Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Sir, I have a question related to prayers. I am a 23 years old male. It seems to be a foolish question but this is important for me to ask. Actually it happens with me sometimes that while offering my prayer there come dirty thoughts in my mind which cause a little bit erection in my penis. But instantly then I change my mind from that dirty thoughts and everthing goes at normal then. Please let me and all my brothers know that what effect this thing makes in our prayer ? And does our prayer broken up with such thing ? 

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Answer:

Erection while in prayer

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Statement: It seems to be a foolish question but this is important for me to ask.

Beloved and dear Brother in Islam, if one is genuinely seeking knowledge about a command in Islam, there is absolutely nothing that one can ask that would be deemed foolish or inappropriate. Thus my beloved brother, never ever hesitate or feel ashamed or embarrassed to ask any good scholar absolutely anything about a command or guidance in Islam, nor matter how insignificant the question might seem; and it is the duty of the scholar who sincerely fears Allah, to provide a proper and full answer to the one who is genuinely seeking knowledge.

Your Question: Actually it happens with me sometimes that while offering my prayer there come dirty thoughts in my mind which cause a little bit erection in my penis. But instantly then I change my mind from that dirty thoughts and everthing goes at normal then. Please let me and all my brothers know that what effect this thing makes in our prayer ? And does our prayer broken up with such thing ? 

Abu Hurairah reports that the Prophet (saws) said: "When the call to prayer is made, the Shaytaan takes to his heels... and when it is finished, he returns. He flees again when the iqamah is made and when it is finished, he returns until he comes between the man and his thoughts, saying: 'Remember this and remember that,' which he had not recalled, until the person does not know how much he has prayed.

Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Uthman ibn Abi al-'Aas said: "O Messenger of Allah (saws), the Shaytaan comes between me and my prayers and my recitation, confusing me therein!" The Prophet (saws) said: "That Shaytaan is called ‘Khanzab’. If he affects you (during your prayer), seek refuge in Allah from him, and 'spit out' on your left side three times."

Related by Muslim.

My beloved brother in Islam, if the Shaytaan whispers any thoughts in your heart, and subsequently you get an erection while in prayer, there is no harm and it does not invalidate your prayer in the least provided you immediately seek the protection of Allah Subhanah from the evil designs and thoughts of the Shaytaan.

But if the erection results in an emission of any liquid from your private parts, then indeed your wudu and your prayer will both be deemed broken and invalid, and you would have to repeat the wudu and the prayer again.

Beloved brother in Islam, the best way to reduce the occurrence again would be to seek refuge in Allah Subhanah from the designs of the accursed Shaytaan before you start your prayer, and learn the meanings of what is recited in the prayer so that you may be able to concentrate better on your prayers. Insha Allah, that would substantially reduce and eliminate this issue of having different thoughts while in the state of prayer.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan