What invalidates the Prayer

According to the fatwas of the Grand Religious Authorities: Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei, Ayatollah Sistani, and Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi (may Allah prolong their blessings):

Fatāwā presented without citing a differing opinion or a specific reference are the common rulings shared by all of the three respected Marāji‘. In cases where the ruling of one Marjaʿ differs from that of the other two, it is indicated in a footnote under the same number, mentioning the Marjaʿ by name.

Things that invalidate Prayer (Mubtilāt)

The prayer is invalidated in the following cases:
1. When one of the conditions of prayer ceases to exist, during the prayer, Such as required (Islamic) covering, or the place not being usurped (illegally taken).
2. When ritual ablution (wuḍū’) or ritual bath (ghusl) is invalidated.
3. Turning away from the direction of prayer (qiblah).
4. Talking during prayer.
5. Laughing during prayer.
6. Weeping during.
7. When the form of the prayer is disrupted.
8. Eating and drinking.
9. Doubts which invalidate the prayer (to be explained further in the section on doubts).
10. Adding to or decreasing any of the foundational elements (rukn) of the prayer.
11. Saying “āmīn” after reciting Chapter (Surah) al-Fātiḥah.
12. Placing one hand on the other and on the chest or stomach during prayer [known as (takattuf)].

1. If a person intentionally turns one’s face or body away from the direction of prayer (qiblah) such that one can see the right or left side easily, one’s prayer is invalidated. If a person does so unintentionally, by way of obligatory precaution, one’s prayer becomes invalidated. However, if a person turns one’s face only slightly to one side, one’s prayer is not invalidated.

Ayatollah Sistani: Among the invalidators of prayer is turning away from the qiblah without a valid excuse. However, if it occurs with an excuse—such as forgetfulness, or due to a compelling external force (for example, a strong wind that turns the person away from the qiblah)—then as long as the person does not turn completely to the right or left, the prayer remains valid. But once the excuse is removed, it is obligatory to immediately turn back toward the qiblah.

If the person does end up facing the right, left, or completely away from the qiblah, and the cause was forgetfulness, inattentiveness, or an error in determining the qiblah, then once one becomes aware of the situation, if stopping the prayer would allow one to restart it facing the qiblah—even if only one rakʿah of the new prayer falls within the prayer time— one must restart one’s prayer. Otherwise, the existing prayer is sufficient, and one is not required to offer a make-up prayer.

The same ruling applies if turning away from the qiblah was caused by an external compelling force. If one can repeat the prayer within its time facing the qiblah—even if only one rakʿah falls within the time—then one must restart it. Otherwise, one must complete the current prayer, and neither repetition nor make-up is required.

Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi: If a person intentionally or unintentionally turns only one’s face completely toward the right or left, then according to obligatory precaution, one must repeat one’s prayer. However, if the face is turned only slightly, in a way that does not take the person out of the direction of the qiblah, the prayer does not become invalid.

2. If a person intentionally talks, even to the extent of one word (of anything other than the prayer), the prayer is invalidated.

Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi: If a person intentionally speaks—even a single sentence or a single word, even a two-letter word such as “man” or “ma”—the prayer becomes invalid. In fact, according to obligatory precaution, even if the two letters do not carry any meaning, the prayer is still invalid. The meaning of “precaution” in the context of invalidators of prayer is that one should complete the prayer and then repeat it afterward.

3. The sounds produced by a person due to coughing, sneezing, and clearing the throat, even if they are phonemes, do not invalidate the prayer.

Ayatollah Sistani: Coughing and burping during prayer are permissible and cause no problem. However, it is a necessary precaution that a person should not deliberately sigh or moan during the prayer. As for uttering expressions like “akh” or “ah” and similar sounds, if done intentionally, they invalidate the prayer.

Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi: Coughing, sighing, or sneezing do not invalidate the prayer, even if done intentionally. However, saying “akh”, “ah”, or similar expressions that consist of two letters, if done deliberately, will—in accordance with obligatory precaution—invalidate the prayer.

4. There is no problem in raising the voice while reciting a word with the intention of uttering a remembrance of Allah (dhikr) to imply something to someone. However, if one says a remembrance of Allah (dhikr) with the intention of conveying something to another person, even if one intends to say a remembrance of Allah (dhikr) as well, the prayer is invalidated.

