Hadith 1366

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "O Anas, direct your gaze to where you prostrate." [Narrated by Al-Bayhaqi in his "Sunan Al-Kubra."] In a narration by Abu Dawud: "His gaze should not go beyond his gesture." This hadith of Abu Dawud apparently indicates that during sitting, one's gaze should be directed to one's lap. In "Radd Al-Muhtar": The apparent narration indicates that the limit of one's gaze during prayer should be the place of prostration, as mentioned in "Al-Mudmarat." This is also the view in "Al-Kanz" and others. The detailed explanation in "Ad-Durr Al-Mukhtar" is based on the opinions of scholars like At-Tahawi and Al-Karkhi, as found in extensive works.