Sahih al-Bukhari Call to Prayers (Adhaan)

What is the matter with some people who raise their eyes towards the sky during their prayer?" He went on, using strict words, until he said, "They must stop that, or their eyesight will be snatched away

Chapter: Looking towards the sky during As-Salat (the prayer)

Authentic hadith of Sahih al-Bukhari Sahih al-Bukhari 750

حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عَرُوبَةَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا قَتَادَةُ، أَنَّ أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ، حَدَّثَهُمْ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏

مَا بَالُ أَقْوَامٍ يَرْفَعُونَ أَبْصَارَهُمْ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فِي صَلاَتِهِمْ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَاشْتَدَّ قَوْلُهُ فِي ذَلِكَ حَتَّى قَالَ ‏"‏ لَيَنْتَهُنَّ عَنْ ذَلِكَ أَوْ لَتُخْطَفَنَّ أَبْصَارُهُمْ ‏"

Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said:

"What is the matter with some people who raise their eyes towards the sky during their prayer?" He went on, using strict words, until he said, "They must stop that, or their eyesight will be snatched away."

Reported by Al-Bukhari (No. 750), Abu Dawud (No. 913), An-Nasa’i (No. 1193), Ibn Majah (No. 1044) and Ahmad (No. 11622, 11661, 11703, 11712, 11976, 13214).

Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) warned those who raise their eyes to the sky during prayer, whether during supplication or other times. His rebuke became more severe, and he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) threatened that those who do so might have their eyesight snatched away swiftly, to the point that they would not even realize it until they had lost the blessing of sight.

Lessons

The excellence of the Prophet's approach in making Da‘wah and his clarification of the truth, as he did not expose the person who was in error since the goal was to clarify the truth, which had been achieved, and because he concealed the one upon error and made the message more likely to be accepted.
A firm prohibition and a stern warning for those who raise their sights to the sky during prayer.
In ‘Awn Al-Ma‘būd, he said: The reason for this is that raising one’s eyes to the sky distracts him from the proper direction of the Qiblah, causing one to turn away from it and from the correct posture of the prayer.
Raising the eyes contradicts the humility and focus required in prayer.
The great significance of prayer, and that the one praying must observe complete reverence and proper conduct with Allah Almighty.

Explanation in Arabic

حذَّر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم الذين يرفعون أبصارهم إلى السماء في الصلاة عند الدعاء أو غيره، ثم اشتد زَجْرُه وتوعُّدُه صلى الله عليه وسلم على من يفعل ذلك بأنه يخشى على أبصارهم أن تُخطف منهم وتؤخذ بسرعة بحيث لا يشعرون إلا وقد فَقَدوا نِعمة البَصر.

حُسن دعوة النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وبيان الحق؛ لأنه صلى الله عليه وسلم لم يَكشف عن المُخالف؛ لأن المقصود بيان الحقِّ وقد حصل؛ ولأن فيه سَترًا على المخالف وأدعى للقبول.
النَّهي الأكيد، والوعيد الشَّديد على من رفع بَصره إلى السماء في الصلاة.
قال في عون المعبود: والعلة في ذلك أنه إذا رفع بصره إلى السماء خرج عن سمت القبلة وأعرض عنها وعن هيئة الصلاة.
منافاة رفع البصر للخشوع في الصلاة.
عِظَم شأن الصلاة، وأنه يجب على المُصلِّي أن يكون فيها على كمال الأدب مع الله عز وجل.

Classical commentary

Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani — Fath al-Bari

قَوْلُهُ : ( حَدَّثَنَا قَتَادَة ) فِيهِ دَفْعٌ لِتَعْلِيلِ مَا أَخْرَجَهُ اِبْن عَدِيّ فِي الْكَامِلِ فَأَدْخَلَ بَيْنَ سَعِيد بْن أَبِي عَرُوبَة وقَتَادَة رَجُلًا , وَقَدْ أَخْرَجَهُ اِبْن مَاجَهْ مِنْ رِوَايَةِ عَبْد الْأَعْلَى بْن عَبْد الْأَعْلَى عَنْ سَعِيد - وَهُوَ مِنْ أَثْبَتِ أَصْحَابِهِ - وَزَادَ فِي أَوَّلِهِ بَيَان سَبَبِ هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ وَلَفْظه " صَلَّى رَسُول اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - يَوْمًا بِأَصْحَابِهِ , فَلَمَّا قَضَى الصَّلَاةَ أَقْبَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِوَجْهِهِ " فَذَكَرَهُ , وَقَدْ رَوَاهُ عَبْد اَلرَّزَّاق عَنْ مَعْمَرٍ عَنْ قَتَادَة مُرْسَلًا لَمْ يَذْكُرْ أَنَسًا , وَهِيَ عِلَّةٌ غَيْرُ قَادِحَةٍ ; لِأَنَّ سَعِيدًا أَعْلَمُ بِحَدِيث قَتَادَة مِنْ م…

Scholars’ grades

Grade taken from the status of the collection (Sahih al-Bukhari).

Other versions

Authentic Sunan Abu Dawud 913

What is the matter that people raise their (Upwards) in prayer. He then said sternly: They should stop doing that, otherwise their sight will be snatched away.

مَا بَالُ أَقْوَامٍ يَرْفَعُونَ أَبْصَارَهُمْ فِي صَلاَتِهِمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَاشْتَدَّ قَوْلُهُ فِي ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ لَيَنْتَهُنَّ عَنْ ذَلِكَ أَوْ لَتُخْطَفَنَّ أَبْصَارُهُمْ ‏"

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik

Authentic Sunan an-Nasa'i 1193

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "What is the matter with people who lift their gaze to the sky when praying?" And he spoke sternly concerning that until he said: "They must stop that or they will certainly lose their eyesight."

"‏ مَا بَالُ أَقْوَامٍ يَرْفَعُونَ أَبْصَارَهُمْ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فِي صَلاَتِهِمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَاشْتَدَّ قَوْلُهُ فِي ذَلِكَ حَتَّى قَالَ ‏"‏ لَيَنْتَهُنَّ عَنْ ذَلِكَ أَوْ لَتُخْطَفَنَّ أَبْصَارُهُمْ ‏"

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik

Authentic Sunan Ibn Majah 1044

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led his Companions in prayer one day. When he had finished prayer he turned to face the people and said: ‘What is wrong with some people that they lift their gaze to the heavens?’ He spoke severely concerning that: ‘They should certainly abstain from that or Allah will…

"‏ مَا بَالُ أَقْوَامٍ يَرْفَعُونَ أَبْصَارَهُمْ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ حَتَّى اشْتَدَّ قَوْلُهُ فِي ذَلِكَ ‏"‏ لَيَنْتَهُنَّ عَنْ ذَلِكَ أَوْ لَيَخْطَفَنَّ اللَّهُ أَبْصَارَهُمْ ‏"

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik

Not graded Musnad Ahmad 11622