Is Looking Around in Salah Forbidden? Sharia View on Eye Sight Risks

Darulifta Ahlesunnat

(Dawateislami)

Question

   What do the noble scholars and jurists of Islamic law say about the following: I have heard from some people that it is a sin to look around in Ṣalāĥ. Is this true, and is there a risk of losing one’s eyesight because of it?

بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

   Ṣalāĥ is the most essential act of worship and a means to gain closeness to Allāĥ. During Ṣalāĥ, a person stands before Allāĥ Almighty and engages in supplication. According to the noble Aḥādīš, Allāĥ’s mercy is directed towards the worshipper as long as they do not turn their attention elsewhere. Therefore, Ṣalāĥ should be performed with Khushū’ and Khuḍū’ (humility and concentration), avoiding looking around. Turning the face deliberately to the right or left during Ṣalāĥ, whether partially or entirely, is Makrūĥ Taḥrīmī and impermissible. Moving the eyes without turning the face unnecessarily is Makrūĥ Tanzīĥī and a disliked action. If done for a valid reason, it is permissible. Regarding the fear of losing one’s eyesight, this warning pertains not to looking around during Ṣalāĥ but specifically to looking upwards towards the sky during Ṣalāĥ, which is Makrūĥ Taḥrīmī.

   The mercy of Allāĥ is directed towards a person during Ṣalāĥ. It is mentioned in Sunan Al-Kubrā, Musnad Ad-Dārimī, and Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaimaĥ, among other books of Ḥadīth, with the wording of Sunan Al-Kubrā:

”قال رسول اللہ صلى اللہ عليه وسلم: لا يزال اللہ مقبلا على العبد ما لم يلتفت، فإذا صرف وجهه، انصرف عنه.“

Translation: The Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم said: “(The mercy of) Allāĥ remains attentive to the bondsman as long as he does not turn away; when the worshipper turns his face, Allāĥ’s mercy also turns away from him.” (Sunan Al-Kubrā, Chapter on Emphasis Against Turning in Ṣalāĥ, Vol. 2, p. 37, Publ. Mu’asasah Al-Risālah, Beirut.)

   In Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Bukhārī, it is narrated:

"قالت عائشة رضي اللہ عنها،سألت النبي صلى اللہ عليه وسلم عن التفات الرجل في الصلاة، فقال: ‌هو ‌اختلاس يختلس الشيطان من صلاة أحدكم"

   Translation: ‘Ā’ishaĥ رَضِىَ اللَّهُ تَعَالٰى عَنْهَا asked the Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم about a man turning his head during Ṣalāĥ. He replied: ‘This is an action by which Satan snatches the reward of a person’s Ṣalāĥ.’ (Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Bukhārī, Book of the Beginning of Creation, Vol. 1, p. 580, Publ. Lahore.)

    ‘Umdat Al-Qārī, the commentary on Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Bukhārī, explains:

"والمعنى أن المصلي إذا التفت يمينا أو شمالا يظفر به الشيطان في ذلك الوقت ويشغله عن العبادة فربما يسهو أو يغلط لعدم حضور قلبه باشتغاله بغير المقصود ولما كان هذا الفعل غير مرضي عنه نسب إلى الشيطان وعن هذا قالت العلماء بكراهة الالتفات في الصلاة ...أن الاجماع على أن الكراهية فيه للتنزيه"

   Translation: The meaning is that when a worshipper turns their attention to the right or left during Ṣalāĥ, Satan succeeds in diverting their focus from worship. This distraction can cause the worshipper to forget or make mistakes because their mind is occupied with matters other than the intended worship. Since this act is undesirable, it has been attributed to Satan. Therefore, scholars state that turning one’s attention right or left in Ṣalāĥ is Makrūh. There is consensus that the dislike in this matter is considered Makrūh Tanzīĥī.(‘Umdat Al-Qārī, Book of Ṣalāĥ, Chapter on Turning in Ṣalāĥ, Vol. 5, p. 310, Publ. Beirut.)

   Fatāwā ‘Ālamgīrī states:

"ويكره ‌أن ‌يلتفت يمنة أو يسرة بأن يحول بعض وجهه عن القبلة فأما أن ينظر بمؤق عينه ولا يحول وجهه فلا بأس به، كذا في فتاوى قاضي خان. ‌ويكره أن يرفع بصره إلى السماء"

   Translation: Turning the face slightly away from the Qiblaĥ to the right or left is Makrūĥ. However, there is no harm in looking to the side with the corners of the eyes without turning the face (not Makrūĥ Taḥrīmī). Similarly, it is stated in Fatāwā Qāḍī Khān that raising the gaze towards the sky during Ṣalāĥ is Makrūh Taḥrīmī.

(Fatāwā ‘Ālamgīrī, Book of Ṣalāĥ, Chapter 2, Vol. 1, p. 106, Publ. Quetta.)

   In Baḥār-e-Sharī’at, it is mentioned:

اِدھر اُدھر مونھ پھیر کر دیکھنا مکروہ تحریمی ہے، کل چہرہ پِھر گیا ہو یا بعض اور اگر مونھ نہ پھیرے، صرف کنکھیوں سے اِدھر اُدھر بِلا حاجت دیکھے، تو کراہتِ تنزیہی ہے اور نادراً کسی غرض صحیح سے ہو،تو اصلاً حرج نہیں ۔ نگاہ آسمان کی طرف اٹھانا بھی مکروہ تحریمی ہے۔

   Translation: Turning the face to look around during Ṣalāĥ is Makrūĥ Taḥrīmī, whether the whole face is turned or partially. If one’s face is not turned and he only glances to the side without necessity, it is Makrūĥ Tanzīĥī. However, if done for a valid reason, there is no issue. Looking upwards towards the sky in Ṣalāĥ is also Makrūĥ Taḥrīmī.(Baḥār-e-Sharī’at, Section on Makrūĥāt, Vol. 1, p. 626, Publ. Maktaba-tul-Madīnah, Karachi)

   Raising one’s gaze towards the sky in Ṣalāĥ is strictly forbidden. As stated in Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Bukhārī:

"قال النبي صلى اللہ عليه وسلم: ما بال أقوام ‌يرفعون ‌أبصارهم إلى السماء في صلاتهم، فاشتد قوله في ذلك، حتى قال: لينتهن عن ذلك أو لتخطفن أبصارهم"

   Translation: The Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم said, ‘What is the matter with people who lift their gaze towards the sky in their Ṣalāĥ?’ He warned strongly against this and said, ‘They should stop, or their eyesight may be taken away.’(Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Bukhārī, Book of Ażān, Chapter on Lifting the Gaze Towards the Sky, Vol. 1, p. 173, Publ. Lahore)

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَرَسُوْلُہ اَعْلَم صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم

(Allah Almighty knows best and His Messenger صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم knows best.)

Answered By: Mufti Muhammad Qasim Attari

Ref No: FSD-8569

Date: 2nd Rabi’ al-Awal 1445 AH/ 18th October 2023