عن عائِشَة رضي الله عنها مرفوعاً: «لا صلاة بِحَضرَة طَعَام، وَلا وهو يُدَافِعُه الأَخبَثَان».
[صحيح] - [رواه مسلم]
المزيــد ...

‘Ā'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Prayer should not be offered when food is ready, nor when one is in dire need of answering the call of nature."
Sahih/Authentic. - [Muslim]

Explanation

This Hadīth affirms that Shariah urges Muslims to be attentive and focused while standing before their Lord in prayer, and this cannot take place except by cutting off the distractions that hinder tranquility and attentiveness of the heart in prayer. Therefore, Allah forbids offering prayer in the presence of food that one longs for and his heart will be attached to while praying. Likewise, Allah forbids offering prayer when one is in dire need of answering the call of nature (i.e. urine and excrement), because his mind will be busy resisting to relieve himself.

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Benefits from the Hadith

  1. It is disliked to offer prayer when one is resisting the call of nature, urine and feces, unless the prayer’s time is running out, in which case its performance takes precedence over all else. If a person prays in such a state, his prayer is valid, albeit deficient and incomplete based on the mentioned Hadīth, and he is not required to repeat it. But if he enters into prayer without the need to relieve himself, yet this need arises during the prayer, then his prayer is valid and there is no undesirability here unless the call of nature deters him from completing the prayer.
  2. Presence of mind and humility are required in prayer.
  3. A person should keep away from anything that distracts him during the prayer.
  4. The need to urinate or defecate is an excuse for not attending the Friday sermon or the congregational prayer, provided one does not make the times of prayers a usual time for answering the call of nature.