the sky,1 to shut his eyes, to sit in iqʿāʾ, to spread his forearms flat while prostrating,2 to fidget, to put his hands on his hips, to rock back and forth, to crack or interlock his fingers, to pray while suppressing the need to relieve himself or in the presence of food he desires, and to repeat the Fātiḥah—whereas combining two sūrahs in an obligatory prayer, as in a voluntary one, is not disliked.

He may repel someone who tries to pass in front of him, count the verses, prompt his imam, put on a cloak or a turban,3 and kill a snake, a scorpion, or lice. Should he prolong an action beyond what people customarily regard as brief, without necessity, the prayer is invalid—no distinction being made between intentional and unintentional acts.

It is permissible to recite the ends or the middle parts of sūrahs. If something requires attention, a man says, “Subḥān Allah,” whereas a woman claps by striking the inside of one palm against the back of the other.4 He may spit during the prayer to his left, and if inside a mosque he should spit into his garment.

It is recommended that he pray toward an upright sutrah such as the rear of a camel saddle;5 if he finds nothing standing, he may draw a line. The prayer is invalidated only by the passage of a completely black dog.

He may seek refuge when he comes to a verse of threat and ask for mercy when he comes to a verse of mercy, even in an obligatory prayer.

Section

Its pillars are: standing, the opening takbīr, the Fātiḥah, bowing, standing upright after bowing, prostration on the seven limbs, and sitting upright thereafter,