Salaah in a room with books containing pictures of animate objects

Q: If someone keeps his books or study materials (secular) open in his study table containing pictures of animated objects then if he prays Salaah in that room, will it be valid. (If he stands for Salaah then his study table will be by his right side and it will be sufficiently far to go unnoticed).

A: The salaah will be valid. It is better not to have these types of books at all and if you have to keep them then cover them with some cloth etc.

ويكره أن يكون فوق رأسه في السقف أو بين يديه أو بحذائه تصاوير أو صورة معلقة لحديث جبريل إنا لا ندخل بيتا فيه كلب أو صورة ولو كانت الصورة صغيرة بحيث لا تبدو للناظر لا يكره لأن الصغار جدا لا تعبد (الهداية 1/ 142)

Answered by:

Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)