1135. There are twelve things that invalidate prayer, and these are known as the mubÔilÁt
First: If one of the conditions of prayer is nullified whilst praying. For example, if a person realizes whilst praying that his covering is usurped.
Second: If the wuÃÙ or ghusl is broken either deliberately, inadvertently or due to helplessness, such as the discharge of urine from the body. However, if a person suffers from urinary or fecal incontinence, and urine or stool is discharged from his body, his prayer shall be deemed valid if he acts in accordance with the instructions provided in the section on wuÃÙ. Similarly, if blood is discharged from the body of a mustaÎÁÃah, her prayer shall be deemed valid if she acts in accordance with the instructions provided in the section on istiÎÁÃah.
1136. If a person involuntarily falls asleep during prayer, and he does not know whether he fell asleep during or after the prayer, obligatory precaution dictates that he should repeat his prayer.
1137. If a person knows that he voluntarily fell asleep, but doubts whether he fell asleep after the prayer, or if he—whilst praying—forgot that he was engaged in prayer and went to sleep, his prayer will be valid.
1138. If a person wakes up while in the state of sujÙd, and doubts whether he is in the last sujÙd of his prayer or sajdah al-shukr, he should repeat his prayer.
Third: If a person places a hand on another during prayer, while deeming this act a component of prayer, his prayer will be void, unless he is an exculpatory ignorant. Obligatory precaution dictates that his prayer shall similarly be invalid if he does so with the intention of it being a form of worship, unless he is an exculpatory ignorant.
1139. There is no harm if a person places a hand on another, on account of being compelled, forgetfulness, dissimulation (taqiyyah), or for another purpose, such as scratching the hand.
Fourth: If a person says amen after reciting sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah, whilst considering it a component of prayer, or without stipulating the intention of supplication, his prayer shall be deemed invalid. In fact, to say it after sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah with the intention of supplication is also problematic. However, there is no problem if he is an exculpatory ignorant, or he is practicing taqqiyah or does so accidentally.
Fifth: If a person deliberately turns his back to the qiblah, or turns to its right or left, his prayer will be invalidated. In fact, if a person turns away from the qiblah to such a degree that one would say he is not facing the qiblah, his prayer will be invalid, even if he has not completely turned to the right or left.
If a person inadvertently turns without completely turning to the right or left, his prayer will be valid. However, if he turns completely (to the right or left), and then recollects, he should repeat his prayer even if the time remaining is only sufficient for one rak‘ah. If the time remaining is insufficient for one rak‘ah, or he recollects after its time, there is no qaÃÁ for it. If however he had turned his back to the qiblah, obligatory precaution dictates that he offers its qaÃÁ.
1140. If a person deliberately turns his head to such a degree that he faces the right or left of the qiblah, or if he turns more than this, his prayer will be invalid. However, if he turns his head to such a degree that one would not say he has turned away from the qiblah, his prayer will not be invalid.
If he turns away from the qiblah to such a degree that one would say he has turned away from it, but has not turned completely to the right or left side of the qiblah, his prayer will be invalid if his turning was deliberate. However, if had turned inadvertently, his prayer will be valid.
If he inadvertently turns his head away from the qiblah to the degree that he is facing its right or left side, and then realizes, obligatory precaution dictates that he repeat his prayer if there is time remaining, even if it is only sufficient for one rak‘ah. However, if the time remaining is less than this, or he realizes after the time for the prayer, there will be no qaÃÁ for it. If however he had inadvertently turned his back to the qiblah, he should offer its qaÃÁ based on obligatory precaution.
Sixth: If a person speaks during prayer by articulating a word that is no less than two letters and holds meaning, regardless of whether he intends to convey its meaning or not, his prayer will be invalid, unless he is an exculpatory ignorant. The same will apply, as dictated obligatory precaution, if the word is formed of two letters or more, but holds no meaning. In both cases, there is no problem if a person inadvertently says it, in which case, he should perform a sajdah al-sahw.
1141. If a person verbalizes a word that is formed of one letter, while the word holds meaning, such as the word قِ in Arabic, which is an imperative form of the word guard, his prayer will be invalid if he intended to convey its meaning. His prayer will similarly be deemed invalid, as dictated by obligatory precaution, if he knows the meaning of the word, though he does not intend to convey its meaning, or if the word does not hold any meaning.
