Repeatedly moving the beard during the prayer

Question

If an imam, during the prayer, keeps moving his beard back and forth with his hand continuously in order to look at the time (?), and at times during the prayer it seems as though he is not in the state of prayer, and he often adjusts his clothes with both hands — what is the Shari‘a ruling concerning such an imam?

Answer

These actions are contrary to khushu‘ and khudu‘ (humility and submissiveness in prayer). If, within a single pillar (rukn) of the prayer, he raises his hand three times and moves his beard back and forth, some jurists have deemed this an excessive action (‘amal kathir), which invalidates the prayer.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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