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f:735 -    Yawning in Salaat
 Country : Warangal, India,
Name : Abdul Khaliq
Question:     What should a person do if he/she yawns while offering Salaat? Can he/she cover the mouth with his hand when we are told that any kind of action is prohibited in Salaat? Please make us aware of the Shariah ruling.  
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Answer:     A yawn is from Satan that is why Almighty Allah dislikes it.   There is lengthy Hadith in Mishkaat Ul Masabih Pg no. 405 on the authority of Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah be well pleased with him) that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  A yawn is from Satan.  If anyone of you feels like yawning, he should prevent it, because when any one of you yawns, Satan laughs.  In Sahih Muslim, the words are: When any one of you says, “Ha,” Satan laughs at this.

For this reason, the Jurists have declared yawning as Undesirable (Makruh), whether it is while offering Salaat or generally, as given in Durre Mukhtar, Vol. 1, Pg no. 476, 477.

While offering Salaat, because the person is in the presence of Allah Most High, he/she should be cognizant and aware of all the manners and etiquette of Salaat.

Satan enters the mouth when yawning.  As given in the Hadith in Sahih Muslim on the authority of Hadhrat Abu Sa’eed Khudri (May Allah be well pleased with him), that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  Whenever any of you starts yawning, he should cover the mouth with his hand, as Satan enters the mouth.  (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 7683).

If somebody yawns while offering Salaat, then he/she should hold the lips with the teeth and try to stop it as much as possible.  If while standing (Qiyam) it is not possible to stop the yawn, then it should be stopped with the back of the right hand or with the sleeve, etc.(Radd Ul Muhtaar Vol. 1, Pg. No. 353).

‘Allama Ibn A’abideen Shaami (May Allah shower His Mercy on him) has mentioned a very effective and easy technique for stopping a yawn, on the authority of Imam Zahidi.  It is that the person who is about to yawn should think that the Prophets (May peace be upon them all) never yawned, then the yawn will automatically stop.  Imam Quduri (May Allah shower His mercy on him) has said: We have tried this many times and it is as said.  As given in Radd Ul Muhtaar, Vol. 1, Pg. No. 353)

And Almighty Allah knows best.

Mufti Syed Ziauddin Naqshbandi Qadri

[Professor, Islamic Law, Jamia Nizamia,
Founder-Director Abul Hasanaat Islamic Research Center]
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