Chapter 05 - Encouraging (the Muslim) to be Humble during prayer

251. Narrated Abu Hurairah : The Messenger of Allah prohibited that one puts his hands on his waist during prayer. Agreed upon and the wording is from Muslim.

252. Al-Bukhari added in his narration on the authority of 'Aishah : "This is what the Jews do in their prayer."

253. Narrated Anas Ibn Malik : Allah's Messenger said, "If supper is served, then start with it before praying Maghrib." Agreed upon.

254. Narrated Abu Dharr : Allah's Messenger said, "When one of you stands for prayer, he must not wipe away the pebbles (from his forehead or from the place of his prostration) as mercy is facing him." Related by the five Imams with a sound chain of narrators. Ahmad added in his narration, "wipe it only once or not at all."

255. Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated a similar narration on the authority of Mu'aiqib without giving an explanation. {1}

{1} The narration of Al-Bukhari says, "Do not wipe away the pebbles while you are praying, but if you have to do it only do it once in order to level them."

256. Narrated 'Aishah : "I asked Allah's Messenger about looking (turning) here and there in prayer. He replied, "It is a kind of theft by which satan takes away (a portion of the person's prayer.) Related by al-Bukhari an At-Tirmidhi who rendered authentic. The latter's wordings are, "Avoid turning while you are engaged in prayer, for it leads to destruction (of your religion). If you have to do it, then do it in the voluntary prayer."{2}

{2} The narration of Al-Bukhari says, "Do not wipe away the pebbles while you are praying, but if you have to then do it only once in order to level them."

257. Narrated Anas : Allah's Messenger said, "Whenever any of you is engaged in prayer, he must realize that he is having an intimate conversation with His Lord. So, he should not spit in front of him nor towards his right side. But (he may spit, if needs) to his left, and under his foot." Agreed upon. In a different version, "or under his foot."
258. Narrated Anas : and 'Aishah had a curtain with which she covered the doorway of her house. Allah's Messenger said to her, "Remove this curtain (of yours) from us, for its pictures keep me distracted during my prayer." Related by Al-Bukhari.

259. Bukhari and Muslim agreed upon the narration of 'Aishah : concerning the story of the Inbijaniyah of Abu Jahm, which has the phrase, "It has distracted me in my prayer."{3}


{3} Al-Bukhari reported on the authority of 'Aishah : The Prophet prayed in khamisah (a woolen cloak, which had some designs on it , and it was given to him as a present from Abu Jahm). He said, "Take it (the cloak) back to Abu Jahm and bring me his Inbijaniyah ( a woolen plain cloak brought from Inbijan) as this khamisah has distracted me in my prayer."
260. Narrated Jabir bin Samurah : The Messenger of Allah said, "Those who raise their sight toward the sky during the prayer , should stop doing so, otherwise their sight would not return to them." {4} Related by Muslim.

{4} In the narration of al-Bukhari, "or their sight may be taken away."
261. Narrated 'Aishah : I heard the Messenger of Allah say, "No one should pray when the food is served nor when one needs to answer the call of nature. {5}

{5} Holding himself back from urinating or deficating. That's why it is better to relieve oneself first before praying.
262. Narrated Abu Hurairah : The Prophet said, "Yawning is caused by the devil, so if any of you yawns (during prayer) he should stop it as much as he can." Related by Muslim and At-Tirmidhi who added in his narration, "During prayer."