by anyone until he knows what he is saying. Whoever does not know what he is saying is not permitted to pray, even if he has lost his reason through something that is not forbidden. Hence, the scholars agree that the prayer of someone who has lost his reason is invalid, whatever the cause. How much more, then, does this apply to an insane person!

Some Quran commentators have said—and this is reported from al-Dahhāk—“Do not approach prayer while you are stupefied with sleep.” This interpretation holds if the verse is understood to indicate this by inference or through the inclusive meaning of its general wording. Otherwise, there is no doubt that the occasion of the verse’s revelation concerned intoxication from wine, and its wording explicitly indicates that. The other meaning is also sound.

It is authentically reported in the two Sahīh collections that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“When one of you rises to pray at night and his tongue falters in reciting the Quran, let him sleep, for he does not know: he may intend to seek forgiveness but instead curse himself.” In another wording: “If he rises to pray and becomes drowsy, let him sleep.”

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, thus forbade praying when drowsiness causes a person to make mistakes. The scholars have cited this as evidence that drowsiness does not invalidate ablution. Were ablution invalidated by it, the prayer would become invalid, or one would have to leave it to renew one’s ritual purification. Yet the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, explained the reason only by saying:

“For he does not know: he may intend to seek forgiveness but instead curse himself.”

It is therefore clear that he intended to forbid prayer for someone who does not know what he is saying, even when this is caused by drowsiness.

In keeping with this, it is authentically reported from him in the Sahīh that he said:

“Prayer must not be performed by