Distractions in Salah
Total Hadiths 16
Prophetic Guidance on Avoiding Distractions in Salah
These authentic Hadiths provide practical guidance on managing external distractions when it is time for prayer. The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) emphasized the importance of maintaining focus during Salah by advising that if dinner is served, one should finish their meal calmly without rushing, even if the congregational prayer has already commenced. This ensures that hunger does not distract a person during worship, as demonstrated by Ibn Umar, who would complete his meal even while hearing the Imam's recitation. Conversely, if a person is ready, they can immediately transition to prayer, as seen when the Prophet paused eating meat to pray without needing fresh ablution.
وَقَالَ زُهَيْرٌ وَوَهْبُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ عُقْبَةَ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِذَا كَانَ أَحَدُكُمْ عَلَى الطَّعَامِ فَلاَ يَعْجَلْ حَتَّى يَقْضِيَ حَاجَتَهُ مِنْهُ، وَإِنْ أُقِيمَتِ الصَّلاَةُ ". رَوَاهُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ الْمُنْذِرِ عَنْ وَهْبِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ، وَوَهْبٌ مَدِينِيٌّ.
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If anyone of you is having his meals, he should not hurry up till he is; satisfied even if the prayer has been started."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 674In-book reference : Book 10, Hadith 68USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 1, Book 11, Hadith 642
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا لَيْثٌ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ رَأَى النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم نُخَامَةً فِي قِبْلَةِ الْمَسْجِدِ، وَهْوَ يُصَلِّي بَيْنَ يَدَىِ النَّاسِ، فَحَتَّهَا ثُمَّ قَالَ حِينَ انْصَرَفَ " إِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ إِذَا كَانَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ قِبَلَ وَجْهِهِ، فَلاَ يَتَنَخَّمَنَّ أَحَدٌ قِبَلَ وَجْهِهِ فِي الصَّلاَةِ ". رَوَاهُ مُوسَى بْنُ عُقْبَةَ وَابْنُ أَبِي رَوَّادٍ عَنْ نَافِعٍ.
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) saw expectoration in the direction of the Qibla of the mosque while he was leading the prayer, and scratched it off. After finishing the prayer, he said, "Whenever any of you is in prayer he should know that Allah is in front of him. So none should spit in front of him in the prayer."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 753In-book reference : Book 10, Hadith 147USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 1, Book 12, Hadith 720
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي نَافِعٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ فِي غَزْوَةِ خَيْبَرَ " مَنْ أَكَلَ مِنْ هَذِهِ الشَّجَرَةِ ـ يَعْنِي الثُّومَ ـ فَلاَ يَقْرَبَنَّ مَسْجِدَنَا ".
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
During the holy battle of Khaibar the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whoever ate from this plant (i.e. garlic) should not enter our mosque."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 853In-book reference : Book 10, Hadith 244USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 1, Book 12, Hadith 812
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي قَالَ، سَمِعْتُ عَائِشَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ قَالَ " إِذَا وُضِعَ الْعَشَاءُ وَأُقِيمَتِ الصَّلاَةُ فَابْدَءُوا بِالْعَشَاءِ ".
A'isha Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If supper is served, and Iqama is pronounced one should start with the supper."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 671In-book reference : Book 10, Hadith 65USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 1, Book 11, Hadith 640
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الأَحْوَصِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَشْعَثُ بْنُ سُلَيْمٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ سَأَلْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ الاِلْتِفَاتِ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَقَالَ " هُوَ اخْتِلاَسٌ يَخْتَلِسُهُ الشَّيْطَانُ مِنْ صَلاَةِ الْعَبْدِ ".
A'isha Narrated from:
I asked Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) about looking hither and thither in prayer. He replied, "It is a way of stealing by which Satan takes away (a portion) from the prayer of a person."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 751In-book reference : Book 10, Hadith 145USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 1, Book 12, Hadith 718
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم صَلَّى فِي خَمِيصَةٍ لَهَا أَعْلاَمٌ فَقَالَ " شَغَلَتْنِي أَعْلاَمُ هَذِهِ، اذْهَبُوا بِهَا إِلَى أَبِي جَهْمٍ وَأْتُونِي بِأَنْبِجَانِيَّةٍ ".
A'isha Narrated from:
Once the Prophet (ﷺ) prayed on a Khamisa with marks on it and said, "The marks on it diverted my attention, take this Khamisa to Abu Jahm and bring an Inbijaniya (from him.)"
