Performing Salaah with one's eyes closed

Q: If a person has been put forward for imaamat and he finds that closing his eyes and performing the salaah especially the qiraat will help him to relax and not to become stressed whereby he would make mistakes, is this permissible?

A: The Sunnah is to perform Salaah with the eyes open. Performing Salaah with the eyes closed is makrooh. However, if one cannot acquire concentration except with closing his eyes, then it will be permissible for him to perform Salaah with his eyes closed.

And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.

 

Answered by:

Mufti Zakaria Makada

Checked & Approved:

Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)