Does the prayer become invalid if someone passes in front of the one praying, and is a prayer mat sufficient as a sutrah if one prays on it?

The questioner:
May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good. You are asking whether the prayer becomes invalid if someone passes in front of the one praying, or whether the prayer mat on which he prays is sufficient, may Allah reward you with good, and he does not need a sutrah after that?

The Shaykh:
If the one praying is a ma'mum (praying behind an imam), his sutrah is the imam's sutrah. The imam's sutrah is sufficient for the ma'mum. So if someone passes in front of the ma'mum, it does not harm him. But if he is praying alone or is the imam, it is emphasized for him to pray facing a sutrah, and that it be close to him. If someone passes from behind it, it does not affect him either.
The sutrah, as the scholars mentioned, is the size of the back of a saddle, meaning it is upright and standing to the height of the back of a saddle. This is the known saddle of a camel that is placed on its back for carrying loads and riding. If he has an upright sutrah of this size in front of him, it does not harm him if someone passes behind it. As for passing in front of the one praying, between him and his sutrah, this is forbidden. It is forbidden for the one passing, and it is forbidden for the one praying to let him pass. Rather, he must prevent him and push him away. Likewise, if he does not have a sutrah, and someone passes close to him, meaning within three arm's lengths of the feet of the one praying, then this has an effect. The one passing commits a sin, and the one praying who did not take a sutrah and let him pass in front of him commits a sin.
In any case, this issue, if there is no dire necessity to pass, such as if there is severe crowding, as in the crowded mosques on Friday, or in the Sacred Mosque, or the Prophet's Mosque, people gather in these places, and they may be forced to pass. The matter becomes more lenient as the crowding increases, praise be to Allah. Praise be to Allah.
In any case, the one praying, if he is an imam or praying alone, should pray facing a sutrah, and be close to it. Likewise, those passing, if they have no dire necessity, it is not permissible for them to pass between the one praying and his sutrah, or to pass close to him if he does not have a sutrah. They have ample space to pass through, far from the one praying and without affecting him. Yes.

The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good,

The questioner:
You mentioned the prayer mat, Shaykh Salih. Does the one who prays on the prayer mat, is the end of it in front of the one praying considered a sutrah or not?

The Shaykh:
This is not a sutrah. The edge of the mat on which the one praying prays is not considered a sutrah. Rather, a sutrah is something upright in front of the one praying, or it can be a stick, a stick planted in front of him, or placed in front of him. And if he does not find any of that, he draws a line in front of him. Yes.