The Story of the Donkey-Faced Muḥaddiš and the Thirty-Three Makrūhāt-e-Tanzīhī of Ṣalāĥ

Donkey-Resembling Face

Once Ḥaḍrat Sayyidunā Imām Nawavi عَلَیْہِ رَحْمَۃُ اللّٰہِ الْقَوِی went to Damascus to listen to a Ḥadīš from a very famous person who used to teach his students keeping his face covered. Imām Nawavī عَلَیْہِ رَحْمَۃُ اللّٰہِ الْقَوِی learnt a lot from him for a long time but did not see his face. After a long time, when the Muḥaddiš (the famous person) realized that Imām Nawavī عَلَیْہِ رَحْمَۃُ اللّٰہِ الْقَوِی was very eager to acquire the knowledge of Ḥadīš, one day he unveiled his face. To Imām Nawavī's utter astonishment, the face of the Muḥaddiš was like that of a donkey. The Muḥaddiš said, 'Son! Fear from preceding the Imām during Jamā'at (i.e. lowering head for Rukū' or raising it from Rukū' or raising head from Sajdaĥ prior to Imām); when I got to know about this Ḥadīš, I considered it Mustab'ad (unauthentic) due to the unreliability of its narrators and preceded the Imām deliberately, which resulted in my face being distorted in a state that you are seeing now (i.e. my face has turned into the face of a donkey).'

(Baĥār-e-Sharī'at, pp. 560, vol. 1, Mirqat-ul-Mafatiḥ, pp. 221, vol. 3)

1.     Offering Ṣalāĥ wearing just a trousers or a Taĥband (Sarong) despite having other clothes.

(Fatāwa-e-'Ālamgīrī, pp. 106, vol. 1)

2.     Imām's prolonging the Ṣalāh for an acquainted person (to value him) is Makrūh-e-Taḥrīmī; however, if it is aimed at helping him in joining the Ṣalāh, there is no harm in lengthening the Ṣalāh for the amount of time in which Tasbīḥ can be uttered once or twice

(Fatāwā-e-'Ālamgīrī, pp. 108, vol. 1).

3.     Offering Ṣalāh on an illegally seized piece of land, or

4.     On someone else's field that is used for cultivation

(Dur-re-Mukhtār, pp. 54, vol. 2) or

5.     On a ploughed farm,

(ibid)

or

6.     Facing a grave (if there is nothing in between the Muṣallī and the grave).

(Fatāwā-e-'Ālamgīrī, pp. 319, vol. 5)

7.     Offering Ṣalāh in disbelievers' places of worship; even going there is forbidden.

(Rad-dul-Muḥtār, pp. 53, vol. 2)

8.     If a shirt's buttons were left undone in such a way that exposes the chest, the Ṣalāh will become Makrūh-e-Taḥrīmī. However, inside the shirt, if there is any other clothe that keeps the chest still covered, the Ṣalāh will become Makrūh-e-Tanzīhī.

(Bahār-e-Sharī'at, pp. 630, vol. 1)

Ṣalāh and Pictures

9.     Offering Ṣalāh wearing such clothes that have the image of an animate being is Makrūh Taḥrīmī. Wearing such a dress is not permissible even when not offering Ṣalāh.

(Bahār-e-Sharī'at, pp. 627, vol. 1)

10. If the portrait of an animate being is displayed above Muṣallī's head i.e. at the ceiling, the place of Sajdah, at his front, his right or left side, it is Makrūh-e-Taḥrīmī. If the picture is displayed at the rear side, though it is also Makrūh, yet it is less severe than the previous cases.

If the picture is lying on the floor and Sajdah will not be performed on it, there is no repugnance; if the portrait is of an inanimate object such as river, and mountain etc., there is no harm in it.

If the portrait is so tiny that if it is put on the ground and someone sees it standing, the clear shape of facial organs will not be visible, like the portraits of the scene of the Ṭawāf of Ka'bah are so tiny, such portraits are not the cause of repugnance in Ṣalāh.

(Bahār-e-Sharī'at, pp. 627, 628, vol. 1)

However, if the face of even single person becomes clearly visible in the picture of Ṭawāf-crowd, it will remain prohibited.

There is no harm in the pictures in which the body-organs except face such as hand, foot, back, the rear part of face are visible. Similarly, there is no harm in the picture of the face whose eyes, nose, lips etc. have all been erased.

Thirty-three Makrūhāt-e-Tanzīhī of Ṣalāh

Thirty three acts are Makrūh-e-Tanzīhī in Ṣalāh:

1.     Despite having other clothes, offering Ṣalāh wearing the labour-dress,

(Sharḥ-ul-Wiqāyah, pp. 198, vol. 1)

having something in the mouth; if the thing prevents Qirā'at or, because of it, such words are uttered that are not the words of Quran, the Ṣalāh will become invalid.

(Durr-e-Mukhtār, Rad-dul-Muḥtār, pp. 496, vol. 2)

2.     Offering Ṣalāh with bare-head out of laziness;

(Dur-re-Mukhtār, pp. 491, vol. 2)

if cap or turban fell from the head during Ṣalāh, it is preferable to pick it up, provided 'Amal-e-Kaśīr is not needed, otherwise, Ṣalāh will become invalid. If there is a need of picking it up again and again, leave it. If not picking up is aimed at attaining Khushū' and Khuḍū' [Humility of body & heart], then not picking up is better.

