Almighty said: "And He made them adhere to the word of piety" [Al-Fath: 26]. The Prophet (may God bless him and grant him peace) said: "The best of speech is four: Glory be to God, Praise be to God, there is no god but God, and God is the Greatest." He also said: "Two words that are light on the tongue, heavy on the balance, and beloved to the Most Merciful: [Glory be to God the Almighty, and Glory be to God and His praise]." Our position is that speech in common usage is only applied to the speech of human beings. That is why when the Prophet (may God bless him and grant him peace) said: "Indeed, God brings about from His affair whatever He wills, and He has brought about that you should not speak during the prayer," it did not cover the matter in dispute. Zayd ibn Arqam said: "We used to speak during the prayer until it was revealed: 'And stand before God in obedience' [Al-Baqarah: 238]. So we were commanded to be silent and forbidden from speaking." God Almighty also said: "Your sign is that you will not speak to the people for three days except by gesture, and remember your Lord much and exalt Him in the evening and the early morning" [Al-Imran: 41]. He commanded him to perform tasbih (glorification of God) while cutting off [human] speech from him. Furthermore, that which does not cause a violation of the oath if done in prayer, does not cause it if done outside of it, such as gesturing. What they have mentioned is invalidated by [the act of] recitation and tasbih during the prayer, and the remembrance of God prescribed therein.
(34) Surah Al-Fath: 26. (35) Recorded by Al-Bukhari as a ta'liq (suspended) report in: Chapter: If one says 'By God, I will not speak today,' then prays... from the Book of Oaths and Vows. Sahih al-Bukhari 8/173. And Imam Ahmad in: Al-Musnad 4/36, 5/20. (36) In M: "Glory be to God and His praise, and Glory be to God the Almighty." The hadith was recorded by Al-Bukhari in: Chapter: If one says 'By God, I will not speak today,' then prays... from the Book of Oaths and Vows, and in: Chapter: The saying of God Almighty: {And We place the scales of justice...} from the Book of Tawhid. Sahih al-Bukhari 8/173, 9/199. And Muslim in: Chapter: The virtue of Tahlil, Tasbih, and supplication, from the Book of Dhikr. Sahih Muslim 4/2072. And Ibn Majah, Chapter: The virtue of Tasbih, from the Book of Adab. Sunan Ibn Majah 2/1251. And Imam Ahmad in: Al-Musnad 2/232. (37) In M: "takalamu". (38) Recorded by Al-Bukhari as a ta'liq report in: Chapter: The saying of God Almighty: {Every day He is in a matter} from the Book of Tawhid. Sahih al-Bukhari 9/187. And Abu Dawood in: Chapter: Returning the greeting during prayer, from the Book of Prayer. Sunan Abi Dawood 1/212. And Al-Nasa'i in: Chapter: Speaking during prayer, from the Book of Sahw (forgetfulness). Al-Mujtaba 3/16, 17. And Imam Ahmad in: Al-Musnad 1/377, 435, 463. (39) Surah Al-Baqarah: 238. (40) Recorded by Al-Bukhari in: Chapter: What is forbidden of speech in prayer, from the Book of Actions in Prayer, and in the Chapter: {And stand before God in obedience} (i.e., obediently), from the Exegesis of Surah Al-Baqarah, from the Book of Exegesis. Sahih al-Bukhari 2/79, 6/38. And Muslim in: Chapter: The prohibition of speaking during prayer... from the Book of Masajid. Sahih Muslim 1/383. And Abu Dawood in: Chapter: The prohibition of speaking in prayer, from the Book of Prayer. Sunan Abi Dawood 1/218. And Al-Tirmidhi in: Chapter: What has been narrated regarding the abrogation of speech in prayer, from the Chapters on Prayer. 'Aridat al-Ahwadhi 2/195, 196. And Al-Nasa'i in the previous chapter. Al-Mujtaba 3/16. And Imam Ahmad in: Al-Musnad 4/368.
