Conditions of praying 

Shaikh Abdullah Bin Jebrain was asked the following question:

          If while I was praying I remembered that my clothes were having najasa (impurity) then should I interrupt the process of praying and charge my clothes?  What are the situations in which a person can interrupt his own prayer?

Answer:

          If somebody prays and he knows that there is najasa in his body or clothes then his prayer is invalid.  But if he did not know it till he completed the prayed then it sufficed him and she is not required to repeat it.  If he remembers or knows that he is bearing najasa, while he was prying, then if he succeeds to remove it he can do that and continue his prayer.  Once the prophet (PBUH) removed his shoes while he was praying when Jebrael told him that they are bearing a harm (najasa).  This did not invalidate his prayer.  Therefore, if the najasa was on the turban, for example, then the person can throw it quickly.  But if the harm was, for example, on the under wearing and continue praying.  It means that if he remembers that the under wearing are bearing najasa, the person terminates prayers, change these clothes and prays again.

Shaikh Abdel Aziz Bin Baz was asked the following question:

          Some women don’t cover their arms and legs while praying.  Is such a praying correct?

Answer:

          The woman who reached the age of puberty and became responsible for her action must cover all her body while praying except the face and the hands.  If her legs, arms, head …etc appears while praying, then her prayer is invalid.  The prophet Mohammed (PBUH) said, “Allah does not accept the prayer of a menstruating woman except with a scarf”.  [Refer to Ahmed] “Menstruating” means the woman who has reached the age of puberty.  The prophet (PBUH) says, “the woman (as whole) is a private part”.  Um Salama asked the prophet (PBUH) about a woman who prays while covered with scarf and cloths, the prophet advised her that the woman should cover the legs up to the back of the feet”

The permanent committee of Decree was asked the following question:

          How can a woman pray during Haj while many foreign man are around her, and there is a private place for women to perform prayers? 

Answer:

          A woman is supposed to cover all her body, while praying, except the face and hands.  But if there is/are foreign man around her then she must cover all her body including the face and hands.

Shaikh Abdel Aziz Bin Baz was asked the following question:

          If while I was praying the bell of the door ring and therefore was no one in the house except what should I do?

Answer:

          If you were praying extra (not obligatory) prayer, then you have the freedom of choice, whether to interrupt and open the door continue.  But if you were performing obligatory prayers, it is not advisable to be haste and interrupt it unless the knocking waste taken to as an indication of something serious which needs an immediate response.  It would be better to let knocker hear the process of prayer by raising the voice of Tasbeeh (praising Allah) by man and through hand clapping by a woman, so that the knocker may realize that the person inside the house is engaged in prayers.  The prophet Mohammed (PBUH) says, “whoever hear a knocker while prayer, a man must praise Allah and the woman must clap hands” But if this does not suffice, it is permitted to interrupt prayer particular if it was extra (Nafila) prayer but if it was an obligatory prayer and the prayer feared that the knocker is done for a serious matter, the prayer can interrupt his prayer and repeat it again.

The permanent committee of Decree was asked the following question:

The opinion of religion regarding the person who passes in front of the woman who is praying?

Answer:

          A shield in front of the prayer is Sunna for both man and woman and it is not permitted for either to cross in front of the prayer (between the prayer and the shield) Whether the prayer was a man or a woman.  But if the person who crossed between the shield and the prayer was a woman, the prayer of the prayer is invalid.  However, if this happen in the Holy Mosque in Makka, the prayer would not be invalid because in Makka it is difficult to avoid it.  Allah says, “fear Allah as possible s you can”.  Allah also says “He (Allah) did not put any inconvenience in religion”  

Shaikh Ibn Otheimeen was asked the following question:

          I heard about the prayer of needs and the prayer of reciting Quran.  Are these recognized and legal prayers or no?

Answer:

          Both are not recognized or legal.  There is nothing called as prayer of need or prayer of reciting Quran and there is no legal evidence that confirms their existence.

Shaikh Abdel Rahman El-Sadi was asked the following question:

          Is it permissible for a woman to follow-up the prayer of Imam from her house and pray with him?

Answer:

          Yes, she is permitted to do so if she can follow the process of prayer properly such as Takbira of Imam or Mamoon.  Some scholars make hearing of Imam and some others makes seeing as a condition.  Some other scholars makes a condition which says that there should not be any path between them but this is a weak saying which has no evidence.  Shaikh Bin Baz was asked about this matter and he replied: if she cannot see Imam or Mamoon it is better for her to pray alone and do not follow Imam. 

The permanent committee of Decree was asked the following question:

          A woman, while travelling by plane, was affected by najasa from her child.  It affected her cloth and she could not change it because her cloths were in the cargo section of the plane.  Is she permitted to pray by her najasa affected cloths or should she wait till she reaches her distention where she can change her cloths.  However, it is worth mentioning that when she reaches her destination, the time of that obligatory prayer would be over?

Answer:

          She must pray in time even if her cloths were affected by najasa from her child because she is excused due to her inability to wash or change her cloths and she is not required to repeat the subject prayer because Allah says “fear Allah as possible as you can” and the prophet Mohammed (PBUH) says, “If I command you to do something, comply with it to the extent of your ability.  If I prohibit it you from doing something, you stop doing it”  [Refer to Bukhari And Muslim]  

Shaikh Abdellah El-Fouzan was asked the following question:

          Is it required for a woman to veil her face while praying?

Answer:

          The forelock (forehead) and the nose of a prayer must be exposed so that to be in touch with earth (floor etc) during Sojood.  But if a foreign man was near her, then she can veil all her face.