Question Summary:
Ref. fatwa ID 16117 Is it ok to engage in dua when the imam is delivering the khutbah (on the pulpit) or it should be done only when he sits in the pulpit inbetween in khutbah?

Question Detail:

1) Ref. fatwa ID 16117 Is it ok to engage in dua when the imam is delivering the khutbah (on the pulpit) or it should be done only when he sits in the pulpit inbetween in khutbah?
2) I came to hear about a lady who is very religious & supposed to have good knowledge also, that when she travels on the train (there will be some men who are strangers to her), she use to the salaat /namaaz  wearing the veil & when she goes to sajdah she puts off her veil with her hand and on. each & every time she goes to sajdah, she do it in the same way (in order to avoid others seeing her face). is such namaaz ok?

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh
1) It is permissible to make dua in the heart when the khateeb (speaker) sits on the pulpit between the two khutbas. It is disliked to do so while the khutba is being addressed. The listeners should pay full attention to the khutba (sermon) while it is being delivered.
( وكل ما حرم في الصلاة حرم فيها ) أي في الخطبة خلاصة وغيرها فيحرم أكل وشرب وكلام ولو تسبيحا أو رد سلام أو أمرا بمعروف بل يجب عليه أن يستمع ويسكت
(Darrul Mukhtar, Vol. 2, P. 159, HM Saeed)
وأما وقت الخطبة فالكلام مكروه تحريما ، ولو كان أمرا بمعروف أو تسبيحا أو غيره كما صرح به في الخلاصة وغيرها وزاد فيها أن ما يحرم في الصلاة يحرم في الخطبة من أكل وشرب وكلام وهذا إن كان قريبا
(Bahr Al-Raaiq, Vol. 2, P. 259, Rashidiyya)
(Fatawa Mahmudiyya, Vol. 8, P. 287, Faruqiyya)
2) Her salat is valid as long as she did not move her hand three separate times in each sajda. This is known as 'aml katheer (excessive movement) and it invalidates the salat.
 
إذا حك ثلاثاً في ركن واحد ، تفسد صلاته ، هذا إذا رفع يده في كل مرة ، أما إذا لم يرفع في كل مرة ، فلا تفسد . و لو كان الحك مرةً واحدةً ، يكره ، كذا في الخلاصة.
(Fatawa Alamgiree, Vol. 1, P. 104, Rashidiyya)
الثالث الحركات الثلاث المتوالية كثير وإلا فقليل
(Raddul Muhtar, Vol. 1, P. 625, HM Saeed)
(Fatawa Mahmudiyya, Vol. 6, P. 602, Faruqiyya)
And Allah knows best
Wassalam
Ml. Asif Umar,
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah