Answered by Shaykh Yūsuf Badāt
Question:
I came to know that the best time to make duʿāʾ is while in prostration (sujūd). I have also heard that talking in ṣalāh will nullify ṣalāh. Please advise if saying duʿāʾ in sujūd, during prayers nullifies the ritual prayer.
Answer:
Jazāk Allāh Khayr/ Thank you for your question.
“The nearest a slave can be to his Lord (Allāh), is while in prostration, so increase in supplication.” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Musnad Aḥmad)
The above noted narration does not specify any particular supplication. Therefore one may ask Allāh for any worldly or spiritual need. This prostration need not to be in the ṣalāh (ritual prayer). One may render a sujūd (prostration) outside ṣalāh and make the supplication in any language.
As for inside the prayers (ṣalāh), there are various views.
A group of scholars such as Imām Abū Ḥanīfah, Imām Ṭāūs and Imām Ibrāhīm al Nakha’ī, only permit Arabic in the ṣalāh (ritual prayers), since the duā’s (supplications) in other languages resemble regular speech which invalidates the prayer.
“The [ordinary] speech of people is not appropriate in these ṣalāhs (prayers). It is only tasbīḥ, takbīr and recitation of the Qur’ān [that is permitted].” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
Others such as the fraternity of the Shāfi‘e school allow the supplication in any language, regardless of the nature of the prayer, based on the generality of the above cited narration.
(See: I’elā al Sunan)
And Allāh Knows Best