Turning the face right and left at the end of the prayer

Question

In the prayer the salam should be given [turning] to the right and to the left. But if someone gave the salam while keeping his face towards the qibla, what is the ruling? Was the salam valid or not?

Answer

Turning the face to the right and to the left is a sunna: [ar]ويسن الالتفات يمينًا ثم يسارًا بالتسليمتين[/ar] “It is sunna to turn [the face] to the right and then to the left with the two taslims” (Maraqi al-Falah, p. 163). Acting contrary to this means a sunna is left out, [but] the prayer has been performed.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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