"Stealing in Prayer"
Lack of composure in Prayer
Taken from 'Prohibitions that are taken too lightly' - English Translation
Book by Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
One of the worst forms of theft or cheating is cheating in prayer. The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The
worst type of thief is the one who steals from his prayer." The people asked,
"O Messenger of Allaah, how can a person steal from his prayer?" He said: "By
not doing rukoo' and sujood properly."
(Reported by Imaam Ahmad, 5/310; see also Saheeh al-Jaami', 997).
This lack of composure and failure to pause in rukoo' and sujood and to stand
up straight after rukoo' or sit up properly between sujoods may be observed in
many of those who pray, and hardly any mosque is free of examples of people who
do not have the proper composure in prayer. Correct composure is one of the
pillars of prayer, without which prayer is invalid.
This is a serious matter. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "A man's prayer is not good enough until his back is straight in
rukoo' and sujood."
(Reported by Abu Dawud, 1/533; see also Saheeh al-Jaami', 7224).
There is no doubt that lacking the proper composure is bad, and the person who
is guilty of this deserves to be reprimanded and threatened with punishment.
Abu 'Abdullaah al-Ash'ari reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) led his Companions in prayer, then he sat with a group of
them. A man came in and started to pray, but made his movements rapid like a
chicken pecking the ground.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Do you see this?
Whoever dies having done this has died outside of the community of Muhammad,
and his prayer is like a crow pecking blood. The person who bows then pecks in
his sujood is like a hungry man who eats no more than one or two dates - what
good will that do him?"
(Reported by Ibn Khuzaymah in his Saheeh 1/332; see also al-Albaani, Sifat
Salaat al-Nabi (The Prophet's Prayer described), 131).
Zayd ibn Wahb said: "Hudhayfah saw a man who was not performing rukoo' and
sujood properly. He said: 'You have not prayed, and if you were to die, you
would die on a way other than that revealed by Allaah to Muhammad (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him).'"
(Reported by al-Bukhaari, see al-Fath, 2/274).
Once a person is aware of this ruling, if he fails to perform prayer with the
proper composure, he should repeat it and repent to Allaah for what is past; he
does not need to repeat all of his previous prayers, as is indicated by the
hadeeth "Repeat your prayer, for you have not prayed."
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In the name of Allah, the Most-Merciful, the All-Compassionate
"May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon You"
Praise be to Allaah, we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with
Allaah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allaah
guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one
can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah, and I bear witness
that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.
Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah
As-Salaam Alaikum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu
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