1142. There is no problem if one coughs or belches during prayer. However, if a person deliberately moans during prayer, his prayer will be invalid, unless he is an exculpatory ignorant.
1143. If a person says a word with the intention of it being dhikr, such as اللّهُ اَكْبَر, and while saying it, he raises his voice in order to draw one’s attention to something else, there is no problem in it. However, if he says it with the intention of drawing one’s attention to something else, or with both the intention of dhikr and to draw one’s attention, his prayer will be invalid unless he is an exculpatory ignorant and it is other than takbÐrat al-iÎrÁm. If a person says it with the intention of dhikr, though his intention was caused by his wish to draw one’s attention to something else, his prayer will not be deemed invalid.
1144. There is no problem in reciting the Qur’an with the intention of Qur’anic recitation—not with the intention that it is a part of prayer—other than the four verses of obligatory sujÙd. There is also no problem in supplicating during prayer. However recommended precaution dictates that the supplication should not be recited in a language other than Arabic.
1145. There is no problem if a person deliberately repeats a portion of sÙrat al-FÁtiÎah, the second sÙrah or the dhikr of prayer a few times without the intention of them being a component of prayer, or repeats them for the purpose of precaution. However, if it is due to Satanic whisperings, it is forbidden, though the invalidation of the prayer is problematic.
1146. One should not greet another with salÁm during prayer. If a person is greeted during prayer, he should reply exactly as he was greeted. For example, if one greeted him with salÁmun ‘alaykum (سَلامٌ عَلَيْكُم), he should reply with salÁmun‘alaykum (سَلامٌ عَلَيْكُم), except in reply to ‘alaykum al-salÁm (عَلَيْكُم السَلام), to which, based on obligatory precaution, he should reply salÁmun ‘alaykum (سَلامٌ عَلَيْكُم).
1147. One should immediately reply when greeted with salÁm, whether during prayer or elsewhere. The reply should be in such a manner that it is deemed a reply to that greeting in the common understanding. If a person deliberately or due to forgetfulness, delays the reply in such a manner that it is no longer deemed the reply for the greeting, he should not reply if it is during prayer, and if not, it is not obligatory for him to reply.
1148. One should reply to the salÁm in such a manner that the individual who greeted him hears it. However, if the individual who greeted him is deaf, or greeted him and moved away promptly, it is sufficient to reply him in a normal manner.
1149. A person praying should reply to the salÁm with the intention of it being a greeting, though there is no harm in considering it a supplication.
1150. If a non-maÎram man or woman or a discerning child—one who is able to discern between good and bad—greets a person who is praying, it is obligatory to reply. However, if a woman greets a person who is praying with (سَلامٌ عَلَيْك), he should, based on obligatory precaution, reply with (سَلامٌ عَلَيْك), without pronouncing a fatÎah or kasrah on the kÁf (ك).
1151. If a person does not reply when greeted with salÁm during prayer, his prayer shall be valid, though he would have sinned.
1152. If a person incorrectly greets a person praying with salÁm, in such a manner that it is still deemed salÁm, it is obligatory to reply to him. Obligatory precaution dictates that one should reply him correctly. However, if the greeting is in such a manner that it would not be deemed salÁm, it is not permissible to reply.
1153. It is not obligatory to reply someone who greets with salÁm jokingly or in order to ridicule. Obligatory precaution dictates that it is obligatory to reply the salÁm of a man or woman who is not a Muslim. While replying one should suffice himself with the word (سَلام), or the word (عَلَيْك), though the more precautious response is to reply with the word (عَلَيْك).
1154. If a person greets a group of people with salÁm, it is obligatory on all of them to reply. However, if one of them replies, it will suffice.
1155. If a person greets a group of people with salÁm, and another person, who the person did not intend to greet, replies him, the others are not exempt from the obligation to reply.
1156. If a person greets a group of people, and a person amongst them who is praying, doubts whether he intended to greet him as well or not, he should not reply. The same will apply if the person knows that the person intended to greet him as well, but someone else replies him. However, if he knows he intended to greet him as well, and he does not receive a reply from anybody else, he should reply to his greeting.
1157. It is recommended to greet with salÁm. It has also been recommended in the narrations that a rider should greet the one on foot, and the one standing should greet the one who is sitting, and one who is young should greet the one who is older.
1158. If two people simultaneously greet each other with salÁm, obligatory precaution dictates that they both should reply each other.
