Is turning the head during prayer an innovation or does it invalidate the prayer?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
Turning in prayer is of several types:
1. Turning with the chest: This invalidates the prayer because it violates the condition of facing the Qiblah.
2. Turning with the head or eye only: This is disliked (makrooh) and diminishes the reward, unless it is for a necessity, in which case there is no dislike. Its permissibility for a necessity has been established by prophetic traditions.
3. Turning with the heart: This refers to the worshiper's preoccupation with thoughts and whispers, which is a snatching that Satan snatches from the servant's prayer, and it diminishes the prayer.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/10199
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 10199
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy