Perfect Your Prayer by Using a Sutrah

Question: There is an imam who leads the people in prayer in the middle of the masjid without a sutrah. Is his prayer, and the prayer of those behind him, valid if someone walks in front of him? Sheikh Rashad Adh-Dhali'ee: The Prophet ﷺ commanded that a sutrah be used. He said: ((لا تُصل إلا إلى سترة، ولا تجعل أحدا يمر بين يديك)) “Do not pray except towards a sutrah, and do not allow anyone to pass in front of you.” Therefore, using a sutrah is something that has been commanded. When a person prays, he should take a sutrah, whether he is an imam or praying alone. As for the person praying behind the imam, the imam’s sutrah is sufficient for him, because the imam’s sutrah is also the sutrah of those praying behind him. As for whether his prayer is valid: if a man or child passes in front of him, between him and the place where he prostrates, he should prevent him from passing. If he tries to stop him but the person insists on passing, then there is no sin upon him. However, if he does not try to stop him, and the person passes directly in front of him—that is, between the place where he is standing and the place where he prostrates—and he does not prevent him, this diminishes his prayer, and his prayer is not complete and perfect. This applies when the person passing is a man or a child. But if a woman passes in front of him, this invalidates the prayer, as mentioned in the hadith of Abu Dharr in Sahih Muslim, where the Prophet ﷺ said: ((يقطع صلاة المرء إذا مر بين يديه ثلاث: المرأة الحائض، والحمار، والكلب الأسود)) “Three things invalidate a person’s prayer if they pass in front of him: a menstruating woman, a donkey, and a black dog.” The intended meaning of “a menstruating woman” is a woman who has reached the age of menstruation. The Prophet ﷺ was asked, “What is the difference between the black dog and the red or yellow dog?” He replied: "الكلب الأسود شيطان" . “The black dog is a devil.” Therefore, based on this distinction: If the person passing in front of him is a man or a child—whether male or female—he should prevent them from passing. If they insist on passing, then there is nothing upon him and his prayer is valid. But if he does not try to prevent them and allows them to pass between the place where he is standing and the place where he prostrates, this diminishes the reward of his prayer. As for if the person passing is a woman, then this invalidates the prayer. If his prayer is invalidated, then the prayer of those praying behind him is likewise invalidated. And Allah knows best. Source: https://t.me/rshad11/4834 ------------------ Masjid As-Sahabah 295-297 Haggerston London E8 4EN 🌐 masjidsahabah.org