Gazing At The Sky During Salaah

We were able to find Ahaadeeth with the following meaning in most of the Sihaahe Sittah (the six main books of Hadeeth). The Hadeeth of Saheeh Bukhari is as follows:

حدثنا علي بن عبد الله، قال أخبرنا يحى بن سعيد، قال حدثنا ابن أي عروبة، قال حدثنا قتادة، أن أنس بن مالك، حدثهم قال قال النيئ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” ما بال أقوام يرفغون أبصارهم إلى السماء في صلاهم “. فاشتد قولة في ذلك حتى قال ” لينتهن

عن ذلك أو لتخطفن أبصارهم “.(صحيح البخارى . ٥) مكتبة البشرى

This Hadeeth refers to looking at the sky in Salaah. Although some ‘Ulama are of the opinion that the literal meaning of the Hadeeth is meant i.e. they may become blind, others aver that what is actually meant is that they will be deprived of the Noor (special light) the angels descend with at the time of Salaah.

This does not mean that it will unconditionally be permissible to look around in Salaah, as such looking around has been prohibited by other Ahadeeth of Rasulullah Sallallahu alaihi wasallam.

حدثنا انحسن بن الربيع، حدثنا أبو الأخوص، عن أشعث، عن أبيه، عن مسروق، قال قالت عائشة. رضى الله عنها. سألت النيئ

صلى الله عليه وسلم عن التفات الرجل في الصلاة. فقال ” هو اختلاس يختلسن الشيطان من صلاة أحدكم “.(صحيح البخارى٧٥١ مكتبة البشرى)

Aisha Radhiallahu anha is reported to have said, “I asked Rasulullah Sallallahu alaihi wasallam about looking around in Salaah and he said, ‘It is something which Shaytaan snatches away from the Salaah of one of you (i.e. your reward becomes less) .