The ruling on greeting (saying salam) or responding to it during prayer.

1. It is not permissible to greet [say “salām” to] others while performing prayer, but if someone greets the praying person by saying “salām”, the praying person should respond to him with a phrase that begins with the word “salam”, for example, “salāmun alaykum” or “assalāmu ‘alaykum”; the praying person should not say “‘alaykumus salām.”

Ayatollah Sistani: During prayer, a person must not initiate a greeting of salaam to someone else. But if another person says salaam to him, he must reply. The reply must match the original greeting and should not contain additions. For example, he must not answer with: “Salaam ʿalaykum wa raḥmatullāh wa barakātuh.” According to obligatory precaution, he should also not put “ʿalaykum” or “ʿalayka” before the word “salaam” in his reply if the person who greeted him did not say it that way. In fact, it is recommended (mustahabb precaution) that he reply exactly as the other person greeted him. For example: If the greeter says “Salaam ʿalaykum,” he should answer: “Salaam ʿalaykum.” If he says “al-Salaamu ʿalaykum,” he should answer: “al-Salaamu ʿalaykum.” If he says “Salaam ʿalayka,” he should answer: “Salaam ʿalayka.” However, if the greeter says “ʿalaykum al-salaam,” then the person may reply with “ʿalaykum al-salaam,” or “al-Salaamu ʿalaykum,” or “Salaam ʿalaykum.”

2. If a person greets a group of people by saying assalāmu alaykum jamī‘an (Peace [salam] be with all of you) and one person in the group is praying, the praying person should not respond if someone else in the group replies to the greeting.

3. It is obligatory to reply to the greeting “salām” of discerning children in the same way as is obligatory to respond to men and women.

4. It is obligatory to answer the greeting of “salām” immediately. If, for any reason, someone delays it to such an extent that the answer is not considered an answer to the “salām”, then if one is praying, one should not give the answer to the “salām”, and if one is not praying, it is not obligatory to answer it. In case of doubt regarding the delay, the same rule applies. If delaying the greeting is intentional, it is a sin.

5. If a person greets a praying person with the word “salām” instead of “salāmun ‘alaykum”, and this form is commonly viewed as a greeting, replying to it is obligatory; by way of obligatory precaution, the reply should be in the manner.

The Rulings on laughing or weeping during Prayer

1. Intentional loud laughter (guffawing) invalidates the prayer, but inadvertent or silent laughter does not.

Ayatollah Sistani: Among the invalidators of prayer is intentional laughter with sound, even if the laughter itself is involuntary, so long as its causes were voluntary. In fact, according to obligatory precaution, even if the causes were not voluntary, one must repeat the prayer as long as there is still time to do so. However, if a person intentionally laughs without sound, or laughs with sound out of forgetfulness, the prayer is not problematic and remains valid.

2. If the face of a praying person, who cannot stop their laughter, turns red or their body trembles from the intensity of inner laughter, their prayer is valid as long as their prayer’s form is not disrupted.

Ayatollah Sistani: If, in trying to prevent himself from laughing aloud, his condition changes—such as his face becoming red—then, according to obligatory precaution, he should repeat his prayer.

3. Intentionally weeping aloud over worldly issues invalidates prayer. However, if one weeps in fear of Allah, or for affairs of the Hereafter, there is no problem with it; conversely, it is among the best acts.

Ayatollah Sistani: Among the invalidators of prayer—according to obligatory precaution—is intentionally crying, whether with sound or without sound, for worldly matters. However, if one cries out of fear of Almighty God, or out of longing toward Him, or for the sake of the Hereafter—whether softly or loudly—there is no problem; rather, it is among the best of deeds. Additionally, if a person cries out of humility before God while asking Him for a worldly need, there is no problem.

Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi: Crying with sound invalidates the prayer, even if it happens involuntarily. In fact, according to obligatory precaution, even silent crying also invalidates the prayer. This applies when the crying is not for the fear of God or for the Hereafter. If it is for the fear of God or the Hereafter, then not only does it not invalidate the prayer, but it is among the best deeds and among the practices of God’s chosen servants.