(Durr-e-Mukhtār, Rad-dul-Muḥtār, pp. 491, vol. 2)

If someone is offering Ṣalāh bare-headed or his cap has fallen, the other person should not place his cap onto his head.

3.     In Rukū' or Sajdah, uttering Tasbīḥ less than three times unnecessarily. [if time is about to elapse (for Ṣalāh) or train is about to depart, then it doesn't matter. If the Imām has raised his head (from Rukū' or Sajdah) before the Muqtadī utters Tasbīḥ thrice, the Muqtadī should follow the Imām].

(Bahār-e-Sharī'at, pp. 630, vol. 1)

4.     Removing dust or grass from forehead during Ṣalāh. However, if dust or grass distracts attention from Ṣalāh, there is no harm in removing it.

('Alamgīrī, pp. 105, vol. 1)

5.     Turning fingers from Qiblah in Sajdah etc.

('Alamgīrī, pp. 108 etc. vol. 1)

6.     Man's making his thigh touch his belly in Sajdah.

('Alamgīrī, pp. 109, vol. 1)

7.     Replying to Salām during Ṣalāh with the gesture of hand or nod of head;

(Dur-re-Mukhtār, pp. 497, vol. 2)

replying to Salām verbally will nullify the Ṣalāh.

('Alamgīrī, pp. 98, vol. 1)

8.     Sitting in cross-legged position during Ṣalāh without a reason.

(Dur-re-Mukhtār, pp. 48, vol. 2)

9.     Stretching (as one does having woken up from sleep).

10. Deliberately coughing or clearing throat, if there is a natural need of doing so, there is no harm.

(Bahār-e-Sharī'at, pp. 633, vol. 1, 'Alamgiri, pp. 107, vol. 1)

11. While going down for Sajdah, placing hands on the ground before placing knees without any reason.

(Munya-tul-Muṣallī, pp. 340)

12. Lifting knees before lifting hands without any reason when standing.

(ibid)

13. Keeping head higher or lower than back in Rukū'.

(ibid, pp. 349)

14. Uttering Šanā, Ta'aw-wuż, Tasmiyah and Āmīn loudly in Ṣalāh.

(Ghunyah, pp. 352, 'Alamgīrī, pp. 107, vol. 1)

15. Leaning against a wall etc. without any reason.

(Ghunyah, 353)

16. Not placing hands on knees in Rukū', and

17. Not placing hands on the ground in Sajdah.

('Alamgīrī, pp. 109, vol. 1)

18. Swaying from side to side. [However, Tarāwuḥ, i.e. sometimes applying weight on right foot and sometimes applying weight on left foot, is Sunnah.

(Fatāwā Raḍawiyyah, Jad Īd, pp. 389, vol. 7, Bahār-e-Sharī'at, pp. 634, vol. 1)]

It is Mustaḥab to apply weight on right side when going down for Sajdah and on the left side when standing from Sajdah.

('Alamgīrī, pp. 108, vol. 1)

19. Closing eyes in Ṣalāh; however, if closing eyes brings about Khushū' (humility), it is preferable.

(Durr-e-Mukhtār, Rad-dul-Muḥtār, pp. 499, vol. 2)

20. Offering Ṣalāh in front of burning fire. If a fire-torch or a lamp is in front of the Muṣallī, there is no harm.

('Alamgīrī, pp. 108, vol. 1)

21. Offering Ṣalāh in front of such a thing that distracts attention from Ṣalāh; for instance, ornaments or games etc.

(Bahār-e-Sharī'at, pp. 636, vol. 1)

22. Running for Ṣalāh.

(Rad-dul-Muḥtār, pp. 513, vol. 2)

Offering Ṣalāh at the following places is also Makrūh-e-Tanzīhī.

23. At a public path.

24. At a rubbish dump

25. In a slaughter house where animals are slaughtered

26. In a stable i.e. the place where horses are kept

27. In a bathroom

28. On a cattle farm especially where camels are kept

29. On the roof of a toilet or

30. In a desert without a Sutrah (provided there is a possibility of people passing across the front of the Muṣallī).

(Dur-re-Mukhtār, pp. 52, 54, vol. 2) (Bahār-e-Sharī'at, pp. 636, 637, vol. 1)

31. Swatting a fly or mosquito with hand without any reason.

('Alamgīrī, pp. 109, vol. 1)

(If a louse or mosquito harms the Muṣallī, there is no harm in killing it provided 'Amal-e-Kaśīr is avoided).

(Ghunyah, pp. 353, Bahār-e-Sharī'at, pp. 635, vol. 1)

32. Any such 'Amal-e-Qalīl that is beneficial for the Muṣallī (rectifies Ṣalāh) is permissible, whereas the one that is not beneficial (does not rectify Ṣalāh) is Makrūh.

('Alamgīrī, pp. 105, vol. 1)

33. Offering Ṣalāh wearing clothes with their stitched-side out; or hanging such clothing over body.

(Fatāwā-e-Razavīyyah, V7, P358-360, Fatāwā-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat)