"He
(sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) used
to incline his head during prayer and
fix his sight towards the ground"81-
"while he was in the Ka'bah, his sight
did not leave the place of his prostration
until he came out from it"82;
and he said, It is not fitting that
there should be anything in the House
which disturbs the person praying.83
"He
used to forbid looking up at the sky"84,
and he emphasised this prohibition so
much that he said: People must refrain
from looking up at the sky in prayer,
or their sight will not return to them
(and in one narration: or their sight
will be plucked away).85
In another hadeeth: So when you pray,
do not look here and there, for Allaah
sets His Face for the face of his slave
in his prayer as long as he does not
look away86,
and he also said about looking here and
there, "it is a snatching away which
the devil steals from the slave during
prayer."87
He (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) also
said: Allaah does not cease to turn
to a slave in his prayer as long as he
is not looking around; when he turns
his face away, Allaah turns away from
him88;
he "forbade three things: pecking like
a hen, squatting (iq'aa'), like a dog
and looking around like a fox"89;
he also used to say, Pray a farewell
prayer as if you see Him, but if you
do not see Him, surely He sees you90;
and, Any person who, when an obligatory
prayer is due, excels in its ablution,
humility and bowings, will have it as
a remission for his previous minor sins
as long as he does not commit a major
sin, and this (opportunity) is for all
times.91
Once he (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam),
prayed in a khameesah92
and (during the prayer) he looked at
its marks. So when he finished, he said:
Take this khameesah of mine to Abu
Jahm and bring me his anbijaaniyyah93,
for it has diverted my attention from
the prayer (in one narration: for
I have looked at its marks during the
prayer and it almost put me to trial).94
Also "'Aaishah had a cloth with pictures
spread towards a sahwah95,
towards which the Prophet (sallallaahu
'alaihi wa sallam) prayed and then said:
Take it away from me [for its pictures
did not cease to thwart me in my prayer].96
He would also say: Prayer is not valid
when the food has been served, nor when
it is time to relieve oneself of the
two filths.97