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Where
To Look During Prayer: What Is The Matter With Certain
People... - The Hadith
Islamic Perspectives - Muslim Journals Arab News
& Information - By Adil Salahi
Worship should always be performed in the way and the
manner that God likes and the Prophet (peace be upon
him) has shown and explained. Prayer, or salat, is the
most important form of Islamic worship. It includes
readings from the Qur’an, movements from one position
to another, glorification of God and supplication. It
must always follow the pattern shown to us by the
Prophet. He says: “Pray as you have seen me pray.”
While it is his companions that saw him offering his
prayers, and joined him in congregational prayers, we
have learned the way to pray through a long succession
of generations of Muslims, maintaining the same way
and following the Prophet’s example. Anyone who prays
in a different way does not fulfill the Islamic duty.
Sometimes we do something in a particular fashion
because we think it is better that way. This applies
to anything other than religion, which must follow the
guidance provided by the Prophet. Providing such
guidance was his role and he accomplished it in the
best possible way. Following his example is the
practical manifestation of the second part of the
declaration: La Ilaha Illa Allah, Muhammad Rasool
Allah, which means, “there is no deity other than God,
Muhammad is God’s messenger.”
In fulfilling his role, Prophet Muhammad (peace be
upon him) was keen to correct any mistake he might
have noticed one or more of his companions doing. One
of these mistakes was to look up to the sky during
prayer, particularly during supplication. Some of his
companions thought that this was better, imagining
that this is indicated by the Qur’anic verse that
says: “And in the sky is your sustenance and all that
you are promised.” (51: 22) This, however, gives no
hint that looking up to the sky makes one’s
supplication quicker to answer. It is God who answers
prayer, and God is not bound by time, space or any
other dimension. The Prophet advised his companions
that looking up to the sky during prayer is wrong.
Some of them, however, might have forgotten or thought
little of the matter. Therefore, he said the following
Hadith, issuing a strong warning, quoted by Anas ibn
Malik: “What is the matter with certain people: they
lift their eyes to the sky during prayer?” He
continued speaking strongly against this practice
until he said: “They shall desist or their sights
might be taken away.” (Related by Al-Bukhari).
At face value, the Hadith speaks against looking up to
the sky throughout prayer, but another version related
by Muslim specifies the time of supplication. Hence
scholars differ in their rulings concerning these two
aspects. They agree, however, that lifting one’s eyes
to the sky at anytime during prayer is reprehensible,
to say the least, but it is more strongly so, even
forbidden, when supplicating. The reason is that it
makes the worshipper turn away from the qiblah, or the
direction he should face in prayer. It also departs
from the form of prayer.
The question arises: Where should we look during
prayer? Imam Malik says we should look in the
direction of the Kaaba, which is the Qiblah, while
Imam Al-Shafie and Imam Abu Haneefah prefer that we
look to the point where we prostrate ourselves in
prayer.
This latter view is particularly recommended to the
imam who leads the prayer and to anyone praying alone.
The one praying in congregation may look toward the
imam if he needs to do so in order to follow him.
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