Question:

Salams I hope you are well. Just a quick question. If your nose is dripping whilst praying Salah, are you allowed to go in your pocket to get a tissue and clean it. Jzk

The Fatwa

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

The Answer

The Fiqh of the Answer

Al-Amal al-Kathĩr (excessive movement) invalidates the Salāh. Imam al-Haskafi (d.1088 AH) writes that there are 5 opinions as to what al-Amal al-Kathĩr means. Imam Ibn Abidĩn (d.1252 AH) comments that the Sahĩh (correct) opinion is that when a person is performing Salāh and he does such an action that somebody from afar looks and is left in no doubt that this person is not in Salāh, then this will be deemed as al-Amal al-Kathĩr and will invalidate the Salāh. Imam al-Kāsāni (d.587 AH) authenticated this opinion and Imam al-Zayla’i (d.743 AH) narrates the same position.

Another definition that has been discussed amongst the Fuqahā such as Imam al-Haskafi (d.1088 AH) is that al-Amal al-Kathīr means doing such an action in Salāh that is normally done with 2 hands outside of Salāh, even if a person performed this action with one during Salāh. The different explanations of al-Amal al-Kathīr also been narrated by Ibn Māzah al-Bukhari (d. 616 AH) from the Mashāyikh of the Madhhab.

 The Binā’ (basis) for al-Amal al-Kathīr being an invalidating action is that in Salāh, mundane worldly acts all become prohibited. Imam al-Kāsānī (d.587 AH) and others discuss that only those actions that are from the practices of Salāh can be performed in the period of Salāh. It is as though a person is temporarily disconnected from this world and in a higher station and realm during Salāh; the actions of that realm are all taught to us by the Prophet ﷺ and are Ta’abbudī and restricted to what was narrated to us, as described by al-Sighnaqi (d. 711 AH). When a person performs actions which are foreign to Salāh which are deemed excessive and gross (al-Amal al-Kathĩr), it will relegate the individual back to this mundane world and life. As such, the sacred union of Salāh with Allah is invalidated.

And Almighty Allah Alone Knows Best

Maulana Adam Nathani
Trainee Mufti

Reviewed and approved by
Mufti Faraz Adam
Darul Iftaa Muadh ibn Jabal
www.darulfiqh.com 

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(وَ) يُفْسِدُهَا (كُلُّ عَمَلٍ كَثِيرٍ) لَيْسَ مِنْ أَعْمَالِهَا وَلَا لِإِصْلَاحِهَا، وَفِيهِ أَقْوَالٌ خَمْسَةٌ أَصَحُّهَا (مَا لَا يَشُكُّ) بِسَبَبِهِ (النَّاظِرُ) مِنْ بَعِيدٍ (فِي فَاعِلِهِ أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ فِيهَا) (حاشية ابن عابدين رد المحتار ط الحلبي)

الْقَوْلُ الثَّانِي أَنَّ مَا يُعْمَلُ عَادَةً بِالْيَدَيْنِ كَثِيرٌ وَإِنْ عُمِلَ بِوَاحِدَةٍ كَالتَّعْمِيمِ وَشَدِّ السَّرَاوِيلِ وَمَا عُمِلَ بِوَاحِدَةٍ قَلِيلٌ وَإِنْ عُمِلَ بِهِمَا كَحَلِّ السَّرَاوِيلِ وَلُبْسِ الْقَلَنْسُوَةِ وَنَزْعِهَا إلَّا إذَا تَكَرَّرَ ثَلَاثًا مُتَوَالِيَةً وَضَعَّفَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ بِأَنَّهُ قَاصِرٌ عَنْ إفَادَةِ مَا لَا يُعْمَلُ بِالْيَدِ كَالْمَضْغِ وَالتَّقْبِيلِ. الثَّالِثُ الْحَرَكَاتُ الثَّلَاثُ الْمُتَوَالِيَةُ كَثِيرٌ وَإِلَّا فَقَلِيلٌ (كتاب حاشية ابن عابدين رد المحتار ط الحلبي)

وَمِنْهَا الْعَمَلُ الْكَثِيرُ الَّذِي لَيْسَ مِنْ أَعْمَالِ الصَّلَاةِ فِي الصَّلَاةِ مِنْ غَيْرِ ضَرُورَةٍ فَأَمَّا الْقَلِيلُ فَغَيْرُ مُفْسِدِ، (بدائع الصنائع)

ولو تحققت الضرورة في الركوب حالة الانصراف، فركب استأنف الصلاة لوجود العمل الكثير الذي لم يرد به النص، بخلاف المشي، والذهاب، فإنّه ورد فيهما النص ببقاء التحريمة، وإن كان المشي، والذهاب عملًا كثيرًا، فيحصر الحكم في مورد النص (النهاية في شرح الهداية)