When Does Laughing Break the Prayer?

Answered by Ustadh Sufyan Qufi

Question

Is my prayer invalidated if my mouth moves like it is about to laugh but no sound is uttered?

Answer

In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,

I pray this finds you in the best of states.

No, your prayer was not invalidated in this situation because no sound could be heard. [Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah]

You can read below the details regarding this issue from a previous answer at SeekersGuidance:

According to the Hanafi school, the prayer and wudu are invalidated if one laughs out loud during a prayer containing bowing and prostration. Imam ibn ‘Abidin mentions some conditions for this in “Radd al-Muhtar,” and they are as follows:

• One is an adult;
• One is awake;
• One’s laughter is out loud.

Possible Scenarios

Imam Shurunbulali (in his book “Maraqi al-Falah”) mentions three possible situations which could occur:

1. Loud laughing: Laughter with a raised sound such that under normal circumstances, the person praying next to one would be able to hear it (even if they do not hear it or there is nobody around)
   The Ruling: If done by an adult, who is awake, in a prayer containing bowing and prostration, it invalidates the ritual ablution and the prayer.
   Therefore the ritual ablution of a child, a sleeping person and a person praying the funeral prayer or performing the prostration of recital will not be invalidated by loud laughter.
2. Laughing: Laughter such that under normal circumstances one would be able to hear it however, the person praying next to one would not be able to hear it
   The Ruling: this invalidates the prayer only
3. Smiling: One cannot hear it
   The Ruling: this has no effect on the validity of the prayer.