What Is the Ruling of Closing One’s Eyes in Prayer?

Answered by SeekersGuidance Answers Service

Question: Assalamu aleykum,

I want to close my eyes in prayer for the sake of increasing my concentration, not for any other cause. Is it permissible?

Answer: Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

I pray that you are in the best of health and faith, insha’Allah.

To close one’s eyes in prayer is somewhat disliked. This is because:

-it entails leaving the sunna of looking at the place of prostration,
-it resembles the worship of the Jews, and
-it is reported from the early Muslims that they disliked this.
There is a weak hadith regarding this, which is not sufficient as proof (in itself), but supports these other considerations.

However:

-if one does not gain full attentiveness or is distracted in prayer if one’s eyes are open, then it would be permitted (or, perhaps, even better) to close one’s eyes.

Please see: Closing One’s Eyes in Prayer: A Detailed Answer and: Presence of Heart in Prayer: A Reader

And Allah alone gives success.

SeekersGuidance Answers Service

Checked & Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani