Question Summary:
Salah in a room that had a picture Question Detail:
I've been praying in a room for years and just today realized that there is a picture of a relative in the room, hanging on the wall. I had not payed attention to it before, I only today realized that I've been praying in a room with a picture of a human and this is not good.
Are all my past salah's Makruh Tahrimi? Please understand that I was unkowingly praying in a room with a picture.
Answer :
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Before performing Salah, it is imperative that one scan the place to see if the place is conducive for Salah. This is vital and essential so that one is able to concentrate on one’s Salah properly, focus wholeheartedly, and give the Salah the attention and devotion it deserves. One should refrain from performing Salah just anywhere.
The Fuqaha have classified pictures into two categories in relation to their size, and subsequently, their effect on one’s Salah. It should be kept in mind that pictures of inanimate objects such as trees and cars will not affect one’s Salah although one should refrain from praying Salah in front of them so one is able to devote his concentration on Salah and not get distracted. Also, creating pictures of animate things (such as animals or humans) is categorically prohibited regardless of the size.
A small picture (sagheerah): this has been defined as being a picture so small that if placed on the ground, a standing person of reasonable vision would be unable to make out and discern the features of the picture. An example of this is a British penny or pound or most coins. Such pictures do not have any effect one’s Salah.[1]
A big picture (kabirah): this has been defined as any picture, the features of which a standing person of reasonable vision is able to make out without straining his eyes. Performing Salah in the presence of such a picture is Makruh and the karaaha (level of dislike) differs depending on the location of the picture. The place with the most karaaha (dislike) is in front of oneself, followed by above followed by the right hand side, then the left hand side and finally behind a person.[2]
Based on this, you should analyze the picture in reference and determine whether it falls under the classification of a small picture or a big picture. If it falls under the definition of a big picture, there will have been an element of karaaha (dislike) in your previous Salahs for which you should repent.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Saanwal ibn Muhammad,
Student Darul Iftaa
UK
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai Saheb
[1] قوله: "كالتي على الدينار" ومثلها الصورة المنقوشة في خاتم غير مستبينة أفاده في المحيط وقد روي أن خاتم أبي هريرة كان عليه ذبابتان وخاتم دانيال كان عليه أسد ولبوة وبينهما صبي يلحسانه ...والتقييد بغير المستبين يفيد أن المستبين في الخاتم تكره الصلاة معه كذا في المنح
(حاشية الطحطاوي على مراقي الفلاح، ج1، ص362، دار الكتب العلمية)
[2] "و" يكره... "ولبس ثوب فيه تصاوير" ذي روح لأنه يشبه عبادتها وأشدها كراهة أمامه ثم فوقه ثم يمينه ثم يساره ثم خلفه "وأن يكون فوق رأسه أو خلفه أو بين يديه أو بحذائه صورة إلا أن تكون صغيرة" بحيث لا تبدو للقائم إلا بتأمل كالتي على الدينار لأنها لا تعبد عادة...
(مراقي الفلاح، ج1، ص132، المكتبة العصرية)
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