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 752In-book reference : Book 10, Hadith 146USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 1, Book 12, Hadith 719
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِذَا قُدِّمَ الْعَشَاءُ فَابْدَءُوا بِهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ تُصَلُّوا صَلاَةَ الْمَغْرِبِ، وَلاَ تَعْجَلُوا عَنْ عَشَائِكُمْ ".
Anas bin Malik Narrated from:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "If the supper is served start having it before praying the Maghrib prayer and do not be hasty in finishing it."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 672In-book reference : Book 10, Hadith 66USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 1, Book 11, Hadith 641
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عَرُوبَةَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا قَتَادَةُ، أَنَّ أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ، حَدَّثَهُمْ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَا بَالُ أَقْوَامٍ يَرْفَعُونَ أَبْصَارَهُمْ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فِي صَلاَتِهِمْ ". فَاشْتَدَّ قَوْلُهُ فِي ذَلِكَ حَتَّى قَالَ " لَيَنْتَهُنَّ عَنْ ذَلِكَ أَوْ لَتُخْطَفَنَّ أَبْصَارُهُمْ ".
Anas bin Malik Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "What is wrong with those people who look towards the sky during the prayer?" His talk grew stern while delivering this speech and he said, "They should stop (looking towards the sky during the prayer); otherwise their eyesight would be taken away."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 750In-book reference : Book 10, Hadith 144USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 1, Book 12, Hadith 717
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْوَلِيدِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ عُمَارَةَ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ، عَنِ الأَسْوَدِ، قَالَ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ لاَ يَجْعَلْ أَحَدُكُمْ لِلشَّيْطَانِ شَيْئًا مِنْ صَلاَتِهِ، يَرَى أَنَّ حَقًّا عَلَيْهِ أَنْ لاَ يَنْصَرِفَ إِلاَّ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ، لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَثِيرًا يَنْصَرِفُ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ.
`Abdullah Narrated from:
You should not give away a part of your prayer to Satan by thinking that it is necessary to depart (after finishing the prayer) from one's right side only; I have seen the Prophet (ﷺ) often leave from the left side.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 852In-book reference : Book 10, Hadith 243USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 1, Book 12, Hadith 811
حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ عُفَيْرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، عَنْ يُونُسَ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، زَعَمَ عَطَاءٌ أَنَّ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، زَعَمَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَنْ أَكَلَ ثُومًا أَوْ بَصَلاً فَلْيَعْتَزِلْنَا ـ أَوْ قَالَ ـ فَلْيَعْتَزِلْ مَسْجِدَنَا، وَلْيَقْعُدْ فِي بَيْتِهِ ". وَأَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أُتِيَ بِقِدْرٍ فِيهِ خَضِرَاتٌ مِنْ بُقُولٍ، فَوَجَدَ لَهَا رِيحًا فَسَأَلَ فَأُخْبِرَ بِمَا فِيهَا مِنَ الْبُقُولِ فَقَالَ " قَرِّبُوهَا " إِلَى بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ كَانَ مَعَهُ، فَلَمَّا رَآهُ كَرِهَ أَكْلَهَا قَالَ " كُلْ فَإِنِّي أُنَاجِي مَنْ لاَ تُنَاجِي ". وَقَالَ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ عَنِ ابْنِ وَهْبٍ أُتِيَ بِبَدْرٍ. قَالَ ابْنُ وَهْبٍ يَعْنِي طَبَقًا فِيهِ خُضَرَاتٌ. وَلَمْ يَذْكُرِ اللَّيْثُ وَأَبُو صَفْوَانَ عَنْ يُونُسَ قِصَّةَ الْقِدْرِ، فَلاَ أَدْرِي هُوَ مِنْ قَوْلِ الزُّهْرِيِّ أَوْ فِي الْحَدِيثِ.
Jabir bin `Abdullah Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whoever eats garlic or onion should keep away from our mosque or should remain in his house." (Jabir bin `Abdullah, in another narration said, "Once a big pot containing cooked vegetables was brought. On finding unpleasant smell coming from it, the Prophet (ﷺ) asked, 'What is in it?' He was told all the names of the vegetables that were in it. The Prophet (ﷺ) ordered that it should be brought near to some of his companions who were with him. When the Prophet (ﷺ) saw it he disliked to eat it and said, 'Eat. (I don't eat) for I converse with those whom you don't converse with (i.e. the angels).
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 855In-book reference : Book 10, Hadith 246USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 1, Book 12, Hadith 814
