on him to make up for noon prayer?

Answer :

Yes, he has committed a sin by neglecting the obligatory prayer in its appropriate time, and he has to make it up.9

Question :

When should one say his salat full (tamam) and when should one say it qasr (two rakat instead of four)? Is the general perception about a person being resident of a city sufficient for him to say his salat fully [in that city]?

Answer :

The conditions for qasr in travelling have been mentioned in the Manual of Islamic Laws. When a person considers residing in a city for a long time, and in the general perception it is considered as such, he is not considered as a traveller (e.g., if he intends to reside in that city for year and a half, it will be considered as his home-town after one month). But if he intends to stay in that city for a short while only and is considered, in the general sense, as a visitor, he should pray qasr.10

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