Question:
Assalamualaikum ustaz. What is the ruling if a person burps in prayer?
Answer:
Waalaikumussalam wrt. wbt.,
Alhamdulillah, praise and gratitude to Allah SWT for His countless blessings for us all. Praise and salutations to our beloved Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his family, companions, and all those who follow his footsteps until the Final day.
The author of al-Fiqh al-Manhaji (1/306) stated: In absolution (على الإطلاق), prayer is the most prioritized badaniyah worship. This is based on an incident when a man came and asked the Prophet PBUH regarding the most prioritized deed. The Prophet PBUH answered:
الصَّلاَةُ، قَالَ: ثُمَّ مَهْ؟ قَالَ: ثُمَّ الصَّلاَةُ، قَالَ: ثُمَّ مَهْ ؟ قَالَ الصَّلاَةُ، ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ
“Prayer. He asked: Then what? The Prophet replied: “Then prayer. He asked again: Then what? The Prophet PBUH replied: Prayer,” The Prophet repeated his reply ‘prayer’ Thrice.” [1]
Basically, among the matters that invalidates a prayer are: Clearing one’s throat, laughing, crying and groaning if two letter sounds are clearly uttered from each of the actions. The measure of invalidation of the four matters is when it is purposely done and two-letter sounds are clearly heard even if they can’t be understood. However, the prayer isn’t invalidated if just a faint sound is heard and only one letter is heard or without any letter sound pronounced.
Likewise, the prayer is not invalidated if it is a desperate situation such as a person who can’t help coughing or laughing. In this matter, smiling doesn’t invalidate the prayer. Consequently, dhikr and supplication invalidate prayer if it is addressed to someone such as by saying (يَرحَمْكَ الله) which means: “May Allah bless you.” For it is considered as talking or speech between people which shouldn’t be mixed in prayer. [2]
Furthermore, one should also be mindful of the manners during prayer when one is praying, for in truth he is actually asking and talking to Allah SWT. In a hadith from Anas bin Malik RA, the Prophet PBUH said:
إِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ إِذَا قَامَ فِي صَلاَتِهِ فَإِنَّهُ يُنَاجِي رَبَّهُ
“If anyone of you stands for the prayer, he is speaking in private to his Lord,” [3]
The Meaning of Burp
Abu al-Abbas Ali al-Fayyumi defined a burp as: Voice and wind exhaled from one’s mouth because one is full. [4] While in the book al-Tanwir, burp is said as: Wind excreted from the stomach because on is full. [5] In Malay, burp means a sound similar to sipping that is excreted from the throat because one is full or others. [6]
Basically, burping itself is an act that was rebuked by Rasullullah PBUH. Regardless of whether the person burps in prayer or otherwise. This is based on a narration from Ibn Umar R.Anhuma, he said:
تَجَشَّأَ رَجُلٌ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ كُفَّ عَنَّا جُشَاءَكَ فَإِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ شِبَعًا فِي الدُّنْيَا أَطْوَلُهُمْ جُوعًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ
“A man belched in the presence of the Prophet PBUH, so he said: ‘Restain your belching from us. For indeed those who are filled most in the world will be the hungriest on the Day of Judgement.'” [7]
The above hadith shows that the act of burping itself is restricted, which means the act that leads to burping itself is restricted.
Imam al Manawi when commenting on this hadith said: The restriction against burping is due to the extra fullness of a person who eats too much and it is rebuked in terms of health and syarak. [8]
However, this only refers to burp that is from the act of excessive eating. Actually, eating excessively is not a good deed, for it is usually followed by excess satiation and leads to negative actions such as laziness in worship and rouse a person towards sin.
As for accidental burps, such as due to the factor of gas-related symptoms in one’s body is not an offence. However, among the manners one should be mindful of is to not intentionally burp in front of others.
Burping in Prayer
This issue has its discussion according to jurists from the angle of whether burping invalidates a person’s prayer.
Basically, burping is not included as a matter that invalidates prayer as explained in several sahih narrations. This means there is no syarak evidence that states that burping will invalidate the prayer of the person who burps.
However, some jurists analogically deduced the matter saying that if even outside prayer Rasullullah PBUH rebuked the act of burping, then it will be more so in prayer.
Conclusion
According to the above question, burping doesn’t invalidate one’s prayer. However, it is rude to burp in prayer and could lead to makruh (discouraged) if it is followed by a foul smell that disturbs other congregants. May Allah SWT grant us the correct understanding in this religion. Amin.
Wallahu a’lam.
[1] Narrated by Ibn Hibban (258). Syeikh Syu’aib al-Arna’ut stated the isnad of this hadith is hasan.
[2] See al-Fiqh al-Manhaji, 1/306 and 427
[3] Narrated by al-Bukhari (405)
[4] See al-Misbah al-Munir, 1/102
[5] See al-Tanwir Syarah al-Jami’ al-Saghir, 8/152
[6] https://prpm.dbp.gov.my/cari1?keyword=sendawa
[7] Narrated by al-Tirmizi (2478)