Things Which Are Not Preferred In The Prayer

1. Turning of the eyes up. 

The Prophet Salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam strongly admonished against this this and can be noted from the following saying:

"What is the matter with the people who raise their eyes towards the sky while praying? They shall have to refrain from this or else they will lose their eyesights". (Reported by Imam Bukhari)

It  is also disliked to look right and left and the Prophet Salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam in this regard says: 

"It is a deception with which satan deceives the servant while in prayer". (Reported by Imam Bukhari)

The person while praying is required to direct his eyes at the point of prostration

2. Closing the eyes in the course of the prayer.

3. Placing the hands above on the waist. Hands should be placed over the chest.

4. Wiping the earth more than once to remove pebbles on it.

5. Reading of the Holy Qur'an, while in Rukuu and in Sujuud  positions.

6. Making unnecessary movements in the course of the prayer such as touching the chin (beard) or fidgetting  the finger tips or mending up the clothes e.g. the head, turban etc.

7. Entering to prayer, while food has been served to the person before the prayer or while badly in need of passing excrement and/or urine.  

The Prophet Salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam in this regard says:

"Prayer is not valid when the food has been served and when a person is in need of relieving himself of excrement and/or urine". (Reported by Imam Muslim)

8. It is prohibited for someone in a congregational prayer to raise the head from Rukuu and Sujuud positions ahead of the Imam. 

The Prophet Salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam strongly warned persons doing this and can be noted from the following saying:

"Doesn't the person who raises up his head before the Imam fear that Allah will turn his head to that of a donkey or make his face look like a donkey". (Reported by Imam Bukhari)