Islamic Prayer Practices and Guidelines

Offensive Acts Invalidating Prayer

• Human Speech: Any audible speech, including sounds meant to convey meaning (e.g., calling a pet), invalidates prayer. Thoughts are not considered.
• Supplicating with Human Speech: Using words that sound like speech, even if from a memorized source like the Quran, invalidates prayer if the meaning resembles a human request rather than a spiritual supplication to God.
• Greeting with Salaam: If salaams are exchanged too early or intentionally during prayer, it invalidates the prayer.
• Clearing Throat/Crying/Grumbling: Unintentional sounds due to pain or distress do not invalidate prayer, provided the sounds are not excessive or prolonged. Deliberate or excessive sounds do invalidate the prayer
• Excessive Movement: Excessive movements during prayer (observable by others) invalidate it
• Turning Away from Qibla: Turning more than 45 degrees away from the Kaaba during prayer invalidates it.
• Eating/Drinking: Consuming anything after the beginning of prayer invalidates it.
• Holding or Reciting from Quran: Holding a Quran during prayer (according to some schools of thought) or reciting something not from the Quran invalidates it, but memorizing without holding it is allowed in some cases instead..
• Laughter: Laughing invalidates prayer.
• Unfulfilled Conditions: Forgetting or neglecting important conditions of prayer, such as purity, invalidates the prayer.
• Other Offensive Acts (additional information): 25 different acts are considered offensive, and cause invalidity of the prayer. This includes fidgeting, scratching, using knuckles, or excessive gestures; acts which are minimal that are purposeless in prayer
• Situational exceptions and considerations: Some acts depend on the reason behind the action. For example, crying aloud during prayer due to a personal situation doesn't invalidate prayer, if it is due to a spiritual reason it does. Some circumstances (like helping someone in need) allow breaking the prayer without invalidity. Additionally, prayer can be caught up later if the primary prayer is broken for valid reasons.

Other Prayer Considerations

• Joining prayer late: Methods and conditions exist for followers who join prayer later than the Imam.
• Prayer Qada: There are specific rulings for missed prayers, including how they should be made up.
• Prayer During Specific Occasions: Prayer practices, like the Tarawih (Ramadan prayer), have their specifics
• Types of Sajadah (Prostration): There are prostrations done during prayer for specific circumstances. Sahw, Tilawah, and Shukr prostrations are examples of this.

###Additional Specific Rules and Details

• Joining the Imam's prayer: Rules for catching up on prayers (or joining the Imam) vary; If the Imam breaks prayer
• Optional prayers: There are specific rules for optional prayers.
• Eclipses: Special prayer rules exist for both solar and lunar eclipses.
• Other circumstances needing prayer specifics: Different circumstances call for different prayer conditions or procedures.
• Women in prayer: Certain rules apply to women during prayer, with specific acts invalidating prayer and varying conditions dependent on circumstance.