Where Salaah Gets Cancelled
Quite a few lapses, either intentional or otherwise, could nullify Salaah.
Salaah, in such instances, as enumerated below, has to be performed all over again:
Talking to others (or even to oneself), whatever the length or duration, is to be guarded against when we are in Salaah.
Saying ASSALAMU ALAIKUM to any Muslim by word of mouth or reciprocating his salutation, is fine at other times. But this is avoided during Salaah.
When someone sneezes and says ALHAM’DU LILLAH, it is normal for a Muslim to respond, saying YARAH’MUKALLAH.
We must not do this during Salaah.
At the news of a calamity, we say INNA LILLAHI VA INNA ILAI’HI RAAJIYOON. This is not stated during Salaah.
When there is good news, we say ALHAM’DU LILLAH.
But if we are in Salaah, we just carry on with the prayers prescribed.
Something strange is heard and we say SUB'HANALLAH.
If we are in Salaah, we just go on with our prayer.
In case of pain or dismay, we must guard against even involuntary outbursts, such as "Aah", "Ouch!" or the like.
In the rare instance of an Imam's memory faltering, it is okay to prompt him by reciting the missing words.
This assist is called "Lukh'maa". But, during Salaah, this must be conveyed only to the Imam in front of us and not to anyone else.
If any of us is the Imam in this case, we must not accept such "Luq'maa" from anyone other than those in the row just behind us.
Having the Holy Qur'an (or part of it) in view and reading from it (as an aid to memory). Such a practice is forbidden in Salaah.
There are a few words and phrases in the Holy Qur'an (usually listed in the detailed Commentaries on the Holy Book) which are to be pronounced correctly and succinctly.
Any mispronunciation of these would alter their meaning so drastically that our lapse could amount to sacrilege. Let us avoid this.
We must not resort to some such work or errand that engages both our hands and gives an onlooker the impression that we are not performing Salaah.
Munching or swallowing anything even involuntarily or unintentionally, is to be guarded against, in Salaah.
When faced with pain or disaster, we could be in tears and cry aloud or weep in Salaah. We must take care that this does not rattle others and our words do not reach their ears.
During Salaah we must not giggle or laugh aloud.
When we are in Salaah, we must not advance, even unconsciously, beyond the Imam in front of us.
If, by any act, our Wudu, ablution, is negated, Salaah is broken.
We must go and make Wudu again and restart the prayer.
