Ruling on Forgetfully Reciting Salam Before the Imam in Salah

Dar al-Ifta Ahl al-Sunnah

Mufti Abu Muhammad Ali Asghar Attari

1. Ruling concerning the follower forgetfully turning his head and reciting salām before the imam

Question: What do the noble scholars say regarding the following: a person takes part in a congregational prayer from the beginning, but forgetfully turns his head and recites salām in one direction before the imam does so. Upon remembering, he immediately moves his head back to face forward, and follows the imam in giving salām to complete the prayer.  What is the ruling regarding the follower’s prayer in this scenario?

بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

Answer: The follower’s prayer shall be valid, and there is no need to repeat it. He also does not need to perform a prostration of forgetfulness.

Another scenario similar to this is if a follower joins the congregation late and proceeds to turn his head and recite salām before the imam, forgetfully. Such a latecomer’s prayer shall remain valid, and a prostration of forgetfulness will not be needed. This is because he became a follower before the imam recited salām. Therefore, his mistake was made in the state of being within the following of the imam, and the forgetfulness of a follower is not of consideration.

If a follower deliberately turns and recites salām before the imam, and completes the prayer, it shall be rendered prohibitively disliked and necessary to repeat. A follower must follow the imam in all obligatory and necessary facets of the prayer. Deliberately leaving this without a sharꜤī necessity is prohibitively disliked and a sin.

As the follower in this question forgetfully performed salām before the imam, but returned to his normal position, and then followed the imam in performing salām to conclude the prayer, his prayer will be valid without any dislike due to him being within the following of the imam.^[1]

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم

2. Ruling relating to reciting the noble Quran whilst walking

Question: What do scholars say regarding the following: I find I am lethargic in revising the noble Quran or reciting it in general, if I do so whilst seated. Therefore, I recite it whilst walking around. Am I allowed to do this?

بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

Answer: It is permissible to recite the noble Quran whilst walking, provided one’s heart is not distracted and remains focused on reciting alone. If by walking, one is distracted, or the heart becomes engaged with something else, it will become disliked to do so.^[2]

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم

3. Ruling pertaining to prayer on a prayer mat with a Qiblah compass

Question: What do scholars say regarding the following: my uncle came back from ꜤUmrah with a prayer mat, which he gifted me. This mat has a compass pointing towards the Qiblah fixed upon it. My sight falls upon it during prayer. Am I allowed to pray on this?

بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

Answer: In the noble Quran, Allah Almighty describes the characteristics of successful Muslims. One of these characteristics is the fact they offer prayer with khushūꜤ and khuḍūꜤ.

In terms of physical actions in salah, khushūꜤ refers to one’s body parts not moving except as prescribed. It also means one’s gaze being set upon the place of prostration as one stands, upon the top of the feet during bowing, towards one’s nose during prostration, and towards the lap when sitting.

If one offers prayer on a prayer mat with a Qiblah compass upon it, then instead of one’s gaze being focused like the people of khushūꜤ during the postures of prayer, it will instead constantly return to the Qiblah compass. One’s attention will be diverted, and this will interfere with one’s khushūꜤ and khuḍūꜤ.

Offering prayer upon such a prayer mat will entail minor dislike. Though it will not be a sin to use this prayer mat, one should avoid it.^[3]

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم

4. A scenario in which ꜤAqīqah is invalid

Question: What do scholars say regarding the following: a person slaughters animals and sells their meat on a daily basis. I said to him, “As large animals have seven parts, I want to make use of one for ꜤAqīqah. When you buy animals to slaughter, I will pay for one part, and you can pay for the remaining six in an animal. After you finish slaughtering the animal, I will take one part, and you can sell the rest as you normally do.”

Is this valid for ꜤAqīqah?

بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

Answer: In this scenario, ꜤAqīqah will not be valid. The detail concerning this is as follows. When Muslims take shares in a large Qurbānī animal, all their intentions must be for gaining proximity in the court of Allah Almighty i.e., an act of piety, for the sacrifice to be valid. This applies to all Qurbānīs including ꜤAqīqah. If even one of the participants does not have this intention, the entire sacrifice shall be rendered void.

In the question posed, your aim is to perform ꜤAqīqah, expressing gratitude to Allah Almighty upon attaining one of His bounties in the form of a child, which is without a doubt an act of drawing near in the court of Allah Almighty. However, the aim of the person you are sharing the animal with is only to attain meat to sell onwards, and this is not from acts of drawing near in the court of Allah Almighty. Therefore, ꜤAqīqah is not valid like this.^[4]

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم