Lack of Composure in Prayer
***************************
One of the worst forms of theft or cheating that which is done in prayer . The Messenger of Allah :salla: said
:
"
The worst type of thief is the one who steals from his prayer
. "
The people asked : " O Messenger of Allah , how can a person steal from his Prayer
? "
He said : " By not doing rukoo` and sujood properly
" .
[ Reported by Imaam Ahmad , 5/533 ; see also Saheeh al-Jaami` , 997 ]
Rukoo` :The bowing performed after the standing in which Surah al-Faatihah is recited
.
Sujood :The prostrations made after the rukoo`
.
This lack of composure , failure to pause in rukoo` and sujood , to stand up level after rukoo` , and to sit up properly between sujoods may be observed in many of those who pray , and hardly any Masjid ( mosque ) is free of examples of people who do not have the proper composure in prayer . Correct composure is one of the pillars of the prayers , without it the prayer is invalid . This is a serious matter . The Prophet :salla: said
:
"
A man`s prayer is not valid 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 :salla: 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 :salla: said
:
"
Do you see this ? Whoever dies having done this has not died upon the religion 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-Albani , Sifat Salaat-un-Nabi ( The Prophet`s Prayer Described ) , 131 ]
Zayd ibn Wahb said : Hudayfah 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 Allah to Muhammad
" .
[ Reported by al-Bukhaari , see al-Fat`h , 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 Allah for what is past ; he does not need to repeat all of his previous prayers , as indicated by the hadeeth
:
"
Repeat your prayer , for you have not prayed
. "
