Closing Eyes During Shalah (Prayer). Is it Allowed?
Some people close their eyes during shalah (prayer) to feel more khusyu’. It is allowed ? so then how islam regulate if we close our eyes while praying ?
Many hadists have explained that closing eyes during salah
is an act of makrooh, for instance in hadist which has been narrated by Ibn
Abbas (RA) that Rasulullah (peace be upon him) said, “ when one of you stands
up in Salah, he should not close his eyes.” (Tabarani). However, this hadist is
not very strong (Dhaif).
Related to this matter, the Messenger of Allah, Rasulullah
SAW has ever prayed while in front of him there was pictorial curtain. Therefore,
he instructed Aisyah to remove the marked gordyn because it has disturbed the
prayer.
Closing Eyes During Shalah
It was like a tolerable for us that one kind of way to improve our concentration during shalah is by clear away or avoid anything which can interrupt our prayer, including take off the pictorial gordyn or prevent our sight from the images or any decorations in front of us by closing the eyes.
Hence, if shalah with opening eyes can disrupt our heart
being submissively attuned to Allah, it is allowed to close eyes during prayer.
If someone cannot keep khusyu’
except close his eyes, then we cannot claim necessarily that it is kind
of bid’ah.
Ustadz Ibnul Qayyim said about this matter in Fiqhus Sunnah
that if by opening the eyes will be an obstacle to keep khusyu’ in shalah because
of marks, distractions , or any kind which can disturb his/ her heart, it is
not makrooh to close the eyes.
I suggest, if it is possible, to avoid or remove any
interferences far away from us before do prayerwhichcan disturb our khusyu’. However,
If it is not possible, shalah while closing eyes can just be an alternative to
keep khusyu’ as an opinion delivered by Ibnu Qayyim. Wallahu A’lam