Frequent Movements during Prayers

Question :

My problem is that I make lots of movements during the prayer and I have heard that there is a Hadith whose meaning is that more than three (unnecessary) movements in the prayer invalidate it. How authentic is this Hadith and how can I escape from these excessive vain movements in prayer?

Answer:

The Sunnah for the believer is to approach prayer with humility in his heart and his body, whether it is an obligatory prayer or a non-obligatory prayer, according to the Words of Allah, the Most Glorified, the Most High:

Successful indeed are the believers, those who offer their prayers with all solemnity and full submissiveness. And those who turn away from Al-Laghw (all that Allah has forbidden).

And he must be calm in it; this is one of the most important pillars and obligations of the prayer, according to the saying of the Prophet to the one who prayed badly and did not display tranquility and repose in prayer:

"Go back and pray, because you have not prayed.»

He did so three times and then the man said: "O Messenger of Allah! By Him Who sent you with the truth, I cannot pray better than this, so teach me." So the Prophet said to him:
"When you stand up to pray, perform Wudhu', then face the Qiblah, then recite what is easy for you from the Qur'an, then bow (and remain bowing) until you are at rest therein. Then rise until you are standing straight, then prostrate (and remain prostrating) until you are at rest therein. Then rise (and sit) until you are at rest in a sitting position, then prostrate (and remain prostrating) until you are at rest therein, then do this in all your prayer.

In another version narrated by Abu Dawud, he said:
"...then recite Umm Al-Kitab and whatever Allah willed...

This authentic Hadith proves that calmness and repose is a pillar of prayer and a great obligation in it, without which prayer is not correct. And whoever violates his prayer, there is no prayer for him; and humility is the essence and spirit of the prayer. It is incumbent on the believer to pay attention during it and to guard it carefully.

As for limiting the number of movements which nullifies the calmness and humility required in prayer to three, there is no Hadith from the Prophet to that effect; it is only a saying of one of the scholars and there is no dependable evidence for it. But purposeless movements in the prayer are hated, such as rubbing the nose, the beard and the clothing and devoting one's attention to it; and if it is repeated and continuous, it invalidates the prayer. However, if it is limited, or repeated but not continuous, then it does not invalidate the prayer, but it is incumbent upon the believer to be humble and abandon vain actions, whether they be much or little, in pursuit of perfection and completeness in the prayer.

Among the proofs that limited actions or limited movements - and likewise occasional actions or movements which are not continuous in the prayer do not invalidate it, is the authentic narration from the Prophet in which it is stated that he opened the door one day for 'A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, while he was praying!... and the authentic narration from him on the authority of Abu Qatadah, may Allah be pleased with him, in which it is stated that one day he led the people in prayer while he was holding in front of him the daughter of his daughter, Zainab, and when prostrated, he put her down and when he stood up, he picked her up. And Allah is the Granter of success.