Covering the mouth when yawning during the prayer

27-3-2011 | IslamWeb

Question:

I know you should cover mouth when yawning, but what if you yawn during salah, should you still cover your mouth?
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

It is desirable for whoever yawns during the prayer to try to overcome yawning and prevent it as the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: ''Yawning during the prayer is from the devil, so if any of you yawns, he should suppress it as much as he can.” [Muslim, Abu Daawood and At-Tirmithi]

Al-Mubaarak Poori may Allaah have mercy upon him said: “This means one should suppress it and hold it in by putting the hand over the mouth, or by clinching the upper and lower jaws and closing the lips tightly [i.e. closing the mouth]…”

Hence, it is desirable to put the hand over the mouth when yawning during the prayer in the same manner one does outside the prayer. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: ''If any of you yawns during the prayer, let him put his hand over his mouth as the devil enters [i.e. the mouth of the person] due to yawning.”

Allaah Knows best.

www.islamweb.net