Ch. 8 – Acts that are Makruh in Salaat

1. Makruh is that act with which salaat does not break but the reward diminishes and it is sinful.

2. It is makruh to play with one’s clothing, body, jewellery, or to remove pebbles. However, if one cannot make sajdah because of the pebbles, he could move them once or twice with his hands.

3. It is makruh to do the following in salaat: to crack one’s fingers, to rest one’s hands on one’s hips, to turn one’s head and look to the left or right. However, if one looks at something by glancing sideways without turning one’s head, then this is not makruh. However, to do this without any real need is also not good.

4. It is makruh to sit in salaat in the following ways: to sit on one’s heels, to squat, to sit like a dog. However, if a person cannot sit in the prescribed way because of some sickness or pain, then he can sit in whichever position that is comfortable to him. In this case, nothing will be makruh.

5. It is makruh to raise one’s hands in reply to a salaam or to reply to a salaam by moving one’s hands. And if one gives a verbal reply, salaat will break – as has been mentioned before.

6. It is makruh to gather one’s clothes in order to prevent them from getting dirty with soil.

7. It is makruh to offer salaat at a place where one fears that someone will cause one to laugh while in salaat, one’s attention will be diverted or one will make a mistake in salaat.

8. If someone is sitting in front and talking or occupied in some other work, then it is not makruh to offer salaat facing that person’s back. But if the person who is sitting down is discomforted by this, and gets agitated by this interruption, then in such a case salaat should not be offered behind such people. If that person is talking so loudly that the person fears forgetting something in his salaat, then it will be makruh to offer salaat near him. It is makruh to offer salaat facing someone who is also facing you.

9. If there is a Quran or sword suspended in front of the person offering salaat, there is no harm in this.

10. Salaat is permissible on a floor on which there are pictures. However, it is makruh to make sajdah on the picture itself. It is also makruh to have a musallah which has pictures (of animate objects) on it. It is a major sin to have pictures in the house.

11. If the picture is above one’s head, i.e. on the ceiling or canopy, in front of the person, on his right or left, then his salaat will be makruh. But it will not be makruh if it is under his feet. If the picture is so small that if the person keeps it on the floor and stands up, he will not be able to see it clearly, or if the head of the picture is cut off, or the head is erased, then there is no harm in this. Salaat will not become makruh with a picture of this sort, no matter where it is kept.

12. It is makruh to offer salaat with clothing that has pictures on it.

13. It is not makruh to have a picture of a tree, house or any other inanimate object.

14. While in salaat, it is makruh to count any verse or anything else with one’s fingers. However, there is no harm in counting by pressing one’s fingers down lightly.

15. It is makruh to make the second rakaat longer than the first rakaat.

16. It is makruh to specify or set aside a particular Surah for a particular salaat in such a way that he recites that Surah only and never ever reads any other surah.

17. It is makruh to place a scarf or any other clothing over the shoulders and offer salaat.

18. It is makruh to offer salaat with clothes that are very dirty and soiled. But this will be permissible if he has no other clothes.

19. It is makruh to offer salaat with a coin, etc. in the mouth. And if the thing is such that it prevents one from reciting the Quran in salaat, then the person’s salaat will break.

20. It is makruh to offer salaat when one has the urge to go and relieve oneself.

21. If person is very hungry and the food is already prepared, he should partake of his meal first and then offer his salaat. It is makruh to offer salaat without eating. But if there is very little time left, he should offer his salaat first.

22. It is not good to close one’s eyes and offer salaat. But if by closing his eyes, a person is able to concentrate better, then there is no harm in doing this.

23. It is makruh to spit or clean one’s nose unnecessarily in salaat. But if there is a need to do this, it will be permissible. For example, a person coughs and phlegm comes into his mouth – it will be permissible for him to spit on his left hand side or wipe it into a cloth. However, he should not spit on his right hand side or towards the qiblah.

24. If a bug bites a person while offering salaat, he should catch it and throw it aside. It is not good to kill it while in salaat. But if it has not bitten one as yet, one should not even catch it because it ismakruh to do so.

25. When offering a fard salaat, it is makruh to lean against a wall or anything else unnecessarily.

26. A person did not complete the Surah that he was reciting – there were a few words still left to be read. Without completing these few words, he rushed into ruku and completed the Surah in hisruku. In such a case, his salaat will become makruh.

27. If the spot of sajdah is higher than his feet, for example a person makes sajdah on the porch, we will have to check how much higher it is. If it is more than a span, the salaat will not be proper. But if it is equal to a span or less than that, the salaat will be valid. However, it is makruh to do so unnecessarily.

28. It is makruh-e-tahrimi to offer salaat while wearing clothes in a disorderly manner. That is, to wear them in a way that is contrary to the norm or contrary to the way in which cultured people dress. For example, one covers oneself with a sheet but does not throw both the corners over one’s shoulders. Alternatively, he is wearing a kurta but his hands are not in the sleeves. In doing so, the salaat becomes makruh.

29. It is makruh to offer salaat bare-headed. However, if one does this with the intention of humility or submissiveness, there is no harm in this.

30. If a person’s hat or turban falls off while in salaat, it is preferable to pick it up and wear it. But if wearing it will require a lot of movement, it should not be picked up.

31. It is makruh-e-tahrimi for men to place their elbows on the ground when in sajdah.

32. It is makruh-e-tanzihi for the imam to stand in the mihraab. But if he stands out of the mihraab and makes his sajdah in the mihraab, this will not be makruh.

33. It is makruh-e-tanzihi for the imam to stand alone unnecessarily on an elevated place which is equal to or higher than one arm’s length. But if there are a few muqtadis with the imam, it will not bemakruh. And if there is only one muqtadi with the imam, it will be makruh. Some scholars have said that if it is less than one arm’s length and the imam is distinguishable merely by glancing at him, it will also be makruh.

34. It is makruh-e-tanzihi for all the muqtadis to be higher than the imam unnecessarily. However, if there is some need, for example, there are many people and the place is not sufficient, then in such a case it will not be makruh. It is also permissible for some muqtadis to be on the same level as the imam, and for others to be on a higher place.

35. It is makruh-e-tahrimi for the muqtadi to start any act prior to the imam.

36. It is makruh-e-tahrimi for the muqtadi to read any dua, verse from the Quran or even Surah Faatihah while the imam is standing and busy with recitation.

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