Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
I have heard that excessive movement in the prayer such that to an observer it appears that person is not praying nullifies the prayer. I have seen here in America, often people pray while carrying their young kids and once they go into sujjud they put them down and pick them up when coming out of sujjud. Is this practice valid? Or this practice should only be used as a last resort, meaning that no care is available for kids and the time of prayer is passing?
It is permitted to pick up children in prayer, with slight movements, when there is need or benefit in doing so.
However, one cannot lift children with diapers if one thinks their diapers may be soiled–if the diapers are thought to be clean, then one can lift them, too.
(Ref: Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah; Ala’ al-Din Abidin, al-Hadiyya al-Ala’iyya; Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar)
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And Allah alone gives success.
Faraz Rabbani