Does Speaking Forgetfully in Prayer Invalidate It?
Hanafi Fiqh
Answered by Ustadh Sufyan Qufi
Question
What is the ruling on a prayer in which, out of forgetfulness, one utters words in another language, such as “oh my” or “please”?
Answer
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
I pray this finds you in the best of states.
Saying worldly speech, whether in Arabic or a foreign language, invalidates the prayer. [Shurunbulali, Nur al-Idah]
The Messenger of Allah (Blessings and Peace be upon Him) has said:
“Wordly speech is not fitting for the prayer.” [Muslim]
And Allah knows best.
Wassalam
[Ustadh] Sufyan Qufi
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Ustadh Sufyan Qufi is an advanced seeker of knowledge, originally from Algeria, who grew up in France. He began searching for ways to learn Islam reliably and was disappointed at the answers he found locally.
Then he connected with various traditional teachers and gradually connected with SeekersGuidance. He embarked on his journey of learning through the various teachers at SeekersGuidance, including his mentor Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.
He studied numerous texts in Islamic Law, Theology, Hadith, and other areas with Shaykh Faraz Rabbani and other teachers, including Shaykh Abdurrahman al-Sha‘ar, Shaykh Ali Hani, and others.
He is an active instructor at SeekersGuidance and answers questions through the SeekersGuidance Answers Service.
