Does Laughing Invalidate Prayer?

Does laughing invalidate prayer?

The essence of prayer is the servant’s establishing prayer with khushu with the consciousness of being in the presence of the Almighty Allah. However, the effect of involuntary laughing in the prayer can be evaluated as follows:

1-If a person laughs loud enough that those near him can hear it; Hanafis say that it invalidates both the state of minor ablution and prayer (Sarakhsi, al-Mabsut, I, 172; Marghinani, al-Hidayah, 116, 117).

It is stated in the hadith narrated by Ibn Usama from his father, “A blind person fell in a hole while we were performing prayer under the imamah of the Messenger of Allah. We laughed at the situation of that man. Then, the Messenger of Allah commanded us to perform ablution and prayer again.” (Daraqutni, as-Sunan, I, 295)

According to Shafi’is, laughter does not invalidate ablution although it invalidates prayer. As laughter does not invalidate minor ablution outside prayer, it does not invalidate it in prayer either (Shirbini, Mughni al-muhtaj, I, 64, 108).

2- If a person who establishes prayer laughs as loud as only he can hear, only his prayer is invalidated.

3- If a person smiles in a way that neither himself nor the people around him hears it, neither his ablution nor his prayer is invalidated (Mawsili, al-Ikhtiyar, I, 55-56).

Source: Presidency Of Religious Affairs The Turkey, High Board of Religious Affairs FATWAS