Notes on amal kathir: Generally, moving two hands away from their normal position is a major action and a major action nullifies the prayer. And we practically demonstrate this through various precautions during salah. When yawning in qiyam, which hand are we told to use to cover the mouth? The right. Even though the normal ruling is to use the back of the left hand. So why the right hand only in qiyam? Because if we used the left, we would have to lift both hands from their position. When a hat falls off, why are told to pick it up if we can do it with one hand but if it needs both hands, to leave it? To roll up the sleeves during salah breaks the prayer. To dress during prayer breaks salah. Why are we told to switch the mobile off with one hand? In all these examples, the reason for not using two hands is because an onlooker from afar will unlikely think you're praying if both hands are away from their normal position. Notice, the books say he is far so we have to be even more careful. Because the close onlooker might still make out you're praying. I am not saying what Shaykh Aslam demonstrated definitely breaks the prayer but I do say we should strongly avoid it as it is very doubtful. That shouldn't be the norm. Does what he did certainly break the prayer? Sunni muftis will tell us. But regardless of their answer, it certainly should be avoided.
A few notes on the Shaykh Aslam video. Please correct me if I'm wrong. I welcome it. These posts are only to get to the true understanding of the issue. 1. If an onlooker has previous knowledge that Shaykh Aslam is praying, then obviously, nothing is amal kathir! If Shaykh Aslam were to perform a major action now, the onlooker would just think he's praying but doing it wrong! Yes, if an onlooker has previous knowledge that you've gone to pray and then still sees you do something that assures him you're not in prayer, then you're definitely not in prayer! 2. Onlooker means someone who only sees THAT action. If he's seen you make ruku, for example, and THEN saw you pick up a child with two hands, he WILL think you're in prayer! 3. If I saw JUST THAT part, when he picked the child up with two hands, I would be sure he isn't praying - if I didn't previously know he is in prayer. 4. This is similar to me seeing someone standing facing qiblah but putting a coat on with both hands. It is not an action of prayer.
As Salamu Alaykum Wa RahmatulLāh Wouldn't one of these baby back carriers be a solution? Strap the kid to your back and fasten the clips. That way, unlike a front carry, the baby has room when you go into sujood. Source: https://ergobaby.com/blog/2012/05/the-back-carry-safe-easy-practical/
it was not a life and death situation, neither it was an issue of short-time, if one prays like that without any need then his salah is makruh *. bahar e shariat book-3. * makruh if the child can hold himself/herself, otherwise prayer will be invalid if muSalli has to hold the child and do a'mal al kahtir.
That's life and death. I'm talking here of normal circumstances where the child won't allow you to pray throughout the duration of that prayer. What do you do?
Delaying is permitted for nurse/child-carer (may be, the absence of anyone else would mean any sole carer). From Nur ul-Idah:
I ain't no mufti but here's what I'd do. Please correct me if there is a better solution. If I had a young child who won't even let me pray my fard and there is no one else to watch him, I would wait till the end time of prayer to see if he nods off. If not, pray with him as Shaykh Aslam did just so that the fard of praying on time is fulfilled. Then later, I would repeat the prayer because most likely, I have committed a major action.
Importance of taking knowledge from scholars of Ahl-us-Sunnah and their explanations for the Qur'ān-e-Karīm, Hadīth Sharīf and rulings on Sharī'ah.